Chapter 28
The quiet hum of the night surrounded the Wolfe mansion. The vast estate always seemed colder after dusk, the silence almost intimidating, yet in the master bedroom upstairs, warmth was slowly finding its place.
Lila lay under the duvet, her heart still fluttering from the awkward incident earlier. She could still feel her cheeks burning when the memory replayed—the way the towel had slipped, the gasp that left her lips, and how Adrian had immediately turned his back at her command. He had respected her, even in such a vulnerable moment, but the weight of his presence lingered heavily in her chest.
She exhaled softly and turned her face toward him. Adrian was lying on his side of the bed, eyes half-closed, but she could tell he wasn't asleep. His breathing was too controlled, his body too still.
"You didn't have to come in at that exact moment," she whispered, almost embarrassed by her own voice.
Adrian's lips curved faintly, his eyes opening just enough to meet hers in the dim glow of the bedside lamp. "I knocked. You didn't answer. I thought something had happened."
"You could have waited."
"And leave you to slip on the bathroom floor?" His tone carried a hint of reproach, but it was softened by concern. "What if you had hurt yourself? You forget, Lila—you're my responsibility now."
Her chest tightened. The word responsibility reminded her again of what this marriage was—born from an arrangement, not love. Yet in moments like this, his actions and words seemed to blur that line.
She rolled onto her side, facing him fully. "You turned around quickly though… I didn't expect that."
Adrian arched a brow. "Did you think I wouldn't?"
"I don't know," she admitted honestly, her voice low. "You don't seem like the type of man who looks away from what he wants."
His jaw clenched slightly, and he looked at her with an intensity that made her fingers curl into the blanket. "You're right," he said finally, his voice deeper. "I'm not. But with you… I can't afford to scare you off."
Lila's breath caught. His words left a weight in the room, thick and charged with something she couldn't name. She quickly turned onto her back, staring at the ceiling as if it held answers.
Silence stretched between them, but it wasn't empty. It carried questions, unspoken desires, and a strange comfort neither of them wanted to admit.
Finally, she spoke, her voice breaking the quiet. "Adrian… do you ever regret it?"
He shifted slightly. "Regret what?"
"This marriage."
He studied her profile, the way her lashes cast faint shadows on her cheeks. "No."
She turned her head to him, startled by his firm response. "Not even a little?"
"Not even once." His gaze didn't waver. "Do you?"
Her lips parted, but words failed her. Did she regret it? At first, yes. She had thought of it as nothing more than a cage, a contract binding her to a man whose world was far beyond hers. But now… now things weren't so black and white.
"I… I don't know," she confessed. "Sometimes it feels unreal. Like I'm still waiting to wake up and realize none of this happened. That I didn't marry Adrian Wolfe—the cold CEO who everyone says doesn't let anyone close." She chuckled nervously, shaking her head. "Yet here I am, sharing a bed with you."
Adrian reached out suddenly, his hand covering hers where it lay on the duvet. His touch was firm, grounding. "It's real, Lila. Whether you believe it yet or not."
Her heart raced at the contact. She should have pulled away, but she didn't. Instead, she let the warmth of his hand seep into her skin.
The silence returned, but this time it was comforting. He didn't let go, and she didn't move away.
Minutes passed before she finally whispered, "You've changed."
Adrian tilted his head. "Changed?"
"You were so… untouchable at first. Always sharp, always cold, like nothing could shake you. But lately…" she glanced at him, catching the faint softness in his expression. "Lately, you're different. Softer. Not with everyone, I know. But with me."
He exhaled slowly. "You make it sound like a bad thing."
"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "It's just… surprising. And maybe a little scary."
Adrian's thumb brushed against the back of her hand absentmindedly. "It scares me too."
Her eyes widened. "You? Scared?"
A humorless chuckle escaped him. "Yes, Lila. I'm not made of steel, no matter what people think. I've built walls so high even I started to believe no one could break through them. And yet here you are, slipping through cracks I didn't even know existed."
Her chest tightened at his confession. For a man like Adrian, admitting weakness was no small thing.
She swallowed hard. "I didn't mean to."
"I know," he said simply. His hand lingered on hers for another heartbeat before he slowly pulled back. "That's why it's dangerous."
Lila turned toward him again, searching his face. "Dangerous for who?"
"For both of us."
The heaviness of his words lingered between them, unspoken truths pressing closer. Lila tucked herself further into the blanket, her mind restless. She wanted to ask what he truly meant, but the vulnerability in his eyes told her he wouldn't answer—not tonight.
Instead, she closed her eyes, her voice soft. "Goodnight, Adrian."
"Goodnight, Lila," he replied, his tone gentler than she had ever heard it.
He lay back, staring at the ceiling long after her breathing evened out. For the second time in his life, Adrian Wolfe fell asleep beside someone without the usual torment of his sleepless nights. And once again, it was because of her.
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The Next Morning
The golden glow of dawn filtered through the sheer curtains, casting soft light across the room. Lila stirred awake, her lashes fluttering before her eyes fully opened. She blinked in surprise when she saw Adrian still beside her, fast asleep.
It was rare—almost unbelievable. She had heard the rumors, the whispers of how the great Adrian Wolfe barely slept, how his insomnia kept him restless through nights and fueled his cold demeanor by day. Yet here he was, breathing evenly, his features relaxed in a way she had never seen before.
She watched him quietly, a strange warmth spreading in her chest. Is it really me? she wondered. Am I the reason he can sleep?
Her gaze lingered on the faint lines at the corners of his eyes, the hardness that usually defined his jaw now softened in slumber. He looked younger like this. Human. Vulnerable.
A smile tugged at her lips before she quickly shook her head and slipped out of bed, not wanting to be caught staring.
By the time she returned from the bathroom, Adrian was already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed and buttoning his shirt. His composure was back, his face unreadable as always.
"Morning," she greeted, her voice hesitant.
"Morning," he replied without looking up, his tone clipped but not cold.
As he adjusted his cufflinks, he finally glanced at her. "I'll have Nathan drop you at H Star later. But…" His voice paused, eyes narrowing slightly. "I want you to remember what you asked me yesterday about taxis. I don't like the idea of you wandering around on your own. But if that's truly what you want, I won't force you."
Lila pursed her lips, then gave a small smile. "Thank you. I just want to keep things simple… at least for now."
He studied her for a long moment, then gave a curt nod. "Fine."
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