ADELINE'S POV
After what happened last night, I guess I can say that things with Dante have been good. I was going to stay back from work today but I can't let what happened hinder my work life. I have patients counting on me and just because I almost died last night doesn't mean I won't fulfil my responsibilities to each and every patient that I'm presently working with.
Dante told me he would take care of everything that we would need to move into his other place and he's supposed to come pick me up from work in about thirty minutes. I just finished with my last patient for the day so now, all I have to do is wait for Dante to get here. I smile to myself as I think about him. How thoughtful and observant he is to every single detail.
How much of a gentleman he is and how much trust he had to put in me to invite me to live with him in such a short amount of time. Ever since the fundraising party and the embarrassment I put my parents through, they haven't stopped calling me, but the one thing I know they'll never do is pay me a visit.
They have too much pride to come to me when I'm the one who fucked up. I used to have the habit of always apologizing to my parents, even when I was never wrong but not this time. My father looked me in the eye and called me a prostitute, in front of everyone. In front of Dante and in front of Adrian Wellington, the man he's been forcing me to marry.
I can forgive him for controlling my life but I can't forgive him for what he did. I don't even know if I have parents anymore.
As I brainstorm, turning round and round in my office chair, I suddenly think of Liam and the hundred messages that he has sent to me in the past days that I still haven't replied to. He's m best friend and I don't want to be one of those girls that forget about their friends just because they're in a relationship.
I pick up my phone and quickly send him a message planning a double date with him. He, Naomi, Dante and I can have a date this weekend and just take a break from all what has been happening lately. I need to spend some time with Liam. I miss him so much and I know he must be so mad at me now for ditching him so much.
I click send and immediately get a reply from Liam the next second. I smile to myself when he says he isn't mad at me and that he'd love to have a double date with Dante and I.
I suddenly hear a knock on the door and I let the person know they can come in. My assistant had a weird look on her face as she walks in.
"I'm sorry for bothering you ma'am. I know it's your closing time but there's someone here to see you. A certain Mr. Wellington." My eyes immediately grow wide and my heart starts beating rapidly in my chest at the information I just received. What the hell is Adrian Wellington doing in my office.
I have to get rid of him as soon as possible cause Dante will be here in no time and I'm in no mood to watch him have yet another clash with Adrian.
"Let him in." I tell my assistant and, in a few seconds, Adrian walks into my office with a smile on his face, but I don't know who he thinks he's dealing with but every single fiber of my being is telling me the smile he has on his face is fake. It looks rather diabolical and I have that strange feeling inside of me again.
Something about this man makes me feel so wrong and I don't know what it is but when he looks t me, it makes me feel like a helpless prey and him a hungry predator. He has this evil look in his eyes that he tries to hide with a clean suit and a fake smile but I know better. I know how to read people.
"Adeline…" He says my name and I have goosebumps all over, and not in the good way. I suddenly feel claustrophobic in my own office. He places the bouquet of roses he has in his arms on my desk and I fight the urge to vomit from the smell. My favorite flower is the chrysanthemum and roses make me sick. I hate the smile but I don't want to be rude so I fake a smile and gesture with my hand for him to take a seat.
"Mr. Wellington…" I start saying but instead of taking a seat, he walks over to me on the other side of the desk and stands exactly one meter away from me. My chest rises and falls and my heart beats rampantly in my chest as fear envelops me. I don't feel safe around him and I want him gone.
"You've played your little game for a long while now, haven't you? Torturing me by parading in front of everyone with your little boyfriend when you're promised to me. You can stop now and-"
"What the hell are you talking about?" I ask him as my fear slowly turns into irritation and anger. Firstly, he comes in here with flowers that smell like shit, uninvited if I may add and now, he's spewing crap about me being promised to him. An alliance that my parents made without my permission.
He's out of his mind if he even so much as thinks that he has any sort of claim to me because my parents signed some papers with him.
"You know what I'm talking about love." My stomach turns as I hear the word love come out of his mouth. "We are supposed to get married. Now you're a respectable young lady Adeline and I believe you deserve the best. I can give you the best. I can make you the happiest woman alive. All you have to do is give in..." He says walking closer to me.
"Please stay away from me." I tell him, my voice strong and challenging. "I don't know what sick deal you made with my parents but you made it with them. Not me. I'm not some property that you can just own by signing a few papers. I make my own decisions and I've made it super clear to my parents that I will not marry you. Didn't kissing my boyfriend in front of you at the party the other night make anything clear to you?"
He takes a step closer to me, his smile falling immediately with my words, but I don budge. I won't show him that I'm afraid of him.
"I always get what I want Adeline." He says licking his teeth in annoyance, looking me up and down with pure evil in his eyes.
"Always." He repeats.
"You might want to think really carefully before saying your next words love. I can make your entire family, your friends, every single person you know suffer for the rest of their lives. I can ruin you with a snap of my fingers." He smiles and takes yet another step towards me.
I actually start to feel real fear now. He jus threatened my family and everyone I know and he did it without even blinking. He's a fucking psychopath and I need him to get away from me. I suddenly remember how hard Dante punched that robber that broke into his house a sick part of me starts imagining Adrian in that robber's position instead.
"Did you just threaten me?" I ask squinting my eyes in disbelief and annoyance. I wonder if my parents know that Adrian is a fucking psychopath. He acts all high and might and like an angel in front of them and they know nothing about him. I cant believe they were just going to sell me off to someone the barely even know.
"Oh, that was not a threat, love." He says finally closing the distance between us. He pushes a lock of hair behind my ear and smirks down at me, keeping his hands in fists to his sides. I look up at him in boiling anger. I want to punch him in the face. I want to slap him, but we're in my office and I can't make a scene.
"That was just a warning of what is going to happen to the people around you and to yourself if you do not comply. You have a week to decide. Clock's ticking."
As soon as he finishes his sentence, the door to my office flies open. Dante's eyes immediately lands on Adrian's and he doesn't even think or waste time to stride towards him. Dante grabs Adrian by the collar and pushes him towards the wall with a loud thud, but as much as I want to see Adrian suffer this very moment, I can't let him and Dante fight in my office.
So, before Dante can land the first punch, I'm running towards him and placing my hands on his shoulders. Dante immediately clams down and releases Adrian who's now laughing in pure mockery.
"Enjoy her while you have the time man." Adrian says fixing up his suit as he makes his way out of my office. I keep my hands intertwined with Dante's because I know if I let go off him, then Adrian will probably be a dead man in seconds.
"She'll be mine soon and you will be gone." Adrian points at Dante with his index finger, glowering at him as if he really wanted to get rid of Dante. A haunting feeling washes over me and I crawl into Dante's arms as soon as Adrian leaves.