Chapter 447

The moment Vivian's fingers brushed against the document, Adrian's hand intercepted with surprising gentleness. He placed it carefully on the seat beside him, his long fingers smoothing the crumpled edge with unexpected tenderness. The passing streetlights cast shifting patterns across his sculpted features - the sharp jawline, the aristocratic nose, the intense eyes that seemed to see straight through her.

Whenever Vivian imagined her ideal male protagonist - those piercing eyes beneath perfectly arched brows - Adrian's face materialized in her mind. He wasn't just handsome; he carried an aura of effortless power that made other men seem ordinary by comparison. His very presence commanded attention, yet it was his razor-sharp intellect that truly set him apart.

Adrian's lips curved into a knowing smirk as he pinched her cheek playfully. "See something you like?"

Before she could respond, his fingers slid beneath her chin, tilting her face upward. The kiss was brief but electric, leaving her lips tingling when he pulled away. The temperature in the car seemed to spike several degrees. Vivian's cheeks burned as Adrian adjusted his jacket and crossed his legs, clearly fighting his own desire.

Romance had never been his priority. He'd always maintained strict control over his emotions and impulses. But with Vivian, logic failed him. All he wanted was to hear her breathless pleas, to see those hazel eyes darken with passion.

Changing the subject abruptly, Adrian said, "I had Ethan contact Katrina, but no response yet." His voice was calm. "Creative works often share similarities. If there are parallels, we'll simply explain them."

Vivian blinked in surprise. "You never doubted me?"

Adrian's gaze held hers steadily. "I haven't read your work, but I know you'd never plagiarize." The unshakable faith in his voice made her heart swell.

Just as Vivian opened her mouth to confess her secret, Adrian's phone rang. His expression turned glacial when he saw Dominic's name. "You have sixty seconds," he snapped. "Make it count."

Dominic's excited voice crackled through the speaker. "Forget Katrina! I found something on Audrey's phone. You won't believe who Katrina really is!"

Adrian's grip tightened on the phone. "Get to the point or I'm hanging up."

Before Dominic could continue, Ethan slammed the brakes. The phone flew from Adrian's hand as he instinctively threw an arm across Vivian to prevent her from hitting the seat. Outside, a familiar mocking voice called, "Does the mighty CEO of Blackwood Group make a habit of hitting pedestrians and driving off?"

Vincent Lockwood, Gwendolyn's son, leaned dramatically against the hood before limping toward their car. "Boss, he came out of nowhere!" Ethan protested, unbuckling his seatbelt with visible frustration.

Vincent clutched his leg theatrically. "You broke my leg! Think you can just leave?" His voice rose in feigned outrage.

Ethan gave Vincent's uninjured leg a skeptical glance, then inspected the pristine bumper. The "collision" had left no mark - just another of Vincent's attention-seeking stunts.