As Grandpa Lloyd disappeared up the stairs, a wave of tense silence fell over the room as the weight of his words settled on Nathan and Anita like a thick cloud. Adrian noticed the way Anita fiddled with her fingers, and he placed a hand over them in an attempt to calm her anxiety. “Don’t overthink it,” he reassured softly. “Whatever the task turns out be, I know you’ll tackle it like a champ.” Nathan scoffed loudly as he rose up from his seat. “Not if I have anything to do about it,” he challenged, his eyes flashing with hostility before he stormed out of the living room. Adrian squeezed Anita’s hand gently. “Ignore him. He’s just insecure and feels threatened by you. And truthfully, he should be,” Adrian’s lips tugged up in a playful smirk. “…because you’re definitely getting that title.” “I hope so,” Anita managed a weak smile, not seeming convinced. “Come on,” Adrian said, rising to his feet and helping her up. “Let’s get you out of here. ” He draped one of her arms arou
The sales assistant’s eyes widened in surprise and she hesitated a bit before blurting out, “Are you sure sir? It’s quite expensive.” Adrian chuckled at her bewildered expression. “I’m sure, now ring it up for me,” he extended his credit card towards her. She nodded and took the card from him with shaky hands, then she swiped it across the payment machine and the amount was deducted successfully. “The payment was successful,” she announced, still in a daze as she handed Adrian back his card. Regaining her composure after a few seconds, she proceeded to carefully retrieve the bracelet from its display case. She was about to pack the jewelry in a red velvet box when a loud almost banshee-like shriek interrupted her. “Oh my Gosh! Babe, that’s the Cartier bracelet I’ve been wanting!” Skylar squealed excitedly and let go of Miles arm, rushing towards the glass display. Without acknowledging Adrian, she eagerly stretched out her hand towards the nice sales assistant. “Give it to me
“I’ll do that right away, young master,” Jonah replied without hesitation and the line went dead. Miles, Skylar, the manager, and the rude sales assistant exchanged amused glances as they looked down on Adrian, thinking he was bluffing. “Cut the act, loser,” Skylar spat. “You’re not fooling anyone here.” The rude sales assistant joined in, sneering. “It’s not too late to take up the manager’s offer to compensate you and save the last shred of self respect you have.” “The offer is off the table!” The manager declared in a derisive tone. “His money, if it’s even his at all, will be refunded to him. I won’t have a lowlife like him buying any of our precious jewelry. He'll just soil them with his poor hands.” As the group jeered at him, Adrian remained silent, his expression calm, almost bored. On the other hand, a million thoughts of how to teach Adrian a lesson, swirled through Miles’ mind, and he contemplated calling his father and reporting Adrian’s bashfulness to him. But af
As Adrian stepped out of the jewelry store, he slipped the invitation from the mayor into his pocket. His first gift for Anita was secured, but there was more to do. An idea struck him, and he quickly pulled out his phone to call Jonah. “Hello young master,” Jonah answered on the first ring. “I trust the mayor was able to make it to the jewelry store in time, as you requested?” “Yes, Jonah,” Adrian affirmed. “The issue has been resolved. “That’s good to hear,” Jonah exhaled in relief. “Is there anything else I can help you with?” “Actually, there is. I’m looking for a place to take Anita for Valentine’s Day—a place that’s truly special. Preferably a restaurant.” There was a brief pause from the other end, as Jonah smiled knowingly. He cleared his throat and finally replied. “As a matter of fact, I have the perfect place in mind, young master. It might interest you to know that Alpha hotel, a subsidiary of Alpha group, has the best and most luxurious restaurant in the entire r
“Perfect,” Adrian rubbed his hands together and leaned forward. “ I’d like everything to be arranged with the utmost care—from the restaurant to the service to the food. It all needs to be impeccable. But there’s one more thing; when I arrive with my wife tonight, she’s going to wonder how I could afford such a luxurious dinner, considering my cover up identity as a jobless average joe. We’d have to come up with a believable explanation that quells her curiosity. Is that understood?” “Clearly understood, young master.” Leon replied confidently. “I’ll have the staff reserve the entire rooftop restaurant for your dinner. And I’ll personally ensure that everything is perfectly set in place, so your dinner can be a memorable one.” “I expect nothing less,” Adrian said seriously as he picked up the teacup and sipped his tea until its last drop. “Now, tell me more about this hotel. I want to know everything.” About half an hour later, Adrian was done with his
Stephanie stood frozen, her breath catching in her throat as the cold liquid soaked through her designer dress, and dripped down to her expensive shoes. Her mind raced, and her shock was quickly replaced by deep rage. “You bloody animal!” She shrieked, her cheeks burning with hot fury as she raised her hand to slap Adrian. But before she could make contact, Adrian caught her wrist just mere centimeters from his face. “Don’t you dare,” he hissed, his grip on her arm tightening slightly. His eyes bore into hers with a cold intensity. “You can’t just behave however you please and think you’ll get away with it. This isn’t business as usual.” “Let go of me, you bastard!” Stephanie seethed, yanking her hand free when Adrian finally loosened his grip. She took a step back, her chest heaving with indignation as the escalating tension caught the attention of the patrons in the bar and they turned to watch, their eyes alight with curiousity. Matt, who had been watching the scene unfold, quick
Matt let out a strangled cry as he clutched his legs at the unbearable pain that coursed through them. His face contorted with agony, and tears welled up in his eyes. The manager, his expression still devoid of any warmth towards Matt, grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of the bar, leaving behind a pool of something that looked like urine, and the sudden foul stench that permeated the air confirmed it. The sound of Matt's groaning and whimpering could still be faintly heard in the distance even after they had left. Stephanie's face paled as she stared at the entrance where Matt had just been dragged out of in disbelief. The horror of what had just happened played out in her mind, and she realized that she had severely underestimated Adrian, thinking he was still the same loser as before. Fear coursed through her veins as Leon’s icy eyes was now staring at her. “Apologize to Mr. Young,” he commanded, his voice leaving no room for defiance. “And then leave this hotel immedia
Leon completely ignored Henry and Evelyn’s presence, acting as though they didn’t exist, and gestured for Adrian and Anita to follow him. Adrian nodded and offered Anita his arm with a warm smile. “Shall we?” Anita returned his smile, her heart beating with anticipation as she took his arm. They began to follow Leon, and Adrian made sure to step on the dollar bills Henry had thrown at his feet earlier and crinkle them until they were almost torn. Evelyn and Henry were left standing in the middle of the lobby, dumbfounded infuriated and humiliated as the elevator doors closed, shutting them out. Minutes later, the elevator dinged open and Adrian and Anita stepped out of it and onto the rooftop terrace of the hotel. The moment Anita set foot in the restaurant, she let out a gasp of awe. The place was adorned with beautiful red and white decorations that perfectly befitted the Valentine’s Day theme. Soft classical music was being played in the background by a female violinist and this