Adrian had never opened the blinds since he got into this office. Not even once.
His office overlooked the main courtyard, giving him a direct view of almost the entire school yard.
He had never cared to look.
The blinds remained closed most days. It was easier that way, and the office was always quieter, and more private.
He could work more without the distraction of hundreds of students moving below him.
But that morning, something had changed.
Adrian stood beside his desk, with one hand holding the edge of the blinds. He wasn’t entirely sure why he’d decided to open them.
Perhaps it was because he hadn’t slept much, or perhaps it was because the estate felt too quiet after Emilia had left with the chauffeur.
Perhaps he simply needed a few minutes away from the screen, and stopped thinking about Emilia’s connection to Dante Gomez Hayes.
Whatever the reason, he pulled the blinds open.
Morning light entered the office room, and his eyes adjusted slowly. Below him, the courtyard stretched across the center of Blackwood.
Students moved between buildings, some sat on benches, and others hurried across the grass.
A few stood around the fountain, laughing, and taking pictures.
Adrian barely looked at them. He scanned the courtyard, hoping to clear his mind, and then he saw her.
Emilia.
His hand remained against the blinds as he looked closer, and focused on her. She was walking with someone.
A young man.
Adrian recognized him immediately.
Ethan.
The same student he’d seen with Emilia before. The same student he’d noticed in the library. The same student he’d watched Emilia work with.
Adrian’s expression didn’t change.
His eyes followed them.
He watched Ethan say something, and he watched Emilia laugh at whatever Ethan had said.
Adrian’s gaze remained fixed on her.
Then Ethan stopped, and he said something else.
Emilia smiled.
Adrian’s fingers slowly released the blinds.
His eyes narrowed slightly, as Ethan stepped closer.
Adrian watched, as the young man lifted his arm and wrapped it around Emilia, pulling her into a hug.
It looked like nothing more than a harmless gesture.
Adrian saw that. He knew it immediately.bHis expression remained unreadable, but something in his chest tightened anyway.
He hated the strange feeling of fire that spread across his chest.
To his surprise, Emilia hugged him back.
Adrian went completely still.
The courtyard seemed strangely quiet from where he stood. He could see students moving below them, and cars passing beyond the gates.
A professor crossing the lawn.
However, his attention remained on the two figures in front of him.
Ethan stepped away, and Emilia smiled.
Adrian stared at them with all of his focus. He didn’t move, or even, look angry, or jealous. There was no obvious emotion on his face at all.
His eyes simply remained fixed on Emilia.
She had asked for space, and he had agreed.
She had told him she wanted to remind herself that she could still have a life outside him.
He had told her he’d respect it, and he would.
His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
The irony wasn’t lost on him.
Only a few hours ago, he’d been sitting in his study promising himself that Emilia would remain outside the investigation.
He had decided that her life would remain hers. That whatever happened with Dante would never become an excuse to control her.
And now he was standing in his office watching another man hug her.
He should have looked away, but he didn’t.
Emilia laughed at something Ethan said.
Adrian’s eyes remained on her.
There was something almost painful about how easily she smiled around someone new. He had spent the previous night watching that same smile from the other side of a helicopter.
He had listened to her talk about the city, and he had held her hand.
He had kissed her before she fell asleep in his bed. And now she was standing in the courtyard with another man.
Exactly as she had said she might, and exactly as he had promised he would allow.
Adrian inhaled slowly.
He wasn’t angry with her. That was the part that irritated him.
He couldn’t be. She had done nothing wrong. He had no right to object, and no right to question her. More importantly, he had no right to make his feelings her burden.
His eyes finally shifted away from the courtyard.
He looked down at the desk.
The laptop was still open.
The file from the previous night remained on the screen. Dante Gomez Hayes’ name stared back at him.
Adrian’s expression hardened.
For a moment, his thoughts moved from Ethan to Dante, and from Dante back to Emilia.
The connection was unavoidable, but he refused to let his jealousy become another reason to interfere with her life.
He closed the file, and the screen went dark.
Adrian turned back toward the window.
Below, Ethan and Emilia were already walking in opposite directions.
Emilia disappeared through the academic building doors.
Adrian watched until she was gone. Only then did he lower the blinds. The office returned to its usual dimness.
He walked back toward his desk.
His phone lay beside the laptop.
He picked it up.
There were several messages waiting.
He responded to the ones from Christian, and ignored the rest of them.
Then, a knock resounded. The sound came from the office door.
Adrian’s eyes lifted.
He placed his phone on the desk. "Come in."
He didn’t turn around.
The door opened, and footsteps entered the room.
Adrian remained facing the window, his hands resting loosely at his sides.
The person behind him stopped.
There was a brief silence, then a voice spoke. "Good morning, Professor Ashford." The speaker greeted, with a seductive drag at the end of her voice.
Adrian’s eyes narrowed with instant irritation.
He didn’t turn around. Not yet.
The voice was unfamiliar.
Or perhaps it was familiar enough that he knew exactly why he didn’t want to hear it.
His expression became completely unreadable. He blinked twice, wondering why an unfamiliar voice greeted him that way.
Behind him, the door clicked shut, and Adrian slowly turned his head.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter