Chapter Six: The Dinner
686 Words
For a moment, Yvonne forgot that everyone else was in the room.
Adrian stood near the entrance, dressed in a dark suit, his expression calm as his eyes remained fixed on her.
He recognized her immediately.
The woman from the office.
The one he had been thinking about all morning.
But seeing her here changed everything.
Richard cleared his throat.
“Adrian, this is my daughter, Yvonne.”
Adrian’s gaze never left her.
“We’ve met.”
Yvonne nodded.
“Yes.”
Charlotte, who was standing nearby, looked between them.
“You two already know each other?”
“Not exactly,” Yvonne answered.
Adrian smiled slightly.
“She needed help finding an office yesterday.”
Charlotte’s expression tightened.
Richard gestured toward the sitting room.
“Let’s sit.”
Everyone moved inside.
Yvonne sat across from Adrian while Charlotte remained beside her mother.
The conversation began with business.
Edward’s investment.
The Carter company’s future.
The agreement.
But Yvonne barely heard any of it.
She was too aware of Adrian sitting across from her.
Every time she looked up, she found him watching her.
Finally, Adrian leaned slightly toward her.
“You seem nervous.”
Yvonne lowered her voice.
“Wouldn’t you be?”
“About marrying someone you barely know?”
She looked at him.
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“Fair enough.”
Yvonne studied him.
“You don’t seem nervous.”
“Maybe I’m better at hiding it.”
That made her smile.
For the first time that evening, she relaxed.
After dinner, Richard asked Adrian to join him in the study.
Yvonne remained in the living room with the women.
Charlotte immediately approached her.
“You seem comfortable around him.”
Yvonne looked at her.
“Shouldn’t I be?”
Charlotte smiled.
“Of course.”
But there was something cold behind her eyes.
“I just find it interesting.”
“What do you mean?”
Charlotte shrugged.
“Nothing.”
She walked away.
Yvonne watched her carefully.
Something about Charlotte’s behavior made her uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, in the study, Richard closed the door.
“Adrian, I hope you’re satisfied with everything.”
Adrian nodded.
“Your daughter is different from what I expected.”
Richard frowned slightly.
“Is that a problem?”
“No.”
Adrian looked toward the door.
“It’s the opposite.”
Richard smiled with relief.
“Then we can proceed.”
Adrian nodded.
But before leaving, he asked quietly,
“Did Yvonne agree to this?”
Richard hesitated.
“She understands the situation.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Richard looked at him.
Adrian’s voice remained calm.
“Did she choose this?”
Richard didn’t answer.
Adrian understood.
When he returned to the living room, Yvonne was standing near the window.
He walked toward her.
“Can we talk?”
She turned.
“Okay.”
They stepped outside onto the terrace.
The evening air was cool.
Adrian leaned against the railing.
“I want to ask you something.”
“What?”
“Do you want this marriage?”
Yvonne looked at him.
She could have lied.
Instead, she told him the truth.
“I don’t know.”
Adrian nodded.
“That’s fair.”
“My family needs the deal.”
“I know.”
“And you’re agreeing because your family wants it.”
He looked at her.
“Yes.”
Yvonne smiled faintly.
“So we’re both doing something we didn’t plan.”
“Maybe.”
She looked at him.
“What do you want?”
Adrian was quiet.
Then he answered.
“I want to get to know you first.”
Yvonne’s heart fluttered.
“Why?”
He smiled.
“Because yesterday, when I met you, I wanted to know your name.”
She looked away, trying to hide her smile.
“And now?”
“Now I know it.”
He paused.
“And I still want to know you.”
Yvonne looked back at him.
Neither spoke.
For the first time, the marriage didn’t feel like a business arrangement.
It felt like the beginning of something neither of them had expected.
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