Chapter 2
The next day, I went to work with two dark circles under my eyes, feeling exhausted.
My mind was filled with Adrian and that mysterious Silent Voyager, and I barely slept all night.
As soon as I entered the office, I felt something was off.
Collegues all gathered together in small groups, whispering among themselves while shooting meaningful glances toward me.
Just then, Lily took my arm and dragged me to a quiet corner.
"Rachel, did you and Director Shaw work overtime last night? Just the two of you?" she teased with a playful wink.
My heart skipped a beat. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, come on, it's nothing. It's just... Everyone seems to notice that Director Shaw treats you quite differently."
Quite differently?
How? He treated me with nothing but indifference and harshness.
"Cut your wild guess. I stayed only because he thought my design drafts needed to be fixed," I tried to explain.
Lily didn't buy any of it. "Really? But as far as I know, during the meeting this morning, he named you to take charge of that most important City East Commercial Center project."
What?
The project Lily had mentioned was our biggest piece of cake of the entire second half of the year. People were basically fighting each other to take over it.
How could Adrian possibly give such an important project to me?
I was just a newcomer whose design drafts "fell short of expectations."
"But... Why? Why me?" I stared at Lily in disbelief.
"Who knows? Maybe he's truly impressed by your talents." Lily patted my shoulders with a teasing glint in her eyes. "Or... You know, by the passion you once shared."
Our passion?
I smiled bitterly. If the passion between us was that hard to forget, Adrian wouldn't have walked away without a word.
I spent the rest of my working hours like a restless lamb lost in a wolf's den.
My curious colleagues' questions were enough to make me panic, and Adrian's intense gaze only made it worse.
He kept bossing me around, and each task he threw at me was trickier than the last.
But soon, I realized something. Though he was rather strict, he could precisely point out my problems, and the suggestions he offered often dawned on me.
However, I became even more confused.
Was Adrian actually training me or torturing me under the disguise of working?
When we had lunch at the cafeteria, I avoided him on purpose.
But just as I sat down at a corner, Adrian somehow located me and sat across the table.
The cafeteria fell silent for a few seconds as everyone fixed their gaze on us.
This was too much. I wished I could disappear on the spot.
"Director Shaw, you..." I began.
"Yes, I can. Everyone can pick their place to eat," he calmly cut me off and started eating.
I poked my ham with my fork, my appetite all gone.
The way Adrian ate never changed. He seemed calm and well-mannered, surrounded by a dignified aura.
I still remembered how I kept chattering non-stop whenever we ate together. He would always listen quietly, sometimes offering a gentle smile.
But now, Adrian was too petty to offer me even a shred of his warmth.
"I need a primary design for the City East project this afternoon," he suddenly said.
"Okay," I mumbled.
"And," he paused before looking up, "don't add those unrealistic and idealized designs to this project. This is pure commercial. Make it more professional and rational. Get it?"
My cheeks burned a little.
Was he referring to the style of my past designs?
Once, I preferred adding a bit of my personal touch to my designs. Back then, Adrian said it was the symbol of my talent.
But now, all that stuff was "unrealistic and idealized."
Of course, people changed. They always did.
That afternoon, I gave my primary design to Adrian.
He stood beside my table for what seemed like an eternity, carefully checking every page.
I held my breath, nervously waiting for his judgment.
"Here," Adrian suddenly pointed at a certain design, "I like your idea, but it's hard to carry out. The client won't buy it."
Then he pointed at another spot. "This color is way too bold. It doesn't match the overall style."
As always, his opinions were sharp but very reasonable.
Apart from our personal grudges, I had to admit that he was an excellent leader.
As I fixed my design under his guidance, I felt how quickly I had improved.
When the day was almost over, Lily came to me again.
"Rachel, we'll throw a welcome party for Director Shaw tonight. Don't forget."
Welcome party? I had no idea about it.
"Besides," Lily smiled meaningfully, "you have to go. Director Shaw's order."
My heart skipped a beat.
Adrian's order? What was he up to?
The party was held in a private room of a high-end restaurant.
When I arrived, everyone else was almost there.
Adrian sat at the head of the table, chatting with a few other directors.
When he saw me coming in, he barely gave me a glance.
I let out a sigh of relief and found myself a barely-noticed corner.
During the party, everyone was drinking and talking, all enjoying themselves.
Many took turns to toast Adrian, and surprisingly, he toasted all of them back without getting drunk.
I quietly ate my dishes, pretending to be a part of the wall.
Somehow, someone suggested we all play a game, and the losers would have to drink.
Perhaps I was targeted on purpose, because after a few rounds, I had lost several times in a row.
Looking at the line of shots before me, I truly didn't know what to do.
I could never handle my liquor well.
Just as I bit the bullet, ready to pick up the first shot, a hand reached over and took it away.
"I'll drink on her behalf."
It was Adrian.
He finished the shot in one gulp, looking extra sexy when swallowing it down.
The room instantly fell silent. I could feel all the amusing and curious glances exchanged between the two of us.
I could also feel my cheeks getting hotter and hotter.
"Director Shaw, I shouldn't bother you..." I muttered.
"It's fine." He set down the glass, his voice calm but firm with pressure. "Ms. Summers can't handle her drink. I'm her supervisor; I should at least help her out."
Help me out?
It sounded like a reasonable excuse, but I found it rather weird.
For the next few rounds, Adrian would drink for me whenever I lost the game.
In the end, he finished almost half of the drinks, but he still remained sober.
When the party ended, all of us felt a bit tipsy.
But I remained rather sober because I barely had any drinks.
As we left the restaurant, the evening breeze swept over us, leaving a sense of chill.
Adrian walked in front of everyone else, his pace still steady.
I watched him from behind, my heart filled with complicated emotions.
Why would he drink for me so many times?
Could it be that he still cared for me? Even a little?
But I immediately extinguished that thought the moment it popped up.
I really should stop being so pathetic.
Maybe Adrian just didn't want his subordinate to make a fool of herself in public.
Just when I was full of wild thoughts, Adrian suddenly paused and turned around.
In his hands was a blazer.
"It's cold. Put it on." He handed me the blazer, leaving no room for refusal.
But I froze in place.
This blazer was all too familiar.
Back then, I had saved every penny to buy it for Adrian's birthday.
He actually kept it? And even wore it to our gathering?
My heart instantly skipped a beat.