Before Evan could even finish speaking, Riley's fist slammed straight into his nose.
Pain exploded across his face. Tears sprang to his eyes, and his nose started running instantly. He staggered back, too stunned to make a sound, then lifted a hand and found it smeared with blood from his nose and mouth. He stared at her as if he had just seen a ghost, his expression twisting with anger, shock, and fear.
Riley casually drew back her hand and blew on her fist as if nothing had happened. "Huh?" she asked, blinking with perfect innocence. "Why did I hit you?"
Evan nearly lost his mind on the spot.
He swallowed hard, every reason he had come here vanishing from his head, then turned and ran without another word. Originally, he had wanted Riley to post something on the forum to clear Felicia's name, but the moment he saw her walking so closely with that man, his temper had flared and the insults had spilled out before he could stop them.
Now, after being punched twice, he did not dare linger for even a second longer. He worried that he might not survive the next hit if she snapped again.
With one hand clamped over his face, he hurried back toward the dorms with his head lowered, wishing he could sink straight into the ground. The once-glorious campus heartthrob now looked thoroughly miserable.
Meanwhile, Riley was in an excellent mood. Hugging her stuffed bunny, she practically skipped all the way out of campus. But the moment she got into the car, she froze.
Eamon was behind the wheel, the same clueless guy who had once delivered flowers to her on campus.
he scratched his head, looking like he had swallowed something rotten. "Who would've thought that you were actually the lady of Clearbrook Estate?"
Riley ignored him completely.
Eamon climbed into the front passenger seat and told the driver to move. As the car pulled away, Riley frowned and looked out the window. "This isn't the way back. Aren't we going to Clearbrook Estate?"
Eamon let out an awkward laugh, grinning like a fool. "Master Adrian said you don't have class this afternoon, but he still has work, so we're taking you to the company."
"To the company?" Riley scoffed. "What, so I can sit there and watch him work? Does he think that highly of himself?"
I have finally gotten half a day free, only to spend it like that.
Eamon did not dare answer. He just kept smiling stupidly, which only convinced Riley even more that he was all muscle and no brains.
The car soon pulled into the underground parking garage at Sterling Corp, and from there they took the VIP elevator straight to the top floor. Adrian occupied the entire level. Apart from an assistant's table, there was nothing else.
"Madam."
Derek stepped out just as they arrived and gave her a polite nod.
Riley grinned back, pushed open the office door, and saw Adrian seated behind his desk, calm and composed, wholly absorbed in his work. He looked up briefly and said, "Make yourself comfortable. I'll take you out to eat later. Snacks are on the table if you're hungry."
Riley let out a quiet snort, dropped her bag, and flopped onto the couch. Then a memory surfaced from the Yates Estate. Back then, all she had done was eat an apple while he was working, and he had kicked her out without a second thought.
Her eyes narrowed.
Oh? So it's different now?
She glanced at him. Tall, straight-backed, his brows faintly drawn as he focused. Then she reached for the snacks, picked up a bag of chips, and tore it open as loudly as possible.
Crunch. Crunch.
She chewed with deliberate force, like a tiny, noisy hamster.
If she did not make this unbearable, he might start dragging her here every time she had a free afternoon, and she had absolutely no intention of signing up for that kind of torture.
Watching him through narrowed eyes, she waited for a reaction. Sure enough, Adrian looked over at her. A faint crease appeared between his brows, but beneath it was something suspiciously close to helpless amusement.
Riley stiffened immediately.
Part of her was waiting for him to throw her out again, but another part refused to lose face. If she was going to be kicked out, she would leave with dignity.
So she rose to her feet, chin lifted, fully prepared.
Then Adrian smiled.
Riley blinked at him in disbelief.
"You've got something on your mouth," he said with a soft chuckle. "We're going out for a real meal later, so don't spoil your appetite with chips."
She stared at him, momentarily stunned.
No scolding. No throwing her out. He had even smiled at her.
Seeing her stand there in a daze, Adrian gave a quiet laugh. "Give me ten more minutes."
Then he turned back to his work.
Riley slowly sat down again and watched him. He looked different when he worked. The usual lazy ease was gone, replaced by a steady, cutting focus. His white shirt fit him perfectly, outlining clean lines and a lean frame. His hair was neat, his posture straight, his expression serious. His lips were set, his eyes fixed, and his long fingers moved across the keyboard with effortless precision.
Everything about him felt controlled.
And annoyingly attractive.
He's handsome...
She leaned back into the couch, crossed her legs, propped her chin on one hand, and admired him openly, as though he were a piece of art displayed just for her.
She had no idea how long she had been staring when his voice suddenly came from right in front of her.
"What are you looking at?"
Riley snapped back to herself. Adrian was already standing there with his jacket in hand. He looked tall and impeccably put together, his collar slightly open, revealing a glimpse of skin at his throat.
Her gaze drifted downward before she could stop it.
Is his skin soft? Does he have abs under there? I think I saw them once...
And when he showers, does he…
Adrian cleared his throat, laughter flickering in his eyes.
Caught.
Riley jolted upright and cursed herself inwardly.
"B-button it up." she stammered, her face burning. "It's... inappropriate."
If I kept staring, I'm gonna embarrass myself.
Without thinking, she stepped forward, shut her eyes, and reached for his shirt, fumbling with the buttons as she fastened his collar. "Walking around with it all open... it's improper... you really shouldn't..."
She kept muttering under her breath, not daring to look at him.
Adrian said nothing. He simply stood there and let her fix his shirt, a faint smile lingering at the corners of his mouth. She was nearly a head shorter than him, close enough for him to feel the warmth of her breath. His throat shifted slightly.
"I'm done," she muttered at last, her cheeks warm. "Let's go."
It was the first time she had ever buttoned someone else's shirt, and the whole thing felt strangely awkward.
But the moment she pulled her hands back, an arm circled her waist and drew her forward. She stumbled straight into his chest, solid and warm beneath her palms, and before she could react, Adrian lowered his gaze to her face.
His eyes moved over her trembling lashes, the line of her nose, the soft shape of her lips.
Then he kissed her.
Everything happened too quickly. Riley's mind went blank.
What the hell is he doing?
His lips were cool, but the kiss itself was unexpectedly gentle, so gentle that the panic rising inside her seemed to soften at the edges. Something in her quieted, then shifted. By the time she realized what was happening, the moment had already deepened, drawing her in little by little until even her breathing turned unsteady.
My first kiss... it's gone.
And yet she did not pull away.
She did not resist.
Afterward, she could barely remember how everything unfolded. She only knew that he held her hand, took her out to eat, brought her back to the office, and later took her home. On the surface, everything felt the same as always.
But it was not the same at all.
That night, she lay in his arms as usual, yet something inside her had quietly changed. Somewhere deep in her heart, a fine crack had formed, and through it, something warm began to seep in.