Chapter 274

Stella's POV

Grace Davis. The woman everyone had once expected Adam to marry. The perfect match from the perfect family.

It's just a coincidence, I told myself firmly. London is a massive city. Adam's business trip probably has nothing to do with Grace's birthday.

But the knot in my stomach wouldn't unravel. I picked up my phone and sent Adam a single dot as a message.

His reply came almost immediately: "?"

I hesitated, then typed: "Are you in London?"

He didn't answer directly, responding instead with: "Just landed. Why do you ask?"

I took a screenshot of Ava's post, sent it to him, and wrote: "You're in London, and Grace just happens to be there celebrating her birthday, what a coincidence, isn't it?"

Five excruciating minutes passed before my phone started ringing with Adam's video call. I considered ignoring it, but my curiosity won out. I accepted the call, arranging my face into what I hoped was a neutral expression.

Adam's face appeared on the screen, his hair slightly disheveled from the flight. Even through the digital connection, the intensity of his green eyes made my stomach flutter traitorously.

"Jealous?" he asked without preamble, the corner of his mouth quirking upward.

"Don't be ridiculous," I answered, though the heat in my face betrayed me, "I'm just... observing facts."

His smile deepened as he leaned closer to the camera. "You know, you're particularly enchanting when you're jealous."

"I'm not—"

"Your cheeks are flushed," he continued, his voice dropping to that intimate tone that made my spine tingle even through the phone, "and your eyes have that fierce gleam they had last night when you were on top of me."

"Adam!" I hissed, glancing around the empty apartment as if someone might be eavesdropping, "That's not appropriate conversation for a video call."

He chuckled, the sound warm and rich. "Missing me already? I've only been gone a few hours."

"Adam, if you had contacted me ten seconds later, you would have earned squatter's rights on my social media for a month," I replied coolly, trying to regain control of the conversation.

"What?" He looked genuinely confused.

"I was going to block you!" I explained, feeling embarrassingly hot-cheeked at having to explain.

Before he could respond, the camera shifted to reveal a woman standing beside him. She appeared to be in her thirties, with striking features somewhat reminiscent of Adam, though her hair was a lighter brown.

"Hello, I'm Violet Lancaster," she said with a warm smile, "It's nice to finally meet you!"

I blinked in surprise, completely thrown off balance. "I... hello. I'm Stella."

"I gathered that," she replied with humor, "You thought Adam was here to see Grace, didn't you?"

My embarrassment deepened. "I... that's not... I was just asking."

"You were jealous," Adam stated confidently, his face moving back into frame, looking entirely too pleased with himself, "I like it."

This intimate confession, delivered so casually in front of his sister, made my face burn hotter.

"Adam, I don't think you want a wife anymore!" I shot back, mortified at being so transparent.

"Quite the contrary," he replied, his voice dropping lower, his eyes locking with mine through the screen with unsettling intensity, "Last night only made me want you more. In fact, I'm already counting down until I can come home and continue what we started."

I took a deep breath, memories of our night together flashing vividly in my mind. Behind him, Violet discreetly coughed.

"On that note," she said with obvious amusement in her voice, "I'll step away to give you two some privacy."

"That won't be necessary," I hastily said, "Adam and I are done talking. For now. Possibly forever."

He chuckled, the sound warming me despite my irritation. "I'll call you later, Stella. Violet and I have a meeting to attend. And Stella..." his voice softened slightly, "Take care of yourself. Both of you."

This subtle reference to the possibility that I might already be carrying our child made my heart skip a beat. Before I could respond, he ended the call with a knowing smile.

After hanging up, I immediately blocked his number, fully aware I would unblock him within three days. It was petty, but knowing he would see those "message not delivered" notifications gave me a ridiculous sense of satisfaction.

"Both of you," I softly repeated to the empty room, my hand unconsciously drifting to my abdomen. The man was infuriating, presumptuous, and yet somehow still managed to make my heart race with just a few words.

Adam's POV

As I watched Violet outline what she knew about Thomas's recent business dealings, my thoughts briefly drifted back to Stella. The indignant expression on her face during our video call tugged the corner of my mouth upward. The flash of jealousy in her eyes stirred something primitive and satisfied within me—a confirmation that she cared, that she wanted me exclusively, just as I wanted her.

And last night... the memory of her beneath me, the vulnerability in her eyes as we crossed a threshold together, her soft "yes" when I asked if we could forgo protection—it created a warmth in my chest that I was still learning to identify.

"Adam? Are you listening?" Violet's voice pulled me back to reality.

"Of course," I replied evenly, though her knowing look suggested she wasn't fooled.

"I was saying," she repeated, "I can take over at Lancaster Group as repayment for your brother looking after me back then, but Thomas has been making inquiries at your mother's care facility. You need to ensure her safety immediately."

I nodded, my attention sharpening. "I'll handle it."

"You've changed," Violet observed suddenly, studying me with eyes that were unnervingly similar to my own, "Stella's good for you."

I neither confirmed nor denied her assessment, but the truth of it resonated uncomfortably. I had changed. The ice I had carefully cultivated around my heart for years was melting, leaving me both stronger and more vulnerable than I had been before.

My phone vibrated with a notification that messages attempted to be sent to me had failed to deliver. Stella had indeed blocked me.

She blocked me, I thought with fond amusement. How childish. How... endearing.