CHAPTER THREE
Liana's POV
The walls were closing in on me. Or maybe it was just the suffocating silence of Adrian's house. Adrian Kane is the name of the man that helped me that night and he has been really nice to I and mia but he's always making sure we are always indoor. Today is different,he already left for work and I'm feeling bored ,either way, I needed air. I needed space. And I needed to remind myself that I still had control over my life even if everything felt like it was spiraling.
I pulled on the dress Adrian had gotten for me. It was simple but elegant, hugging my curves in all the right places. It complimented my body features.For someone I kept trying to hate, he sure had an annoyingly good taste in clothes. I tied my hair back into a loose bun, slipped Mia into the baby carrier strapped to my chest, and stepped out into the crisp afternoon air.
The streets were quiet, with just a few people milling about. It was peaceful, almost too peaceful. I adjusted Mia in the carrier and began walking, letting my thoughts drift.
That's when I saw a figure ahead.
He was leaning casually against a lamppost, scrolling through his phone. He was tall, with sharp cheekbones and the kind of jawline that could cut glass. His messy black hair framed a face that belonged in a magazine. He looked up as I passed, his piercing green eyes locking onto mine.
"Hey," he called out.
I ignored him and kept walking.
"Excuse me," he said, catching up. "Didn't mean to disturb you. Just thought you might need help carrying…"
"I'm fine," I cut in, not even sparing him a glance.
"Right," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "You're the picture of 'fine.'"
I stopped and turned to face him, narrowing my eyes. "Listen, I don't know who you think you are, but I don't need help. From anyone."
"Got it," he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "But maybe I just wanted to say hi. Is that a crime now?"
I huffed and started walking again. He fell into step beside me, undeterred.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"None of your business," I replied, rolling my eyes.
"Nice to meet you, None-of-Your-Business," he said with a grin. "I'm Ethan."
I couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "You're annoying."
"And you're stubborn," he shot back.
For some reason, his persistence didn't irritate me as much as it should have. Maybe it was the way he kept glancing at Mia, his expression softening every time. Or maybe it was because, for the first time in days, I felt something other than anger or sadness.
Before I knew it, we were laughing about something ridiculous he had said. I didn't even realize we were walking back toward the house until I saw it in the distance.
"Thanks for the company," I said as we reached the door.
"Anytime," Ethan replied, flashing me a smile,he moved closer and pecked Mia on her cheek ,then she chuckled
I turned to go inside but froze when the front door swung open.
There stood Adrian, his expression dark as thunderclouds. His gaze fixed between me and Ethan, and I could see the tension in his jaw.
"Who's this?" Adrian asked, his voice cold.
"Just a friend," I said quickly.
"A friend?" Adrian scoffed. "Didn't look like just a friend to me."
Ethan stepped forward, his hands in his pockets. "Hey, man, relax. I was just walking her home."
"Relax?" Adrian took a step toward him, his fists clenched. "I don't know who you are, but you've got no business being around her."
"Adrian, stop!" I yelled, stepping between them. "You're acting ridiculous."
Ethan raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. After a tense moment, he nodded at me and walked away, leaving me to deal with the hurricane brewing in Adrian's eyes.
When I turned to face him, he was already heading inside.
"Adrian!" I called, slamming the door behind me.
He spun around, his eyes blazing. "What the hell was that?"
"I should be asking you!" I shot back. "You practically attacked him for no reason!"
"At least I'm not the one inviting strangers into my life," he said, his tone biting. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that could've been? What if he was someone who could hurt you? Or Mia?"
"He wasn't," I snapped. "Not everyone is out to get me, Adrian. He was a friend."
Adrian laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "A friend. Sure. Because friends just magically show up out of nowhere and walk you home like some knight in shining armor."
"You don't get to control who I talk to!" I yelled, my voice trembling with anger and something else something deeper.
"I'm not trying to control you," he said, his voice rising to match mine. "I'm trying to protect you. But you're too selfish to see that! If you don't care about your stupid selfish self at least care for mia"
His words hit me like a slap. My throat tightened, and I blinked rapidly, trying to keep the tears at bay.
"You're unbelievable," I whispered. "I didn't ask for your help, Adrian. I didn't ask for any of this."
The tears spilled over, and I wiped them away angrily. "I'm not your wife. You don't get to treat me like this."
Adrian's face softened for a moment, guilt flickering in his eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it came. He turned on his heel and stormed off, slamming his bedroom door behind him.
I stood there, the silence pressing down on me like a weight. Mia stirred in the carrier, and I hugged her tightly, whispering apologies she couldn't understand.
"I'm sorry Mia, we'll be fine" with tears streaming down my face.
ADRIAN'S POV
I slammed my door shut, leaning against it as my breath came in sharp. My hands were still clenched into fists, the tension in my knuckles refusing to fade. The image of that guy Ethan, or whatever his name was kissing Mia on the forehead replayed in my mind like a broken record.
What the hell was that?
I pushed off the door and paced my room, my thoughts racing. Was I... jealous?
The idea was ridiculous, laughable even. I wasn't jealous. That wasn't it. I was protective. Yes, that was the right word. Protective.
Liana had no idea how dangerous the world could be. She acted like she had everything figured out, like nothing could touch her. But she didn't understand. That guy could've been anyone. He could've hurt her or worse, Mia.
My pacing quickened as I ran a hand through my hair. The dress I had bought her clung to her in ways I didn't expect, and for a moment, when I saw her laughing with him, something in me twisted painfully.
But no, it wasn't jealousy. That wasn't possible.
I shook my head, trying to shove the thought away. She was reckless. That's all it was. And someone had to keep her grounded.
I stopped in front of the window, staring out into the night. The moonlight cast a faint glow over the street, and I found myself wondering what they'd talked about, what he'd done to make her laugh like that.
A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it. Here I was, Adrian Kane, CEO of a billion-dollar empire, standing in a dingy room, obsessing over a girl who could barely tolerate me.
How did it come to this?
I sank onto the edge of the bed, my elbows resting on my knees. My mind drifted back to our argument, to the way her voice broke when she said she didn't ask for my help.
Her tears had hit me harder than I cared to admit.
I had been too harsh. Again.
"Damn it," I muttered under my breath, running a hand down my face.
I hadn't meant to say those things. The words had just spilled out, fueled by anger and... something else I didn't want to name. I was supposed to protect her, to keep her safe, not to hurt her.
But every time we talked, it was like we were speaking different languages.
I thought back to the guy Ethan and the way he'd looked at her. He wasn't just some random guy. That much was clear. He saw something in her, something I couldn't even put into words.
And then there was Mia. The way she'd giggled when he kissed her forehead, the way Liana had smiled at him.
I felt the twist in my chest again, sharper this time.
No. I wasn't jealous. I was just... concerned.
I stood up abruptly, needing to shake the thought loose. The room felt too small, too stifling. I walked over to the mirror, catching my reflection. My tie was loose, my shirt wrinkled, and my eyes dark and stormy stared back at me.
"You're overthinking this," I told myself firmly.
But even as I said it, the unease lingered.
She had every right to be mad at me. I knew that. I had crossed a line tonight, and I needed to make it right.
But how?
Liana was stubborn, fiercely so. She wouldn't accept an apology if it wasn't genuine, and I wasn't sure if I could give her that.
I paced the room again, running through the argument in my head. Her words had been sharp, but mine had been cruel. I'd hurt her, and the worst part was, I didn't even know why I'd lashed out like that.
Was it because I cared?
No. That couldn't be it.
I stopped pacing, standing still in the middle of the room as the thought settled over me. Caring meant opening myself up to things I wasn't ready for. And Liana... She was complicated. Messy. Broken.
Just like me.