Chapter 3

The moment I said it,the private room fell completely silent.

Lenara's face went so pale.

"Claire,what are you talking about?My stomach's been acting up these past few days,and I've been feeling nauseous.Don't jump to conclusions."

Lenara had dated plenty of wealthy men over the years,but she had always been extremely careful when it came to sex.

Realizing I might have said the wrong thing,I felt my cheeks grow warm and quickly tried to smooth things over.

"I was just worried about you.Your stomach has always been sensitive.If this soup is too heavy,I'll ask the waiter to bring you some apple and oatmeal instead."

Adrian pushed the crab roe he'd picked out onto my plate,one dish after another.

"Claire,while you were away these past six months,I had someone look into a few new wedding venues.There's a beautiful classic estate I think you'll love.I'll take you there this weekend."

Since I'd been away for six months,Adrian and I had kept putting off our wedding.

Both our families had been urging us to set a date,so now that I was finally home,it was time to start planning the wedding again.

I nodded,a sweet feeling spreading through my chest.

"Okay."

Adrian continued,"Remember the wedding ring we looked at last time?I decided the center stone was a little too small.I want to take you back and pick out a bigger one."

I gave him a playful glare.

"Why do you need such a huge diamond?It won't even be comfortable to wear.You just love wasting money."

"How is that a waste?Isn't making money all about giving my wife the best?"

He looked at me with such tender affection that my heart almost melted.

My face turned red.I nudged his leg under the table.

"Okay,that's enough.Lenara's still here.It's embarrassing to flirt in front of her."

Only then did Adrian tone it down.

Aside from the little argument at the beginning,the rest of the meal was surprisingly warm and pleasant.

We'd ordered far too much,so there was plenty of crab left over.I had the waiter pack it up for us to take home.

But the very next day,everything changed.

Lenara's gambling-addicted father died after falling from a third-floor window while trying to escape debt collectors.

When I rushed to the rundown apartments in the old part of town after hearing the news,the narrow alley was already packed with onlookers.

Before I could even push my way through the crowd,I heard angry shouting from inside,followed by the dull thuds of metal rods striking flesh.

"Pay your father's debt!Your father is dead,so you,his daughter,have to pay us back today!"

My heart tightened.I shoved through the crowd and rushed inside.

But the sight before me made me freeze.

Several debt collectors armed with metal pipes were surrounding two people,kicking and beating them.

And Adrian,usually so calm and dignified,was on his knees.

He had Lenara wrapped tightly in his arms,shielding her with his entire body as three or four heavy blows from the metal pipes landed squarely on his back.

The pipe came crashing down with a dull thud.The impact looked so brutal that I thought his bones might have shattered.

Yet Adrian didn't make a sound.

The veins in his arms stood out as he tightened his hold around Lenara,shielding her completely and making sure the men couldn't lay a finger on her.

Blood seeped through his white shirt and ran down his back,bright red against the fabric.

In that moment,I saw a side of him I'd never seen in all the twenty-plus years I'd known him.There was something fierce in his eyes,along with a desperate need to protect her.

The police arrived soon after and brought the situation under control.

When Adrian was helped to his feet,his face was deathly pale and his back was a bloody mess.Yet the first thing he did was look down and check whether Lenara was hurt.

"Lenara,are you okay?"

The moment Lenara saw me,all the color drained from her face.

Adrian followed her gaze and suddenly met my red-rimmed eyes.

"Claire!"

A flicker of panic crossed his face,and he immediately let go of Lenara's arm.