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The Next Morning
Sarah woke to the quiet rise and fall of Adrian's breathing beside her.
The sight almost startled her — he looked so… peaceful. No teasing grin, no cocky smirk. Just calm. And that calm made her feel warm in a way she didn't want to admit.
Curiosity won. She reached out to poke his cheek.
"Ooh," Adrian murmured, eyes snapping open, "my wife likes what she sees."
Sarah jumped up from the bed so fast the blanket flew.
"I told you to stop calling me your wife!" she barked. "And what do you mean I like what I see? You look like a dead cow lying there!"
Adrian clutched his chest in mock agony. "My wife just insulted me. My heart—shattered!"
That did it. Sarah burst into laughter so hard she rolled to the floor, clutching her stomach.
When the laughter died down, Adrian leaned back on his elbows. "So… about your birthday. Pool? Beach? Mansion party?"
Sarah's face fell. "I don't want a party. I just—" she hesitated, "I just want to go home. Maybe stay in my own house for once. That's all."
Adrian nodded, pretending to listen. Then grinned. "Okay! Birthday party at your house, then."
"No," she groaned. "I said no party!"
"Exactly," he said cheerfully. "You don't want one, so that means I'll give you one!"
"Fine! But just the family," she snapped.
"Family," Adrian repeated, blinking dramatically. "Right. Totally."
He bolted for the door before she could say another word, singing, "La la la, I didn't hear anything!"
Sarah could only shake her head and laugh again.
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Downstairs, he was waiting like an over-excited puppy. "My princess!" he called when she appeared. "Let's go, let's go!"
School went surprisingly smooth. No one mentioned her parents this time, though she could still feel whispers sliding behind her back. It didn't matter. Her eighteenth birthday was coming soon, and she refused to let gossip ruin it.
During sports time, Adrian and Kim landed on opposite teams — perfect.
Adrian scanned the crowd, eyes searching until they caught hers. He ran straight to her, grinning like trouble.
"Hug me," he demanded. "Rub your good luck on me so I can win."
"What?!" Sarah said, eyes wide.
Before she could step away, Adrian hugged her tight. "Don't worry, I'll win. For you."
The whistle blew. Adrian and Kim went at each other like rivals from another lifetime — every move sharp, every glance electric. It didn't feel like a friendly match; it felt like war.
When Adrian finally scored the last point, the crowd erupted. He sprinted toward Sarah, lifted her, and spun her in the air.
"We did it! We did it!" he laughed.
The crowd roared, "Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!"
Adrian met Sarah's eyes. "Should I?" he teased.
Sarah pressed a finger to his lips. "Don't even think about it."
He froze, lips curling into a sheepish smile — a scolded puppy pretending not to like the attention.
From the sidelines, Lila's stare burned holes through them. What did he even see in her? she thought. She's not even perfect…
A soft hand rested on her shoulder. "Don't worry," a voice whispered. "Let her have this one. But she won't have the last laugh."
Lila turned. Rose's smile was the kind that didn't reach her eyes.
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