Chapter 10 Hideaway
Adeline watched through the windshield as Julian pulled the car to a stop in front of a plain, single-story house. The gate had swung open automatically when they approached, and now it closed behind them with a soft click. The house looked ordinary with gray siding, a small front porch, and a few flowerpots by the steps that hadn’t been watered in weeks.
It was nothing fancy, and while staring at it, all Adeline could think of was how it could have belonged to anyone. A teacher, a mechanic, or even a quiet retiree. It was the last place she pictured Julian Hale choosing.
He turned off the engine, and the sudden silence felt loud. Julian looked over at her, one hand still on the wheel.
“We’re here,” he said. “Want me to get your door, or you got it?”
Adeline scoffed. She crossed her arms tighter under his coat, the fabric still warm. “What is this place, Julian? And why did you bring me here?”
Julian let out a slow sigh, like she was asking something obvious. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Can we at least get inside before you start the interrogation?”
“No.” She leaned back in the seat, stubborn. “If you don’t tell me why we’re here, I’m not stepping out of this car, and I’m definitely not going into that house with you.”
He rolled his eyes, but there was no real anger in it. Just tired amusement. “Fine. I figured the same way I tracked you down at the hotel, someone else could too, like reporters, your father, and, with what I know now, Patrick, even. They know my usual spots, which are my house, the apartment downtown, and the office. They’d look there first to find you, and that’s inconvenient for both of us.”
Adeline kept her face blank, waiting for the landing.
Julian gestured toward the house with a small nod. “No one would guess you’d be in a place like this. It’s too normal and way too average for both our tastes. My name isn’t on the deed. It’s under a trust for an old friend who never comes here anymore. As you can see, it has a quiet street, no cameras, and no nosy neighbors. It’s perfect for staying low.”
She glanced at the house again. The yard was small and overgrown a little, and it definitely didn’t scream money. It also didn’t scream Julian or anyone she knew on a personal level.
He kept talking, his voice steady. “Even this car isn’t registered to me, and there are no plates that link back. If anyone’s following, they’re following a ghost.”
Adeline felt the knot in her stomach loosen just a fraction. She hated admitting it, but his logic made sense. The hotel had felt safe for one night, but Julian was right, and because of her silence so far, people would start checking places she might go. Her father’s contacts were everywhere, reporters too, and Patrick… she didn’t want to think about him showing up anywhere near her again.
Julian turned in his seat to face her fully. “You said you needed time to think and space. This is it. Here, there'll be no distractions, and no one knocking on the door to bother you. It’ll just be you, some quiet, and whatever decision you need to make about us, about the marriage, and about everything else.”
She studied his face, and he looked serious, almost careful, like he was handling something fragile.
Adeline looked back at the house. It felt strange being here with him, in a place that didn’t match the man she knew. Julian Hale was all about private jets, penthouses, and deals signed in glass offices. She would say she was the same if she weren't much less of a show-off compared to him.
“Why do you even have access to a place like this?” she asked.
He shrugged one shoulder. “Backup, Carter. Everyone needs one because you never know when you’ll need to disappear for a bit.”
She almost laughed. “You disappear a lot?”
“More than you’d think.” He paused. “And I figured you might need it now.”
Adeline didn’t answer right away. She stared out at the small yard, at the way the morning sun hit the leaves and made them shine. Her neck still ached under the collar of his coat. The bruises felt like a reminder, not just of Patrick’s hands, but of her father’s slap and the weight of every choice she had made in the last forty-eight hours. Running to a hotel hadn’t fixed anything, and hiding in Julian’s fancy house probably wouldn’t either.
But this? This plain, forgotten-looking place? It felt different, smaller, and safer, maybe.
She exhaled slowly. “If I stay here, it’s not because I’m saying yes to anything. Not the marriage, or to us. I’m just… thinking.”
Julian nodded. “I know.”
“And you’re not staying with me the whole time.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You sure? I make good coffee.”
She shot him a look. “I’m serious.”
“So am I.” He held up both hands. “But fine. I’ll drop your suitcase inside, show you where everything is, and then I’ll go. There’s a clean room, food in the fridge, and Wi-Fi if you want it, but the signal’s spotty on purpose. No one’s tracking it.”
Adeline bit her lip. Part of her wanted to argue more, to keep pushing, to make him explain every detail, but she was tired, bone-deep tired. The fight had drained out of her somewhere between the hotel and this driveway.
“Okay,” she said finally. “But if this is some weird trick…”
“It’s not.” His voice was quiet and steady. “I promise.”
She met his eyes, and for once, she believed him, or at least wanted to.
Julian opened his door and stepped out. He walked around to her side and opened hers without waiting for permission. Cool morning air rushed in, smelling like grass and pine.
Adeline swung her legs out slowly. Her sleep clothes felt ridiculous in the daylight, thin shorts, an old tank top, and bare feet on the gravel. She pulled his coat tighter around her.
Julian grabbed her suitcase from the trunk. He carried it toward the porch like it weighed nothing, and at the front door, he pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked it. The door opened with a small creak.
He turned back to her. “Coming?”
Adeline hesitated one more second. Then she stepped out of the car and closed the door behind her. The gravel crunched under her feet as she walked up the short path.
Inside, the house smelled faintly of wood and dust. Like she expected, it had simple furniture, a couch, a coffee table, and a small kitchen visible through an open doorway. There was no art on the walls and no fancy lights. Just normal-looking.
Julian set her suitcase by the stairs. “The room’s up there, first door on the right, and the bathroom's attached. The kitchen's stocked as well, so help yourself.”
Adeline looked around. It felt strange, safe, but strange.
Julian watched her. “I’ll head out in a minute to give you space, but if you need anything, anything at all, you can always call me.”
She nodded once. “Got it.”
He stepped closer, just enough that she could feel his warmth. “You’re safe here, Adeline. That’s all I wanted.”
For a moment, neither of them moved. Then Julian turned and walked back to the door.
He paused with his hand on the knob. “Lock it behind me.”
“I will.”
He gave her one last look, long and searching, then stepped outside.
The door closed softly, and Adeline stood in the quiet house, listening to the car start, then pull away. The gate clanged shut in the distance, and she walked to the window and watched until the car disappeared down the road.
Then she turned, locked the door, and leaned against it.