Chapter 15: Official Engagement

Chapter 15: Official Engagement


Adrian's POV

I saw her again.

She was standing at the far end of the pool. And when our gaze met for one second, she froze, turned around, and disappeared.

It was strange.

The Elena I knew would’ve tossed her hair over her shoulder, rolled her eyes dramatically, and walked off, furious at my very existence.

And right now   I am starting to suspect that she has something to do with Gloria’s death. And God help her if I found out she was the one. I thought to myself as I gritted my teeth in anger.



At lunch, I sat with Kade, Lucien, and Lucy.
The soft clicking of cutlery filled the space, but Lucy’s voice cut through.

“Heard you’re playing hockey against Lucas’s team next week,” she said, leaning forward with a sly smile.

I gave a short nod and reached for my water.

“We’ll be there,” she added. “Me and my cheer girls at the very front.” Her eyes lingered on me longer than I wanted.

Kade smirked, Lucien raised an eyebrow.
I just took another gulp from my glass and looked away.



When we closed from school, I texted a location to the private investigator.

“Drive me to Redwood Hills,” I told my driver.

“Okay, sir,” then he wheeled the steering.

As we got there, I met the investigator standing outside and I walked in with him.

“What’s the update?” I asked coldly as we both sat down.

“We were able to hack into the school system. We found some deleted videos.”

“Okay?”

“Gloria met with about three people that day.”

“Go on.”

“After Elena spoke to her and walked away, she returned shortly after. The second person Gloria met was Bella. As for the third person, we’re still unsure—it’s possible that either Bella or Elena came back again later on.”

I heaved a tired exhale. 

“Are you saying that there might be someone else?”

“Yes” he responded. “It looks like she was waiting for someone even before she encountered Elena and Bella” he added.

“Just keep an eye on Elena and check for more evidence. Something’s not right with her.”

“Already on it.” He said handing me a few screenshots and stood up walking away.



That evening, after a golf session with my grandpa, Michelle and I returned home to an empty house. Mum was probably in a meeting with her fashion firm. Dad was likely on a plane to God-knows-where, maybe buying another company he could use to control more lives.

“I stepped inside, shrugged off my back bag, and left it by the door like always—there was someone to pick it up later anyway. But I noticed Michelle had been too quiet, even during our ride home. That wasn’t like her.

“Michelle, you okay?”

She hesitated. “Kade won’t reply to my texts,” she mumbled with a trembling voice.

I blinked. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“But I’m not!” she said, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “I really like him, but he still sees me as a kid!”

I sighed, already feeling the frustration rise.
“Michelle, he’s older. You know it probably won’t work out, right?”

“But I like him, Adrian!” she nearly shouted. “Why does he treat me like I’m invisible?”

I opened my arms, awkwardly offering comfort. “Come here.”

She fell into my hug and sniffled.
“Don’t worry,” I said gently. “I’ll talk to him for you.”

“Really?” Her face lit up with a watery smile.

I nodded, and she jumped up, squeezing me again.
“Thank you, brother!”

“There’s the Michelle I know,” I chuckled.

“Maybe if you act like a princess, he might notice,” I teased.

“What do you mean by that?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Nothing,” I replied quickly, looking away.

She stomped off dramatically, still wearing my hoodie and sweatpants which were clearly oversized for her.

Michelle had never cared about dressing up. She was more comfortable in comfy clothes than anything that could stop her from moving. Since they started giving her heels as a child, the only time she wore them with force was on her birthdays.

It’s funny how the same girl who hated all that still chose to study fashion and spent her free time designing couture.

I headed to my room and flopped onto my bed with a tired exhale.

That’s when I noticed Vale—my white-furred cat—curling up beside me. She was usually calm and affectionate, but something about her seemed… off.

“Hey, Vale,” I murmured, running a hand gently over her soft fur. She didn’t purr like she usually did. Instead, she shifted uncomfortably, letting out a faint meow.

I frowned. “What’s wrong?” I asked, even though I knew she couldn’t answer.

I quickly changed into a hoodie and jeans, scooped her into my arms, and headed downstairs.

“Take me to the vet,” I told the driver as I slid into the car, Vale still in my arms.

“Yes, sir,” he replied, pulling away from the driveway.



At the vet’s office, I sat with Vale resting quietly in my lap while the doctor examined her.

“Well,” the vet said with a warm smile, “I’ve got good news. Vale’s about fifteen days pregnant.”

I stared at him. 

“She’s healthy and it’s still early, but yes—she’s going to have kittens.”

I blinked in disbelief. “That’s not possible. She never leaves the house.”

The vet chuckled lightly. “Maybe she had a secret admirer sneaking in.”

I looked down at Vale, raising an eyebrow. “Have you been sneaking around behind my back?” I muttered, shaking my head as the vet let out a small laugh.



When we got back home, I gently handed Vale to the housekeeper, along with a small paper bag.

“She’s pregnant. These are her medications. Please take care of her and let me know if anything changes.”

“Yes, sir.”

Just then, Michelle came bounding down the stairs, grinning.

“Brother!”

“What is it now?” I breathed out.

“Did you check the family group chat?”

“No. Why?”

She burst into laughter. “The Scarlets are coming on Saturday. We’re to leave together with them for Kade's birthday party.”

I froze. “What?!”

She wiggled her eyebrows. “Looks like they want the media to know about your engagement. They’re trying to make it public—maybe,” she added with a chuckle.

I exhaled tiredly.

“Oh, I can’t wait to see my dear sister-in-law. It’s been a while since I saw that cold face of hers,” she said with a smile, then added in a whisper, “Your greatest nightmare”

“How did they even come up with that? Was that Mom’s idea or what?” I asked, already irritated by the very thought of having Elena around.

“I wouldn’t know,” she responded, raising her hands dramatically in the air.

I just huffed sharply and walked upstairs without a word.