Chapter 5

"Try this," Adrian said, nudging a bowl toward me. "It's good for your recovery."

I couldn't help smiling. Earlier, he had almost left after handing me the extra soup he'd claimed to have "accidentally" made, but I'd talked him into staying for lunch.

What I hadn't expected was that he'd come prepared. He'd rushed downstairs and returned with the rest of the nutritional dishes he'd cooked, setting them out one by one.

"What's wrong?" Adrian paused mid-bite, a flicker of nerves crossed his eyes. "Does it taste strange?"

The reaction was oddly endearing. The sharp, unreadable man at work felt worlds apart from the one sitting across from me now.

I shook my head, warmth spreading through my chest as I took another spoonful. "It's really good. Thank you."

After we finished eating, I started clearing the table when my phone buzzed against the countertop, and Adrian glanced at the screen before quickly looking away.

I answered the call, and Sebastian's voice came through, thick with a nasal edge. "Wendy, my mother's death anniversary is coming up."

I froze. My gaze drifted to the calendar on the wall, where the date was circled in red.

His tone softened, unusually gentle. "Let's go together this year. Okay?"

Usually, this was his way of making peace.

"I'll arrange for the flowers," I said. After a brief hesitation, I agreed, thinking of Mrs. Hayes.

"Are you at home right now?" Sebastian continued. "I was thinking—"

The sharp crash of shattering dishes from the kitchen cut him off.

I hurried into the kitchen and found Adrian standing there, rubbing the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile. "It slipped," he said quietly.

I reached for the broom. From the phone in my hand, Sebastian's voice sharpened with anxiety. "Wendy, who's there with you?"

Before I could answer, Adrian bent down and reached for the broken shards.

He sucked in a sharp breath. Blood welled up where the porcelain cut into his finger. Sebastian was still demanding answers on the other end, his voice rising, and my temples began to throb.

"Talk to him first," Adrian said gently, taking the broom from my hand. "I'm fine. I'll just rinse it off."

"Wait," Sebastian cut in. "I heard a man's voice. Wendy, who's at your place?" He paused, then his tone turned dark. "Don't tell me it's Adrian."

I had no patience left. "Yes, it's him. I'm busy. I'm hanging up."

"Hold on. Did you spend the night with him? Wendy, answer me—"

I ended the call without hesitation. "Spent the night," I muttered under my breath. "That's all you can think about."

I grabbed Adrian's hand and pulled him over, dabbing disinfectant onto the cut. One by one, they were all impossible.

"I'm sorry," Adrian said softly. "I shouldn't have made a sound while you were on the phone. If you two argued because of me, that's on me."

"You're really good at feeling guilty," I said, pressing the cotton down a little harder than necessary.

He inhaled sharply. When he lowered his head, there was the faintest smile at the corner of his mouth. "So, want to try dating me?"

After a long moment, he looked up. In his dark eyes, I could see my own reflection.

I curved my lips into a small smile. "Pay for the broken bowl first."

By the time Sebastian showed up at my apartment, the door code had already been changed, and I was long gone.

When he went to the office instead, Adrian and I had already left for a client meeting.

For days after that, he couldn't catch me anywhere, and the frustration finally boiled over. I could almost picture him slamming his desk, his voice exploding through the phone.

"You're really set on going out with Adrian, huh?" he barked over the phone, just as Adrian and I were in the middle of a foot massage.

I didn't even bother lowering my voice. "Sebastian, don't flatter yourself. Show some respect, especially to someone who's carried your company on their back."

I continued after a short pause. "Don't worry. I'll be with you tomorrow for Mrs Hayes's death anniversary. Unlike you, I don't break my promises."

There was no reply, only a stretch of silence on the line, until Adrian let out a low groan beside me. "Sorry," he murmured, a little embarrassed. "That spot hurts a little."

He was clearly talking about the massage, but through the phone, it must have sounded far more questionable.

"What are you doing with Adrian right now?" Sebastian demanded, suspicion sharpening every word.

I ended the call and turned to Adrian, an amused glint in my eyes. "Mr. Wright, you should really audition for an acting competition."

The massage therapist slipped out quietly. In the dim light, Adrian lowered his gaze and smiled faintly. "No matter how convincing I act," he said softly, "you still see right through me."

His long lashes cast shadows beneath his eyes, inexplicably distracting. My heart skipped, just a little.

It felt like a game we both understood. We flirted, we tested the edges, but neither of us crossed the line.

As usual, I arrived at the florist early to wait for Sebastian.

A familiar car rolled to a slow stop in front of the shop, the window sliding down as I froze at the sight of Vanessa seated in the back beside Sebastian.

With a hint of apology in his voice, Sebastian explained, "Vanessa wanted to come and pay her respects to my mother as well."

Vanessa tightened her grip on his arm and looked at me with open provocation. She still seemed convinced that I had been "targeting" her because of him.