ADELINE'S POV
I'm at work when Adrian messages me and tells me he'll be coming over during my break period to take me out for lunch. I quickly message Dante to let him know and then lean back in my seat as I wait for Adrian's haunting presence to join me soon. I already finished with my patient for today and I was actually about to step out before I received this horrible text from Adrian.
As if thinking about him magically invoked him, the door to my office slowly pushes open revealing none other than Adrian Wellington. I smile despite the uncomfortable ache in my heart and get up from my office chair, swaying my hips seductively as I walk towards him.
Today I wore a tight pencil skirt and a shirt that teases by showing a bit of skin from my clavicle and breasts. I let my hair fall in waves around me giving my face the shape of a siren's. I know not all men are fooled by a woman's body but Adrian Wellington is exactly the kind of man that can get charmed by ass and a pair of boobs.
"You're so punctual." I say with a sweet smile as I raise my feet to place a kiss on his cheeks. He doesn't even try to be discrete with the way he's looking at my chest, but I ignore him and play dumb as I grab my bag.
"I'm not one to keep a lady like yourself waiting." He says. I wrap my hands around his arm and walk out of my office with him. when I step outside, I notice that the entire building is filled with guards that I've never seen before and Adrian must see the surprised look on my face because he chuckles lightly at my reaction as we walk out of the building.
"I'm behind all the guards. In case Dante comes back here for you. They have cleat orders not to let him in." Adrian explains so normally, as if infiltrating my work place with strange guards is anything short of psychotic.
"Oh…" I say, my voice coming out pitchy and a little bit too high. I don't even know what to say because this is a little bit too extreme. There's no way anyone in their right minds would do something like this and the scary part is he's not even discrete about his insanity. Does he not know that people talk? I don't want to be known as the girl who needs bodyguards to protect her from her ex.
"This is a little bit too much don't you think, Adrian? I already told you Dante is gone. He made it very clear he wants nothing to do with me anymore and I doubt he'll be coming back. He's probably out there looking for other hearts to break." I say as he leads me towards his car.
A driver holds open the back door for Adrian and I and he waits for me to get in before hops in himself.
"That man can't be trusted Adeline. You know I tried my best to find something about him online but nothing came up. Who knows? Maybe he left because he got intimidated by me and realized that he would be in trouble if he didn't leave you alone." I wish I could tell this dickhead that the last person in the world Dante would be scared of is him.
"You know I'm really grateful for all what you're doing for me and for my family." I say with a soft sweet voice, leaning my head on his shoulder.
"No man has ever cared about me this much and I'm just so grateful that my eyes were finally opened to all what I was missing out. I'm just so tired of getting hurt by men who don't know my worth. I know on the outside I may look feisty and strong but deep down, I just want someone to love and respect me."
I look up at him with slightly teary eyes. "You'll never hurt me will you, Adrian?" I see a strange look wash over his eyes as he looks at me. A look that I've never seen before and I can tell that little by little by whole act is getting to him. He seems loke a possessive man but I want to change that possessiveness to protectiveness. I want him to be vulnerable to me.
People tend to confuse vulnerability with control. If you want someone to be vulnerable with you, then you have to be vulnerable with them first.
"I'll die before I let anyone hurt you ever again. You can count on me Adeline." He takes my hands in his and looks me straight in the eyes.
"You know I wasn't sure about this wedding before. I've never cared for marriages but the moment I set my eyes on you, I knew I wanted you to be mine. There are a lot of things I'm not proud of especially when it comes to women. I never respected them enough, but you make me want to be a better person. You're so beautiful and precious. No one else comes close."
I smile at him as his car comes to a stop at the restaurant where I always have lunch. He leads me into the restaurant and up to a VIP area that I never use. I always just sit downstairs because I love watching cars move. The VIP area though is pretty too with a beautiful view of the sky, but as I walk in, I come face to face with the most unexpected person, someone I thought I would never see again.
I've never seen him here before so I have no idea why he's here now of all times. It's none other than my ex, Dain Mathews.
"Addie…" His eyes scan me with curiosity and surprise as he looks from me to Adrian and then back at me. "Oh my God. Addie, Hi. You look…." He gestures with his hands to me and his face breaks out in a smile.
"Wow…" he whispers, completely ignoring the Adrian's presence beside me. I decide to be the one to break the silence.
"Dain." My voice comes out shaky and awkward. It's weird that even after all this time, seeing Dain right now makes me feel a million things. All of which are hatred and pain.
"Uhm… Adrian this is Dain, my ex. And Dain, this is Adrian Wellington, my fiancé." I keep my eyes fixed on Dain with a fake smile.
"The ex who cheated." Adrian says and I shut my eyes and mentally bang my head on the wall at the awkwardness of the situation. Dain's smile immediately falls and his eyes are averting to the floor. His eyes then rise and settle on my finger where a huge diamond ring now sits on my middle finger and I think a flash of hurt and regret crosses his eyes for a moment before he nods his head and smears his face with a smile again.
"Oh Wow. Uhm... Well, congratulations Addie. I'm really happy for you." Dain says scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. Adrian looks him up and down like he's nothing, not even trying to hide the disgust on his face.
"You wish it was you huh?" Adrian says with a rude smirk and I want to cover up my face and hide in a hole from second hand embarrassment.
"It was nice meeting you Dain, but if you don't mind, Adeline and I would like to have lunch now." Adrian says with finality and places his hand on my waist as he leads me towards a vacant table.
"Do you want me to do anything about that guy? Just say the word and I'll ruin him." Adrian says pulling my chair back for me to take a seat. My eyes widen and I nearly choke on spit from what he just insinuated. He's really capable of beating up a man he barely even knows just because he's my ex?
"No. No." I say a little too quickly. "Dain is harmless honestly. Plus, this is the first time I'm seeing him since we ended things. It's just a coincidence it's all." I say with a smile.
Adrian returns my smile and sends his hand across the table to place them on mine and then he squeezes lightly. "You're not lying to me are you, Adeline?"
I'm taken aback by his questions and his tone. A shiver runs down my spine and I try to hide the worried expression on my face with a smile. It looks like it'll take a whole lot for me to gain Adrian's touch.
"Of course not. I don't have anything to do with that cheating backstabber anymore. Our relationship ended a long time ago. I'm all yours now Adrian." The devilish look in his eyes goes away as fast as it came.
"So, what are you having for lunch today?" He asks picking up the menu.
"I've been craving a chicken salad." I answer honestly.