Chapter 3

I immediately pulled away, shrugging him off and stepping back. “Is the tantrum over, mi amor?” he said with a chuckle, slipping back into his old pet name for me. Whether it was because he was in a good mood or just trying to disarm me, I could not tell. I rolled my eyes and muttered, “It’s never my fault.” I turned and headed to the study, not waiting for his reply. But he followed me, so I snapped, “What are you doing following me?” “I came back because I wanted to get the files I left in the study,” he said casually, flashing that crooked smile that used to make me melt. But that time? It just made me nauseous. His smile brought back the memory of Louisa walking into this very room for the first time. It was just a week after she had started working at Velasco Corporation. Adrian had hired her as his personal secretary. At the time, I did not think much of it. Secretaries came and went, and Adrian barely spoke about work at home. But as I was still designing a new spring collection in study, the door clicked open, showing a woman in heels. “Who are you?” I asked, standing from my chair. “Oh, sorry. I thought the study was empty. I’m Louisa Moreno, Adrian’s secretary. He asked me to pick up the meeting files from the study.” “Adrian?” I repeated, brows knitting. “You call him by his name?” “Yes. Adrian asked me to. He said I’m a special person to him. So, there’s no need to be too formal.” Special? Before I could process the sting, she tilted her head and asked, “Oh, then… who are you?” “I’m Elena Duarte. His fiancée.” I thought the words would draw the line and she would understand her place. But instead, she giggled, “Ah, it’s you! Nice to meet you. I hope since we both are Adrian’s women, we can get along quickly, Ms. Duarte.” Adrian’s… women? She extended her hand for a handshake, but I just stared at it for half a second before slapped it away. “Bitch,” I snapped. Louisa blew on the back of her hand, her face darkened, and said mockingly, “Remember this. You were the first to raise the war flag. So don’t cry like a child when you lose to me later.” She then snatched the folder of files in Adrian’s work table casually and walked out, leaving only her cheap perfume scent. But no one knew except me if that moment marked the start of I burnt the photo. So, of course, I sneered at him that day, “Oh, you don’t send your secretary to fetch things for you anymore?” “Louisa is unhealthy,” he said suddenly, voice a little lower. “She said she’s been vomiting all day. I am thinking of stopping by, I am afraid something might happen to her.” The words stabbed deeper than I expected. “Oh.” My voice was barely audible, since it meant Adrian wanted to take care of pregnant Louisa, how sick! But suddenly, Adrian hugged me from behind and his chin rested lightly on my shoulder. “Lena…” he whispered, “I miss you. I haven’t bothered you for the past two days, right?” He continued softly, “Louisa also said she’s forgiven you… so please let it slide.” My expression darkened and just answered, “Fine, just think of it all as over.” ‘Like our relationship,’ I continued in my heart. He leaned in close and murmured, “I need you, mi amor.” His voice low, seductive—before pressing a kiss to my nape, and without waiting, he kissed my lips. I did not pull away because it happened so fast. But when I felt his hand on my shirt, fingers moving to unfasten the top button, I pushed him away firmly. “Stop,” I said quickly, lying. “I’m on my period.” His hands dropped immediately. A flicker of frustration crossed his face before he tried to play it off. “Okay. I’ll wait patiently.” Then he kissed my cheek and said casually, “Tonight’s my grandpa’s 75th birthday. So, come with me, okay? “As promised, no matter how much we fight, we’ll still act at the family events, right?” I smiled politely. But inside, I sneered, ‘Oh? So, all of this is just acting?’ But I simply nodded. “Sure.” Considered it my final performance, before I left everything behind. After Adrian left, I packed the rest of my belongings into the car and drove back to Duarte Manor. I just returned to the apartment before Adrian came back from the office and that night, we left for the banquet. But when we reached the basement parking lot, he suddenly slapped his forehead. “Shoot, I forgot the wine I was bringing for Grandpa. Wait here, I’ll go get it,” he said, already halfway out of the car before I could respond. I nodded, saying nothing. But then, my heel stepped on something soft. I reached down, confused—and then froze. Black lace thong. I immediately reached for the dashboard and tapped through the most recent footage. The timestamp showed it was only a few hours ago. Right after I had rejected him in the apartment. “So, this was his idea of patience. Disgusting!” When Adrian came rushing out of the elevator toward the car, I instinctively stuffed the black lace thong into my bag. “Sigh, Grandpa will be disappointed if I forget the gift,” Adrian mumbled as he slid into the driver’s seat and immediately reached over to buckle my seatbelt, like he always did. “You’re always careless,” he chided playfully. “You sit in the car forever but still forget to put your seatbelt on. What would happen to you without me, huh?” I forced a smile, voice flat as I replied, “Right. What can I do without you, Adrian?” He chuckled. “If you hadn’t done your makeup, I would’ve kissed you ten times already until you got upset.” I turned my face to the window, fighting back a gag. All I could think about was Louisa’s glossed lips on his skin, so no way I would let him kiss me again. When we arrived at the Velasco estate lobby, Louisa immediately greeted us, “Adrian, why are you so late? I’m almost freezing here.” “Sorry, I forgot the gift earlier, so I came back,” Adrian said quickly, glancing at her, then remembered his mask. “Louisa, call me formally at the event, I’ve taught you.” “Ah, right, I forgot. Apologize, Mr. Velasco,” she said with a forced chuckle, lowering her eyes. Which secretary ‘forgot’ to call her boss properly at a public event? Only Louisa. Adrian smiled and for a second, his hand instinctively moved toward Louisa’s waist. But then, as if remembering where he was, he extended his other arm and placed it around my waist instead. ‘Muscle memory never lies,’ I thought bitterly. I wondered how many banquets they had gone to without me. As if the surprise was not enough, when Louisa removed her long beige coat, I saw her proudly wearing a dress that I had designed for my wedding night dinner party. “Where did you find that dress, bitch?” I snapped angrily.

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