ADRIAN’S POV
*Back to the present*
The familiar buzzing of my phone pulled me from the darkness, dragging me back to reality. I sat up, my breath uneven, my pulse hammering in my ears. My body felt tense, a thin layer of sweat clinging to my skin despite the cold air in my library office.
That dream again.
It never left me, haunting me every year like clockwork. The scene replayed in my mind, vivid and torturous–my mother’s trembling hands, her tear–streaked face, the final words she uttered before the deafening gunshot shattered my world. I had relived it so many times that I had lost count.
No matter how much time passed, the pain never dulled.
I ran a hand over my face, exhaling sharply. Maybe I should stop sleeping altogether when this day came around. What was the point if all I did was wake up drowning in the same old nightmare?
My phone buzzed again, vibrating against the wood of my desk. I glanced at the screen and saw Dan’s name flashing. Right–I had told him earlier at the office to get me results. Could it be that he finally had something?
Straightening up, I cleared my throat and answered. “Talk to me.”
“Boss, I have good news,” Dan’s voice came through the speaker, his tone sharp with urgency. “We found him.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Found who?”
“The nut job who messed up our plans. Madam Olivia’s friend.”
I leaned back in my chair, running a hand along my jaw. That wasn’t the main objective, but it was at least a step forward. If he was in contact with Olivia, he could lead us to her whereabouts. She might even be staying with him.
“Alright,” I said, my voice steady. “That’s a good step forward. Now that you know. where he’s living, I want you and your team to closely monitor him. At the very least, he should know something about Olivia’s whereabouts.”
“Copy that, sir.”
I
“This time, try not to get caught,” I warned. “Send me a photo of this guy. I want to take a look.”
“Understood, boss. Sending it no…
Successfully unlocked!
hung up and placed the phone back on my desk. Not even a minute later, a notification chimed. Dan had sent the photo and a name.
1/4
CHAPTER 020
picked up my phone and opened the message, my gaze falling on the image. The moment my eyes registered the familiar face, my fingers tightened around the device.
“The hell?” I muttered.
I zoomed in, studying the man in the photo. No doubt about it.
“Julian?” I said under my breath.
At first, I had assumed it was some random stranger who had helped Olivia escape. But I never expected it to be him.
Of all people–Julian.
My jaw clenched.
Olivia didn’t have many male friends, and that was my decision. I had made sure of it. Julian had been the only one I could never completely get rid of. And now, after all this time, she had run straight to him.
How predictable.
had warned her countless times to stay away from him. Not because I was jealous, because I knew exactly what kind of person he was. Julian never knew when to ack off, always prying into other people’s affairs. He wasn’t just a nosy bastard–he was dangerously good at digging up information.
The man had resources. Connections. If left unchecked, he could unravel everything I had spent years building.
I rubbed my chin, the irritation simmering into something darker.
Why him? Had she been in contact with him this whole time? I had made sure she kept her distance from Julian during our marriage, going as far as threatening her with our relationship. She had listened–or so I had thought.
So why was she back with him now?
I exhaled through my nose, gripping the edge of my desk.
This wasn’t good.
Julian wasn’t just a potential obstacle. He was a direct threat. If Olivia told him everything, there was no telling what he would do. He would dig. He would investigate. And if he looked hard enough, he might find the skeletons buried in my past.
I stood up, pacing across the room. My patience was running thin.
“Why can’t you just mind your fucking business?” I muttered under my breath.
I picked up my phone again and called Dan. He answered on the second ring.
“Yes, sir.”
“This guy–Julian. He’s not just anyone. You need to be extremely careful with him,” I warned.
CH
