Chapter 416

Vivian's breath caught when Adrian spoke with unexpected tenderness. Though they played the perfect couple in public displays, such softness was rare in their private moments—except during their most intimate times. A fleeting wish crossed her mind that this golden period would never end.

The vibration of Adrian's phone shattered the moment. He glanced at the screen dismissively before silencing it. "Ethan's confirmed Gwendolyn's permanent relocation from Crestwood," he remarked casually.

Since that confrontation at Opal Galleria when Ethan had orchestrated Gwendolyn's removal, Vivian hadn't given it much thought. Now, with Adrian bringing it up, fragments of memory resurfaced. "I always sensed she harbored some personal vendetta against me," Vivian mused, "though I can't recall ever interacting with her directly."

Adrian shrugged with practiced indifference. "Some people are simply wired for malice. Her fixation on you likely had little to do with you personally."

Vivian shook her head, dark curls swaying. "No, this was different. My intuition screamed there was something specific between us."

Adrian's lips curved in that reassuring smile that always made her pulse quicken. "She's been permanently exiled from Crestwood. Don't waste energy deciphering toxic minds."

"Alright," Vivian conceded, though an uneasy suspicion lingered at the edges of her consciousness.

Adrian replenished her plate before attending to his own meal. The clink of silverware filled the comfortable silence as Vivian stole glances at him. The morning light sculpted his aristocratic features—the sharp jawline, the perfect slope of his nose, the elegant way his fingers cradled the porcelain bowl—transforming him into a Renaissance masterpiece.

Caught mid-observation, Adrian's eyes glinted with amusement. "Like what you see, darling?"

Vivian propped her chin on one hand, lips quirking. "You're rather decorative, I'll give you that."

His eyebrow arched, voice dripping with suggestion. "We've never christened the dining table, have we?"

Heat flooded Vivian's cheeks as she swatted his arm. "Must everything devolve into innuendo with you?"

"Indulgence is the spice of life," he countered, dark eyes smoldering with promises that made her thighs clench in remembered pleasure.

Recalling how her legs still trembled from last night's exploits, Vivian raised her hands in surrender. "Mercy, please."

Adrian's smirk softened. He'd already pushed her limits thoroughly the previous evening. With effortless grace, he shifted topics. "Plans for this afternoon?"

The sudden change made Vivian blink before answering decisively: "The office. After reviewing our financials, I'm restructuring the team to revitalize operations."

Adrian sipped his coffee. "Funding's available if needed. Consider it an investment—or loan, whichever eases your pride." A thoughtful pause. "How will you handle existing contracts?"

He reclined slightly, gaze intent. This wasn't idle curiosity—Adrian genuinely wanted to understand her strategy, to mentor rather than dictate. His approach had evolved from solving her problems to empowering her solutions.

The unspoken shift in their dynamic hung between them, as tangible as the morning sunlight gilding their breakfast table.