Chapter 458

Adrian accepted the transfer with a swift tap, pocketed his phone, and rose gracefully. Bending down, he gathered Vivian into his arms with practiced ease. "Time for bed," he murmured against her hair.

Too exhausted to protest, Vivian simply nestled closer, her cheek pressing against his chest.

Adrian carried her to the master bedroom, laying her gently on the silk sheets. As he attempted to straighten, her arms suddenly tightened around his neck. The unexpected movement sent him tumbling forward, his muscular frame pinning her beneath him. His breath hitched as their lips nearly brushed, but in that moment, her grip slackened. She turned away, curling into the plush duvet, her breathing evening out almost immediately.

Adrian remained frozen for a heartbeat, watching the steady rise and fall of her shoulders. With a quiet exhale, he pushed himself up and retreated to the ensuite bathroom without another word.

Morning light filtered through the curtains when Vivian awoke to find the other side of the bed vacant. The faint clatter of dishes from downstairs suggested Adrian was already in the kitchen. She stretched languidly, the lingering scent of whiskey on the sheets triggering memories of last night's bold demand from Dominic. Her fingers flew to her phone, and sure enough - $2.5 million glowed on her banking app screen.

This, she realized, was why wealthy men were dangerous. Even inebriated and barely coherent, she'd walked away with a fortune.

After showering and changing into soft loungewear, Vivian hesitated at the top of the stairs. Their ongoing cold war felt increasingly absurd after last night's drunken escapade, yet Serena's shadow still loomed between them.

The living room stood empty, but through the French doors she spotted Beatrice carefully pruning rose bushes while Leonard sat nearby, reading glasses perched on his nose as he scanned the financial section.

"Leonard! Beatrice!" Vivian called as she stepped onto the terrace. "What a lovely surprise!"

Beatrice turned with a radiant smile. "Vivian, darling! We didn't want to wake you."

Vivian hurried to take the gardening shears from Beatrice's hands. "You should have," she chided gently, linking arms with the older woman.

"Nonsense," Beatrice patted her hand. "You've been working so hard lately - you needed the rest."

Leading Beatrice to the wrought-iron bench beside Leonard, Vivian greeted him softly. "Good morning."

"Hmm," came his gruff reply, eyes never leaving his newspaper.

Beatrice produced an ornate velvet box, revealing an exquisite lavender jade bracelet that caught the sunlight in mesmerizing hues. "I saw this and thought of you immediately," she said, sliding the cool stone onto Vivian's wrist. "Purple jade symbolizes protection and prosperity."

Vivian's breath caught at the delicate weight against her skin. "It's beautiful. Thank you."