Chapter 9: Paradise

Chapter 9 - Paradise Adrian knew he rarely showed emotion, especially at the office. But it wasn't without reason. He'd crafted that image on purpose. He was young to be running a company the size of Williams Enterprise, and he knew it. The last thing he needed was people thinking he was soft or easy to manipulate. So he became that boss. Cold. Calculated. Intimidating. It worked. Maybe a little too well. "You're really not mad?" Bianca asked carefully. "You're not going to fire me?" Adrian let out a quiet chuckle and glanced at her. "I don't think I could fire my future wife." Bianca's eyes widened. Her cheeks instantly flushed a deep pink. Oh my god. Did he really just say that? Out loud? With a straight face? Future wife. Two words that shouldn't be this terrifying. She stared out the window, trying to calm the mini heart attack she was currently having. What the hell am I doing? she thought. I said yes to this insanity. What if I regret it? What if this whole thing blows up in my face? A marriage contract might've sounded like a practical solution yesterday, but now... it felt like walking blindfolded into a storm. Still, a small voice in her head whispered. You can still back out. *** PARADISE was the nightclub where Adrian, Zak, and Rafael usually hung out. The place lived up to its name, Paradise. Not the heaven above kind, but the on earth kind. Loud music, dim lights, expensive perfume mixed with whiskey and money, yep, it was their kind of escape. Adrian narrowed his eyes as he stepped inside. His gaze scanned the crowd, searching for two familiar faces. Zakari and Rafael. Then he spotted him. Zak was grinning wide, waving both arms like a maniac. With his long strides, Adrian made his way over to them. "Yo, Adrian, my bro..." Zak greeted him with a hug as soon as he got close. Rafael stood up too. "Hey, Ad." Adrian squinted at Rafael, immediately picking up something off. "What the hell happened to you, Raf?" Rafael looked like a wreck. Hair uncombed, dark circles under his eyes, and seriously, was that a mustache? A patchy, uneven one at that. This wasn't the Rafael Whitmore everyone knew. Normally, the man looked like he stepped out of a GQ photoshoot. Rafael casually ran a hand through his hair. "Just a minor issue, Ad," he said, collapsing back onto the couch beside Adrian. Adrian raised an eyebrow. Sure. Minor issue, my ass. "Rafael Whitmore," Zak said with exaggerated drama, "CEO of Whitmore Corp. The man worshipped by interns and feared by board members, now looks like he got evicted from his own penthouse." Rafael gave Zak a dead stare, then sighed and massaged his temples. They all knew Rafael wasn't the type to fall apart over something small. Between the three of them, he was the calmest, most put together one. For him to show up looking like this... yeah, something was up. But both Adrian and Zak knew better than to press him too hard. "You don't have to talk about it now," Adrian said, his voice steady. "But when you're ready, we're here." Zak nodded in agreement. "Exactly. No pressure, bro." Rafael gave them a weak smile. "Thanks, guys." A quiet pause settled between them, slightly heavy, slightly awkward. And Zak? He was allergic to silence. Still holding his tequila, he stood up like he was about to deliver a TED Talk. "Gentlemen, we're in Paradise. This is not a group therapy session. Look around, every woman here is looking at us like we're medium rare steaks. So chin up, smile, wink... and let's go hunting." With a smirk full of mischief, Zak strutted off into the crowd, leaving Adrian and Rafael staring after him, half annoyed, half amused. Rafael and Adrian both shook their heads as they watched Zak strut over to a group of women who were deep in conversation and laughter. Classic Zak. No shame, no hesitation, just pure confidence. If Adrian was the cold, calculated one of the trio, then Zak was the exact opposite. Loud, energetic, and at times, acted like a literal child. But don't let the clown act fool you, Zak was sharp as hell. Out of the three of them, Zak had the highest IQ, and he didn't waste it. While Adrian and Rafael were still focused on stabilizing their companies domestically, Zak had already helped his family expand internationally. Branches in neighboring countries? That was all Zak's strategy. The guy might joke 24/7, but when it came to business, he was deadly serious. From where they were sitting, Adrian and Rafael could feel the heat of every gaze thrown their way. The hungry stares from women... and the not so subtle death glares from men. Yeah, they were used to it. Nothing new. Adrian casually scanned the room. Then his eyes landed on a woman sitting alone in the corner, sipping her drink with an air of mystery. She was pretty. Very. He smirked and gave her a subtle wink. Just as expected, she winked back. Too easy. But somehow, his mind wandered back to earlier that afternoon. To a very different kind of woman. One who wore thick glasses, looked permanently stressed, and had the audacity to say... he wasn't her type. Seriously? That still stung. It shouldn't have, but it did. Adrian frowned slightly, the memory irritating him more than he cared to admit. The nerve of her. He blamed the glasses. That had to be it. She couldn't see properly. That was the only reasonable explanation. "You're frowning to yourself. Why?" Rafael's voice cut through his thoughts. "Just remembered something," Adrian said vaguely. Then, changing the subject, he nodded toward Rafa's phone. "Call her." "Huh?" "Just do it." Adrian shrugged, swirling the empty glass in his hand. "You've been staring at your phone like it's gonna explode." Rafael sighed. "I already did. She didn't pick up." Adrian's eyes narrowed. So this was about a girl. It had to be. That explained the wrecked look, the silence, the whole vibe. "She must be something else if she's got you looking like this," Adrian teased. "She is," Rafael replied, a soft smile playing on his lips. But Adrian caught the hint of sadness in his eyes. "She's... different. Nothing like the women I've known." Adrian didn't respond. He didn't have to. He could see it in his friend's face, this one had his heart. Then Zak returned, looking way too smug. "Dude. You two missed out," Zak announced dramatically, plopping back down with his drink. "I just had the best five minutes of my life." Adrian and Rafael laughed as Zak launched into a full report of his "hunt." Something about a model, a spilled drink, and a very specific tattoo. But before Zak could finish, a woman appeared at their table. Short bob haircut, confident stride, and a dangerously flirtatious smile. "Hi," she purred. Zak grinned back immediately. "Hi there, gorgeous." "I'm Olivia," she said, her voice like honey. "I'm Zak, that's Adrian, and over there is Raf," he replied, gesturing casually to each of them. Adrian's eyes flicked to Olivia, assessing her with practiced ease. From head to toe. Tight black mini dress, curves in all the right places. The kind of woman who knew exactly what she was doing and wore that dress knowing the effect it had. Not bad. Not bad at all. Smart woman. ***