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nFor the entire time Adrian was carrying Cassidy on his shoulder, he had steeled his firm grip on her and kept dodging her attempts to knock him out, mustering a straight face all the while.

nHis wife is indeed one wild Amazonian woman.

nAs long as she wants it - no matter how small or shallow it is, she will do everything she can to get it. This time, she demands to drink more. She continues to try to squirm out of his hold by doing every idea she manages to come up with at her moment of drunken stupor -

nSlamming her fists on his back, kicking her feet around in an attempt to reach his abdomen, and even shouting in his ears.

nOn their way back to the mansion, that's all she ever did. In the end, though, all of her attempts were futile. He dealt with her like how a mature grown-up would to a stubborn toddler, never faltering in his resolve to get her to bed.

n

"Stupid bossman... You always spoil my fun - telling me what to do all the time,

" Cassidy grumbled underneath her breath as she crossed her arms and huffed, finally deciding to give up.

n

"I'm not telling you what to do. I'm giving you no option,

" Adrian retorted, silently finding the situation a little amusing now.

n

"Yeah, right. What's new, anyway?

"

n

"Well, if you want to stay angry at me all night, that's fine. But obviously, you can't be trusted to look after yourself.

"

n

"Look after myself...?!

"

nThat's when she suddenly bolts out again. She twists from his grasp, but he's still holding tightly onto her. He will never let her go until they reach the bedroom.

n

"I can look after myself, you jerk! I've looked after myself for years without your so-called help! I've survived pressures most would have buckled under....!

" Cassidy exclaimed out of nowhere, taking him aback.

n

"I endured all the looks of pity, scorn, mockery and revulsion! I coped with everything even when all I got in the end was this lonely, castle-like prison! So, see...?! I can take care of my own!

"

nAdrian can't find any word to reply to this.

nEven with her memories gone, the tremendous amount of pain still lingers in her voice as she spits out those words. The alcohol in her system is beginning to haul up her true feelings - or perhaps, it's really just her waiting for a perfect time to burst everything out.

nHe knows where she's coming from, though. It's not in his place to deny what she said. That's because even now, everything he knew about her sufferings for the past years was only the tip of the iceberg.

nRight now, however, Adrian needs Cassidy to put her mind to rest. This eventful day had done enough to her. Getting in another argument now or any long discussion for that matter is the least that they should do.

n

"I know quite well that you're more than capable to take care of yourself...

" he started again after a brief pause on his part.

n

"And I know that it's because you have no choice but to do just that. You're probably really tired now, aren't you?

"

nBy that point, they finally arrived in the master's bedroom. It's this spacious and lavish place with an alabaster wall interior, sophisticated decorum, a balcony, and a small golden chandelier in the middle that gives the entire room an amber-hued lighting.

nAdrian gently puts his wife down on the bed before kneeling before her. Cassidy has a distant and listless look on her face as she just silently stares back at him. It seems like she finally realized how exhausted she actually was all along.

n

"See...? You're tired,

" he breathed out with a small smile, stroking her cheek all the while.

n

"What's happening? Where am I?

" she asked blankly as her hazy and heavy-lidded eyes scanned around the place.

n

"You're going to bed now. Let's save everything you gotta say tomorrow.

"

n

"What about my baby?

"

n

"Huh? Your baby?

"

n

"My motorbike. Where is it?

"

nAdrian tries to hold back his laughter at this.

nFor a second there, he really thought that she went cheating on him while she's having her drunken stupor. As for how exactly that would happen when he's carrying her like a potato bag the whole time, he had no idea.

nNevertheless, it amuses him.

nThis is the first time he's seeing her so drunk that she can't think properly. She was never a heavy drinker and would always settle with something that had a low level of alcohol. Even then as well, she didn't drink much and would leave half of the bottle untouched every single time.

nBack then, it had given him the impression that she had a very low tolerance of alcohol. The reason she's holding back all those times is probably because she doesn't want to end up acting like this in front of him.

n

"Your vehicle's parked outside - safe and sound,

" Adrian continued, deciding to just play along.

n

"What if a storm comes again? It might get carried off all the way to the ocean,

" Cassidy babbled about, still unaware of how out of context her current behavior and words were.

n

"That's impossible. I don't think it'll rain again. Besides, even it gets washed away, I'll just buy you a new one. Tons of 'em if you want.

"

n

"Don't go boasting your wealth to me, bossman. I'm no gold digger.

"

n

"And it isn't my intention to make you look like one. I'm not trying to buy your favors either. It's a genuine offer.

"

n

"Why would you do something like that?

"

n

"Because I want to look after you from now on - to give you everything you want and need.

"

nCassidy only stays silent and looks at Adrian with a flat expression, clearly unmoved. Either she is just really out of it or she is indeed unconvinced. Whatever it is, it gets him sighing and lowering his head a little.

nPouring out his heart like this is something he rarely does. He even doesn't feel like himself anymore.

nWhat he said was something he didn't plan at all. Perhaps, it was because of the atmosphere or her power to compel him to do what he didn't intend. But regardless of why he said that, his words were still genuine and sincere - something that she couldn't see at all.

n

"What if I say that it's too late?

"

nThen, he stiffened.

nCassidy spoke up again all of the sudden, though she still appeared like she didn't really know what she's saying. Her figure is swaying back and forth at this point. She's about to fall back on the bed any second now.

nAdrian is struck a little numb right then. For the second time, he has lost any words to say. Her question was just so sudden and unexpected. It sounded like she meant it as well.

n

"Or was it really unexpected...?

" he pondered silently, narrowing his eyes at the same time.

n

"She'd been showing signs and implying it for a while now.... No, rather, she already said it out loud. She had wanted to divorce.

"

nShe said it only once, but for him, it was momentous.

nRemembering that time makes him wonder if he's indeed too late. But then, even if that's true, he can never think that it's already over - or rather, he doesn't want to. She can say that she's over with him, yet for him, everything's just getting started.

n

"Besides, she is still here...

" he thought as he focused his attention on his dozing wife again.

n

"She's still within my reach. How can everything be too late?

"

nWith that, he rises on his feet once more and puts his hand on the back of her head. At this point, she is already nodding off, clearly struggling to fight back her sleepiness. On his watch, though, she'll have to give in to it.

nEver so gently, Adrian lays Cassidy on the bed. Her heavy eyes only look back at him listlessly as his own pair tries to wordlessly urge her to rest already. As soon as she feels the soft, fluffy cushion on her back, she finally caves in with how comfy it is.

nCassidy curls a little and turns on her pillow, throwing away every remaining defense she has at the moment. She is extremely enervated after such a long and strenuous day - physically and emotionally. It's time for her to yield for once.

nTomorrow again, she'll fight.

nAdrian sits on the side of the bed, looking satisfied the moment Cassidy finally shuts her eyes closed. As she begins breathing her exhaustion away and falling deeper into slumber, he stretches out his hand and reaches for her head.

nWith that, he starts caressing her hair in silence, a tender smile gracing his features all the while. From that point on and for the next minutes to come, he just continues to watch her sleep - beholding her beauty in ways he hasn't done before.

n

"Indeed, you're still in my reach...

" Adrian muttered with a half-lidded gaze and a fond look on his face.

n

"And I promise I'll take care of you starting this point on, Cassidy.

"

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