REBIRTH : Chasing The Limelight-Chapter 87: Did something happen?

That simple reply made something tighten in Adrian’s chest. For the first time since the car ride, he hesitated.

His hand shifted on the door and his jaw tightened as his thoughts caught up with him all at once.

This was wrong.

He knew it.

If she woke up tomorrow... if she remembered this...

His expression darkened. He had never been the type to second guess himself. But now he was thinking too much.

His gaze dropped again, taking in the way she leaned into him without caution, the way her fingers still held onto him like she trusted him without thinking.

"You don’t know what you’re doing," he said quietly, almost to himself.

But she moved again.

Her head lowered until it was resting against his neck. Then she bit him hard.

Adrian closed his eyes briefly and took in a slow breath. A low groan escaped him before he could stop it.

"Elara..." he said, his hand moving to her waist while he pressed it tightly. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

She pressed closer, her body soft and warm against his. Her hands slid up his chest, fingers tracing the line of his collarbone, then moving higher to touch the side of his neck.

Adrian’s breathing hitched again. His free hand moved to her hip, pulling her even closer without meaning to.

For the next few seconds, they stayed like that... bodies pressed together, breathing uneven, the room silent except for the faint sound of their heartbeats.

Then Adrian made a decision.

He bent down, slid one arm under her knees and lifted her up. Her arms went around his neck automatically. She didn’t resist. She only rested her head against his shoulder, her eyes half-closed.

He carried her across the room to the bed.

The moment her back touched the sheets, she quickly pulled him closer, her hands gripping his shirt and dragging him down with her.

Adrian followed without resistance. He leaned over her, his body covering hers. His hands moved over her with urgency, helping her out of the dress in hurried motions.

The fabric slipped away, leaving only warm skin and the sound of their breathing.

Elara’s fingers tangled in his hair. Her lips caught his, her movements clumsy from the alcohol.

Adrian’s breath came faster. He kissed her back, his hands sliding along her sides, pressing her closer.

*****

–

A thin line of sunlight slipped through the curtains and fell across Elara’s face, pulling her slowly out of sleep. The light made her squint and her brows drew together as her eyes struggled to adjust.

She stayed still for a long time, caught between sleep and waking, before she finally opened her eyes fully.

The first thing she felt was the strong headache sitting at the back of her head and spreading forward, making her thoughts slow and unclear.

She blinked a few times in confusion, but what truly made her pause was what she saw when her vision finally cleared.

Her eyes widened instantly.

The room was unfamiliar.

She didn’t move but her gaze shifted slowly around her surroundings, taking everything in.

The space was very neat, with a quiet kind of luxury that didn’t need to show off. The colors were calm and cold, mostly dark tones, and nothing out of place. Everything looked carefully arranged, like it belonged to someone who liked control and order.

Her expression hardened and she had a bad feeling the moment her eyes landed on the paintings hanging on the wall.

She slowly moved her gaze downward, through the sheets covering her body.

Her head almost spun the moment she saw that she wasn’t dressed.

Her breath caught in her throat, held somewhere between fear and frustration.

She stayed still, her fingers curling into the sheets as her mind tried to catch up. When she shifted to the side, a dull ache spread through her body, making her brows furrow. Her hand moved over the soft sheets beneath her and she gripped them gently.

Then... She came into realization.

Her breathing paused again as pieces of the night before returned to her. She couldn’t remember everything, not clearly, but what she recalled was enough to send tremors down her spine.

She stayed unmoving for a long time, her face calm but her thoughts far from it. When she finally pushed herself up, the movement made her wince a little, but she didn’t let it show much.

That was when she noticed him.

Through an open door that led into what looked like a study, Adrian stood by the window, his back facing her. He was already dressed, neat and composed as always. One hand rested in his pocket while the other hung loosely by his side.

"I see you’re awake," he said quietly.

Elara pressed her lips together into a thin line before speaking. "Did something happen?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

He didn’t reply. Nor did he even turn around.

Elara did not wait for him to reply. Her eyes moved around the room again. Everything looked untouched like nothing had happened there at all. But the way her body felt told her otherwise.

"My clothes," she said, turning her gaze back to him.

He stayed silent for a moment before speaking in a low, even tone. "The housekeeper took them. They’ll be cleaned."

Elara’s eyes rested on him for a long second.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t upset, but he still stood there like this was nothing.

"Then what will I wear?" she asked calmly.

Right now, the only thing on her mind was leaving.

He finally turned, but when his gaze met hers, she did not look away. He lifted his hand and pointed to the locker beside the bed.

"There," he said.

Elara followed his gesture.

On top of the locker was a black branded bag, the kind used by high-end designers, with its logo pressed cleanly onto the surface.

Before she could say anything else, Adrian had already turned away.

Without another word, he walked out of the room...