Chapter 7: Mine to Protect

Lina didn’t stay.

The moment she regained her senses, she turned and walked out of the dining hall.

Fast.

Too fast.

Her heart was still racing.

Her lips still burned.

And her thoughts—

Her thoughts were a complete mess.

“What is wrong with me?” she whispered as she reached the hallway.

That kiss…

It wasn’t supposed to happen.

None of this was supposed to happen.

This was a deal.

A contract.

Nothing more.

So why did it feel like everything was slipping out of control?

“Running away again?”

Lina froze.

That voice—

Too familiar now.

Too dangerous.

She turned slowly.

Adrian stood at the end of the hallway, his expression unreadable.

“I’m not running,” she said quickly.

He raised an eyebrow.

“You always say that.”

Her jaw tightened.

“I just need space.”

Instead of arguing—

He started walking toward her.

Slow.

Confident.

Like a predator closing in.

Lina’s breath caught.

“Space from what?” he asked. “Me… or what just happened?”

Her heart skipped.

“Both.”

That stopped him for a second.

But only for a second.

Then he continued walking until he was right in front of her again.

Too close.

Always too close.

“You’re overreacting,” he said calmly.

Her eyes widened.

“Overreacting?! You kissed me without warning!”

“And you didn’t stop me,” he replied.

The words hit hard.

Again.

“I did stop you,” she argued.

“After,” he corrected.

Lina opened her mouth—

Then closed it.

Because she couldn’t deny it.

And that frustrated her even more.

“This is exactly why we need boundaries,” she said firmly.

Adrian studied her face.

Carefully.

Like he was trying to understand something deeper.

Then—

His expression changed.

Slightly.

“Fine,” he said.

Lina blinked.

“…What?”

“You want boundaries,” he continued. “You’ll have them.”

Suspicion crept into her chest.

“That was too easy.”

A faint smirk appeared.

“Don’t misunderstand,” he said. “That doesn’t mean I’ll stop wanting what’s mine.”

Her breath caught.

“What does that mean?”

Before he could answer—

Footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Fast.

Urgent.

“Adrian!”

Both of them turned.

A woman rushed toward them.

Elegant.

Beautiful.

Confident.

The kind of woman Lina instantly knew she couldn’t compete with.

She stopped right in front of Adrian—

And without hesitation—

She grabbed his arm.

“I just heard,” she said, her voice sharp. “Tell me it’s not true.”

Lina’s chest tightened.

Who is she?

Adrian didn’t pull away.

“I’m married,” he said simply.

The woman’s grip tightened.

“To her?” she asked, finally looking at Lina.

The way she said it—

Like Lina was nothing.

“Yes.”

Silence.

Then—

A short, disbelieving laugh.

“This isn’t funny.”

“It’s not a joke.”

The woman’s eyes darkened.

“You said you’d never marry,” she snapped. “You said—”

“I changed my mind.”

Her expression hardened.

“Because of her?”

Lina felt the tension building.

Thick.

Uncomfortable.

She stepped back slightly.

“I think I should go—”

“No,” the woman cut in sharply. “You should stay.”

Lina froze.

The woman stepped closer, her eyes scanning Lina from head to toe.

Judging.

Measuring.

Dismissing.

“So this is the girl,” she said coldly. “The one who replaced me.”

Lina frowned.

“I didn’t replace anyone.”

“Really?” the woman smirked. “Because you’re standing exactly where I was supposed to be.”

That hit.

Harder than expected.

Before Lina could respond—

Adrian spoke.

“She’s not replacing you.”

The woman looked at him.

Hope flickering briefly in her eyes.

But his next words destroyed it.

“She’s my wife.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Brutal.

The woman’s expression shattered for a split second—

Before it turned into something sharper.

More dangerous.

“You’re serious,” she whispered.

“Yes.”

Her gaze snapped back to Lina.

And this time—

There was no hiding the hostility.

“You think you’ve won?” she said quietly.

Lina’s heart pounded.

“This isn’t a competition.”

The woman stepped closer.

Close enough to make Lina uncomfortable.

“It is now.”

Before Lina could react—

Adrian moved.

Fast.

He stepped between them—

And pulled Lina slightly behind him.

A protective gesture.

Clear.

Intentional.

“She’s not someone you confront,” he said, his voice cold.

The woman laughed bitterly.

“Protecting her already?”

Adrian didn’t respond.

But his silence was enough.

The woman’s expression hardened completely.

“This isn’t over,” she said.

That sounded familiar.

Too familiar.

Then she turned and walked away.

But not before giving Lina one last look.

A warning.

The hallway fell silent again.

Lina slowly stepped out from behind Adrian.

Her heart still racing.

“Who was that?” she asked.

Adrian didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he looked at her.

His gaze intense.

Focused.

“Someone who doesn’t matter anymore.”

Lina frowned.

“It didn’t look like that.”

A pause.

Then—

“She will be a problem,” he admitted.

Lina let out a quiet breath.

“Great,” she muttered. “Just what I needed.”

Adrian’s lips curved slightly.

“You’ll get used to it.”

She looked at him.

Really looked at him.

“This is your world,” she said. “Not mine.”

His expression softened.

Just a little.

Then—

He reached for her hand.

Lina froze.

But didn’t pull away.

“Get used to it,” he said quietly…

“Because now, it is yours too.”

Her heart skipped.

Again.

And this time—

It didn’t feel like fear.