Lucia had a bad feeling about this.
Adrian wasn’t the type to get flustered. He wasn’t the type to panic or back down when things went out of control. He was the type to take charge, to turn a mess into a game—one where he always won.
And right now?
That glint in his eyes told her he was about to make his move.
“I don’t need you to ‘handle’ me,” she said, crossing her arms. “I’ll clear this up myself.”
Adrian hummed, unconvinced. “And how exactly do you plan to do that?”
“I’ll tell people the truth—that I’m not involved with you.”
His lips curved into something dangerously close to amusement. “And you think they’ll just believe you?”
Lucia clenched her jaw. He had a point. Even if she tried to deny it, the more she talked, the more people would twist her words.
Adrian took a step
