Chapter 120
ADRIAN’S POV
Surely, I’m not the only person who thinks Saturdays are boring. The world outside might be buzzing with weekend energy -people going out, kids playing in yards, couples brunching–but for me, Saturdays are just another reminder that there’s always more to be done.
I placed the glass of whiskey down beside my laptop with a light clink and leaned forward again, my fingers dancing over the keyboard, eyes fixed on the screen. Even though today was technically a weekend, and I was the CEO of one of the most powerful corporations in the country, that didn’t mean I had the luxury to sit around and relax.
Progress doesn’t wait. Power doesn’t rest.
My phone vibrated against the glass table, drawing my attention. The name flashing on the screen pulled a small smirk to my face. Paul–my trusted supervisor from the financial team. Right on time. I picked it up immediately, already switching to speaker as I continued typing.
“A happy weekend to you, sir,” Paul said, his tone brisk and professional. “I’m almost at your gate.”
“Alright,” I replied, eyes still on the screen, scanning rows of figures. “I already told security to let you in. Just come straight to my study when you get here.”
“Yes, sir,” he said, before the call ended with a soft beep.
I know most people would think I’m insane for calling a staff member over on a Saturday, but patience was never my virtue. Especially not now. Especially not with what I was planning. Monday was already packed, and I didn’t want this to drag into the new week.
Everything needed to start falling into place–starting now.
I’d waited long enough. I gave the old man time to recover. I let them believe they were safe, untouched, forgotten. But now that he was out of the hospital and back on his feet, the game resumed. And this time, I wouldn’t be holding back.
This meeting with Paul? Just the first piece of a much larger puzzle I’d spent months quietly assembling. I had my pieces in position. It was time to make a move.
A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.
I reached for the bottle and poured another glass of whiskey, the golden liquid catching the dim light of the study, before answering. “Coming,” I said.
The door opened slowly, and Dora stepped inside. She was wearing one of those soft, silk robes she liked lounging around in, her face unreadable but her posture clearly anxious. She lingered by the door, hesitant.
“Do you have some spare time?” she asked cautiously. “I’d like to talk to you about something….. personal.”
I blinked, surprised by her tone. It wasn’t like Dora to act nervous.
“Sure,” I said, gesturing to the seat across from my desk. “But make it quick. I’m expecting someone shortly.”
I paused my typing, giving her my full attention now. She wasn’t moving to sit. Instead, she stood still, wringing her hands slightly, like whatever she had to say was weighing heavily on her.
“You know…” she began, her voice low. “We haven’t been us… for the past few months.”
I leaned back slowly in my chair, my eyes narrowing slightly as I looked at her. My mind started piecing together what she was hinting at, but I wasn’t going to finish that thought for her.
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Chapter 120
“What do you mean by that?” I asked, my voice calm but guarded.
“Back when everything was still fine between us.”
“Everything is fine between us, Dora,” I interrupted her quickly, almost too quickly.
She looked at me, her eyes narrowing, her frustration barely held back.
“But you’re not how you used to be. We’re not how we used to be,” she shot back without hesitation.
72%
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“Back then, you’d take me out on dates. You used to buy me flowers, leave little notes, and surprise me with thoughtful gifts. You made me feel important, Adrian. Like I mattered to you. Now… I can’t even remember the last time you did any of those things. And let’s not even talk about making me feel special.
Her voice cracked slightly at the end, and I could tell she was holding back more than just tears–she was holding back months of resentment.
“We’ve spoken about this before, and I told you–I’ve been busy,” I replied, the excuse sounding more and more hollow as it left my lips.
“No. This isn’t about being busy,” she said sharply, her tone rising just a bit. “Your hands were equally full back then, but you still made time for me. You found ways to make me feel like I was part of your world. That hasn’t been the case for a long time.”
And she wasn’t wrong. I knew it. Deep down, I had felt it too, but I ignored it. The past few months have changed a lot between us. The truth was that I didn’t see her the same way I once did. Somewhere along the line, we stopped talking about important things.
This is why communication matters in any relationship–without it, even the strongest bonds fade. I had been so obsessed with my long–standing goal, so consumed by my plans, that I hadn’t noticed the gap widening between us until it had become a canyon.
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose before standing up. I walked toward her slowly, trying to choose my words carefully.
“You’re right,” I admitted. “I’ll admit that I’ve been a jerk these past few months. I let my priorities shift in the wrong direction. I’m done doing that–I don’t want to keep pretending everything’s okay when it’s not.”
I saw her expression shift–hope flickered in her eyes, and for a second, I thought she might smile.
“I’m sorry if I’ve led you on or made you feel like things
were still the same,” I added, my voice quieter now.
“Yes, I did feel something for you. But it’s not there anymore, Dora. It’s like… it just faded. I didn’t even realize it was happening until it already had.”
Her smile disappeared just as quickly as it came. Her eyes widened slightly, and she took a small step back.
“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice low, almost afraid of the answer.
“I mean… we can still be friends. We’ve known each other for so long, and I still care about you. But anything beyond that… it wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”
Her breathing grew unsteady, and I saw the emotion finally crack through her composed face.
“Are you saying all this because of her?” she asked, her voice now trembling.
“Who?” I asked, genuinely confused for a second.
“Olivia,” she said, nearly spitting the name. “Because I’ve seen the way you’ve grown a soft side for her lately. You chose to let
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Chapter 120
her sleep in your bed over me. Yesterday, you took her out. Don’t act like I didn’t know.”
I blinked. So she knew about that. But how?
I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. I didn’t have an answer.
Because I decided to do all those things doesn’t mean I was growing fond of her. Why would she say that?
