Chapter 41 Accused
The second the office door shut behind them, the silence that followed felt heavy, filled with everything that had been left unsaid in front of the cameras. Adeline did not give it a second to settle. She turned on her heel almost immediately, her heels clicking loudly against the floor, and the look on her face made it clear that whatever control she had shown outside was gone now. Her eyes were cold, her jaw tight, and the anger she had been holding back for the past hour finally had somewhere to go.
“What the hell was that?” she demanded, her voice loud and cutting through the room without hesitation. She didn’t try to soften it or try to hold back. There was no audience here, no need to pretend, and she wasn’t about to waste time easing into the conversation when she was already furious.
Julian, who had just taken a step away from the door after locking it, paused when he heard her tone. He turned to face her fully, his brows pulling together slightly as confusion flickered across his face. For a second, he just looked at her, like he was trying to understand where the question was coming from, and then he let out a small breath before responding.
“Why the hell are you asking me that?” he shot back, his own voice carrying a mix of irritation and disbelief. “I’m just as upset and confused as you are at the moment, Adeline.”
Adeline let out a scoff at that, a harsh sound that made it very clear she did not believe a single word of what he just said. She folded her arms across her chest, her fingers pressing tightly against her skin as she stared at him like he had just insulted her intelligence.
“There is no way you’re as upset as I am,” she said quickly, her tone rising without her even trying to control it. “Seeing how you decided to dismiss the press the moment I was about to respond to that idiot. Just like that, you stepped in, played the hero, and ended everything without even letting me speak for myself.”
Her words came fast, each one carrying the intensity of everything she had been holding in since they walked off that stage. She could still hear the reporter’s voice in her head, still feel the sting of the accusation, and the fact that she hadn’t been able to respond the way she wanted only made it worse.
Julian stared at her for a moment longer, and this time, the disbelief on his face was more obvious. He took a step closer, his expression tightening as he processed what she was accusing him of.
“Of course I called it off,” he said, his voice firmer now, his patience already starting to wear thin. “Did you not hear the kind of questions they were asking? They weren’t just asking questions anymore, Adeline. They were getting malicious.”
He ran a hand through his hair, the movement quick and frustrated before he continued, “And you were getting overwhelmed. I could see it. I wasn’t about to stand there and let you say something you might regret just because you were angry.”
That only made things worse. Adeline’s eyes narrowed instantly, her expression hardening even more at his words. She took a step toward him, closing the distance between them as her anger flared again.
“I was not overwhelmed,” she snapped, her voice stern. “And I did not need you to come to my rescue like I’m some helpless woman who can’t handle herself.”
There was something almost defensive in the way she said it, like she needed him to understand that more than anything else. Her pride had taken a hit out there, and his actions, even if they were meant to help, only made it feel worse.
“I am perfectly capable of handling myself in difficult situations,” she added, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Julian almost rolled his eyes at that, the gesture barely restrained as he exhaled sharply. He took another step forward, his own frustration now clear on his face.
“Do I have to remind you,” he said slowly, his voice dropping slightly but not losing its edge, “that we just stood in front of the entire press and announced that we’re getting married?”
He didn’t wait for her to respond before continuing, “What kind of fiancé would I be if I stood there and let my woman get harassed like that and did nothing?”
The word hung in the air for a second.
‘My woman.’
Adeline’s expression didn’t soften at it. If anything, it made her look even more annoyed. “That still doesn’t give you the right to decide when we leave without asking me first,” she shot back immediately. “I wasn’t done. I wasn’t ready to leave, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to walk away without giving that damned reporter a piece of my mind.”
Her voice rose slightly at the end, the frustration clear in every word. It wasn’t just about the reporters anymore. It was about control. It was about being cut off at a moment where she felt like she needed to prove something.
Julian could see how angry she was, and for a brief moment, he tried to soften his approach. He stepped closer, his hands lifting slightly as if he were about to rest them on her shoulders, his voice lowering just a bit.
“Adeline, just calm down…”
She flinched. The reaction was instant, like his touch burned her before he even made contact. She took a small step back, her eyes flashing as she looked at him, her expression turning even colder.
“Don’t touch me,” she said firmly, her voice low but filled with warning.
The words made him pause. There was a brief moment where neither of them moved, the tension in the room stretching tight between them. Julian slowly lowered his hands, his jaw tightening slightly as he watched her, trying to understand just how far her anger had gone.
Adeline didn’t look away from him. Instead, she held his gaze, her eyes locked on his like she was searching for something, like she was trying to read something beneath the surface, and when she spoke again, her tone had shifted.
It was quieter, but somehow, it felt even more serious. “Did you have anything to do with it?” she asked.
Julian blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question. His brows pulled together again, confusion replacing the frustration for a second. “What?” he asked, his voice sharper now, not because he was angry, but because he genuinely didn’t understand where that was coming from. “What the hell are you trying to insinuate?”
Adeline didn’t hesitate. “It’s exactly what you think I’m insinuating,” she said, her voice steady even though her chest rose and fell a little faster. “Did you have anything to do with how those reporters behaved today?”
The question landed between them, and for a second, Julian just stared at her, like he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. There was a flicker of something in his eyes, something that looked a lot like disbelief mixed with irritation.
“You think I set that up?” he asked slowly.
Adeline didn’t back down. “I think it was very convenient,” she replied, her tone sharp again. “I think it was very convenient that every single question was directed at me, that they suddenly forgot you were even standing there, and that they went out of their way to make me the target.”
She took another step closer, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked up at him. “And I know you’re not above playing dirty, Julian,” she added, her voice dropping just enough to make it clear she meant every word. “So yes, I’m asking you if you had anything to do with it.”
Julian let out a short, disbelieving laugh, the sound dry and almost humorless. He shook his head slightly, running a hand over his face before looking back at her.
“You’re unbelievable,” he muttered.
Adeline didn’t react to that. She just kept staring at him, waiting.
“If I wanted to ruin you,” he continued, his voice calmer now but no less serious, “I wouldn’t need a room full of reporters to do it for me.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and honest in a way that made it hard to ignore. “I already have more than enough to do that on my own,” he added.
Adeline’s expression didn’t change immediately, but there was a slight pause, just enough to show that his words had landed. Still, she didn’t look convinced.
“That’s not an answer,” she said.
“It is,” he replied firmly. “No, I had nothing to do with it.”
He held her gaze as he said it, not looking away, not hesitating. “I don’t need to set you up in front of the press,” he continued. “You already gave them enough material the moment you made that announcement at the party.”
The reminder wasn’t gentle, and it wasn’t meant to be. Adeline’s lips pressed together slightly, her jaw tightening again as the truth of that settled in. She knew he wasn’t entirely wrong. She knew she had started this mess herself, but that didn’t make what happened today any easier to accept.
The room fell quiet again, the tension still thick, still unresolved, and even though Julian had answered her, even though he had denied it clearly, Adeline still felt that uneasy twist in her chest, the one that told her something wasn’t right.
Something about today didn’t sit well with her, and that feeling refused to go away.