OLIVIA
I couldn’t bring myself to tell Kate what had transpired between Adrian and me. I wouldn’t know how she would react to Adrian not wanting to spend the rest of his life with me.
“And where’s Adrian? He ought to be here. Why hasn’t he shown up yet? Are you sure he still wants to take us shopping?” Kate asked after her close observation.
I thought about what Kate said and realized she might be right. It was strange that the thought hadn’t crossed my mind earlier.
“I guess he’s still stuck in the car. He’s probably too tense to show up after what happened between us,” I replied, trying to keep her in suspense.
My plan to frustrate Kate into giving up on her questioning wasn’t working. She was determined, almost like a detective investigating a case.
“With all due respect, if you don’t speak up now, I might be forced to go speak with Adrian. Who knows? I might get lucky and get the information I need from him,” Kate dared, already moving to execute her threat.
“Wait! I’ll speak now,” I blurted out, stopping her in her tracks.
“So, after the romance, Adrian felt guilty about getting involved with a married woman,” I admitted reluctantly.
“So? What type of silly excuse is that? Wasn’t he aware of that before you two had sex in his mansion? What is he trying to insinuate?” Kate snarled. Her reaction mirrored my own earlier response to Adrian, as though she had been there with me the entire time.
“You know what? Let’s head back to the office. I’m not comfortable being here anymore,” Kate suggested, her frustration mounting.
Just like Kate, I was also growing tired of the shopping charade. I wouldn’t mind heading back home, but I didn’t want to be disrespectful toward Adrian. I felt we still had a lot to discuss, and leaving now meant walking away from the truth I deserved.
“No, let’s stay back and wait for Adrian to show up. It wouldn’t make any sense to leave like this,” I insisted.
“This is unbelievable,” Kate said, shaking her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you still want to be here despite being uncomfortable. Where’s Adrian now?”
“Behind you, Kate,” a deep voice said.
We turned around and saw Adrian standing there with a large frown on his face. Kate and I froze. We had no idea how long he had been standing there or how much he had overheard.
“Hey, Adrian. I didn’t realize you were here. Shall we proceed with the shopping now?” I asked, forcing a smile to shift the narrative.
I didn’t dare ask if Adrian had overheard us talking about him. For someone who had been watching us for who knows how long, it was almost certain he had. But Adrian said nothing. He simply pretended as though he had heard nothing.
“Sure, let’s proceed,” Adrian replied with a faint smile.
Even with that small gesture, I could see the sorrow in his face. It was written all over him. He looked like a man trapped in a pit of confusion, struggling to stay strong.
“Kate, how are you? You haven’t said a word to me since I got here,” Adrian said, turning his attention to her.
“Me?” Kate asked, pointing at herself. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m just a bit tired. Don’t worry, we’re good,” she replied, clearly lying.
I stayed quiet, pretending not to notice Kate’s cold demeanor toward Adrian.
I turned to pick out a few clothes and a pair of shoes. I tried not to shop for too long. I didn’t want Adrian to see me as a gold digger. The fact that he stayed with me the entire time only made me feel more self-conscious about every item I chose.
“I guess these are enough,” I said, turning to Adrian.
He didn’t say a word.
As I walked toward the cashier to make my payment, Adrian suddenly pulled me back by the arm. “Olivia, please, we need to talk. Don’t go yet,” he pleaded.
Leaning closer, I whispered, “Please, can we not do this here? I don’t want us to cause a scene. You do realize this is a public place, right?”
“A public place, you say? Who cares? That’s why I want to apologize to you, so the world knows how sorry I am,” Adrian said, his voice laden with regret. He was ready to kneel before me, but I stopped him.
“What are you doing? Stop embarrassing yourself. I don’t want to be in the news for the wrong reasons. It’s just a matter of time before people start showing up,” I explained, trying to prevent a spectacle.
I wasn’t done talking when Kate appeared with the items she had picked out. “Is there a problem?” she asked, her timing perfect.
Her presence felt like a lifeline. I needed an escape, and Kate had unknowingly provided one.
“Thank God you’re here, Kate. Can we go to the cashier now?” I sighed in relief.
“Sure, why not?” Adrian agreed without hesitation. He had no choice but to go along. Kate’s presence had ruined whatever plans he had in mind.
After sorting the bills, I joined Kate and resisted the urge to walk alone. I knew Adrian would try to catch up with me if I gave him the chance.
As Adrian and I walked toward the car, we noticed Kate suddenly stop in her tracks, her gaze fixed on something in the distance.
“What’s wrong with your assistant? Isn’t she coming with us anymore?” Adrian asked, puzzled.
Kate walked toward us, her face tense and alert. Whatever had caught her attention, it wasn’t about Adrian.
“What’s wrong? I saw you staring at someone. What happened?” I asked.
“I caught someone taking pictures of us. He ran off when he realized I’d seen him,” Kate revealed, her tone sharp.
“Taking pictures of us?” I muttered, confused.
“There’s no cause for alarm. It’s probably just a reporter looking for a juicy headline. Pay no attention to it,” Adrian said, dismissing the issue.
“No, I disagree. It has to be Rene,” I countered immediately, my instincts kicking in.
My mind narrowed down to Rene without hesitation. She was the only one capable of such drastic actions. It had to be her, scheming to find a way to tear Cyril and me apart completely, so she could have him all to herself.