Lahat ng Kabanata ng Captive To The Boss’s Lust: Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

72“Fine, I won’t leave. I’ll call you, I’ll let you know. And let’s be honest—we both know that even if I didn’t, the guards at the gate would call you anyway.”My tone came out sharper than I intended. Adrian must have noticed, because he asked, “Are you sure there’s nothing else going on?”“I haven’t stepped outside in a month. And yet, Dean and Eva somehow found out I’m here. That means it’s only a matter of time before my father does too. I’m tired of hiding. I’m tired of being afraid. Every time I think I’m healing, I start bleeding again. Is it always going to be like this?”Adrian cupped my face gently in his hands.“Don’t torture yourself with those thoughts, my love. I’m here for you. Whenever you want, we can leave this place together. We’ll have our own home, our own children. You’ll be an amazing mother. And I’ll love and protect both of you, always. If you said you wanted to get married today, I’d do it in a heartbeat. You know that, right?”While I was still silently an

74It was around three in the afternoon, and I was reading a book. When I heard a knock on the door, I set the book aside and sat up in bed. Adrian peeked his head inside.“Can I come in?”“Of course. You can.”I shifted over to make space and let my feet dangle off the bed as he walked toward me. Before sitting down, he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. It was a sweet gesture, one that made my heart ache. Because it reminded me of how foolish I had been.“How are you feeling? Would you like to go out for dinner?” he asked as he sat beside me, gently stroking my cheek. His eyes looked at me with the tenderness of someone who missed me. After my talk with Sophia, part of me wanted to believe that maybe Adrian really did love me. But knowing it didn’t ease the sting in my heart.“I’m fine. I actually feel much better.” If you don’t count my heart, I thought.“I’m really happy to hear that. Then get ready. I’m taking you out to dinner.”“Okay, give me fifteen minutes.”“Su

7676Adrian exhaled sharply through his nose.“‘The guy next to me?’ Really?”Then he turned to the young man.“She’s my girlfriend. Mind your business and move along,” he said bluntly.The guy frowned. “Sis, did you look hard to find this one? Fancy suit, but his attitude’s straight up caveman.”Any other time, I might’ve laughed at that. The guy wasn’t wrong. But Adrian was about to explode, and if I laughed now, it would only pour salt into his already raw pride.“Are you looking to die tonight, kid? I’m a lawyer. If you don’t want to get dragged through the courts on a defamation charge, you’ve got five seconds to disappear. Five… four…”The young man turned to me.“Sis, if you’re smart, you’ll leave him. Guys like this drag you to court the moment things get rough.”“Don’t worry,” I said, forcing a dry smile. “I’m a lawyer now too. We can go to court together.”“Three!” Adrian counted with such force that I flinched.The kid got the message loud and clear. Within two seconds, he

77ADRIANI was frozen by Amber’s words.She wanted to be with me, but not marry me? I couldn’t make sense of it.What did she expect—high school-style hand-holding, going out for ice cream and movies, living together without a ring?Neither idea sat well with me.As I struggled to untangle myself from that whirlwind of confusion, Amber watched me carefully, waiting for a reaction.“I don’t get it,” I finally said. “What exactly do you mean by a ‘normal relationship’?”“Like couples who go to the movies together, who go shopping…”“Like teenagers?” I asked, trying to understand.“Like people who love each other but don’t rush into marriage…”“I don’t follow.”I did. I just didn’t want to.“I want to be with you—to spend time together, go out, enjoy each other. We’re not ready for marriage. Let’s just be together as a couple. Let’s pretend you never proposed to me,” she said.And that was it. My patience started to run thin.What kind of man did she think I was?“I’m serious about you,

80AMBEREven though Dean struggled under my father’s weight, he didn’t complain once. He carried him down the stairs in one go and helped settle him gently into the old, beat-up car waiting outside.Uncle Darian took the driver’s seat, and Dean slid into the front. When Eva said she wanted to come too, I gently stopped her.“Stay home, sweetheart. They only allow one companion anyway. Let’s not turn this into a family parade.”Eva nodded. “Alright, but please keep me posted?”“I’ll call you, I promise. Take care of everyone at home.”From behind us, Grace chimed in, dripping with fake sympathy.“I wish I could come too, but you know… the whole miscarriage risk thing.”“Sure,” I muttered under my breath. Then I turned to my uncle. “Let’s go.”As soon as my uncle stepped on the gas, I noticed Dad’s breathing was getting worse. The wheezing was louder now—more labored, more urgent. It made me nervous.Luckily, Fethi Sekin City Hospital wasn’t far. Within ten minutes, we were at the emer