Adeline waited outside with the daisy flowers clutched in her hands, glaring at them so hard that if eyes could set things on fire, the flowers would already be ablaze. Her knuckles whitened around the fragile stems, and the petals trembled with the same unease she felt in her chest.
Finally, with a frustrated sigh, she tossed the bouquet into a nearby trash can.
"He could have just said he was allergic to the flowers once he saw them, then I would have thrown them away," she thought out loud, biting her lips hard.
The doctors had already left, confirming that he was stable once again but she was too embarrassed to go back inside.
Theodore's face flashed in her mind and she immediately walked towards the door.
It was either embarrassing herself more or staying married to Theodore.
Adeline had to choose the former.
She opened the door to find Darien working on his laptop. She frowned deeply at this. Even after experiencing an allergy attack, he went back to work, just like that.
She closed the door right behind her while he didn't even acknowledge her presence yet.
"I'm sorry for giving you those flowers, Mr. Hawthorne, and for breaking the bottle on your head," she blabbed out immediately. "I didn't know you were allergic to daisies."
Darien slowly raised his head from the laptop and glared at Adeline.
"You're still here?" He asked, his tone devoid of any emotions.
Adeline was quite taken aback because he didn't use this tone when they'd spoken earlier.
However, she'd triggered his allergies and she didn't expect him to shine his tooth for her as though he was happy.
"I came to apologize," she said. She needed to make him forgive her, else… "I didn't know you were allergic to daisies else I wouldn't have brought it—"
"Was it your grandfather who sent you here?" He cut her off, his tone turning sharper every second. His eyes were narrowed as he sized her up.
"No of course not," she shook her head. Thankfully, her grandfather didn't know what happened last night.
"And you want me to believe that?" Darien questioned.
'Alright, he's starting to piss me off now,' she thought, her lips thinned while her teeth gnashed silently.
She understood she was at fault, but that didn't mean he got to act however he wanted.
"Look, I don't want any trouble. That's why I've come to apologize," she tried to sound as docile as possible, but Darien noticed the edge to her tone which she tried to conceal.
A grin fought to stay on his lips but he pushed the urge back.
'She looks irritated,' he thought, his emerald eyes meeting her icy blue ones that didn't blink.
When Adeline noticed that Darien wasn't going to reply, she had no choice but to use her last trump card.
"I'll do anything you want so you can forgive my awful behavior, Mr. Hawthorne," she said.
She noticed his eyes widen slightly and immediately knew she got him.
"Anything I want?" He asked, clearly amused.
Of course he would be amused.
Adeline wasn't too involved in business but she knew that anybody would jump on the offer if you agreed to do anything they wanted. She could only silently hope that he didn't ask for anything immoral from her.
After all, he was rumored to be an international playboy and the most successful bachelor in the city.
She nodded.
Darien couldn't believe she was serious.
He didn't have anything he wanted from her, but seeing at how determined she looked, he was tempted to try her.
"I have a party I have to get to in two hours and I need a plus one. Come with me," he said.
Out of anything, she didn't expect him to ask her to escort him to a party.
Nonetheless, it was safer than what she thought he would request of her.
However…
"What about your injuries—"
"Forget my injuries. I'm not going to die if I step out of this bed even for a few hours," he cuts her off once again, as he keeps his laptop away. "I'll quickly contact my assistant to bring me some clothes. Wait for me outside."
She did as she was told, and somehow, Darien enjoyed her presence.
He'd been teasing her the entire time, and she certainly wasn't the type to be stepped on.
An hour later,
Darien was dressed in a formal suit that was glued to his body. The doctor had tried every possible thing to make him reconsider attending a party in his condition, but Darien was too determined.
His assistant tried interfering but gave up since his boss wouldn't listen to him.
He drove Adeline and Darien to the location where the Solvaena group of companies were celebrating their anniversary.
The place was bustling with influential people.
Adeline suddenly wondered if it was alright for her to arrive together with Darien. Then she shrugged off her shoulders. It was her grandfather who asked her to go to him to pitch an idea in the first place.
Thankfully, her dress was suitable enough to attend an event. The paparazzi were taking pictures everywhere and once some of them tried to shove a mic into Darien's face to ask a question, a glare from him would send them retreating instantly.
Silently, they headed inside. Because of Darien's head injuries, he'd worn a hat to cover up the bandages.
Once they reached inside, all heads turned to look at them. But there was a familiar pair of eyes that Adeline noticed.
All the hairs on her skin stood on their ends as she made eye contact with Theordore.
He didn't look pleased that she was there at all, and most importantly, standing right next to Darien.
He matched forward like a predator watching his prey taken by an enemy.
Theodore grabbed Adeline's hands without even caring that eyes were on them. His teeth were gritted as he glared deep into her eyes while she mirrored his look.
"What are you doing here?" He demanded.