03

"What are you saying?” Adriana whispered with her brows knitted together as she turned to face him.

Eros didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached down to the car’s built-in safe and pulled out a slim envelope from it. Without a word, he placed it gently on her lap.

“Open it when you’re alone. You have one hour.” His voice came out sharp, with his eyes still fixed ahead.

“An hour for what?” Adriana uttered, her throat tightening.

“To decide if you truly want him to regret ever letting you go.” 

He responded flatly, and the car door beside Adriana popped open.

Just in time, the rain stopped.

“All you need to know is inside that envelope. You may step out now,” he added, his voice dismissing her.

Adriana nodded numbly. “Thanks,” she murmured, and slid out of the car.

With her suitcase beside her, she watched as the car glided away without hesitation into the wet night.

Minutes later, she checked into a modest hotel room with the air smelling faintly of lemon-scented disinfectant. As she sat on the edge of the bed with her luggage untouched, she let her weight sink into the mattress, and a sigh slipped from her lips. 

She wouldn't have believed it, but somehow, her world had unravelled in a single day—the kind of emotional wreckage that no amount of deep breaths or self-talk could fix.  

And now… Eros? He was the last person she expected to show up on the night she lost everything. She hadn’t seen him in years. Not since those formal charity dinners where their polite greetings barely masked their mutual contempt. 

Sucking in another deep breath, her gaze shifted to the envelope now lying on the shelf near the mattress. 

The envelope called her like a siren, but she hesitated, knowing that Eros never made a move without strategy behind it. 

Still, curiosity and desperation pulled her stronger than caution. She stood, walked over, and peeled open the envelope with shaking fingers.

Inside was a single letter—typed—clean—no signature:

“As Antonio’s long-time rival, I’ve studied every one of his moves. Including the moment I knew he’d leave you. And now that he has… I’m offering you something: a partnership and something a bit more. In the next five years, I want us to return to this country not just as my business partner but as my acting wife. Before and after the onset of these five years, there will be no strings. No romantic complications. Just a strategic partnership designed to make your ex-husband shatter at the sight of us. You’ll benefit. I’ll benefit. And Antonio? He’ll break. I promise that.”

Adriana reread his texts twice, with her heart thumping wildly in her chest.

“A fake marriage? A business alliance? A public statement that she’d moved on… with the man her ex-husband loathed most?” She thought, staring into space. 

It sounded insane, but it was also…genius. It's her chance to become the one thing Antonio never expected—unbothered, untouchable, and successful in her own right.

Long lost in thoughts, suddenly, her phone vibrated, jolting her back into reality. 

“Hello?” She said softly, her voice laced with uncertainty.

“Yes, Adriana. Are you accepting my proposal?” Eros' voice came husky over the line. 

“I… I need more time to think about it,” she exhaled slowly.

“I don’t have time, Adriana,” Eros said, his voice edged with impatience. 

“But because I know what you’ve just been through, I’ll give you five seconds. No answer means no.” He finalised, making Adriana’s lips part in disbelief. 

“Are you always this dramatic?” She found herself saying, with a dry chuckle escaping her lips. She didn’t mean to laugh, but the absurdity of Eros's countdown felt oddly comical.

“Did you just laugh?” Eros asked, clearly surprised.

“Sorry, I just didn’t expect you to be this impatient.” Adriana replied, still smiling faintly. 

“But... fine. If I get to build my business and humiliate Antonio in the process? Why not? Let’s do it.” She uttered out, with a smirk playing on her lips.

“Good. I'll come pick you up tomorrow. Be ready by 11 a.m. Have a lovely night, Future Mrs Rodriguez.” Eros concluded, and the line went dead.

Adriana stared at the phone for a beat, then scoffed. “Mrs Rodriguez, huh?” she murmured with a shake of her head.

‘Antonio... you have no idea what’s coming,’ she said, looking toward the ceiling.

As morning sunlight split across the hotel room walls by 9 a.m. Adriana woke with a renewed sense of purpose. She ordered breakfast, brushed her teeth, and took a long, hot shower that melted some of the tension from her shoulders.

By 10:50, she was packed.

Having grabbed her suitcase, she walked out of the hotel to see the same chauffeur from the night before stepping forward and silently helping with her bags.

When she slid into the back seat, Eros was already inside, dressed in a dark, tailored suit with the shirt unbuttoned at the collar.

“Good morning, Mr—”

“Just Eros.” Eros interrupted smoothly, his gaze locking with hers. 

“Alright. Eros.” Adriana cooed and smiled faintly. “

“You’re bold enough to look me in the eye now?” Eros stated and smirked.

“You’re casual enough to smile now?” Adriana retorted, matching his energy.

And there, they both laughed at their words.

“So, where exactly are we headed?” Adriana asked as soon as they stopped laughing.

“My hangar. We’re flying to Australia.” Eros replied curtly.

“Australia?” Adriana asked, her head snapping to him.

“New territory. New beginnings.” Eros stated frankly.

“You really think this is going to work?” Adriana said, studying him carefully. “

Eros didn’t answer right away. Instead, he looked out the window. 

“Antonio underestimated both of us. He’ll regret it,” he eventually uttered, and a short silence stretched between them before Adriana spoke again.

“What did he do to you?” She muttered out.

Instantly, Eros glanced sideways at her. “That’s for me to know,” he said, flashing her a wink.

“Of course it is,” Adriana replied, rolling her eyes.

After a long flight, Eros’ jet finally landed in Australia. As Adriana stepped out of the jet alongside him, she gasped softly as the evening cold hit her chest. She staggered slightly, but before she could fall, Eros’ hand gripped her shoulder firmly.

“Hey,” he said, scanning her face. “You okay?”

Adriana blinked and tried to respond, but before she could, everything tilted, and her knees buckled.

“Adriana?” Eros called anda caught her just in time as she collapsed into his arms.

But she didn’t respond, as she had already blacked out.