The Debt That Made Me His

Chapter 5: A Problem Named Valentina

The next morning, Ariana woke up exhausted.

Not because she hadn't slept.

Because she had dreamed.

And unfortunately, Adrian Vitale had appeared in nearly every dream.

It was ridiculous.

Completely ridiculous.

She had known the man for less than a week.

Yet somehow he occupied far too much space in her thoughts.

Ariana groaned and buried her face in her pillow.

"This is getting ridiculous."

Unfortunately, her pillow offered no useful advice.

An hour later, she stood inside the boutique pretending to work.

Pretending being the important word.

Because her attention kept drifting.

To the contract.

To Adrian.

To the future she couldn't seem to stop imagining.

The bell above the door chimed.

Ariana looked up automatically.

Then froze.

A woman walked inside.

Elegant.

Beautiful.

Expensively dressed.

Valentina Romano.

Wonderful.

Just wonderful.

Valentina's sharp gaze swept across the boutique.

Taking in every detail.

Every mannequin.

Every dress.

Every display.

The look on her face suggested she wasn't impressed.

Ariana immediately disliked her.

More than she already did.

"Can I help you?" Ariana asked.

Valentina smiled.

The smile never reached her eyes.

"I'm here to see you."

Great.

That couldn't possibly be good.

Ariana folded her arms.

"Why?"

Valentina took her time answering.

As if she enjoyed creating tension.

"I wanted to meet the woman who plans on marrying Adrian."

The entire boutique suddenly felt smaller.

Mia looked between them from behind the register.

Clearly sensing drama.

And clearly enjoying it.

Traitor.

Ariana forced herself to remain calm.

"There's no wedding."

Valentina's eyebrow lifted.

"No?"

"No."

The answer came quickly.

Perhaps too quickly.

Valentina noticed.

Of course she noticed.

"Interesting."

She moved closer.

Her heels clicking softly against the floor.

"I heard differently."

Ariana resisted the urge to sigh.

"I'm sure you did."

For several seconds, neither woman spoke.

The tension between them grew heavier.

Sharper.

Then Valentina smiled again.

The kind of smile that belonged on a snake.

"I've known Adrian for years."

Ariana remained silent.

Waiting.

"He isn't the kind of man who marries."

The statement felt deliberate.

A warning disguised as information.

"I see."

Valentina's gaze sharpened.

"You don't belong in his world."

There it was.

The real reason she came.

Not curiosity.

Not concern.

A challenge.

Ariana straightened.

"So?"

For the first time, Valentina looked surprised.

As if she expected Ariana to shrink.

To apologize.

To retreat.

Instead, Ariana simply waited.

Valentina crossed her arms.

"You're a fashion designer."

"Yes."

"He's the head of the Vitale Family."

"Also yes."

The socialite's jaw tightened slightly.

Ariana almost smiled.

Almost.

"He needs someone who understands his world."

Ariana finally laughed.

The sound escaped before she could stop it.

Valentina blinked.

"What exactly is funny?"

"You."

The word slipped out.

Valentina looked offended.

Good.

Ariana was offended too.

"You came all the way here to tell me I'm not good enough."

The socialite remained silent.

Which was answer enough.

Ariana shook her head.

"That's sad."

The comment hit exactly where intended.

Valentina's eyes flashed.

"You should walk away while you still can."

Ariana's patience finally snapped.

"No."

The word echoed through the boutique.

Firm.

Certain.

Valentina stared.

Ariana took a step forward.

"I don't know why you're obsessed with Adrian."

The socialite's expression darkened.

"But whatever issue you have with me is your problem."

Neither woman looked away.

Neither backed down.

The air practically crackled with hostility.

Finally, Valentina smiled.

A cold smile.

A dangerous smile.

"You'll regret this."

Then she turned and walked away.

The bell chimed as the door closed behind her.

Silence filled the boutique.

For exactly three seconds.

Then—

"Oh my God."

Mia practically ran across the room.

"What was that?"

Ariana groaned.

"A headache."

"No."

Mia's eyes sparkled.

"That was better than television."

Ariana grabbed a measuring tape.

"I'm firing you."

"No, you're not."

"Probably not."

Mia grinned.

"She hates you."

"Thank you for that observation."

"I'm serious."

Ariana sighed.

She knew.

Valentina hated her.

And somehow Ariana had the feeling this wouldn't be their last encounter.

Not even close.

---

Across the city, Adrian sat inside his office.

The room was quiet.

Except for the sound of pages turning.

Business reports.

Contracts.

Financial summaries.

Normally, work was enough to occupy his attention.

Today it wasn't.

Because he kept thinking about Ariana.

Annoying.

Very annoying.

A knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Enter."

The office door opened.

His cousin, Luca, walked inside.

Luca glanced at him.

Then laughed.

Adrian frowned.

"What?"

"You look distracted."

"I'm working."

"Exactly."

Luca sat down.

"That's why it's strange."

Adrian ignored him.

Unfortunately, Luca never took hints.

"So."

The younger man grinned.

"Tell me about her."

"There is nothing to tell."

"Right."

Luca looked unconvinced.

"The woman you're planning to marry."

Adrian continued reading.

"I never said I was planning to marry her."

"You literally proposed."

A fair point.

Unfortunately.

Luca leaned forward.

"You like her."

"No."

The denial came immediately.

Far too quickly.

Luca laughed again.

"You definitely like her."

Adrian looked up.

Slowly.

Luca wisely stopped laughing.

Mostly.

"What exactly makes you think that?"

His cousin looked genuinely confused.

"You visited her yourself."

Adrian remained silent.

"You sent flowers."

Still silent.

"You remember details about her."

Silence.

Luca spread his hands.

"Need I continue?"

Adrian returned to his paperwork.

The conversation was over.

At least for him.

Unfortunately, Luca wasn't finished.

"Just don't wait too long."

Adrian looked up.

"What?"

His cousin's expression became serious.

"For someone who claims not to care, you think about her a lot."

The words lingered after Luca left.

Long after.

Because Adrian wasn't sure they were wrong.

---

That evening, Ariana sat alone in her apartment.

The contract rested on her coffee table.

Waiting.

Always waiting.

She picked it up.

Read it again.

Every page.

Every condition.

Every promise.

By the end, her head hurt.

The terms were fair.

That was the problem.

If Adrian had been cruel, saying no would have been easy.

Instead, he had made the choice difficult.

Infuriatingly difficult.

Her phone suddenly rang.

Unknown number.

Ariana hesitated.

Then answered.

"Hello?"

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then a male voice said:

"If I were you, I'd stay away from Adrian Vitale."

Ariana froze.

Her stomach tightened.

"Who is this?"

The line went dead.

Just like that.

Silence.

Cold.

Unsettling silence.

Ariana stared at the phone.

Her pulse quickening.

The warning echoed inside her mind.

Stay away from Adrian Vitale.

For the first time since receiving the proposal, fear crept into her chest.

Not fear of Adrian.

Fear of the world surrounding him.

The world she might be stepping into.

And as she sat alone in her apartment, staring at the dark screen of her phone, Ariana realized something important.

The contract wasn't the only risk.

Adrian Vitale came with enemies.

And if she became his wife—

Those enemies might become hers too.