Chapter 15 Adeline
Adeline POV
Three weeks later, we have fallen into a rhythm. A dangerous intoxicating routine that involves both my two lives.
By day, I am the diligent intern. I fetch files and write summaries. I endure Mason’s passive-aggressive comments and his attempts to sabotage my work, dodging them with a skill I honed growing up in a house full of angry men and dating men like him.
I see Percy in the hallways sometimes, and we don't say anything to each other except for a polite nod and a greeting sometimes. His eyes always linger, though. Every time my phone buzzes with a text from Boss, I have to actively fight back a smile.
"Stop biting your pen in the conference room. It’s distracting." He'd text sneakily under the table while managing to look scary to the others in the room.
"Pay attention to the client, sir."
"I’d rather pay attention to you."We would flirt on and off until he really had to pay attention to the meeting.
By night, the masks come off. I ride my bike to his penthouse in the city, a glass fortress in the sky that has the best view in the city.
When we choose to stay indoors, we cook dinner and debate current cases the firm had taken on. Sometimes, we ride his bike together.
It was all going well until, like every other perfect thing, it had to come to an end.
"Adeline, hold still!" Mom’s voice cuts through my thoughts as she urges me to stand right while I'm being fitted for my bridesmaid dress.
For once, I'm grateful for my mother’s taste in fashion however expensive. The dress she chose for me is a off white silk long gown with a low back that manages to be elegant. I feel guilty for wearing it even though it fits me like a dream.
"It’s perfect," Mom sighs dreamily. "Oh, Addie, you look beautiful."
"It’s tight," I mutter, not letting her know I agree with her.
"It’s supposed to be tight, darling. It’s Italian silk." She turns to the mirror to admire her own gown. She’s wearing a white lace gown that manages to be age-appropriate yet stunning, and the worst part is how genuinely happy she looks.
It's hard to remember her neglect when she's beaming like this. Suddenly, we hear Richard’s voice from behind the curtain.
"Ladies? Are we decent?"
"Oh, Richard, come in." Richard looks handsome, too, in his navy suit. I'm not prepared for the sight of Percy in his tuxedo looking more handsome than ever. He looks like he'd rather be in hell than here, and he's not hiding it either.
His eyes widen when he sees me in my dress that show off every inch of my curves. He swallows hard when he's done looking at me from head to toe with so much hunger in his eyes that I'm scared that our parents will see it.
"Wow." Richard says, clapping his hands. "Look at you two! The blushing bride and her beautiful daughter." He walks over and kisses Mom’s cheek. "You look beautiful, Melissa."
"And Adeline!" Mom spins me around to face them. "Doesn't she look gorgeous, Percy?"
Percy clears his throat and shoves his hands into his pockets to stop himself from reaching out was my guess.
"Yes," he says in a rough voice. "She looks very nice."
"Nice?" Mom scoffs. "Men, they have no vocabulary."
"You look stunning, Adeline," Richard corrects, beaming at me like a proud father. "You know, seeing you two together makes me happy. Percy has always wanted a sister."
We both flinch at the word. "A sister?"
"Yes!" Richard wraps an arm around Percy’s shoulders. "He was lonely growing up, and now, look at this. He has you now, he doesn't have to build his empire alone. Who better to share an empire with than a sister, huh? You two are going to do great things together."
Percy looks like he has been punched in the gut. Our bubble has been penetrated. The reality of what we have been doing crashes down on me.
It dawns on me that we aren't just sneaking around, we are lying to our parents. We are lying to Richard, who adopted him, and to Mom, who has finally found true happiness. We are betraying the only family we have left.
"I need some air." Percy says abruptly and leaves, slamming the door behind him.
"I wonder what’s gotten into him." Richard frowns.
"You know he doesn't like being away from his work." Mom waves her hand dismissively.
"I... I have to go check on him," I say, gathering the skirt of my dress in my hands.
"Adeline, you can't go outside in the dress!" Mom says, and I wave her away.
"I’ll just be a second."
I run out of the shop just in time to see Percy on the sidewalk, loosening his tie like it’s choking him. I'm surprised to see a lit cigarette between his lips.
"Percy," I call out.
He spins around. When he sees me standing there in the dress, his expression crumples, and he quickly crushes his cigarette under his heel.
"Go back inside, Adeline," he says roughly. "You shouldn't be out here in that dress."
"You left."
"Because I couldn't stand there and listen to him call you my sister!" He hisses. "I couldn't stand there and watch you look that beautiful and know that I’m not supposed to touch you."
"Percy..."
"I just hate this situation so much." He admits. "I thought I could handle it. I thought the sneaking around was fun but hearing him call you my sister... I can't..." His eyes are begging me to understand him and I do. "How are we going to do this, Ghost? How are we going to stand at that altar in three weeks and pretend we aren't in love with each other?"
My breath catches as he uses the L word again. He hasn't declared his love for me directly, but it's there between us.
"We just do it," I whisper, stepping closer to him so I can take my hand in his. "Somehow, we find a way to do it and my internship, too. After then, we figure it out."
"Figure it out before we find a way to ruin it all." He scoffs and looks away from me. There's a glint in his eyes when he looks back at me that makes me think he's going to throw all caution to the wind and kiss me right here where our parents can see us.
He doesn't, instead, he squeezes my hand gently and raises his hand to brush my cheeks, but he stops before his hand makes contact with my face.
"Go back inside before I do something stupid and before they come looking for us." He says softly. "I will see you inside, Adeline."
I know he's right, but it doesn't stop the tears from rushing to my eyes. I fight it back so my eyes aren't swollen.
"Don't stay for too long, Percy." With another longing look at him, I go back inside.