Chapter 324

Adrian's lips curved into a satisfied smirk as he gazed down at Vivian. "Pity some people don't recognize true value when they see it."

Gwendolyn froze mid-step, shocked to witness the usually aloof Mr. Blackwood engaging in such playful banter. Her eyes darted to the empty porcelain bowl. "I must admit, I'm intrigued. What exactly is this special brew?"

Vivian shot her a wary glance, remembering Gwendolyn's previous nosy questions about the tonic. Instead of responding, she stretched dramatically and yawned, deliberately changing the subject.

Noticing her evasion, Adrian's voice turned glacial. "You're dismissed."

"Yes, Mr. Blackwood." Gwendolyn practically tripped over herself in her haste to leave, the door clicking shut behind her with finality.

Adrian leaned against the doorframe with effortless grace, his partially unbuttoned shirt revealing just enough of his sculpted chest to be tantalizing. "I'm going to shower. Don't wait up - get some rest."

"Goodnight," Vivian murmured, averting her eyes as she moved toward the massive four-poster bed.

Without another word, Adrian disappeared into the ensuite bathroom.

Vivian slipped beneath the silk sheets, curling herself into the farthest corner of the mattress as if creating physical distance could calm her racing thoughts. She turned her back to the bathroom, listening to the muffled sound of running water.

Whether it was the nap in the car or the unsettling awareness of Adrian just feet away, sleep eluded her. Her mind kept conjuring vivid images - first of Adrian under the shower spray, then of far more intimate scenarios between them.

She tossed restlessly, her cheeks burning. At barely twenty-two, why were these feelings suddenly so intense?

After what felt like hours, exhaustion finally pulled her toward sleep.

Some time later, she barely registered the mattress dipping as Adrian slid in beside her. His strong arm wrapped possessively around her waist, pulling her close. Too tired to resist, she surrendered to sleep, his warmth lulling her into deeper slumber.

The next morning, Vivian awoke to her phone's persistent ringing. Still half-asleep, she reached blindly for her phone on the nightstand, only to grasp empty air.

Had Adrian already left?

She blinked sleepily at the undisturbed space beside her. The man operated on a different level of discipline entirely.

Shaking off the thought, she retrieved her phone from under the pillow. The caller ID showed a shareholder from Dawson Enterprises, and her notifications were flooded with messages from others eager to sell their shares.

A glance at the clock confirmed she had exactly eleven hours before her deadline. Swiftly forwarding the legal agreements her lawyers had prepared, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

Her bare feet sank into the plush carpet as she headed toward the bathroom to prepare for what promised to be a pivotal day.