Chapter 36 UNEXPECTED CONFESSION
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ADELINE
All eyes were on us as Asher dragged me out of the restaurant. My thoughts were messed u as to how come Asher knew and why the fuck he was behaving like such a …… jerk. Asher’s grip on my arm was firm, his strides purposeful as he led me out and to his car parked.
“Asher, stop!”
I hissed, trying to tug my arm free. He did not look like the Asher i knew or the Asher I was friends with.
“What are you doing?”
He didn’t answer, his jaw clenched tight, his entire body radiating frustration. He turned to me as his body towered mine.
“Asher, I said stop!”
I repeated, yanking harder until he finally halted and glared at me. His eyes were blazing, the anger behind them almost tangible. What was wrong with him?
“What am I doing?”
he snapped, his voice sharp.
“No, Adeline—what are you doing? Sitting in there with him like everything’s fine, like you’re not engaged, like I don’t exist!”
I flinched slightly at his tone but quickly recovered, my own frustration bubbling to the surface. Why does it have to do with him?
“It’s not what you think—”
“Then tell me what it is!”
he interrupted, his voice rising.
“Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re playing some twisted game, and I’m not in the mood to play along.”
I sighed, looking away for a moment as I tried to gather my thoughts. Aurora did once let me know Asher’s feelings for me but I never gave importance knowing he would always be a friend but this.
“It’s complicated, Asher,”
I said quietly.
“Complicated,”
he echoed, his tone laced with disbelief. He crossed his arms against his chest looking at me in disbelief.
“You keep saying that, but it doesn’t explain why you didn’t tell me—or Calux—that you’re getting married. Do you even hear how insane that sounds?”
“I wasn’t trying to hide it from you!”
I snapped back, my voice trembling with both anger and guilt.
“Oh, really?”
he challenged, taking a step closer, his presence looming.
“Then why the hell didn’t you say anything? Were you planning to invite us to the wedding as a joke?”
My cheeks flushed with both anger and embarrassment. People passing by could hear us and definitely heard as some stopped to watch the drama.
“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know how!”
“That’s not an excuse,”
he shot back.
“I didn’t owe you an explanation!”
I fired, my voice rising now. The heck is he angry about. He didn’t had the right to come and ruin my lunch and now create a scene.
Asher’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing.
“You think you don’t owe me anything?”
he asked quietly, his voice dangerously low.
“After everything we’ve been through?”
I opened my mouth to respond, but his words hit harder than I expected. We were never close like that. I agree he is a friend and he should know but this was getting out of hand. My defiance faltered for a moment, and I looked away.
“You don’t understand,”
I finally muttered.
“Then make me understand,”
he demanded.
Adeline sighed deeply, my shoulders slumping.
“I am in love and marrying Valentino- ”
I admitted, my voice softer now, almost resigned as I tried to explain him about my life and situation.
“ there’s so much happening in life right now. I wanted to tell you and calux but”
My words seemed to knock the wind out of him. For a moment, he just stared at me, his anger tempered by something deeper—something vulnerable.
“Adeline,”
he began, his voice softer, but I cut him off.
“I know I messed up, okay? I know, i should have informed you guys ”
I said, my eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“But dragging me out of a restaurant and yelling at me isn’t going to fix anything.”
Asher closed his eyes briefly, as if trying to steady himself. When he opened them again, the anger was still there, but so was something else—concern.
“Get in the car,”
he said quietly.
I frowned, shaking my head.
“No. We can talk right here.”
“Adeline,”
he warned, his voice hardening again,
“I’m not asking.”
“And I’m not going,”
I shot back. If Luciano or anyone found out that I left with Asher like that, it was gonna be so messed up.
The stand-off lasted only a few seconds before Asher’s patience snapped. Without another word, he stepped forward and grabbed my arm again.
“Fine,”
he muttered, his tone cold.
“Asher!”
I yelled, struggling against him as he opened the passenger door.
“Let me go!”
But he was stronger, and despite my protests, he guided me into the seat with firm determination. If I protested more, he would have created a bigger scene which could get messy and hard to handle.
I glared at him fiercely as he shut the door and walked around to the driver’s side.
When he got in and started the engine, the silence in the car was deafening. I crossed my arms over my chest, my jaw set, refusing to look at him.
“You can’t just drag me around like this,”
I muttered angrily.
“And you can’t just keep running away,”
he countered, his eyes focused on the road ahead.
“I wasn’t running away,” I snapped.
“Really? Because that’s exactly what it looks like,” he said, his tone sharp.
I clenched my fists, trying to keep my temper in check.
“You don’t understand—”
“Then make me understand,”
he interrupted again, his voice rising.
“Because right now, all I see is someone who’s too afraid to face the truth.”
My head whipped toward him, my glare icy.
“And what truth is that, Asher?”
I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
“That you don’t want this marriage,”
he said bluntly.
His words hung in the air like a challenge. I stared at him, my breath caught in my throat. I opened my mouth to argue but found myself unable to deny it. How did he know I did not want to marry Valentino.
Did he also know about me and Luciano-
The silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating. Finally, I turned to him, my voice barely above a whisper.
“ how do you know? ”
Asher glanced at me, his expression softening just slightly.
“ because I love you and I know you ” he said quietly.