Chapter 37 Chapter 37
Morning came quietly, the kind that didn’t announce itself with chaos but with soft light slipping through unfamiliar curtains. For a few seconds after waking up, I forgot where I was. Then reality settled in—Adrian’s apartment, last night’s kiss, the way my heart had refused to slow down even after I closed my eyes.
I sat up slowly, one hand instinctively resting on my stomach. My babies. My reason. My anchor. No matter how tangled my emotions became, they were the constant I couldn’t afford to forget.
I freshened up in the guest bathroom, borrowing a toothbrush he’d clearly bought just in case. That alone made something twist in my chest. Adrian planned for everything—even possibilities he didn’t talk about.
When I stepped out, the smell of coffee greeted me.
“You’re up,” his voice came from the kitchen.
I followed the sound and found him standing by the counter, sleeves rolled up, hair slightly disheveled in a way that felt unfairly human. Gone was the ruthless businessman everyone feared. This Adrian looked… real.
“Good morning,” I said.
He turned, eyes flickering briefly to my face, then away—careful. “Morning. I wasn’t sure how you take your coffee, so I made options.”
I glanced at the spread and smiled. “Control freak.”
He smirked. “Prepared.”
I poured myself a cup and leaned against the counter. The silence wasn’t awkward, but it was different now. Charged. A line had been crossed, gently but unmistakably.
“About last night—” I started.
He held up a hand. “We don’t have to define it yet.”
I studied him. “You’re avoiding.”
“I’m protecting,” he corrected calmly. “You’ve been through enough. I don’t want you waking up feeling trapped by something you didn’t choose with a clear head.”
That… surprised me.
Daniel had never cared how I woke up feeling.
“I don’t feel trapped,” I said quietly. “I feel… steady.”
His gaze returned to mine, searching. “Good.”
The moment shattered when his phone rang.
He checked the screen, jaw tightening. “Speak of the devil.”
“Daniel?” I guessed.
“Yes.”
My pulse spiked. “What does he want?”
Adrian answered the call, putting it on speaker without asking. Maybe part of him wanted Daniel to hear me breathing on the other end.
“Blake,” Daniel’s voice sneered. “Enjoying the attention lately?”
Adrian’s tone remained cool. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
A pause. Then, “My wife was seen with you last night.”
I stiffened. Wife. The word still cut.
“She’s not your wife,” Adrian replied smoothly. “Not anymore.”
“You’re moving fast,” Daniel said, laughter edged with suspicion. “Or was this always the plan? Taking what’s mine?”
Adrian’s eyes flicked to me, then back to nothing. “You lost ownership the moment you betrayed her.”
Silence.
Then Daniel spoke again, slower this time. “Careful, Blake. Elena doesn’t belong in your world. You’ll ruin her.”
Something in me snapped.
I leaned forward. “You already did.”
Daniel froze. I could almost picture his expression.
“Elena?” His voice dropped. “You’re with him?”
“Yes,” I said, steady. “And for the first time in a long while, I’m exactly where I choose to be.”
The call ended abruptly.
The apartment fell silent again, heavier than before.
Adrian exhaled slowly. “That escalated faster than I planned.”
I met his gaze. “You wanted Daniel’s attention. You have it now.”
His lips curved faintly. “Seems the contract marriage idea just became unavoidable.”
My heart thudded. “Are you sure?”
He stepped closer, stopping just within my space. “The question is—are you?”
I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I thought of the way Daniel’s voice had cracked. The way power had shifted so subtly, yet so completely.
“I am,” I said finally. “But this time… we do it on our terms.”
Adrian nodded. “Then prepare yourself.”
“For what?”
“For war,” he said quietly. “And for feelings that won’t stay contained much longer.”
As he reached for my hand—not possessive, not demanding—I knew one thing with absolute clarity:
Walking away from Daniel had been survival.
Walking toward Adrian?
That was going to change everything.