Chapter 205: Chapter 205



The next morning, in the underground parking lot of the Miller Group building, Paula spotted Adrian and rushed to approach him.

“Adrian!”

Before she could get closer, Adrian’s new assistant stepped in her way. The assistant, a man with a rigid demeanor, firmly blocked her path.

“Callan, step aside,” Adrian instructed coolly.

“Mr. Miller, your mother has explicitly stated that no questionable women should approach you.”

“She is not a questionable woman,” Adrian dismissed the concern, turning his indifferent gaze toward Paula. “What do you want?”

Paula sniffled, attempting to summon tears, and pulled up her sleeves. The hard floor of the police station had left several bruises on her body.

“Adrian, look at what I went through in jail. You didn’t come to save me.”

“You had it coming,” Adrian replied curtly, without a hint of sympathy.

He then continued walking with his assistant, but Paula persisted, following close behind.

“Adrian, I was wrong. It was just curiosity.”

“Curiosity about what?”

“About your past,” Paula said, her voice desperate as she clung to Adrian’s arm. She was dressed provocatively in a low-cut outfit, her attire barely containing her curves.

Before Adrian could scrutinize Paula’s bruises further, Callan coughed discreetly to catch his attention. “Mr. Miller, the morning meeting is about to begin.”

Adrian’s mouth curled into a slight smirk. Defiantly, he wrapped his arm around Paula’s slender waist.

Paula let out a flirtatious giggle, its sound echoing through the empty parking lot and filling the air with a provocative undertone.

“Callan, push the meeting back by an hour.” Callan was taken aback. Adrian was renowned for his unwavering dedication to his work, never once shirking his responsibilities for personal matters. Yet, now, influenced by Paula’s presence, he was ready to delay an important meeting. It was completely out of character! Without following them into the elevator, Callan quickly pulled out his phone to call Amara.

“Hello? Mrs. Miller, there’s something urgent you need to know!”

Inside the elevator, as soon as the doors shut, Adrian released Paula. She reached for him again, but he turned icy, his tone sharp. “Do you want to lose your hand?”

Paula froze, not daring to move closer. She puzzled over their relationship, unable to grasp why, when alone, they didn’t seem more intimate. Why did Adrian treat her merely as a tool? Could it be true, as Rebecca suggested, that she was just a pawn Adrian used to provoke Amara?

Paula had been around Adrian long enough to occasionally feel a glimmer of interest from him, but just as quickly, he would become distant, leaving her confused and humiliated.

The elevator dinged at the top floor, and she trailed behind Adrian as they exited. Even if she was merely a tool, Paula believed she had the charm to make Adrian fall for her.

Once in the office, with the privacy of the empty room, she felt sure she could sway him. Buoyed by this conviction, Paula straightened her posture, preparing to make her move.

However, Adrian said curtly, “Find somewhere to stay for an hour, then leave Miller Group.”

“What?” Confused, Paula looked around. “Where am I supposed to go?”

“Suit yourself.” Adrian then pushed open the door and entered his office, leaving her standing in the hallway. Paula felt a flush of humiliation wash over her. He had no real interest in her!

Determined to find another angle, Paula didn’t waste the hour. She bought coffee and desserts for Adrian’s assistants, ingratiating herself with them to gather information. She learned that Adrian particularly despised being manipulated with substances. His ex-wife had drugged him, fueling his contempt for that marriage.

Furthermore, she discovered that Adrian’s divorce stemmed from his inability to move past his relationship with Rebecca. Although Rebecca had promised to help Paula get revenge, Paula was no fool. She wouldn’t let herself be exploited by anyone.

Filled with a mix of cunning and resentment, Paula clicked her high heels toward the elevator. As the elevator ascended from the first floor to the top, the doors opened to reveal a dignified woman and Adrian’s assistant, Callan, stepping out.

With her years of maneuvering social circles, Paula could tell this woman held significant sway. She kept her head down, but the two still stopped in front of her.

“Callan, is this her?”

“Yes.”

Amara scrutinized Paula from head to toe. “Bitch! Can’t you maintain a shred of decency?”

“Ma’am—”

Amara cut her off. “Callan, get her out of here!”

In a panic, Paula cried out toward Adrian’s office. “Adrian! Adrian! Help me!” She struggled, but Callan’s grip was unyielding, and he pulled her away with ease.

Just then, the door at the end of the corridor opened, and Adrian appeared, his expression detached. Paula, her voice desperate as she was nearly dragged away, cried out, “Adrian! They’re mistreating me! You have to defend me!”

Adrian did not even glance her way. His indifference was palpable. “Mom, let her go.”

Amara scoffed, “I always wondered why you refused those blind dates. It’s because of this shameless woman! Are you really going to ruin your reputation because of her?”

“Who I choose to be with is my decision,” Adrian responded coolly. “You don’t have the right to dictate my life.”

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