LOGINThat line was ordinary enough, yet in this humble, bustling little Italian trattoria, it sounded like the simplest and most moving confession of love. Every week—every single week of a lifetime.Francesco looked up at Adriana across the table and suddenly said, "From now on, let's come here every week.""Huh?"Adriana blinked, utterly confused. Was he sick? Or had he lost his mind? Had eating such "carb-loaded food" for the first time after a lifetime of healthy meals somehow short-circuited his brain? But that didn't make sense either—he'd let loose plenty of times before."I said, let's come here every week from now on," Francesco repeated.This time, he put extra emphasis on the word "we."Adriana caught the undertone and felt her heart skip a beat for no reason. She forced a smile and deflected with a light, casual tone. "If you like it, you can have your chef make it at home. It'd definitely be cleaner and healthier than this."The food, the warmth, the atmosphere—they'd al
Francesco, feeling Adriana stop struggling beneath him, contentedly nuzzled his chin against the curve of her neck.Adriana closed her eyes, trying to ignore just how close they were. But his warm breath brushed against her neck again and again, sending tingling sensations like tiny electric currents spreading through her limbs."Adriana."His low, husky voice was followed by his lips grazing her neck—barely there, yet unmistakable.Adriana's body went rigid. Her breathing grew heavier.Just as the atmosphere thickened to an almost suffocating degree, her stomach let out two very loud, very distinct growls.Francesco froze for a second, then let out a low chuckle. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, braced his hands on either side of her, and sat up. The warmth still lingered in his eyes. "What do you want for dinner?""Pasta."Adriana sat up as well, reaching up to smooth her tousled hair, the tips of her ears burning."Pasta doesn't travel well. Let's go out."Francesco went in
Francesco shot him a dark, brooding glance. "My wife—and my ex-wife—are one and the same: Adriana. Don't make that mistake again, Oliver."He slung his jacket over his shoulder and strode off in the other direction. "You two discuss your experiments. I'm going to my office to rest."He had no qualms about leaving Adriana alone with Oliver. Oliver might lack some social finesse, but he was a decent person at heart. When he was with Adriana, they really would just talk about experiments—unlike Chris, who was scheming and fond of stirring up trouble.Francesco hadn't been sleeping well lately, and soon enough, he was fast asleep on the office sofa.Adriana finished going over the lab issues with Oliver and spent some time on her own in the lab afterward. When she quietly pushed the door open again, it was already past six in the evening. At this hour in the summer, the sky outside was still bright. The sunset had painted half the heavens in shades of red, and the golden light filter
Francesco tossed his card onto the table. "Nine of hearts."Luther exclaimed in surprise, "I win! Thanks for feeding me that one, Cesco."Francesco's expression remained cool as he knocked over his tiles and lazily turned his gaze to Adriana. "What kind of emergency could you possibly have with Oliver?"Adriana froze for a second—how did he know it was Oliver? Then she remembered that she'd mentioned "lab questions" during the call, so she replied, "Oliver ran into some issues with his experiment and needs my help. I'll be taking off now."As she stood up, the jacket on her shoulders slipped slightly. She paused, lifted it off, and handed it back to Francesco.He didn't take it. His eyes were heavy on her as he said, "I'll come with you."Adriana leaned down and placed the jacket on his lap. "You should stay and entertain Luther and Sophia."Sophia held up her phone with a smile. "Bianca's invited Luther and me to dinner. And it seems this 'Oliver' you mentioned will be there to
Adriana was about to decline when Sophia's voice cut in first. "I've heard that women from Heatherton City are naturally delicate. The reputation certainly holds up."Adriana swallowed her refusal and instead turned to Francesco with a soft, fragile smile. "Thank you. I really am a bit cold."Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sophia's expression sour noticeably. Adriana's gaze cooled. She hadn't been looking for a fight, but if the other woman was going to keep taking jabs at her, she didn't mind giving a little push back.The waiter soon returned with the jacket and handed it to Francesco. He stood, unfolded it, and draped it over Adriana's shoulders. The faint scent of him lingered on the fabric, warm and subtle as it settled around her.Luther's gaze darted between the two of them, a knowing grin spreading across his face. "So when are you two getting back together? Don't forget to invite me to the wedding."Adriana slid a card onto the table. "Need this?"Luther loo
Adriana didn't see Max's "good night" message until the next morning. She stared at the words on the screen, feeling nothing, and finally replied with a simple smiling yellow emoji. She was in her twenties, a mother of two, and had been through two marriages—she wasn't some young girl who could be swayed by a few "good mornings" and "good nights."On top of that, Luther had also messaged her, inviting her to play cards that afternoon. Adriana remembered that while she was in Mitaly, Luther had stood up for her more than once and genuinely had her back. She'd never forgotten that kindness, so she agreed.Luther saw her reply and happily went to tell Francesco. "Adriana said yes to playing cards. You can't get out of it now. I told her to come over this afternoon.""We're not playing at the Stanley house. We'll go to the club."Francesco named a private club and told Luther to pass the address to Adriana. He knew that if the venue was the Stanley residence, she probably wouldn't show
Until the end of the next workday, Adriana hadn't received a reply from Chris.She had dinner with Oliver, and on the way home, she saw Joan and her son on a video call in the living room."Chris, I want a toy.""Alright. Tell your mom what New Year's gift you want."Chris's voice was clear, tho
Francesco sent Adriana a location from the airport.Francesco: [Arrive before 10 a.m. Private jet.]He didn't mention who would be traveling with her—probably couldn't be bothered.Adriana checked with the company. Charlie confirmed that she would be the only one officially on the trip, though th
"I'm going to take a bath."Adriana sank into the bathtub, letting the warm water envelop her. It was soft, comforting, and alive with a gentle warmth. She closed her eyes, letting herself slowly slide under the surface, her body sinking, merging with the water.Until she could no longer hold her
Francesco rose and sank into the sofa. "Sit."Adriana took the seat across from him. "May I ask what kind of meeting this is?"The clock pointed to eleven. Most of the office staff had already left. She suspected his intentions weren't about the meeting at all, but about cornering her.Francesco'







