Stella's POV
At the end of my question, Adrian stiffened just briefly but I caught it.
His gaze snapped to me before he lowered his eyes, the movement so fast it would have gone unnoticed by anyone else.
"Just some random investigation about a person," he said casually. "Not your matter to concern." A smirk tugged at his lips, light and dismissive.
I shrugged, masking the strange discomfort curling in my chest.
It wasn't really my business. And yet… the mention of an adopted daughter rubbed me the wrong way, like a splinter lodged beneath my skin.
For a fleeting moment, it felt as though I was the one being spoken about.
But if he said it wasn't my concern, then there was no need to probe further.
"Why are you here?" he asked, changing the subject smoothly. "I thought you'd be resting."
I rubbed my brow tiredly.
