Chapter 8

Adrian's indifferent response sent shockwaves through Vivian, her feelings brushed aside like insignificant trifles. A suffocating tightness coiled around her chest.

"Put me down right now!" Vivian demanded sharply, twisting her body away. Her voice carried an unmistakable edge of irritation.

Adrian remained silent, effortlessly carrying her toward the luxurious bed before abruptly releasing his grip.

The sudden loss of support made Vivian's heart lurch. Instinctively, her hands flew out to grab him.

Their bodies tumbled onto the silk sheets together, her robe dangerously close to slipping open with the slightest movement.

Propped on one elbow, Adrian looked down at her with a teasing smirk. "You wanted me to let go, didn't you? Then why are you holding onto me now?"

His eyes, dark and mesmerizing like a star-filled midnight sky, held her captive.

In those fathomless depths, Vivian caught a fleeting glimpse of her own reflection.

Moments like these dangerously made her believe he might actually care.

But his heart remained an impenetrable fortress built for Serena, leaving Vivian with nothing but hollow daydreams.

"How predictable," she muttered flatly, attempting to sit up when her hand accidentally brushed against something unmistakable.

The atmosphere shifted instantly as his growing arousal pressed against her abdomen.

"Stay still," he warned in a dangerously low voice, "unless you want to see where this leads."

Vivian mentally cursed at his words.

It was an undeniable biological truth.

Men were driven by primal instincts.

Lack of love didn't extinguish basic desires.

Yet she knew better than to provoke Adrian further.

Turning her face away, her body remained tense, frozen in place.

Annoyed, Vivian shot back, "Didn't you claim there was nothing worth seeing here? What's this reaction about, Mr. Blackwood? Are you really that easily stimulated?"

The moment the words left her lips, she realized their dangerous implication.

Regret flooded through her, but instead of anger, Adrian responded with an amused chuckle.

"You are my wife after all. Since that's an unchangeable fact, I might as well make the most of it."

His fingers slipped beneath the silken folds of her robe, tracing the delicate curve of her waist with featherlight touches.

"Besides," he murmured, pulling her closer, "it's been years since our wedding night. Such neglect would be... wasteful."

His hand circled her slender frame with possessive certainty.

Vivian's face, a captivating mix of defiance and visible frustration, only fueled Adrian's desire to conquer her resistance.