Chapter 69: Chapter 69



Adrian had initially planned to help Joelle lift the box, but then he set it down. He wanted to find out if there was something wrong with her right hand. “Do it yourself.”

Joelle shot him a sharp look, disbelief flickering in her eyes. She had never encountered a man with so little chivalry. She bent down and lifted the box with ease. Adrian watched in silence.

It seemed he had misjudged her. Her hand was perfectly fine. Later, Adrian lingered for the evening barbecue.

The atmosphere was entirely different from earlier. Luke, once the life of the party, had given way to Katherine, who now commanded attention. Yet, every time she spoke, the group glanced nervously at Adrian, gauging his reaction. A single furrow of his brow was enough to stifle their laughter.

Sensing the tension, Joelle decided to leave. “I’ve got something to take care of. You all enjoy yourselves. I’m heading home.”

Luke smiled. “Okay, take care.”

No sooner had Joelle risen to leave than Adrian stood as well, following her to the car.

As they settled in, Adrian’s cold gaze bore into her. “Why do you even bother with such dull activities? Stop wasting your time on things like this.”

Joelle’s patience snapped, her anger bubbling over at his audacity.

She had come to make friends, and everything had been fine until Adrian appeared and ruined it. Now he had the nerve to criticize her?

Her eyes flashed with fury as she turned to him. “Adrian, my social circle is different from yours. I was enjoying myself until you showed up and cast a shadow over everything. Didn’t you notice how your presence killed the mood?”

gⱯlnσν𝓮𝓁s․com holds stories for every mood Adrian’s hand shot out, gripping her chin, his eyes narrowing with cold mockery.

“You spent the morning making sandwiches. By the time I arrived, you were skewering meat. Do you enjoy serving others that much? Isn’t it enough that you serve me at home? Now you’re doing it out too?”

Joelle’s simmering anger exploded, her chest heaving with indignation.

Was that all she was to him? A servant?

With a swift motion, she unfastened her seatbelt. “Stop the car!” The driver slammed on the brakes, the car jerking to a halt.

Adrian snapped, “Who told you to stop?”

The driver stammered, “Mrs. Miller… she did…”

“Get back here!” Adrian’s voice cut through the air like a whip as he grabbed Joelle’s wrist just as her foot touched the ground, yanking her back into the car.

He then wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her onto his lap. “Planning to run from me again?”

Joelle’s fists beat against his chest, the force of her strikes reverberating through her aching hands.

She could accept that Adrian didn’t love her, and she could even tolerate living under the same roof as Rebecca, but being reduced to a mere servant in his eyes?

That was a humiliation too far!

“Let me go, Adrian!”

Instead of releasing her, Adrian’s grip tightened, his eyes darkening with a menacing intensity.

Joelle, her breath coming in ragged gasps, was forced to sit up straight. Their gazes locked, the coldness between them palpable.

“You bastard!” Joelle spat out.

Adrian’s lips twisted into a dark smile as he blatantly licked them.

Her insult only reminded him of the intimate moments they once shared.

Without warning, he grabbed the back of her head and crushed his lips against hers.

“Mm!”

Joelle’s muffled cry was lost as he invaded her mouth, the kiss so forceful it left her dizzy.

Adrian’s hands grew bolder as his desire ignited. She struggled, but one of his hands had already slipped beneath her clothes, brazenly exploring her skin.

Joelle wanted to bite him, to push him away, but it was as if he could read her mind. Each time she tried, he would tilt her head back, deepening the kiss and stealing her breath.

In a final surge of defiance, Joelle couldn’t bear it any longer.

She raised her hand and slapped him across the face. The sound of the slap echoed in the confined space, and silence fell over the car.

Adrian’s shirt was disheveled, his eyes cold, and his lips still glistening.

Joelle didn’t wait to see his reaction. Her heart pounding, she quickly unlocked the car door, kicked it open, and got out.

Once on the ground, she ran. She ran until the taste of blood filled her throat and the lights of Adrian’s car became nothing more than a distant speck.

Wiping her tears with the back of her hand, Joelle refused to stop. Her cheek was still flushed, her palm tingling from the slap, but she kept moving forward.

Adrian ordered the driver to follow her slowly.

“Joelle, I’m going to count to three. If you don’t get in, don’t ever get in again.”

But Joelle didn’t respond. Her eyes were red, her feet moving faster.

The more she walked, the angrier Adrian became. He was the one who had been slapped. Why was she the one crying?

“Three.”

“Two.”

His voice was laced with impatience, but Joelle only picked up her pace, forcing Adrian to abandon the countdown and roll up the window.

“Leave her here!”

The car sped off, and the wind whipped Joelle’s hair as it quickly disappeared from sight.

Finally, she allowed herself to breathe, relief washing over her as she collapsed on the roadside, her sobs breaking free. Before marrying Adrian, Joelle had come from a wealthy family and had been a thriving career woman.

But now, what had she become?

She cried for her lost self, for the helplessness that had seeped into her bones.

Under the indifferent gaze of the moon, she poured her grievances into the empty fields around her. After a while, a white car slowly pulled up beside her.

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