Chapter 3

My heart plummeted. I spun around and bolted for the exit.

Serena stumbled when I bumped past her. I had just thrown myself into the elevator when Adrian grabbed me and hauled me back out.

"Apologize to Serena."

His grip was crushing. He pointed to Serena's arm—completely unharmed.

A strangled groan escaped me. Cold sweat beaded instantly across my forehead. Adrian froze, then followed my gaze down to my hand.

My hand hung limp. The wrist I'd twisted in the chaos earlier had fully dislocated under his force.

His breath caught. "I didn't mean to—"

I looked at him, my voice so calm it was terrifying. "Adrian, do you know what's most important on a surgeon's body?"

He said nothing. His lips had gone white.

A long time ago, he had shielded me from a patient's family member who had lost control. The man charged at me with a knife, and Adrian took the blade for me.

Back then, he told me, "As long as you're okay. A surgeon's hands are everything."

After we got together, he took over every household chore. Anything he could do for me, he did—he never let me lift a finger. Because he said a surgeon's hands were precious and needed to be protected.

"Vivian, I'll treat you this well for the rest of my life. I'm going to make it so you can't bear to leave me."

Back then, I believed his promise.

Until three months ago, when Adrian reassigned Serena back to his side.

Serena had joined the Moretti family long before I ever met Adrian. She came from the Blake family, was bold and reckless, and quickly became Adrian's most trusted—and most intimate—subordinate.

The moment she came back, my life turned upside down.

"Forget it, forget it. I'm fine. I'm not going to stoop to her level." Serena waved her hand, the picture of magnanimity.

I stepped into the elevator. Adrian and Serena followed.

Serena leaned against Adrian's shoulder and said casually, "The dress is almost patched up. Why don't you finish the ceremony first and then go pick them up? It's not like the Don and his wife are here anyway."

My parents had died in a car accident the same year I met Adrian.

I stared at Adrian. "You get away with this because I don't have parents."

He lowered his eyes and said nothing. Then he canceled the basement parking level and pressed the button for the banquet hall floor.

I pressed the basement level again, my tone dripping with contempt. "After you and Serena let those hired actors assault me, you still think I'd marry you?"

Adrian's head snapped up. "You know they're hired actors? Who told you?"

His eyes met mine, and he closed them briefly, letting out a quiet sigh. "The Moretti family refused to attend the wedding. I just didn't want you to be disappointed."

Serena clapped him heartily on the shoulder. "Boss Adrian nearly broke with his family for you. You know what that means."

I stood there for a long time, stunned.

This relationship that no one had believed in from the start had stumbled and scraped its way to today. Adrian hadn't given up. Even when I was the one ready to throw in the towel, he kept fighting.

I had hesitated through two proposals before finally accepting the ring on his third attempt. That was the first time I ever saw Adrian choke up.

He said, "Vivian, you're not getting away from me now."

That day, he held my hand and never once let go.

I closed my eyes. "Adrian, send someone to bring my family and friends back. Safe and sound."

As long as they were okay, I could consider—just consider—giving him one last chance to explain.

Serena's brow furrowed instantly. "No way. Adrian and I have a bet going. If they row back on their own, I win. If he calls in a rescue, he wins. If you make him send help, that's cheating. There's no fun in that."

She leaned against Adrian's shoulder and looked up at me. "Have some sportsmanship. Same as the dress game—Adrian's footing the bill. You didn't lose anything."

She muttered under her breath, "Calling it assault. I thought you'd be different from the last one—someone who could actually handle this kind of game."

"If you only knew—a few days ago, Adrian and I played the abstinence game. We slept naked in the same bed all night and couldn't even—"

"That's enough." Adrian cut her off.

Serena huffed but dropped it.

Adrian avoided my eyes and said quietly, "Serena knows her limits. You should have a little faith in them."

In that moment, the last ember of warmth in my heart went out.