Chapter 3
After a quick wash, I came out to find that Adrian had already made breakfast.
He always moved faster than I did.
Once he had finished eating, he sat there staring at me without blinking. I silently sped up.
Adrian frowned slightly and said, “No rush.”
I nodded with my cheeks puffed full of food.
Ten minutes later, as usual, Adrian was about to drive me to work.
But it was already getting late, and the floating comments popped up again, bouncing excitedly in front of my eyes.
If I remember right, today is the day the male lead meets the female lead.
That’s right. Today the female lead starts working at his company. She’s capable, tactful, and knows exactly how to behave.
Most importantly, she has boundaries. That’s why the male lead feels no pressure around her.
Once he sees someone like the female lead, he’ll dump this clingy girl without hesitation.
My expression dimmed.
So today was the day he would meet her.
A heaviness spread across my chest, and for some reason the air around me suddenly felt thin.
Seeing me stand there blankly, Adrian reminded me, “Get in.”
I did not move.
“You go ahead. I’ll go to the office myself.”
Instead, Adrian pulled the car door open, strode toward me on his long legs, and fixed me with an assessing look.
“You’re angry,” he said with certainty. “Because I avoided your goodnight kiss last night. Right?”
I looked up at him blankly. “No. Why would I be angry?”
I had simply realized, because of those floating comments, how clingy and overbearing I had been. I just wanted to fix it.
Adrian clearly did not believe me.
He stepped closer. “Then why won’t you let me drive you to work?”
My gaze flickered.
I instinctively hid the real reason and answered guiltily, “I think we should give each other some personal space.”
He froze slightly, as if he had not expected me to say that.
At last, he stopped pressing. “Fine. I’ll pick you up after work.”
Before I could even say yes or no, Adrian left that sentence behind and drove away.
The entire day, I was distracted.
The floating comments said Adrian had already driven the female lead home and would not be coming to pick me up. They mocked me for wishful thinking.
So when I arrived at the company entrance with unease churning inside me, I really did not see the familiar car.
Usually Adrian would be there ten minutes early.
I stared at the empty curb in the distance, lost in thought.
Then a clear voice sounded behind me.
“Nora, why are you standing here? Can’t get a ride?”
I turned around.
Behind me stood a tall young man dressed in a flashy style, a motorcycle helmet tucked under his arm.
It was Ethan Blake, the new hire from two days ago. He was enthusiastic by nature.
“Yeah, makes sense. It’s rush hour. Don’t squeeze onto the subway. I’ll give you a ride home on my bike.”
I instinctively wanted to refuse, but after glancing at the darkening sky, I nodded.
“Thank you.”
Ethan was a full head taller than me. He easily helped me put the helmet on.
“No problem.”
But in the very next second, a long horn blared behind us.
Before I could react, Adrian had already gotten out of his car and walked to my side.
He laced his fingers through mine, then reached out and took off the helmet I had been wearing for less than half a minute.
He handed it back to Ethan and greeted him lazily.
“Hi. I’m Nora’s boyfriend, Adrian Cole.”
Ethan blinked, then broke into a grin that looked anything but innocent.
“You’re not a very qualified boyfriend, are you? We’ve all been off work for a while now. Why are you only showing up?”