The week after their almost kiss was hell.

Adrian looked colder than ever. He ordered her around, corrected her in front of the investors, and dismissed her ideas. Every word he said to her was too sharp and deliberate. It seemed like business as usual to everyone else, but Elena felt the difference. It was as if he was trying to erase that night’s memory.

Yet, Adrian couldn't seem to stay away.

He called her into his office more often, asked her to follow him to the important meetings he usually handled alone. Sometimes she caught him watching her, but the moment her eyes met his, he always looked away.

———

Elena barely noticed the time until her phone rang. The name on the screen made her heart skip a beat. It was her brother Luis.

She answered, “Luis? What is it?”

His voice came in broken gasps. “It's mum, she collapsed in the kitchen. I don't know what to do, Ellie. I don't know.”

She held the phone tight. “Listen to me, Luis. Keep her lying down and give her some water if she can sip. I'll be coming home now.”

She immediately went to Adrian’s office.

“I need to leave,” she said. “It’s my mother, she’s sick, and I have to go.”

He lifted his head slowly as their eyes met.

“How sick?”

“I don't have time to explain,” she snapped back immediately.

“Elena? Answer me,” he said in a low tone.

She stopped and looked back at him. “She fainted, she's burning up real bad. My brother is terrified.”

For a moment, he pinned his gaze on her, then he got up. He picked up his phone and car keys. “I’ll drive you.”

Her mouth fell open. “What? No, you don't have to.”

“I wasn't asking,” he replied.

Adrian’s black Rolls-Royce sped off. It was a quiet ride to Elena’s home.

The apartment smelled familiar. Luis rushed to the door, hugging his sister immediately. “Ellie.” His gaze shifted to the tall man behind his sister. “Who’s this?”

“Not now, Luis,” Elena cut in and walked ahead of him.

She entered her mother’s room and found her lying on the thin mattress. She looked so weak and pale.

Behind her, Adrian’s phone was already to his ear. He asked the driver the make sure the doctor gets to Elena’s place as soon as possible.

The doctor arrived twenty minutes later, carrying a case of equipment. Within moments, their little bedroom transformed. Iv line, thermometer, precise notes.

“She’s severely anemic, she fainted from exhaustion and infection. But with the antibiotics, she will recover,” he explained in a calm voice.

Elena felt relieved, she pressed her hands to her face, crying silently.

The doctor left after making sure Elena’s mother was doing good.

Luis insisted on making tea, that’s his only way to keep busy.

“Thanks for helping our mom.” He said softly.

Adrian nodded and kept on sipping his tea.

Her mother woke up an hour later, and Elena knelt by the bed. “You’re okay Mom, you’re fine now.”

Her mother’s gaze moved to Adrian who was standing by the door. Elena explained that he was the one who brought the doctor to help her get better.

She stretched out her hand towards him. “Thank you for helping me my son, you’ve given me my life back, bless you.”

Luis finally fell asleep on the couch and her mother slept soundly, Elena found Adrian on the balcony.

“How dare you think you can barge into my family and fix things you don't understand?” she hissed, arms wrapped tight. “This is my family not your empire, Adrian.”

Adrian didn't move. “I didn't fix, I gave her what she should've had all along.”

“Why would you care?” her voice broke.

He turned slowly, stepping closer to her, the air carrying his cologne between them. “Because I cannot stand the thought of losing what's mine.”

Her breath seized. “I'm not yours.”

He stepped closer to her, and he brushed a strand of hair on her cheek.

The touch was too soft for him.

“You keep saying that, but you've already let me in.”

He leaned closer to her, his lips slightly brushing hers.

He pulled back. A faint smirk curved his mouth. “Get some rest, tomorrow will be a long day.”

He turned and walked away leaving her trembling in the dark, her body screaming confusion and want.

The next morning, she walked into the office carrying her fear like armor. Adrian was already at the office, she thought he would ignore her.

Instead, the first word that came out of his mouth was: “How’s your mother?”

The question froze her.

“Better, all thanks to you.” She said finally.

“Thanks to me,” he repeated, his lips curved not a smile, but something sharper. “Say it again.”

Her brows furrowed slightly. “What?”

“That you’re grateful, so I can know you mean it.”

Her stomach twisted.

“Thank you,” she forced out.

The week after their almost kiss was hell.

Adrian looked colder than ever. He ordered her around, corrected her in front of the investors, and dismissed her ideas. Every word he said to her was too sharp and deliberate. It seemed like business as usual to everyone else, but Elena felt the difference. It was as if he was trying to erase that night’s memory.

Yet, Adrian couldn't seem to stay away.

He called her into his office more often, asked her to follow him to the important meetings he usually handled alone. Sometimes she caught him watching her, but the moment her eyes met his, he always looked away.

———

Elena barely noticed the time until her phone rang. The name on the screen made her heart skip a beat. It was her brother Luis.

She answered, “Luis? What is it?”

His voice came in broken gasps. “It's mum, she collapsed in the kitchen. I don't know what to do, Ellie. I don't know.”

She held the phone tight. “Listen to me, Luis. Keep her lying down and give her some water if she can sip. I'll be coming home now.”

She immediately went to Adrian’s office.

“I need to leave,” she said. “It’s my mother, she’s sick, and I have to go.”

He lifted his head slowly as their eyes met.

“How sick?”

“I don't have time to explain,” she snapped back immediately.

“Elena? Answer me,” he said in a low tone.

She stopped and looked back at him. “She fainted, she's burning up real bad. My brother is terrified.”

For a moment, he pinned his gaze on her, then he got up. He picked up his phone and car keys. “I’ll drive you.”

Her mouth fell open. “What? No, you don't have to.”

“I wasn't asking,” he replied.

Adrian’s black Rolls-Royce sped off. It was a quiet ride to Elena’s home.

The apartment smelled familiar. Luis rushed to the door, hugging his sister immediately. “Ellie.” His gaze shifted to the tall man behind his sister. “Who’s this?”

“Not now, Luis,” Elena cut in and walked ahead of him.

She entered her mother’s room and found her lying on the thin mattress. She looked so weak and pale.

Behind her, Adrian’s phone was already to his ear. He asked the driver the make sure the doctor gets to Elena’s place as soon as possible.

The doctor arrived twenty minutes later, carrying a case of equipment. Within moments, their little bedroom transformed. Iv line, thermometer, precise notes.

“She’s severely anemic, she fainted from exhaustion and infection. But with the antibiotics, she will recover,” he explained in a calm voice.

Elena felt relieved, she pressed her hands to her face, crying silently.

The doctor left after making sure Elena’s mother was doing good.

Luis insisted on making tea, that’s his only way to keep busy.

“Thanks for helping our mom.” He said softly.

Adrian nodded and kept on sipping his tea.

Her mother woke up an hour later, and Elena knelt by the bed. “You’re okay Mom, you’re fine now.”

Her mother’s gaze moved to Adrian who was standing by the door. Elena explained that he was the one who brought the doctor to help her get better.

She stretched out her hand towards him. “Thank you for helping me my son, you’ve given me my life back, bless you.”

Luis finally fell asleep on the couch and her mother slept soundly, Elena found Adrian on the balcony.

“How dare you think you can barge into my family and fix things you don't understand?” she hissed, arms wrapped tight. “This is my family not your empire, Adrian.”

Adrian didn't move. “I didn't fix, I gave her what she should've had all along.”

“Why would you care?” her voice broke.

He turned slowly, stepping closer to her, the air carrying his cologne between them. “Because I cannot stand losing what's mine.”

Her breath seized. “I'm not yours.”

He stepped closer to her, and he brushed a strand of hair on her cheek.

The touch was too soft for him.

“You keep saying that, but you've already let me in.”

He leaned closer to her, his lips slightly brushing hers.

He pulled back. A faint smirk curved his mouth. “Get some rest, tomorrow will be a long day.”

He turned and walked away leaving her trembling in the dark, her body screaming confusion and want.

The next morning, she walked into the office carrying her fear like armor. Adrian was already at the office, she thought he would ignore her.

Instead, the first word that came out of his mouth was: “How’s your mother?”

The question froze her.

“Better, all thanks to you.” She said finally.

“Thanks to me,” he repeated, his lips curved not a smile, but something sharper. “Say it again.”

Her brows furrowed slightly. “What?”

“That you’re grateful, so I can know you mean it.”

Her stomach twisted.

“Thank you,” she forced out.