The Shift
Adrian leaned back in his leather chair, eyes fixed on the screen in front of him, but his mind somewhere else entirely. The sharp clicks of a keyboard echoed through the room as Julian, his longtime friend and legal counsel, sat across the desk, going over the latest figures.
"We'll need to finalise the acquisition by next Friday," Julian said, tapping the tablet in his hand. "The board in Milan won't wait beyond that. And frankly, they're expecting blood. Nathan and that uncle of yours aren't going to stand by and watch you ascend. Not to mention the psycho ex-girlfriend.."
Adrian gave a small nod, fingers tapping a slow rhythm on the desk. Normally, he'd be sharper, dissecting each clause, ready to dismantle anyone who dared play hardball. But today, his focus was drifting, and Julian noticed.
"You're distracted."
Adrian didn't respond immediately. He just leaned forward, elbows resting on the desk, gaze dropping to the corner of the room as if answers might be hiding there.
Julian raised an eyebrow. "This about the wife?"
Adrian gave him a dry look.
"You can say it, you know," Julian continued. "An arranged marriage for the position of chairman not attained yet , but still... it's a bold move."
"She will do," he answered nonchantly. Maybe more nonchalantly than he wanted.
Julian leaned back a grin forming on his face as he caught the tone of his friends voice. "Rather forceful is it not?"
Adrian glared at him knowing Julian won't back down. He wondered why he couldn't banish his wife's face from his head...
The picture she had cut that morning was beyond adorable.
He inwardly cringed. He couldn't believe he used the word. It wasn't something he was used to. But he couldn't forget her doe eyes and lucious lips. He remembered the warmth that had spread through his chest at seeing her that morning. She looked very.. wifely.
Julian smirked. "Thinking of a certain someone?"
Adrian frowned as his attention snapped back to his friend. He had quite forgotten he had another occupant in his office "She's not what I expected."
Julian raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for an elaboration.
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Adrian said flatly, clearly not ready to explain what was going on in his head. It was starting to get rather.. weird.
Julian raised a dramatic hand to his chest and let out a gasp, "That's cold."
Adrian shook his head as his lips twitched. Julian had been his best friend since forever. Julian was more like a brother than a friend as Adrian's father had raised him like a son. Even with that they couldn't be more different. Julian was more rakish charm and smiles. They attended Oxford together and while Julian got out of troubles with smiles, charm and sometimes his fists. While Adrian was aloof and got out of things with negotiations and when all failed, his fists. Julian was also one of the few people to make Adrian smile and they were as close as brothers could be.
"I would have to meet her sometime. I would love to see the woman who had the great Adrian Wolfe rattled so." Julian continued with a great deal of excitement, his tone dripping with a fake English accent. Adrian's lips did their best not to twitch for the nth time.
Adrian groaned instead. "She hasn't gotten me rattled." His hands moved as if to make his point more obvious. "She hasn't gotten me anything. And I'm not thinking about her."
Julian smirked. "I think you are. You should just put yourself out of your misery and go to her." He frowned, as if just realizing a fact. "You aren't even supposed to be here. I'm sure you don't know this but all married couples do something called a honeymoon." He paused and gesticulated with deliberate slowness. "You do know what a honeymoon is right? When a newly wed husband and wife spend time away to—"
"I know what a damn honeymoon is!" Adrian growled, cutting in.
Julians lips curled with a secretive smile. He really was going to have to formally introduce himself to Adrian's wife. He had seen her at the wedding but they haven't been formally introduced. He wondered what it was about her that made Adrian so distracted. Taking pity on his friend he let the matter drop.
"Well, since you are so clearly distracted I suppose I could come back and we could finalize the deal another day. Enemy companies aren't going to destroy themselves. We might need to go to Milan though."
Adrian nodded. He might need time to consider that with his grandfather's lawyer. He might be the CEO but his grandfather had held absolute power. Which was the reason he was married. He couldn't become chairman without having a wife.
Not like he needed to have a wife.. killing two birds with one stone just seemed way easier. There were too many people against him being the Chairman. And the will was the source of all the problems. If not for the will, even with people against his so called ascension, he'd still be able to do alright. But the will had dictated, and practicality always produced solutions. He needed a wife to claim the stand as the chairman of that company, all because having a wife proved settlement and stability. Not that all that mattered. As long as it'd been taken care of.
And apparently, Elara was the perfect choice, just as Gerald had agreed. She wasn't demanding. As a matter of fact, he remembered her request that morning. She'd asked to continue schooling. Schooling, of all things. He had expected her to ask for something soon but he hadn't expected a request like that. He knew she was still a college student but he had expected her not to mind stopping since she had gotten married to him.
He had wanted to refuse her request, but..
Apparently, her eyes had begun to do things to him.
Gazing into those ridiculously hopeful eyes of hers, he found he could not bring himself to refuse. However, he'd be damned if he let her continue as she was before. She was married to him and everyone needed and was going to know that.
He wondered what she was doing.
His phone buzzed. A calendar reminder. Meeting in an hour.
—-
By the time he got home that evening, the city was cloaked in dusk. The penthouse lights came on automatically, casting a warm, golden glow across the polished floors. Adrian loosened his tie, shrugging off his blazer, and headed down the hallway toward the bedrooms.
He paused outside the guest room.
The door was slightly ajar.
He pushed it open gently.
There she was.
Elera.
Curled up on the couch,her legs were tucked beneath her.still in that loose shirt he'd left for her.
Her legs were tucked beneath her, arms wrapped around a worn notebook, her head resting against the cushion. The soft fabric of her shirt had slipped off one shoulder, revealing smooth skin and a fading mark where her dress strap had bitten in the day before.. Her lips were slightly parted, a soft sigh escaping with each breath. Her hair spilled across the cushion, a wild halo of chestnut.
His eyes traced the curve of her cheek, the fullness of her parted lips and her little younger that darted out to wet her lips. The action didn't go unanswered as he felt his cock stir.
She looked so vulnerable. Something about coming home to see her everyday made his chest tighten.
She stirred them he froze.
"Adrian?"
Then nodded. "It's late. You fell asleep."
She sat up slowly, blinking. "I didn't mean to... I was just... reading."
"Your script?"
"Yeah. For class."
He glanced at the notebook. "You're serious about it."
She nodded. "It's the only thing I have that's mine."
That hit harder than he expected.
He looked at her, this girl who had been tossed into his life through strategy and circumstance. She hadn't asked for this. And yet she was trying. Quietly. Gently. With strength she probably didn't even see in herself.
"good evening"
She stammered. " I wasn't expecting you back so soon"
Adrian raised his brow.His eyes resting on he book she clutched to her chest. He wondered what she was hiding.A diary?
Elara swallowed. Her cheeks heating fiercely. She couldn't believe what she said. He never said anything about when he was going to be back.
Adrian watched her. Her hair tumbled down her back and her grey eyes almost looked silver as they gleamed In the light of the room.
Elara shifted uncomfortably. The way he watched her made her nervous . His forest green eyes as they drilled a hole in form of a look into her. What was he thinking?
"You just got back... from work?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Didn't want to wake you."
She gave him a small smile, then yawned and stretched. The gesture was so unguarded, so human, that it caught him off guard.
"What about food"?Eaten? She asked.but he simply nodded and she smiled . "I could make you something if you want."
He frowned as if he didn't like her suggestion. "I should have made the changes
She blinked at him, then down at her lap. "Sorry."
"No need."
He shook his head."What about you"?have you eaten?
She shocked her head slowly. "No"
"Get some rest" I'll make some food.
He should've left then. Walked away before his brain did something foolish. But he didn't.
Instead, he walked over, picked up a blanket from the chair, and draped it over her shoulders.
"You're freezing," he murmured.
She looked up at him with those big eyes. So full of questions she didn't know how to ask.
Then she smiled.
A real smile. Soft. Shy. Warm.
He didn't smile back. But something shifted in him.
Something.. absurd. Like ice was shifting positions.
"Get some rest," he said, turning toward the door.
"Adrian?"
He stopped.
"Thank you. For... the clothes. The room. Everything."
He nodded once and walked out.
Elera's POV
She opened her eyes and saw him.
Adrian Wolfe.
She blinked once. Then twice. Then opened her mouth to stutter. "I.. I.. good evening.. I wasn't expecting you back so soon."
She stared at him. He was gazing at her. Staring so intensely like he was trying to figure her out. It was rattling. Why was he staring at her like that?
His gaze zeroed in to the book, and she felt her cheeks redden. She instantly clutched the book to her chest, blinking up confusedly at him. He arched a brow, like what she did was amusing and.. entertaining.
What was he doing here so early anyways. Remembering her previous question, she flushed again. What did she even ask him? It's not like she wanted him to know that she cared it anything..
Damn those forest green eyes..
"You just got back from work?" she blurted out. Anything to make him stop looking at her like she was some weird piece of fine china.
Adrian nodded. didn't want to wake you up and she couldn't help herself but to smile.
She smiled, before a yawn made her forget for a second that he was there. She stretched, then stiffened slightly when she remembered there were still eyes on her.
Uh.. did you get back early?" she asked, or something along those lines. She needed to get this conversation going, else she was going to die of embarrassment, and sadly, that was the only thing that left her lips.. Goodness, hadn't she asked that question before?
"What about food?" "Eaten?" She asked But when he opened his mouth to speak.
Anything to make him stop staring. "I should make you something." She said hurriedly
Adrian frowned, like she'd said something wrong, and she curved the urge to sigh. What did she do this time?
But all he ended up saying was, "I should have made changes.."
Elera blinked up at him. Huh? What?,even though she was still a little confused, and found herself staring at her lap as she muttered an awkward, "Sorry.."
"No need," he replied curtly.
Hot, intense Forest eyes on her.
"what about you? Have you eaten?" She wasn't expecting him to ask her a question of his own.
Elera looked to the side for a second before answering. "No.."
"Get some rest. I'll make some food."
Elera blinked. Okay, that was surprising. She watched him pause. Then turned to take up the blanket and cover her shoulders.
Double shock.
Then she smiled.
But he didn't smile back at her and moved towards the door
Elera watched him move to the door.She stared until all she could see was just the door frame, hesitated, then stood up, deciding to follow him.
She followed him.
Quietly, slowly, her bare feet padded against the floor as she stepped into the hallway and then into the kitchen. The room was warm, softly lit, and smelled faintly of garlic and tomatoes. She lingered by the doorway at first, just watching.
Adrian had rolled up his sleeves, revealing those sculpted forearms again. His hair looked slightly tousled, as if he'd run his fingers through it a few times. He stood by the stove, moving with such ease and quiet command that she almost forgot he wasn't some chef preparing dinner after a long shift.
He didn't glance at her immediately, but when he did, his eyes caught hers and lingered.
"You're still awake," he said.
She nodded. "I wanted to see what you were gonna cook"
"Pasta".He replied.
"You're a billionaire and you're making pasta?" she asked, trying not to sound too incredulous. "Don't you have… I don't know, a full-time chef?"
He let out a breath, almost like a laugh but softer. "I gave the cook a break. She's been with us for a long time. I told her to take a week off after the wedding."
"What about other staff?"
"We have a few who come in occasionally, mostly to clean. They'll be around when needed. But this... this is fine."
She bit her lower lip, unsure how to respond to that. The idea of someone like Adrian—powerful, unreadable, so controlled—doing something as domestic as cooking, unsettled her. But in a good way.
He looked over his shoulder. "Do you like pasta?"
She nodded. "I do."
He turned off the burner and plated the meal with practiced ease. It looked like something from a five-star restaurant pasta in a creamy tomato sauce, sprinkled with fresh herbs and grated cheese. He handed her a plate and gestured toward the island stools.
She sat, watching him move around the kitchen with quiet efficiency. They ate in silence for a while, the soft clink of cutlery filling the space. When she took her first bite, she nearly dropped the fork.
"This is delicious," she said, her voice small but honest.
He nodded slightly, as though he expected that reaction. "I know."
She arched a brow. "Well, humble much?"
He finally smiled a small curve of the lips, subtle but real. "I'm good at a lot of things. Cooking happens to be one of them."
She let out a quiet laugh. "I can see that."
A few more bites passed, and then he looked at her, the weight of his gaze softening slightly.
"When do you want to start your acting classes again?" he asked.
She blinked at him, startled. "You remembered."
"I told you I would let you continue. So, when?"
I have one on Thursday. It's just two hours.
"Alright. I'll have someone drop you off. Or I can take you, if I'm free."
She didn't know what shocked her more that he remembered or that he offered to take her. She stared down at her plate, suddenly flustered.
"Thanks," she murmured. "I didn't expect you to actually... care."
"I said I wouldn't cage you."
He didn't say more, but she felt it anyway. The quiet effort. The gentleness in his tone, even if his face didn't show much. It was something.
They finished their meal slowly. When she got up to rinse her plate, he didn't stop her, just watched in silence.
"I'll clean up," she offered.
He shook his head. "Go get some rest. I'll handle it."
She hesitated, then nodded. As she walked back to their bedroom she couldn't stop the strange mix of feelings swirling in her chest. Gratitude. Confusion. And something warmer, softer, that she wasn't ready to name.
When she got into bed, she didn't know if he would join her.
But he did.
He came in a little while later, changed into sleep pants and a plain shirt, and slid under the covers without a word. For a moment, neither of them moved.
She lay with her back to him, her heart pounding just a little louder than it should. Then, slowly, she felt the bed shift. Not enough to touch her, just enough to know he was there. A presence. Solid. Steady.
The silence stretched.
Then his voice came, quiet.
"Goodnight, Elera."
She closed her eyes, holding onto the sound of his voice.
"Goodnight, Adrian."
Sleep didn't come easily. Not because she wasn't tired, but because something about tonight,the dinner, the way he looked at her, the warmth in his voice .it all made her wonder.
Maybe, just maybe, Adrian Wolfe wasn't what the world thought.
Maybe he wasn't what she thought.
Maybe there was more to this marriage than contracts and convenience.
She drifted off to sleep with a smile she didn't realise was on her face.
And Adrian, though he didn't say a word more, stayed awake a little longer, listening to the rhythm of her breath.
And thinking.