LOGINThe car pulled up at the grand Hall soon. Adrian was set to get out when Carolina searched through her purse quickly"Umm, where'd I put that?" She asked then pulled out the ring Adrian had given to her"Found it" she gave a brief smile at Adrian before slipping it in her finger.Cameras flashed as they closed in on them but the bodyguards held the crowd back as they walked down the aisle of paparazzi.It was a new environment, more calm. More cold. More eyes and much more intimidating.They took a seat at a table then Carolina kept scanning the room, her eyes searching every corner of the room"Seems like you're expecting someone" he said"No, just looking" she said.The event commenced then Adrian sat back like he was waiting to be impressed by whatever was happening.Carolina kept sipping out of her glass, Adrian could tell, somehow, she was restless. He tried to ignore it but his eyes kept returning back to her nervous hands. He was about to talk when Carolina said"I'll be back"
~Moretti Mansion.Carolina arrived back at the mansion in Adrian's car. As soon as she came to a stop, she jumped out and bolted into the mansion.She looked around anxiously then spotted Ashley upstairs"I recognized the cottage skirt immediately" she leaned on the railsCarolina ran up the stairs immediately, colliding into an embrace with Ashley as they both hit the ground hard"Ouch!" Ashley groaned, rubbing her butt violently"I thought you disappeared for real" Carolina cried "Disappeared? Why would I?" Ashley chuckled, getting off the ground."How did you get here by the way?" "I took Adrian's car" Carolina held up the key"Oh my gosh! You did not!" Ashley held her hand to her mouth"What? You told me to" She swung the keys around her finger"He found out though and he's almost going crazy. He called a few times...but I hung up" she said, her wide eyes looking innocently at Ashley.At evening, Adrian arrived back home with Justin, sleeping in his arms. Carolina was walking by
Carolina's lips tightened as she held her wavering gaze to Adrian's eyes."You weren't going to hit me, were you?" He asked again, his eyes tracing her face"If I wanted to, I would" she looked away, shyly.She felt his cold hand on hers, brought up to his face"Go ahead" he said."I will. Don't dare me" she said"I'm not stopping you" Carolina lifted her hand, bringing it downwards to strike Adrian then—she stopped.Adrian didn't even move an inch"You love violence, don't you?" She asked and moved his hand placed on the chair. She got up and stepped away from him. Adrian took his seat, Ignoring her completely and wanting to start work"Violence is not always the answer to everything, you know" she said"Sometimes it is" he said"No way! Not in any way. Sometimes you just have to let down your ego and apologize. You don't have to pair the floor red to stop things, I mean if you wanna make peace—""Who's talking about peace?" His stern voice cut in immediately he heard that word "p
Carolina kept her gaze outside for a while before returning them to Adrian. Her eyes fell on his hand, placed gently on the wheel. Then she noticed his scarred knuckles. She had seen them before, usually scarred but they healed and now, they're back to its injured state. "Are your fingers okay?" She asked "Do they not look okay?" "I mean...they're scarred. Was it from last night?" She asked. Adrian looked at his knuckles for a while, images of how he had almost finished that man last night flashed through his mind "Somehow" he said knowing she hadn't noticed how badly the man was bruised since she was busy fighting for her life. "By the way, did the cops meet that man?" She looked at him. Adrian was silent for a while "The cops...weren't needed" he said "He ran away? I knew he would. He looked like someone who would run away, a coward..." She kept talking while Adrian nodded slowly and kept driving "Did you get my heels though?" She asked He glanced at her "Is that the
~Mansion. Adrian waited outside, leaning on the wall and his expression —unreadable. Ashley stood at a safe distance, still hasn't said a word to Adrian. The doctor came out and assured them Carolina was okay. "Thank you" Adrian said and the doctor left. Adrian finally looked at Ashley. His head was lowered but his eyes, they looked directly at her like he was piercing through her soul "Adrian..." She called "I don't wanna hear it" he said. He was going to scold her but then he realized he was in no place to scold Ashley, not even because they were friends, but he wasn't an exception to the scolding. "I'm sorry, I didn't know she'd end up like that..." she said, holding her bag tighter "Ashley" his deep voice called "I said I don't wanna hear it" he said again, before walking off. ~Morning. Carolina finally regained consciousness, she laid there, unmoving, staring into nothing. A tear rolled down her eyes, soon a five flowed out of her eyes. She curled up the pillow ne
Rivera stepped closer to Adrian "Why are you treating me like you don't love me anymore?" She reached for his hand but Adrian stepped back "I don't. I never did" he said firmly "Lies. We had something together, Adrian" "We didn't" he raised his voice "You put a ring on my finger, Adrian. How can you stand there and say we had nothing?" She yelled Adrian ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated "I waited for you, Adrian" her voice broke as a tear rolled down her face "I never asked" "Why do you keep choosing people over me, am I really nothing to you?" Her eyes searched for answers in Adrian's "Am I that bad for you?" She asked "I loved you even when you didn't. You know it Adrian and you can't deny it" she said "Rivera—" "No. I'm not listening to what you have to say. You just want to send me off like years ago. I'm not going to lose to anyone else this time" she hugged him before leaving in her car. Adrian watched the car drive off before running his palm over hi
TWO WEEKS LATER For two weeks, Adrian had not returned to the mansion, according to the butler, he had left for a business trip in China. The mansion no longer felt as foreign as it once had. Carolina had memorized every hallway, every staircase, every silent corner of the estate. In the afterno
DAWSON MANSION The Dawson mansion was in chaos exactly the way Carolina had imagined it would be. Servants rushed through the halls in panic, guards stormed in and out of the mansion, and the atmosphere was so tense it felt like the entire house could collapse at any moment. Mr. Dawson stood in
MORETTI MANSION~~ MORNING Carolina shifted on the large bed she was lying on, her head hurt and her ankle stung as she tried to move. She opened her eyes slowly, only to shut them again as the rays of sunlight flashed across her face. Sitting up carefully, she finally opened her eyes and looked
DAWSON MANSION CAROLINA'S MANSION~~~ NIGHT The noise downstairs was deafening to Carolina.The laughter, music, clinking glasses, voices calling her name everything blended into one unbearable sound. Maids had been knocking on her door for over an hour, begging her to come downstairs, but Carol







