Chapter One Hundred And Twenty Seven

Chapter One Hundred And Twenty Seven
Serena’s Pov

I looked at Killian’s message for a few seconds, then rolled my eyes. Typical of him. Always acting like the victim when things didn’t go his way. I dropped my phone back on the bed without replying. He wasn’t worth another minute of my thoughts.

The day had been long enough already, and all I wanted now was peace. I took a warm shower, wrapped myself in my robe, and went downstairs. The house was quiet, and the maids were still moving around, arranging the living room.

“Ma’am, would you like us to prepare dinner now?” one of them asked politely when she noticed me.

I smiled faintly and shook my head. “No, not tonight. I’ll handle dinner myself.”

The maids exchanged glances, surprised, but immediately nodded. 

“Yes, ma’am.”

They stepped aside respectfully, and I walked into the kitchen. It felt oddly nice to be there again. I hadn’t cooked in a while, not because I didn’t want to, but because I was always too busy or tired. Tonight, I felt like doing something simple and special.

As I tied my apron, I thought about Adrien. He had been supportive from the start, calm, patient, never questioning my motives, even when things with Killian became messy. The least I could do was make him a nice dinner.

I opened the fridge and began taking out ingredients like chicken, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and a few spices. Something homey, and full of flavor. I decided to make creamy chicken pasta and a light salad to go with it.

The kitchen slowly filled with the aroma of garlic and butter sizzling in the pan. I smiled to myself, stirring the sauce as my mind wandered. So much has happened lately. The company takeover, the conference, the endless noise online, but right here, in this quiet kitchen, I finally felt in control again.

I could imagine the look on Adrien’s face when he walked in and smelled the food. He would be surprised, he always was when I cooked. 

After a while, the food was ready. I set the table in the dining room; two plates, a bottle of red wine, candles in the middle for a soft glow. Everything looked perfect.

I took off the apron and went upstairs to change into something simple but nice; a silky cream top and fitted trousers. When I came down again, everywhere felt calm. The clock ticked softly, and the smell of dinner filled the air.

It didn’t take long before I heard the sound of the front door opening, and Adrien’s familiar footsteps echoed across the marble floor.

“Serena?” he called out.

I smiled. “In here!”

He walked into the dining room, and the second his eyes landed on the table, he froze for a moment, then grinned. 

“You cooked?”

“Surprise,” I said, walking up to him.

He laughed lightly and pulled me into a hug. 

“I can’t believe this. You actually cooked dinner for us tonight? With the stress you went through recently.”

I chuckled softly. “I wanted to. You’ve been working hard lately, and… I wanted to do something special.”

He leaned back slightly to look at me. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

“Maybe,” I teased, smiling up at him. “Now sit down before the food gets cold.”

He obeyed immediately, still smiling. I served him a plate and poured wine into both glasses. As soon as he took a bite, his expression changed.

“Wow,” he said, his eyes widening. “This is so good. I swear, you could open a restaurant if you wanted to.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It’s more than a compliment,” he said between bites. “You outdid yourself.”

We ate together, talking about random things like the company, Bella’s constant teasing texts, and how crazy the internet had been after my press conference.

“I actually watched your speech,” Adrien said after a while, resting his fork.

“You did?” I asked, curious.

He nodded. “Yeah. You were perfect, confident, and honest. You made your point without even raising your voice. I was so proud of you.”

Hearing that made my chest warm. “Thank you,” I said softly. “I told you to trust me, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did.” He reached out and touched my hand gently. “And I’m glad I did.”

We looked at each other for a moment, smiling quietly. Then I squeezed his hand. “Now, eat before I finish your share.”

He laughed again, shaking his head. “I’m eating, I’m eating.”

Dinner was peaceful and lighthearted. It felt good with no tension, no past haunting me, no cameras, and no judgments. Just us. When we were done, I stood up to clear the table, but Adrien stopped me.

“I’ll handle it,” he said, taking the plates from my hands. “You’ve done enough tonight.”

“Are you sure?”

He nodded. “Positive. Go upstairs. I’ll join you soon.”

“Alright,” I said with a slight smile.

I walked upstairs and changed into my night robe. The house was quiet again, except for the faint clinking sounds from downstairs where Adrien was probably washing the dishes, and I smiled to myself. He was such a good man; gentle, understanding, patient. I really was lucky.

A few minutes later, I heard his footsteps climbing up the stairs. When he walked into the room, his hair was slightly damp, and he had changed into his sleepwear.

He looked at me with a soft smile. “You look beautiful.”

I raised a brow playfully. “Even in a robe?”

“Especially in that robe,” he said, stepping closer.

Before I could reply, he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me. The kiss started gentle, but it quickly deepened. I felt his hand slide down my back, pulling me closer, and a soft sound escaped my lips.

I tilted my head slightly, letting the warmth of his touch consume me. The way he kissed me always made me forget everything; the stress, the noise, the past. It was like every touch from him reminded me that I was still human, still capable of love.

He lifted me gently and laid me on the bed. Then I smiled against his lips. 

“Someone is eager tonight.”

He chuckled softly. 

“Can you blame me? You made dinner and looked this good doing it.”

I laughed quietly, then pulled him down again. The room soon filled with the sounds of our breaths, the faint creak of the bed, and the soft hum of the night outside.

Every touch and kiss felt familiar yet new at the same time. Adrien always knew how to take his time, how to make me feel wanted, safe, and alive.

When it was finally over, I laid beside him, catching my breath. He turned to me and brushed a strand of hair from my face. 

“You’re glowing,” he whispered.

I smiled faintly, my eyes half closed. “That’s because I’m happy.”

Then he kissed my forehead. 

“You should be. You’ve come a long way, Serena.”

I nodded slowly. “I know.”

He wrapped an arm around me, and I rested my head on his chest. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat was comforting. My eyelids grew heavy, and before I knew it, sleep was already taking over.

The last thing I felt was Adrien’s hand gently caressing my back before everything faded into darkness, and I had wandered into the dream land.