Chapter 222

Tears streamed down Audrey's face as she pulled Vivian into a crushing embrace. "I was petrified! Those deranged fans could've done anything to you!" she sobbed, her voice breaking with raw emotion.

Vivian melted into the hug, drawing comfort from her friend's warmth before turning to Lydia. "Lydia, I'm so sorry for scaring you like this."

The yacht had been a dead zone for signals. "All that matters is you're safe now," Lydia replied with a gentle smile, her professional calm never wavering. She reached for her phone. "I need to call Sebastian immediately. The poor man hasn't slept a wink worrying about you."

As Lydia stepped aside to make the call, Adrian observed the reunion with silent intensity. His stormy gaze never left Vivian, though she pointedly avoided looking his way. The deliberate snub stung more than he cared to admit - especially when he'd been the first person she should've sought out.

Even the seasoned officers on scene could feel the electric tension crackling in the air. Adrian studied Vivian closely - her designer outfit remained impeccable, her posture regal. Only the faint shadows under her eyes hinted at any distress. She looked nothing like the traumatized victim he'd imagined finding after his sleepless night of frantic searching.

After the fire incident and violent attacks, Adrian had sworn to himself he'd never let Vivian face danger alone again. At the first sign of trouble, he'd mobilized every resource - calling in favors, coordinating with multiple police departments. To an outsider, it might have looked like they were hunting a serial killer.

When the homicide tip came at dawn, he'd raced to the waterfront, standing vigil for hours. And now here she was - unharmed, composed, and standing beside another man.

Adrian's sharp eyes immediately caught the faint bruise at the corner of Vivian's mouth. His chest tightened momentarily with concern, but the emotion evaporated when his gaze landed on Julian.

Dressed in casual elegance, Julian looked like he'd stepped out of a magazine spread, the morning sunlight gilding his perfect features. When their eyes met, Julian offered a polite smile that didn't reach his frosty gaze.

The two men locked in a silent battle of wills - two alpha predators circling their territory. Though Julian lacked Adrian's battle-hardened edge, his quiet confidence radiated unshakable resolve.

"People are staring," Vivian murmured, gently patting Audrey's back. Completely oblivious to the war raging behind her, she helped Audrey compose herself.

Adrian moved with predatory grace, snatching the coat from Ethan's arm. In three strides, he was at Vivian's side. Without ceremony, he stripped Julian's jacket from her shoulders and tossed it back before draping his own over her.

His voice cut through the morning air like shards of ice. "Vivian, you're not a child. Start acting like it. A little online gossip and you disappear? Do you have any idea the resources I wasted searching for you all night?"

A thousand words burned in Adrian's throat - concern, relief, fear - but seeing Julian standing there twisted everything into cold accusation.