Chapter 130 A Shattering Choice

Chapter 130 A Shattering Choice
Ginnie

By the time I reached the dining room, my steps slowed outside the door for a moment.

I exhaled a shaky breath and straightened my shoulders before stepping inside. 

The moment I entered, Adrian looked up. His eyes traveled slowly over me before settling on my face. For one terrifying second, I wondered if he could tell something had happened.

“Honey, you took quite a while in the restroom.” His voice was warm. “I hope you're fine.”

My eyes shifted across the table, where Varkos was staring at me. A faint, knowing smile curved across his lips as he held my gaze.

I quickly looked away and turned back to Adrian.

“I’m fine,” I forced a smile. “I wanted to make sure I looked perfect for you.”

Adrian's expression softened immediately as he stood from his chair and walked toward me. Before I could react, his arm slipped around my waist.

“You shouldn’t have worried about that,” he leaned down and pressed a kiss against my forehead. “You already look perfect.”

I smiled.

“Thank you.”

Inside, I wanted to scream.

The hypocrisy was suffocating.

A few minutes ago, this same man had been standing over me, ordering me to seduce another man.

Now he was playing the devoted husband.

Without another word, Adrian pulled out my chair before returning to his own. As I settled into my seat, I could feel Varkos’s eyes burning into me.

“Bleeding Rose has changed a lot over the past few years,” Adrian’s voice broke through the silence. “The eastern district is developing rapidly.”

“Too quickly,” Varkos replied. “But the roads aren't keeping up with the expansion.”

Adrian offered a polite smile.

“Everything can be fixed when money is involved.”

I listened quietly, my eyes moving between the two men while pretending to be interested.

Thirty minutes later, dinner finally came to an end. The sound of chairs scraping against the floor filled the dining room. 

“It was a pleasure having you both here.” Adrain stood and extended his hand toward Varkos. “I really appreciate it.”

Varkos rose from his chair and shook his hand.

“The pleasure is mine.”

My eyes were still fixed on them when Kenna stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me. She leaned closer until her lips brushed my ear.

“Stop this ridiculous act of yours, Ginnie,” she whispered. “You know exactly what you're doing.”

I pulled back slightly.

“Do I?”

“You're playing with fire.”

“Goodnight, Kenna.”

I pressed a kiss against her cheek before pulling away. Without another word, she turned and walked toward Varkos.

Adrian and I escorted them outside. The cool night air brushed against my face as we stepped onto the front porch.

Varkos opened the passenger door for Kenna, and she slipped inside. Then he walked around the car and slid into the driver’s seat.

Without warning, Adrian moved beside me, his arm slipping around my waist as he pulled me closer.

“Smile, Ginnie,” he murmured.

I forced a smile that never quite reached my eyes. For a brief moment, Varkos looked at us through the windshield.

The moment his eyes dropped to Adrian's arm around my waist, something flickered across his expression.

His gaze remained fixed on me for several seconds before he started the engine. A few moments later, the car rolled through the gates.

I stood there, watching as it disappeared into the night. Only then did I remove Adrian's hand from my waist.

“Enough of the pretense.” 

Before he could respond, I walked back inside. I had barely taken three steps toward the staircase when his voice stopped me.

“What happened between you and Varkos in the restroom?”

The question hit me like a physical blow. Slowly, I turned to face him.

“What…” My voice caught in my throat. “What do you mean?”

His eyebrows pulled together.

“Varkos left the table shortly after you did.” He took a step closer. “He said he wanted to make a phone call. And that phone call lasted several minutes.”

My fingers tightened around the fabric of my dress until my knuckles turned white.

“That doesn't mean anything.”

Adrian didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone before looking up at me.

“You don't have to tell me what happened.” He unlocked the screen. “Because I already know.”

The moment my eyes landed on what was displayed on his phone, my blood ran cold.

It was the restroom.

The camera footage showed everything that happened between Varkos and me.

My entire body went rigid as horror washed over me. I slowly lifted my eyes to Adrian, unable to form a single word.

“I was sure something like this would happen.” His voice dropped slightly. “And I know everything that happens under my roof.”

For a moment, I remained silent. Instinctively I stepped backward, creating distance between us. 

“You're sick.”

“Maybe.” He slipped the phone back into his pocket. “But that's not the important part.”

A knot formed in my stomach.

“What do you want?”

“Tomorrow, Jayden will be kidnapped,” his voice hardened. “On his way back from school.”

My eyes widened.

“What?” I stared at him in disbelief. “Adrian, he's just five years old.”

His expression remained perfectly calm.

“The men have already been informed about the plan,” he stepped closer. “Once they kidnap Jayden, you’re going to follow them and fight to get him back.”

“So…” I swallowed hard as understanding slowly settled over me. “You want me to rescue Jayden and make Varkos believe I saved his son’s life again.”

A faint smirk curved across his lips.

“Now you're understanding.”

“And what if I get hurt?” The question escaped before I could stop it. “You’re willing to let me get hurt for your plan to work?”

“Yes.”

The simplicity of his answer terrified me more than shouting ever could.

Adrain had already calculated the possibility. My pain was simply another part of his twisted plan.

“You can refuse…” His voice dropped to a low whisper as he pulled his phone from his pocket and held it between us. “And I can send this video to Kenna.”

My blood ran cold.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

A dangerous smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he held my gaze. Then he walked past me. 

A few steps later, he stopped and glanced back over his shoulder.

“Make your choice, Ginnie.”