novelraw Chapter 49: Between the Lines
Chapter 49: Between the Lines
Chapter 49: Between the LinesADRIEN’S POV
After making sure I had dropped Isabella off at what I knew wasn’t her house, I managed to reach my own house within minutes, getting out of the limo and walking gingerly as Thomas opened the front door.
I stepped inside the mansion already feeling the weight of the night settle in as the heavy front door thudded shut behind me, the silence of the mansion heavy enough to choke on. Cameron was already waiting in the sitting room, arms crossed and narrowing his eyes like a hawk tracking prey. I knew he’d be there.
"You’re early," I said, dropping my keys on the console.
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he let the silence stretch, then finally said, "I thought you hated the media circus—the flashing cameras, the public drama. Yet here you are, practically announcing to the world you have a girlfriend." he whined, his voice dragging out the words like a kid complaining.
"Get out," I shot back, not even trying to hide my annoyance.
"No way," he replied, getting up and following me into the kitchen.
"I’ve been glued to the news—social media’s exploding. You and her? Top
He huffed again; he muttered under his breath about something to do with me being stubborn. Finally, he left the room and shut the door quietly behind him.
I finished my whiskey, the silence of the room closing in around me once more. Isabella. A necessary evil, just like the media circus I despised. I wondered if she was regretting her decision already.
I crawled under the bed-blanket and pulled the covers over me. Sleep did not come easily. My mind was swirling with thoughts and half-formed plans. Isabella’s face kept flashing behind my eyelids, her eyes wide and intelligent. Damn it.
I took my phone from the nightstand. I unlocked it and scrolled. No messages. Good.
I opened her chat—Miss Miller.
My fingers tapped out the first message with deliberate calm.
I trust you got home safe.
No room for niceties. Just facts.
A beat passed before I sent the next.
You handled yourself well tonight. I appreciate that.
I wasn’t the type to hand out compliments lightly, but she’d held her own. She deserved the recognition.
I waited, the silence stretching between the taps of my fingers on the bedsheet. No reply yet. Typical—she wasn’t the type to waste words.
My phone buzzed lightly and caught the screen light.
You’re welcome. I survived. Barely.
I smirked, fingers already moving.
Survival suits you.
A small challenge wrapped in a compliment. Let her wonder if I meant the fight or something else.
I leaned back on the headboard, waiting for a reply but my mind was already moving ahead.
Then I glanced back at the calendar app on my phone.The Delacroix call was a waste of time, and I had no patience for distractions.
Send me my schedule for tomorrow. And remove the 10 a.m. call with Delacroix. It’s a waste of time.
I hit send and tossed the phone on the bed, pulling the blanket up over my legs