Adrian stepped out of his office in his usual composed manner, his tall frame commanding attention without effort. Nathan, his ever-reliable driver and assistant, was already waiting by the entrance with the sleek black car ready. The day's schedule had been packed, but there was one more crucial meeting lined up-an introduction to a new investor who had shown strong interest in expanding their business ties.
As the car sped through the city, Adrian leaned back, his thoughts sharp and focused. Meetings, numbers, contracts-that was his world. Distractions didn't belong in it. When they arrived at the high-rise hotel where the investor awaited, Nathan opened the door and followed Adrian inside, carrying the files and documents neatly prepared.
The woman waiting for him in the conference room was strikingly beautiful, her elegance deliberate, her smile rehearsed. She extended her hand smoothly, her voice warm and engaging.
"Mr. Wolfe, it's such an honor to finally meet you," she said, her eyes holding his with a little too much intent.
Adrian shook her hand firmly but without lingering. "The honor is mine, Miss Howard. I trust we'll make progress today."
They dove into discussions, going through figures, projections, and market strategies. Adrian's tone remained professional, clipped, and precise, while the woman occasionally leaned closer than necessary, her laughter soft whenever he spoke.
After nearly two hours, they signed the preliminary agreements. Adrian stood, buttoning his suit jacket, already signaling the meeting was concluded. But before he could leave, the woman leaned in with a hopeful smile.
"Mr. Wolfe... perhaps we could hang out more-outside of business?" she asked, her voice laced with charm.
Adrian's face remained unreadable. His reply came firm, polite, but final.
"I'm sorry to say, but I'm married."
He didn't wait for her reaction. With a nod, he turned and strode toward the exit. Nathan was quick to open the door for him, and they left, the woman's disappointed expression fading behind them.
Inside the car, Adrian exhaled quietly, loosening his tie just slightly. Nathan glanced at him in the rearview mirror but wisely said nothing. For Adrian, the world outside his commitments had no weight. He had built walls too high for fleeting temptations to climb.
---Back at the Hart residence, another story was quietly unfolding.
Mr. Hart, still recovering from his recent illness, had spent most of the afternoon resting in his room. His strength was returning slowly, though the frailty in his movements betrayed how much the sickness had taken from him. The family's house was quiet, almost too quiet, and it was in that stillness he realized he hadn't heard from his daughter in a long time.
"Where is she?" he murmured, his voice heavy with longing. "Where's my Lila?"
He called out, his voice echoing down the hallway. "Has anyone heard from her? I haven't seen her... or heard her laugh in such a long time."
The nurse at his side tried to reassure him, but before she could, Mrs. Hart-his wife, Lila's mother-walked into the room. Her expression was carefully composed, though her eyes flickered with something unreadable but emotional
"She's... married now," Mrs. Hart said finally, her tone almost reluctant. "Lila, our daughter, she's married."
Mr. Hart froze, his lips parting as though the words had been a blow. "Married?" His voice trembled. "Without me there?"
Tears brimmed in his tired eyes. He had always dreamed of walking his daughter down the aisle, of seeing her face glow with happiness as she began her new life. The thought that it had all happened without him shattered something deep inside. He turned away slowly, his shoulders heavy with sorrow.
Without another word, he began to walk back to his room, his steps unsteady but determined. Mrs. Hart called after him, but he didn't stop. He needed the privacy of his walls, the safety of silence, to contain the ache swelling in his chest.
Meanwhile, Lila was seated in the living room of the Wolfe mansion, a notebook balanced on her lap. She had been scribbling down ideas for a new story, her pen moving swiftly, her thoughts carrying her away from the weight of reality. Writing had always been her escape, her way of piecing together emotions she couldn't voice.
She barely noticed when Adrian walked in, his footsteps quiet but unmistakable. She looked up, her face softening with a polite smile.
"Welcome back," she greeted simply, her pen still poised over the page.
Adrian gave a small nod, his eyes lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary, then turned and walked upstairs. There was a heaviness in his silence, one she couldn't quite read.
Minutes later, he came back down. The maid had already set the table, and Adrian took his seat with his usual composure. His gaze flicked to Lila, who was still jotting down her story.
"Lila," he said evenly, "have you eaten?"
"Yes," she replied softly without looking up, her focus still on her notebook.
Adrian studied her, his jaw tightening slightly. There was something in the way she carried herself-a mixture of distance and self-preservation-that reminded him of the truth he had to keep repeating to himself.
This was just a business marriage.
And yet, as he lifted his fork and began his meal, his eyes found her again. Something about her presence, the quiet grace she carried even in silence, tugged at the walls he had built around his heart. He leaned back slightly, thinking but not saying the words forming inside him.
Focus. This is just business.
But the more he repeated it, the less convincing it sounded.