Chapter 231

The air between them grew heavy with unspoken tension.

"Did they bind your wrists?" Adrian's voice turned glacial, his fury simmering beneath the surface.

Vivian shrugged, her tone deliberately casual. "The men who took me in the parking garage used nylon cords. If the ocean currents hadn't weakened the knots..." She left the sentence hanging, the implication clear.

Adrian's gaze darkened dangerously, like storm clouds gathering before a tempest.

His next words came out in a deceptively calm whisper. "I've alerted Ashford PD. There's also a special reward circulating in certain circles."

The unspoken meaning hung between them - the bounty targeted the criminal underworld specifically.

"They won't live to see another sunrise."

Vivian didn't answer. Exhaustion finally claimed her, her breathing slowing as she surrendered to sleep.

Adrian studied her peaceful expression, the moonlight tracing silver along her cheekbones.

With careful movements, he adjusted the blankets around her before retreating to the nearby armchair.

A quiet rap at the door interrupted the silence.

Adrian moved swiftly, intercepting the sound before it could disturb Vivian's rest.

Gwendolyn stood in the hallway, holding a steaming mug.

"Her chamomile tea," the housekeeper murmured.

Adrian accepted the drink with a curt nod. "Cancel dinner service. I'll come down when she wakes. No disturbances."

The door clicked shut behind him as he returned to Vivian's bedside.

Placing the mug on the nightstand, he watched the steady rise and fall of her shoulders.

Hours slipped by unnoticed, the moon painting shifting patterns across the walls.

Vivian awoke to cold sheets.

Adrian's absence didn't surprise her.

She arched her back, muscles protesting after deep sleep.

Her phone screen glowed 11:47 PM when she checked.

Padding barefoot across the plush rug, she wrapped herself in a silk robe.

The hallway lay in perfect stillness.

Gwendolyn stood frozen near the staircase, her phone's blue light reflecting off her startled expression.

Thumbs flew across the screen before she noticed Vivian's approach.

"What are you doing up here?" Vivian's question sliced through the quiet.

Gwendolyn fumbled the device, barely catching it before impact.

The housekeeper's smile didn't reach her eyes.