Chapter 130
Maya's POV:
During dinner, Adam sat next to me in total silence. He didn't speak. He didn't even look at me.
I stole a few glances at him. He’s really committing to this, I thought. I wanted to scoff. Fine. Let’s see how long he could keep his mouth shut.
Across the table, Grandma Sterling frowned. Her eyes darted between Adam’s stony face and my amused one. She looked worried.
When the meal finally ended, Adam stood up and went straight to the kitchen. Grandma immediately grabbed my hand. She pulled me onto the sofa and whispered loudly.
"Maya, did you two fight?"
I blinked. "No, Grandma."
"Impossible!" She glanced at the kitchen door. "Neither of you said a word. Did he make you mad? Tell me. I will hit him with my cane."
I felt a little awkward. "We really didn't argue."
Grandma narrowed her eyes as Adam walked past us. He didn't even stop. He walked straight toward the back door to take out the trash.
"Then why does he look so miserable?" she asked.
I watched his back and suppressed a smile. "Maybe... maybe he's constipated. His stomach isn't feeling well today. It puts him in a bad mood."
Grandma’s eyes widened. "Really? Oh, the poor boy."
Robert walked in then. He took Grandma’s arm. "Come on, Mother. It’s time to go."
Grandma left reluctantly.
The house went quiet.
I kicked off my shoes on the sofa and opened TikTok. I found a short drama series—one of those cheesy, addictive ones—and started watching.
Minutes later, I was laughing out loud, slapping my thigh.
Adam walked back into the room. He held a glass of water. He sat down next to me, looking annoyed.
"Watch your image," he said stiffly.
Finally, he spoke.
I shoved my phone screen in front of his face. "Watch this with me. It’s hilarious."
Adam turned his head away. "I am not interested in that garbage."
"Oh, come on." I hooked my arm through his and leaned my weight against his shoulder. "Don't be such a snob. Turning your brain off for a few minutes is the best way to decompress."
He sighed, but he didn't pull away. He looked at the screen.
"Look, look!" I shook his arm. "The male lead is so hot! All I can see are those long legs! That angle is perfect. Oh my god, look at how he grabs her chin. That’s a power move. I need to screenshot this."
On the screen, the actors leaned in.
"Whoa! They're kissing! They're kissing!" I laughed.
Adam pulled his arm back. He stood up abruptly. "Enjoy it yourself. I’m going upstairs to shower. Wait for me in the room."
I raised an eyebrow. Wait for him in the room? Did that mean what I thought it meant?
He walked toward the stairs. I watched him go. Even I had to admit, the man looked good. His suit pants fit perfectly. As he lifted his foot to take a step, the fabric pulled tight against his thigh. His legs were long and powerful.
My heart beat a little faster. The actor on my phone was cute, but Adam was... real. Only I knew the strength hidden under that suit.
Adam stopped halfway up the stairs. He turned around. He caught me staring at his legs.
A slow smirk spread across his face. "Hurry up," he called down. "I’ll take the clothes off so you can see better."
I squeezed my eyes shut. Damn it. I was becoming obsessed. It was the drama's fault.
Twenty minutes later, I was lying on the bed, still watching the drama. I kicked my legs in the air, giggling as the plot twisted.
Suddenly, a hand snatched the phone away.
"Hey! Give that back!" I rolled over, glaring.
Adam stood by the bed. He was wearing grey sweatpants and nothing else. His hair was damp.
"How long have you been watching?" he asked. "I finished my shower ages ago. It’s time to sleep."
He bent down and scooped me up, positioning me against the pillows.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I'm not sleepy."
"Is that so?" His voice dropped. "Then we can do something else."
He pressed me into the mattress. I looked up at him. He was unfairly handsome. My mind wandered back to the drama I just watched. My hand moved to his face, tracing his jawline.
I pulled him down and kissed him.
Adam froze for a second. He pulled back slightly, smiling. "Why so active tonight?"
I didn't answer. I closed my eyes and kissed him again, mimicking the passion from the video. I ran my hands over his shoulders, teasing him.
Adam groaned. His patience snapped. He grabbed my wrists and pinned them above my head.
"You asked for this," he muttered, and kissed me hard.
The next morning, I was in the sunroom. I was repotting some flowers, enjoying the quiet.
My phone rang.
I took off my gloves and checked the screen. Ryan.
I answered. "Hello?"
"I got divorced," Ryan said bluntly.
I paused. He had mentioned his wife wanting a divorce for months. "Oh," I said. "Happy divorce."
He huffed. "Mom knows. She’s been in a terrible mood ever since."
I stayed silent. Patricia’s moods weren't my problem. I wasn't exactly her little ray of sunshine. Hearing my voice would just aggravate her further.
"Maya," Ryan continued. "I couldn't live with my wife anymore. Divorce was inevitable. But Mom is taking it hard. You need to call her. Console her. She just had surgery not long ago; I’m afraid she can’t handle the stress."
I picked at a leaf. "What good would my call do? If you want to cheer her up, go get married again immediately. That works best."
"You think marriage is easy?" Ryan snapped. "Mom isn't just my responsibility, Maya. You should care about her too."
I almost laughed. My brother, always on the moral high ground.
"You're so cold," he said. "Last time Mom was discharged from the hospital, you sent a stranger to handle the paperwork. You let a stranger drive her home. I haven't even scolded you for that yet. That was excessive."
"Excessive?" I cut in. "Where were you, Ryan? When I called you, why didn't you come? Mom just had surgery, and you disappeared."
"I... I had things to do."
"Don't give me that," I said coldly. "Aren't you the dutiful son? The favorite? No matter what you have going on, she should be your priority. You should have been there to take care of her yourself."
I took a breath. "That’s the only way to repay her love. That fits your image of the perfect son."
I knew how to guilt-trip too.
Ryan was silent. He couldn't argue because I was right.
Finally, he cleared his throat. He changed the subject abruptly.
"My company transferred me," he said. "To the Boston branch. I'm reporting in a few days."
I froze.
"Mom is coming with me," he added. "She’s going to live in Boston from now on."