Chapter 5: Adrian's First Love
1319 Words
Honestly, it was absurdly cliche and utterly boring.
They were both twenty, attending the same university, even sharing the same classes. Adrian was easily the most handsome man in their year, and he ranked first in their major. Olivia came in second. Under such circumstances... it was only natural that Olivia would confess to him.
And Adrian...
Willow was four years younger than Adrian. When he was a sophomore, she had just started her freshman year of high school.
It was a Friday. Adrian had gone to pick Willow up from school.
Instead, he caught her holding an envelope, cheeks flushed pink, handing it to an upperclassman.
What the hell was this? Adrian's brow shot up.
"Willow!" he barked, his voice sharp enough to make her jump.
Willow spun around, shoved the envelope at the guy, and bolted.
"Bro*?Brother..." She looked exactly like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
"Shouldn't you be studying?" Adrian demanded.
But his eyes were fixed on that upperclassman's face.
Was this her type now?
Fair skin, glasses, that scholarly, delicate look. (Not that Adrian would ever admit the guy bore any resemblance to himself.)
A strange, sour ache tightened in his chest.
Hadn't she said he was her favorite? Little liar.
"It's not*?I didn't*? Willow stammered, unable to explain.
Adrian's mood darkened. Back home, he spitefully mentioned to Grandpa that Willow was showing signs of early romance. The result? For the entirety of high school, Grandpa had George, the driver, tail her everywhere she went.
Adrian was more than satisfied with that arrangement.
And when he returned to campus that day, staring at the confession letter Olivia had slipped him, the girl before him seemed to blur into that flushed, frightened little rabbit from earlier.
What had her letter said?
Was that boy better-looking than him?
Hadn't she said Brother was her favorite?
Adrian couldn't make sense of his own emotions. Almost against his will, he heard himself say, "Okay."
And just like that, in a haze of confusion, he began his first love with Olivia.
After a few weeks of dating, he brought Olivia to meet Willow.
"Willow, this is my girlfriend." Adrian introduced her.
Just as he'd expected******* the realization hit him like a physical blow*** watched Willow's face crumple: disbelieving, devastating, heartbreakingly sad.
Adrian exhaled, the tension in his chest finally easing. And in that same moment, he confronted the truth he'd been avoiding: his own cruelty, and the depth of his feelings for Willow.
The next morning, he broke up with Olivia.
"You love your little sister." Olivia stated it as fact, her gaze steady on his.
Adrian didn't deny it. If anything, he looked... caught. Embarrassed.
After all, when Adrian was twenty, Willow had only been fifteen.
"Olivia, I'm sorry. I was reckless." His apology was genuine. She was an exceptional woman, truly.
"Adrian, we'll tell people I dumped you. And I'll decide when we announce it." With that, Olivia turned and walked away.
Ever the gentleman, Adrian honored her request.
Three months after their breakup, Olivia left to study abroad. It was only then that she finally announced to the world that she had ended things***** she had dumped Adrian.
And so Adrian's first love ended as abruptly as it had begun. Three months of something that barely qualified as a relationship. They hadn't even shared a kiss.
The next time he saw Olivia was the second year of his marriage to Willow.
He did feel some guilt toward her.
So when she returned from overseas and, leveraging the Sterling family's ties to the Ashford family, chose to join Ashford Group, Adrian raised no objections.
"Hey, little Willow. Long time no see." Olivia greeted her with a smile, still the same proud woman she'd always been. Like a swan. Like a victor.
Olivia was radiant, her beauty as bold as her personality********** to the point of arrogance.
Willow, true to her name, was gentle and lovely. But she was also insecure. Sensitive.
They were polar opposites.
And standing next to Olivia, Willow felt smaller than ever.
Olivia could accompany Adrian to business dinners, charm clients, work a room.
Willow? She only knew how to prepare hangover soup at home, paint when she was bored, stay at home...
But Adrian had married her. Willow! Didn't that count for anything?
Well, soon it wouldn't matter. Once the divorce was finalized, Olivia would simply step into her place.
Thinking this, Willow jolted awake.
She'd fallen asleep in the bathtub. God, she was exhausted.
Fearful of catching a chill, she quickly dried off and stepped out.
Adrian was already in bed, changed into pajamas, reading.
"You*? Willow froze, towel in hand.
"If I recall correctly," Adrian said without looking up from his book, "we're not divorced yet."
Willow walked to the bedside, grabbed her pillow, and headed for the door.
"Willow." Adrian's jaw tightened. He got up and seized her wrist.
"Adrian, I'm serious. I need you to take this seriously too. Let's... end this with some dignity." She turned away, unable to face him.
"Dignity?" He pulled her directly in front of him. "And what would an undignified ending look like?"
"Didn't you say Brother was your favorite, hmm?" His eyes turned dark, forbidding, and Willow found she couldn't meet his gaze.
"I don't want to like him anymore," she said stubbornly.
"So who do you want instead? Someone other than me?" Adrian's voice was low, controlled.
"Why not?" Willow glared back at him.
Those red-rimmed, defiant eyes...
Adrian bent down and kissed her, hard and punishing, furious with her and with himself.
Their lips clashed, and Willow quickly yielded.
But a sudden wave of nausea hit her. She shoved him away and ran to the bathroom, retching.
When she finally finished, Adrian stood there holding a glass of water.
"Have you gotten your period this month?" he asked, frowning.
Willow went rigid, cold sweat beading on her skin.
"It came. It just left recently." She took the water with trembling hands and sipped.
"Then why do you keep throwing up?" His eyes were sharp with concern.
"I have a physiological aversion to you." She wiped her mouth.
Ah. A physiological aversion.
Adrian felt a muscle twitch in his jaw. He was going to kill her. Or she was going to kill him.
Was it possible to have a stroke from sheer frustration?
Willow shrank back, half-expecting him to explode.
His phone rang.
Glancing at the screen, Adrian frowned but answered.
"Fine. I'm on my way." Just a few short words.
But Willow heard the woman's voice on the other end.
"Olivia?" she asked.
"Yes, it's*?
"Don't tell me. Just go. I'm going to sleep." Willow cut him off, turned away, and burrowed under the covers.
She listened with her back to him as he dressed, opened the door, closed it.
Willow exhaled. He was gone.
But a moment later, she realized the room had fallen into a crushing silence.
She was alone again.
No. Not alone. There was still the baby in her belly.
At the thought, Willow let out a soft laugh.
She looked at the framed photo on the nightstand******** Arthur smiling at her.
"Grandpa, did Willow worry you? Do you want to see the little baby?"
She gently traced his face in the photograph.
Willow lay back, staring at the ceiling.
Grandpa was gone. She had once made Adrian her entire world.
And soon, Adrian wouldn't belong to her anymore either. Then what would she have left?
Perhaps... a child.
She had no family left in this world. Maybe this baby could be her only family. Her only reason to stay.
Willow thought of Helen's words, staring blankly at the ceiling.
She didn't sleep a wink all night.
- Writer
