Chapter 126 Who You Really Are
Rebecca didn’t immediately notice the change in her own mood as she drove home that evening. Her hands rested lightly on the steering wheel, as she drove through the city.
Normally, after a long day at work, her mind would be filled with thoughts of Derek and the lingering heaviness that had followed her for the past few weeks. But today felt… different.
A quiet sense of ease lingered in her chest.
Every now and then, the memory of the meeting earlier that afternoon replayed in her mind, the calm confidence in Adrian Cole’s voice, the way he had watched her with quiet curiosity, and the unexpected moment when he had casually pointed out that she looked like someone who hadn’t slept properly in a while.
Rebecca had spent the entire drive trying to understand why that comment had stayed with her.
Perhaps it was because most people around her had been careful lately. They spoke gently, avoided certain topics, and watched her as though she might break at any moment but Adrian hadn’t done that.
He had simply observed.
And strangely… that honesty had felt refreshing.
Before she realized it, Rebecca was quietly humming to herself as she pulled her car into the parking lot of the apartment building. She didn’t even notice the small smile that had formed on her lips as she grabbed her handbag and stepped out of the car.
By the time she reached the apartment door and pushed it open, the soft warmth of the living room greeted her.
The lights were already on, casting a comfortable glow across the modest but neatly arranged space. The faint aroma of food drifted from the kitchen area.
Amelia was sitting on the couch with her laptop resting on her lap, one leg tucked beneath her as she scrolled through something on the screen. But the moment she heard the door open, she looked up.
Her eyes immediately landed on Rebecca.
For a moment, Amelia didn’t say anything. She simply watched her friend carefully.
Rebecca stepped inside, closed the door behind her, and slipped off her heels near the entrance before placing her handbag on the small table beside the couch. She stretched her shoulders slightly, as if releasing the tension of the day, then walked toward the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water.
That was when Amelia noticed it.
Rebecca was humming.
Very softly, almost unconsciously.
Amelia’s eyebrows slowly rose.
Over the past two weeks, Rebecca had been quieter than usual, moving through her days with mechanical precision, as though she had forced herself into a strict routine just to keep going. There had been no humming, no casual smiles, no lightness in her demeanor.
But now…
Rebecca leaned against the kitchen counter as she took a sip of water, and for a brief moment Amelia caught the faint curve of a smile on her lips.
Amelia closed her laptop slowly.
Something had definitely happened today.
But Amelia also knew Rebecca very well. If she asked too many questions immediately, Rebecca would likely brush her off or change the subject. So instead, she decided to wait until the right moment.
"Long day?" Amelia asked casually.
Rebecca glanced toward her from the kitchen and shrugged lightly.
"Not too bad," she replied.
Amelia nearly smiled at that.
Rebecca rarely described work as not too bad.
"Dinner’s almost ready," Amelia said simply.
Rebecca nodded and finished her water before heading down the hallway toward the bedroom.
"I’m going to shower first," she called over her shoulder.
"Take your time," Amelia replied.
As Rebecca disappeared down the hallway, Amelia leaned back against the couch cushions and crossed her arms thoughtfully.
"Something definitely happened," she murmured to herself.
Nearly forty minutes later, Rebecca returned to the living room looking far more relaxed than when she had arrived.
Her damp hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and she had changed into comfortable lounge clothes, a soft grey shirt and black cotton pants. The tension that had usually been present in her posture lately seemed lighter now.
Amelia noticed immediately.
Dinner was simple that night, steamed rice, grilled chicken, and sautéed vegetables.
The two of them ate at the small dining table while the television played quietly in the background. The soft murmur of the program filled the room, though neither of them paid much attention to it.
Rebecca ate slowly, occasionally humming again under her breath without realizing it.
Amelia noticed every single time.
By the third time it happened, she was struggling not to laugh.
After they finished eating, they cleaned up the kitchen together before walking toward their shared bedroom.
The room was spacious enough for two beds placed opposite each other, along with a large wardrobe and a small dresser near the window.
Rebecca climbed onto her bed first, leaning back against the headboard as she pulled the blanket over her legs.
Amelia sat down on the edge of her own bed and watched her for a few seconds.
Then she finally spoke.
"Alright."
Rebecca looked up at her.
Amelia tilted her head slightly and crossed her arms.
"What’s with the smiling and humming?"
Rebecca blinked in mild surprise.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
Amelia stared at her.
"You’ve been humming since you walked through the door."
Rebecca tried to look innocent, but the faint smile tugging at her lips betrayed her.
Amelia pointed at her.
"Exactly that."
Rebecca laughed softly and shook her head.
"You’re imagining things."
"Oh, I’m definitely not," Amelia replied. "Now tell me what happened today."
Rebecca hesitated briefly before letting out a small sigh.
"I met someone at work."
Amelia’s interest immediately sharpened.
"Someone?" She asked curiously.
Rebecca nodded.
"A client."
Amelia leaned back slightly.
"Does this mysterious client have a name?"
Rebecca leaned her head back against the wall behind her bed.
"Adrian Cole."
Amelia repeated the name silently in her mind.
"Adrian Cole," she said aloud. "Alright. And what about Mr. Adrian Cole has you humming like this?"
Rebecca chuckled softly.
"He flirted."
Amelia’s eyebrows shot up instantly.
"He what?"
Rebecca laughed again, slightly embarrassed now.
"Not aggressively," she said quickly. "Just… subtly."
Amelia stared at her.
"That explains the good mood."
Rebecca shook her head.
"It’s not like that."
Amelia gave her a skeptical look.
"Uh-huh."
Rebecca sighed and continued.
"He came in for a property investment meeting. But he already knew about me, my work, the deals I’ve handled, things like that."
"That’s normal for investors," Amelia said.
"I know," Rebecca replied. "But he kept studying me like he was trying to understand something."
Amelia frowned slightly.
"That’s odd."
Rebecca nodded.
"And then he said something strange."
"What?"
Rebecca looked down at her hands.
"He said I looked like someone who hasn’t slept properly in a while."
Amelia’s expression changed slightly.
"That’s… a very specific observation."
"That’s what I thought too," Rebecca admitted.
Silence settled between them for a moment.
Then Amelia asked, "So are you going to see him again?"
Rebecca nodded.
"We scheduled a site visit for Thursday."
Amelia nodded slowly, though something about the entire situation made her uneasy.
Still, she didn’t say anything. Rebecca seemed lighter tonight than she had in weeks, and Amelia didn’t want to ruin that.
Instead, she simply said, "Let’s hope your mysterious investor actually buys something."
Rebecca smiled faintly.
"Let’s hope."
Not long after that, the lights in the room were turned off.
Within half an hour, Rebecca had fallen asleep.
Her breathing became slow and steady, exhaustion finally pulling her into deep rest.
But Amelia remained awake.
She lay quietly on her bed, staring up at the ceiling as Rebecca’s words replayed in her mind.
Adrian Cole.
The name lingered in her thoughts.
Something about it made her uneasy.
Slowly, Amelia reached for her phone on the bedside table and glanced toward Rebecca to make sure she was truly asleep.
When she was certain, Amelia unlocked the screen and opened her browser.
Her fingers moved across the keyboard as she typed the name.
Adrian Cole.
The search results began appearing on the screen, their faint glow illuminating Amelia’s thoughtful expression in the dark room.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she began scrolling through the results.
"Let’s see who you really are, Mr. Adrian Cole," she whispered quietly into the silence.