CHAPTER 46 — A FATHER MADE OF SHADOWS
The storm outside had quieted, but the air inside the penthouse thickened the moment Adrian's father stepped across the threshold.
Water dripped from the hem of his dark coat, forming small, sharp circles on the floor. His eyes—cold, sharp, always calculating—swept over the room, then landed on Elena.
They lingered.
Not long.
But long enough to unsettle her.
Adrian immediately shifted, blocking her from view, placing himself like a steel wall between them.
"What are you doing here?" Adrian said, voice low, icy.
His father exhaled, removing his gloves one finger at a time, each movement too controlled. "Your house exploded less than two hours ago. Do you expect me to stay home and drink tea?"
"You don't drink tea."
Adrian's tone was razor-sharp.
His father smiled faintly. "Still rude. Still dramatic."
Elena felt a faint tremor in Adrian's arm—anger, tightly contained.
