Victor's smirk spread the moment his eyes locked on Adrian. "Well, look who decided to show up. The ex-con himself. Tell me, Adrian… who in B Corporation actually invited you? Or are you here because they need a guy with a criminal record to keep the peace? Make things exciting, huh?"
The noise of the lobby seemed to hush. A few heads turned, curious, sensing tension ripple across the polished floor.
Adrian didn't react immediately. His cold eyes swept over Victor, then shifted briefly to Vivienne, before landing back on the man in front of him. His silence spoke louder than words. Finally, his voice cut through, calm yet edged with steel. "Excuse me?"
Vivienne's heels clicked against the marble as she stepped forward, her poise unshaken though a flicker of surprise betrayed her. "Adrian… I didn't expect to see you here." Her tone was clipped, as if she could cage her shock behind professionalism.
Adrian's gaze lingered on her for only a second. "Clearly," he replied, his words carrying frost instead of warmth. He made to walk past, ignoring their sneers, but Victor was faster.
A hand clamped down on his arm. The grip was firm, testing.
"Hold on a second," Victor said, his smirk widening. "Let's be honest. You working as some security guy? That's laughable. A CEO's ex-husband acting like a guard. Do you even know how pathetic that looks?"
Adrian's jaw flexed. He didn't pull away. He didn't strike back. He simply raised his brows, his stare steady as stone. "Pathetic? That's your opinion."
Victor leaned closer, his cologne sharp, his tone mocking. "Opinion? No. That's reality. Imagine the headlines: 'Ex-husband guards CEO.' People would laugh. Her reputation? Embarrassed." He barked out a short laugh.
Vivienne's huff slipped out before she could stop herself. "Victor, don't—"
He waved her off without looking at her, eyes fixed solely on Adrian. "No, let him hear it. Let him feel it. You think you can just waltz in here like you belong? You don't."
Adrian's lips pressed into a thin line. His voice remained low but deliberate. "You sound desperate."
Victor's smirk widened into something sharper. "Desperate? Me? Never. You're the cautionary tale walking into B Corporation. A story they'll whisper about when the lights are low. Nobody invited you."
Adrian's fingers flexed at his side. The urge to break Victor's grip simmered under his skin, but he stayed calm. "You're very confident for someone who isn't even the main problem here."
Victor tilted his head, amused. "Oh? And who decides that? You? A guy with a record?"
Vivienne tugged at Victor's sleeve, tension coiling in her voice. "Victor, please don't."
He ignored her completely, reaching into his pocket. A card appeared between his fingers—bank card, sleek and black. He slapped it against Adrian's chest, voice dripping with mock generosity. "Here. Take this. A monthly allowance. Keep your mouth shut, stay out of the spotlight. Think of it as welfare for the ex-con."
Gasps rippled from the few employees hovering nearby. The insult stung sharper than the smack of the card.
Adrian stared down at it, then lifted his gaze back to Victor. Rage flared beneath the surface but never broke through. Instead, his body shifted just slightly, and in that moment Victor's grip faltered.
"Careful," Adrian said evenly, his voice steady and dangerous. "You might hurt yourself more than me if you keep that up."
Victor blinked, momentarily thrown off by the calm authority in Adrian's tone. His bravado cracked, just for a second. "You think you can talk to me like that? I'm not scared of you, Adrian."
Adrian's gaze never wavered. "I'm not here to scare you. I'm here because I have business to handle. Nothing you do or say changes that."
Vivienne's hand darted to her phone. "I should call security."
"Don't," Victor snapped, seizing her wrist before she could dial. "This is B Corporation. Don't cause a scene, don't embarrass us."
Her chest rose and fell sharply, caught between fury and restraint.
Victor turned back to Adrian, his voice sharp. "You. Remember this. I'll make you pay for this later. Double."
Adrian let the threat hang in the air. He looked at Vivienne instead, his tone cutting but quiet. "Must you be so heartless?"
Her lips curled into a cold sneer. "Heartless? I'm realistic. You're nothing to me."
Adrian's reply was immediate, firm. "Exactly. We are done. Completely. I won't waste time on this."
Victor leaned in, lowering his voice, his smirk slithering back. "You think that makes you untouchable? That just because you've been reformed, or whatever, you can waltz in and look down on me? You don't know the first thing about power."
Adrian's stare sharpened, unshaken. "Power isn't about threats or smirks. You'll find that out soon enough."
The crowd around them was growing, whispers buzzing like static.
Vivienne stepped forward, trying to pull control back into her hands. "Adrian, listen—"
"No, Vivienne," Adrian interrupted, voice like stone. "I don't need to listen to you. I don't need your approval. And I don't need your interference."
Victor laughed, loud, forcing confidence into the sound. "You're bold. I'll give you that. But this isn't some street fight, Adrian. You're in the wrong arena."
Adrian's jaw tightened, his voice even. "We'll see."
Victor's smirk faltered again. "Everyone watching thinks I'm in control here. Not you."
Adrian's lips curved into a faint, dangerous smile. "Then maybe they'll be surprised."
Vivienne's voice sharpened. "Adrian, stop. You're not making this easier for yourself."
"I never said it would be easy," he replied. His voice carried authority that reached every corner of the lobby. "But I will not be intimidated."
Victor leaned closer, dropping his voice as if speaking to a child. "People here play chess. You're just a pawn."
Adrian didn't blink. "I'm not a pawn. My place is not beneath anyone here."
Victor shoved the card at him again. "Take it, disappear. Let us handle the adults."
Adrian glanced at it once, then back at him, his voice edged with disdain. "I don't need your money. And I don't need you to handle anything for me."
Victor's smirk wavered. The cracks were showing.
Adrian stepped forward, the air between them charged. "Adults don't need to threaten each other in lobbies. Adults handle business. That's what I'm here to do."
Before Victor could answer, a secretary rushed into the lobby, urgency in her every step. She whispered to the receptionist, who immediately stiffened.
"The guest who's here now," the secretary murmured, her voice carrying just enough for those close to hear. "Important. Cannot be slighted. He must be treated with utmost care."
The shift in atmosphere was instant. Heads turned. Conversations hushed.
Vivienne's eyes widened with excitement. She gripped Victor's arm, her voice bright. "See? This is it! The cooperation is guaranteed now."
Victor frowned, confusion clouding his face. "Wait… Evelyn Carter has a gala tonight. No daytime appointments…"
"She's acknowledging us," Vivienne whispered fiercely. "Finally."
But Victor shook his head, still unsettled. "This feels too sudden."
The secretary approached, her tone cautious, almost reverent. "Please, follow me. Ms. Carter asked that this guest receive our full attention."
Vivienne beamed, practically glowing. "We're grateful for her regard."
Victor muttered, "I still don't get this…"
Adrian, arms crossed, finally spoke, his voice cutting clean through the tension. "A lot of excitement over nothing. Seems like you're celebrating too early."
Victor turned sharply. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Adrian's eyes held steady. "Real control isn't handed to charm or names. It's recognized by those who matter."
Vivienne's smile wavered. "And you would know who matters, would you?"
"I observe. I wait. I act when it counts," Adrian said. "Unlike some, I don't mistake noise for importance."
Victor's smirk cracked again. "You think you're in a position to lecture us?"
Adrian's tone never shifted. "I don't need to think. I am."
The weight of the words pressed down on both of them.
Vivienne bristled, her composure slipping. "And who exactly are you trying to prove this to?"
Adrian's eyes swept the lobby. "To everyone paying attention. Including Ms. Carter."
Victor's voice shook with disbelief. "You don't even belong here—"
"I'll be recognized," Adrian interrupted, calm and final.
Vivienne scoffed. "Recognized? By a secretary?"
Adrian's smirk deepened faintly. "By the people who matter. Not by you. Not by him."
Victor's jaw worked furiously. "Absurd. You have no idea what's happening."
Adrian's gaze cut through both of them. "Enough. Step aside. Let the situation unfold as it should."