Chapter 6
When the gathering ended, I waited for Adrian in the lobby downstairs.]
then, a call came in from a friend back in Capital City
Just
5? Haven’t seen you around.“||
“Grace, what have you been up to these days?
“I’ve had some personal matters to take care of
“Why don’t you come out and join us Inter?“]
I smiled faintly
“No, you guys go ahead.”
“Hey, Grace, wait a second. Actually it’s about Paul. He’s in a bad mood tonight, completely drunk. No one can stop him.
“If you’re free, could you come check on him? We’re worried hell drink himself into another bout of stomach bleeding.
Tall Helen instead.
1-0
“Grace, Paul just kicked ttelen out.
We can all tell he still cares about you. He regrets it
“Enough,” I said, my voice calm as I gripped my phone tightly
“Paul and I are over
Whatever happens to him has nothing to do with me anymore. Don’t call me
Before I could hang up. I heard a commotion on the other end of the line, as if someone had snatched
I was about to end the call when Paul’s voice came through.
Grace, it was their idea to call you, it has nothing to do with me.”
The same lofty, arrogant tone as always.]
“Alright, I’m hanging up. 1
phone away
way
“Grace”
Paul called my name again. I could hear the heavy drunkenness in his voice
In the past, I would’ve felt heartache for him and patiently coaxed him to drink less.[
But now, nothing about him concerned me anymore!]]
I hung up the phone.
After a
ter a moment of thought I deleted Paul’s friends from my contacts as well
I had only known them because of Paul
Now that w
“Grace”
we were completely separated, there was no reason to stay in touch
In the brightly lit lobby, Adrian stood not far to my left
The light fell on his handsome face, softening it into a hazy glow
“Adrian
was just about to get up when he began walking toward me. Ferhaps he d had i a much to drink; his steps were unsteady
I quickly went to support him
“Adrian, are you alright? Have you had too much to drink?“]]
He nodded slightly. His brows furrowed, and his faer showed visible discomfort||
Grare, my car’s waiting outside. Can you help me get to aty-“]
Of course, Ell take you now.”
L
Adrian was much taller than me, and even the short distance to the car fell like an uneal. We stumbled aduang awkwardly:]
As he got into the car, I lost my balance from exhaustion and accidentally fell into his arms.[]
alcohol mixed i with a deep, woody fragrance enveloped me completely.
A faint scent of aler
ty seases, 1 flashed and tried to get up, but Adrian held me in place.[]
Shopping back in my
“Grace, let me hold you for a moment, okay?“||
Adrim
“Lis not dreaming, am 17 You’re Grace, you’re really Grace, right? ||
Adrian suddenly cupped my face.||
The close proximity left our breaths intertwined in the contined spaer
In his denken eyes, there was a mix of confusion, dishelled, sorrow, and a trace of hitterness that tugged at my heart]
It felt as if someone had wrung my heart out, leaving it aching and suur ||
“Adrian. [
“You’re not dreaming
It’s me. I’m Grace…
Before I could finish, a warm kiss fell on my lips.
It was soft and light, the gentlest kiss imaginable[]
Before i could process what was happening, Adrian had already let go of me
He taust have noticed t the unease and confusion in my expression and the panic in my eyes
He took my hand and guided me back to my seat
The car had started moving, and Adrian lowered the divider between the driver and us, creating more private space.
The enclosed environment only made me more anxious
But Adrian released my hand
“Don’t be afraid, Grace.”
wouldn’t do anything to you in a pine
in a place like this.“-“]
y temple
He raised a hand to smooth the stray hair by my
“Grace, 111 want patiently for our wedding night“||
my head, my cheeks burning bright red.]]
After a long pause, I looked at him and softly replied []
gotten drunk again:[]
None of his friends could persuade him to stoj
to stop ||
He wasn’t entirely sure why he’d been feeling so low these past days []
Maybe he had grown tired of Helen, realizing that after the initial novelty fuder, she was nothing special ||
Maybe he had started to miss traces quiet, protle, and considerate natine ||
The last lose his friends called race, it had been with his tact approval.
hot Grace had fendy refused in the phone ||
mittabest, Paul ha
satched the plinte misil said those words
Yet Grace haddict responded. She simply hang op ||
She habct come to see him ||
ye hadict come to take him home: ||
