Chapter 43 Good Dog
The moment Julian left her office, the silence that followed felt louder than anything that had happened during the press conference. Adeline stood in the middle of the room for a few seconds, her chest rising and falling slowly as she tried to steady herself. The anger was still there, sitting hot and heavy in her chest, but now that she was alone, it started to mix with something else she didn’t want to acknowledge.
She turned away from the door and walked toward her desk, placing both hands on the surface as she leaned forward slightly. For a brief moment, she closed her eyes, taking in a slow breath. The press conference replayed in her mind, every question, every flash of the cameras, every moment she had been pushed and cornered. Her jaw tightened again as she thought about the reporters, the way they had looked at her, the tone in their voices, the way they had made her feel like she had to defend not just her actions, but her existence as a woman.
And then, just as quickly, her thoughts shifted to Julian.
The way he had stepped in, the way he had ended everything, and the way he had looked at her when she accused him.
Her fingers curled slightly against the desk. She pushed herself upright and let out a breath before reaching for her bag. Standing there and thinking was not going to help anything. She needed to move. She needed to get out of this building, even if it was just for a short while.
Without wasting any more time, she walked out of her office, ignoring the curious looks from a few employees who were clearly aware of everything that had just happened. She didn’t stop, didn’t speak, and her heels clicked loudly against the floor as she made her way to the elevator, her expression calm but cold enough to keep anyone from approaching her.
By the time she reached the parking lot, the air felt different and quieter, less suffocating than the office upstairs, even though the tension inside her hadn’t eased at all. She walked toward her car, her mind already drifting to what she needed to do next, but just as she reached for her car door, a voice stopped her.
“Well, well… if it isn’t the woman of the moment.”
Adeline froze for a fraction of a second before slowly turning around. She didn’t need to guess who it was. She already knew.
Nathan.
He was leaning casually against a car a few spaces away, his arms crossed over his chest and a smug smile stretched across his face. He looked far too pleased with himself, and the sight alone was enough to make her irritation spike all over again.
“What do you want?” she asked flatly, not even trying to hide the annoyance in her voice.
Nathan pushed himself off the car and took a few slow steps toward her, his eyes scanning her from head to toe like he was sizing her up. The smile on his face didn’t fade. If anything, it grew wider.
“I just watched your little show upstairs,” he said, his tone dripping with mockery. “I have to say, it was quite entertaining.”
Adeline didn’t respond immediately. She simply stared at him, her expression unmoved, but the look in her eyes made it clear that she was already running out of patience.
Nathan let out a short laugh, shaking his head slightly. “All those cameras, all those reporters, and there you were, standing there like you had everything under control,” he continued. “And then, of course, they started asking the real questions.”
Adeline’s fingers tightened slightly around her bag, but she still didn’t interrupt him.
“I almost felt bad for you,” Nathan added, though his tone made it clear that he didn’t feel bad at all. “Almost.”
That was when Adeline finally spoke. “If you’re done talking nonsense, I’d like to leave,” she said calmly, turning slightly back toward her car.
“Not so fast,” Nathan said quickly, his voice sharpening as he stepped closer, effectively blocking her path. “I haven’t gotten to the best part yet.”
Adeline stopped again, slowly turning her head to look at him. This time, there was a warning in her eyes.
Nathan didn’t seem to care. “You really think this is going to work out for you?” he asked, tilting his head slightly as he studied her. “This whole… love story you’re trying to sell?”
Adeline let out a scoff. “I don’t care what you think,” she replied.
Nathan chuckled at that, shaking his head again. “You should,” he said. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you just signed yourself up to become someone else’s puppet.”
That made her eyes narrow slightly.
“Julian Hale,” Nathan continued, his voice dropping just enough to make his words feel more deliberate. “You really think a man like that is going to let you keep running around doing whatever you want?”
Adeline didn’t answer, but her silence didn’t stop him.
“He’s going to turn you into exactly what you hate,” Nathan went on, his tone growing more mocking with every word. “A quiet, obedient wife who does as she’s told. You’ll be standing beside him, smiling for the cameras, nodding at everything he says, and pretending like you’re happy with it.”
Adeline let out a soft laugh at that, but there was nothing amusing about the sound. “You’re delusional,” she said, finally turning fully to face him again.
Nathan raised an eyebrow. “Am I?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation. “Because if you actually believe that any man could control me, then you’re even more foolish than I thought.”
Her words were calm, but there was an edge to them that made it clear she meant every single one.
Nathan’s smile faltered slightly, but only for a second. “Confident as always,” he said, though his tone had shifted just a bit. “But confidence doesn’t mean anything when you’re dealing with someone like him.”
Adeline took a step closer to him now, her heels clicking softly against the ground as she closed the distance between them. She tilted her head slightly, her gaze steady and unflinching.
“You’re not worried about me,” she said quietly. “You’re just jealous.”
Nathan’s expression hardened instantly. “Jealous?” he repeated, his voice rising slightly. “Of what?”
“Of the fact that I’m still standing,” Adeline replied smoothly. “Of the fact that despite everything you and Father tried to do, I’m still here, still relevant, and still winning.”
Nathan let out a bitter laugh at that, shaking his head. “Winning?” he echoed. “You call this winning?”
Adeline didn’t hesitate. “Yes,” she said simply.
The confidence in her voice made his jaw tighten.
“You’ve always been like this,” Nathan said after a moment, his tone colder now. “Always thinking you’re better than everyone else.”
“I am better than you,” Adeline shot back immediately, her voice just as cold. “That’s not even up for debate.”
The words hit harder than anything else she had said so far, and Nathan’s expression darkened instantly. “You’re nothing but a spoiled…”
“I’m everything you wish you could be,” she cut him off sharply. “Smart, capable, and actually useful.”
Nathan took a step forward, his hands clenching at his sides as his anger started to show more clearly now. “You think sleeping with a Hale makes you powerful?” he snapped.
Adeline didn’t even flinch. “No,” she replied. “But it clearly bothers you enough to come down here and try to tear me down, so I must be doing something right.”
Nathan’s eyes flashed with anger, but she didn’t stop. “You’ve always been like this,” she continued, her voice steady but cutting. “Too busy relying on your name and your charm to get by, while I actually put in the work.”
“That’s not true,” Nathan snapped.
“It is,” she said firmly. “And deep down, you know it.”
Adeline took a small step back, her gaze still locked on his. “You can stand here and mock me all you want,” she added, her tone calmer now but no less firm. “You can convince yourself that this is going to end badly for me, that I’m making a mistake, that I’m going to lose everything.”
She paused for a brief moment before finishing, “But the truth is, you’re just afraid that I won’t.”
Nathan didn’t respond immediately. He just stared at her, his expression unreadable for a second. Then he let out a quiet scoff, shaking his head again. “You’ll regret this,” he said finally, his voice lower now, almost certain. “Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but you will.”
Adeline didn’t look worried. “Maybe,” she said simply. “But at least I’ll regret something I chose for myself. The only thing in your life you have control over are the women you cheat with, but outside, we both know you have no real authority and rely on our father to tell you what to do. So keep being a good dog, big brother.”
That was the difference, and they both knew it.
Without waiting for him to say anything else, Adeline turned back to her car, opened the door, and got in. She didn’t look back as she started the engine, her expression calm again, even though her mind was still racing.