Semua Bab The CEO'S Little Lamb : Bab 101 - Bab 110

CHAPTER 101ADRIAN'S POVThe hillside trail was quiet except for the crunch of gravel under our shoes and the distant call of seabirds. Sunlight dappled through the canopy, casting shifting patterns across Lara’s face as she walked beside me. Her hand fit perfectly in mine, but I noticed every small change. The way her fingers sometimes tensed before relaxing, the occasional distant look in her eyes when she thought I wasn’t watching.Last night’s call from Martina had left cracks. I could see them clearly now, and they pissed me off more than I wanted to admit.We reached a shaded viewpoint overlooking the glittering coastline. I guided her to the wooden bench and pulled her onto my lap instead of sitting beside her. She came willingly, though not with the same effortless melt she’d had before.“I’ve been thinking about your birthday,” I said, my voice low against her ear.Lara turned her head, surprise lighting up her features. “My birthday?” A soft, almost embarrassed laugh escape

CHAPTER 103 LARA'S POVThe private jet landed smoothly in Toronto, and my excitement was practically bursting out of my skin. I couldn’t sit still the entire drive from the airport. Adrian watched me with a quiet, satisfied smile, his hand resting on my thigh as the city lights blurred past the tinted windows of the Cadillac.“I still can’t believe you did all this,” I said for the tenth time, squeezing his hand. “Jenny is going to freak out. She has no idea we’re coming.”Adrian’s thumb stroked my skin. “That was the point. You deserve this, Lara.”Jenny and her husband John Hart lived in a beautiful two-story house in a quiet, upscale neighborhood. They had been married for five years now, and while John was successful in his own right…comfortable wealth, but nothing like Adrian’s level, their home reflected a warm, stable life. I had only told Jenny vague things about “someone new” in my life. I hadn’t gone into details about Adrian. I wanted to protect the new relationship from o

CHAPTER 104LARA'S POVThe morning after my birthday, Jenny dragged me into the sunroom while the men were occupied. Maria had quietly left a tray of herbal tea, fresh fruit, and pastries before disappearing. Jenny lowered herself onto the couch with a dramatic sigh, one hand on her very pregnant belly, and fixed me with that familiar big-sister stare.“Alright. No husband. No Adrian. Just us. Talk.”I curled my legs under me, clutching my mug. The warm sunlight felt comforting, but Jenny’s direct gaze made my chest tighten. She had always been able to see through me.“Where do I even start?” I whispered.“Start with him,” she said bluntly. “Because that man looked at you last night like you are the only woman in this world. That public confession? I almost cried. But I also know you, Lara. Something’s off. Spill.”I took a shaky breath. “I love him, Jen. I really do. He

CHAPTER 107MARTINA'S POVI smiled as I swirled the wine in my glass. For the first time in weeks, I felt satisfied. Not completely satisfied but enough. Enough to know that my efforts were working.Lara Finn had heard me call him baby. She had heard me call him Adriano. The name he rarely allowed anyone to use. The name that belonged to the man behind the businessman. The real Adrian Romano.I leaned back against the sofa and smiled to myself. The timing had been perfect. I could still imagine the expression on Lara's face. The uncertainty, doubt and questions. Good.That was exactly what I wanted. Relationships didn't have to be destroyed all at once. Sometimes all it took was a tiny crack. Then all you had to do was keep applying pressure.Sooner or later, everything would fall apart. I lifted my glass to my lips. Lara wasn't suitable for him. She never had been.She came from a completely different world. A normal family. A normal upbringing. A normal life.She couldn't possibly u

CHAPTER 109LARA'S POVI woke up feeling strangely comfortable. For a few blissful seconds, I didn't remember where I was. Then I felt the warmth beside me. Adrian.A smile immediately tugged at my lips.The previous few weeks had been some of the happiest of my life. Between the vacation, my birthday, and seeing Jenny again, it almost felt as though life had finally decided to be almost kind to me.I carefully slipped out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. By the time I finished showering and getting dressed, Adrian was already awake.He was standing near the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse, phone pressed to his ear. His expression was serious.Work mode. I recognized it instantly.The moment he noticed me, however, his expression softened. A reaction that still made my heart flutter. He ended the call shortly afterward."Morning.""Morning."I walked over and accepted the coffee he offered me."Busy already?"He sighed."Unfortunately."I laughed softly.The next hour