Chapter 28: Get Out
1470 Words
When Lucas opened the car door for Willow to get out, they heard the screeching brakes of a car behind them.
The taxi came to a steady stop, and Adrian threw a large bill at the driver and got out.
Willow was still wrapped in Lucas's coat in the car.
Adrian strode over. Looking at Willow wrapped in Lucas's coat, he felt the clothing was an eyesore. He pushed Lucas aside, grabbed Willow's arm and pulled her out of the car, throwing the coat off her.
She was actually wearing a qipao today. She had never worn one for him! Was she dressed up so beautifully for Lucas?
Adrian felt like he was drowning in overwhelming jealousy.
"What are you doing here? Let go of me." Willow looked at Adrian, who had suddenly appeared, with wide eyes.
Wasn't he supposed to be at the Harringtons', intimate and dancing with Olivia? How did he end up at her house?
"Why were you with him at the ball?" Adrian had had a few drinks tonight, and seeing this scene before him, he felt his blood surging.
"What does it have to do with you?" Remembering Sophie's instructions, Willow didn't directly answer Adrian.
Willow struggled, but couldn't break free.
"Enough, you're hurting her." Lucas couldn't watch anymore and pushed Adrian away.
Adrian stumbled a few steps, frowning and looking at Willow with his head turned.
Her eyes were red and swollen, like she had just been crying.
"What's wrong? Did he bully you?" Adrian walked closer to Willow and asked, his eyes glaring viciously at Lucas.
Who was bullying whom? Bro, do you even know what's going on?
"You've had too much to drink. Go home." Willow smelled the alcohol on Adrian and stepped back. She hated the smell of tobacco and alcohol. It made her nauseous.
"I'm going home. What about him? Is he going to your place?" Adrian laughed in anger.
"What are you going crazy about at my place?" Willow was furious. She turned to go upstairs, and Lucas followed, preparing to see Willow home.
"Where are you going? You're really going up?" Adrian saw Lucas about to follow, grabbed him, and punched him in the face.
He'd had enough.
Willow was his. From childhood to adulthood, she had only ever been his. He couldn't accept another man interfering in their relationship.
The alcohol was going to his head tonight. In all his life, Adrian had never lost his composure like this.
Caught off guard by Adrian's heavy punch, Lucas fell to the ground.
But the next second, Lucas got up and charged at Adrian.
The two of them instantly grappled into a ball, neither giving in, each blow harder than the last.
Everything happened so fast. In a flash.
Willow had no time to react.
"Stop, don't fight, stop!" Willow watched anxiously as the two of them fought on the ground.
She didn't dare step forward to separate them, afraid one of them might accidentally hit her and hurt the baby.
Willow could only stamp her feet in a panic, trying to stop them from the side.
"Enough! Adrian, are you crazy!" Seeing the two of them getting more and more intense, Willow went over and tightly hugged Adrian's arm.
Adrian didn't notice and shook her off. Willow almost lost her balance and was about to fall.
Lucas's quick eyes and fast hands caught Willow.
"Are you okay?" Lucas looked nervously at Willow's belly.
Willow shook her head, subconsciously protecting her stomach. It was a good thing Lucas caught her.
"Adrian, you come to my house drunk and go crazy?" The scare made Willow's anger surge too.
Tonight was already hard enough, and he had to come causing trouble at her door. What was his problem? He was such an eyesore in front of her. She was really fed up. Even a rabbit will bite when cornered.
Adrian wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze turning cold.
"So, I interrupted your good time, didn't I?" Adrian laughed and looked at Willow.
"What?" Willow didn't react for a moment.
"Are you really going to let him into your bed?" Adrian took another step closer, looking at Willow, who was shielding Lucas behind her, with bloodshot eyes.
The more Willow protected Lucas, the more Adrian lost his reason, and words he couldn't control spilled out.
Willow's eyes went wide, as if she had heard something unbelievable.
She raised her hand and gave Adrian a heavy slap.
Willow's whole body was trembling.
"What right do you have to say that to me?" Willow bit her tongue hard, trying not to cry like a coward.
"What about you? How many times have you slept with Olivia?" Willow shot back.
"There's nothing between her and me! How many times do I have to say it before you believe me?" Adrian exploded. Why did she always not believe him?
"What about you? Do you believe me?" Willow asked with a smile.
The two of them were just drifting further and further apart.
Adrian didn't speak, just looked at Willow.
"So? You saw someone else by my side, so you can't stand it?" Willow said mockingly.
"Am I supposed to wait at home for you forever, like a pet you keep? Is it because my world isn't only about you anymore, so you're unbalanced? Is your possessiveness acting up?" Willow pressed forward step by step, her eyes red as she questioned him.
"You know what, Adrian? All these years, I've been a joke. My feelings for you, also a joke." After dropping these words, Willow turned to go upstairs.
Adrian grabbed Willow's hand.
"Get out!" Willow fiercely shook off Adrian's hand.
She didn't let Lucas see her up either. Willow went upstairs alone. She just wanted some quiet time by herself.
A joke?
Willow said her feelings were a joke?
The alcohol made Adrian's brain lag half a beat behind.
How could it be a joke? That little shadow who had always followed behind him, that little rabbit who loved him so much, the Mrs. Ashford who always left a light on for him at home—how could she say all of this was a joke?
Adrian stood in place, his ears buzzing, his mind a mess.
"The question from last time, I'm answering it again today." Picking up his coat from the ground, Lucas dusted it off.
"I like Willow. I'm going to pursue her. I'm going to take good care of her." Lucas didn't even look at Adrian.
"You don't deserve Willow's love at all." After saying this last sentence, Lucas got in his car and left.
Adrian touched his burning face.
He didn't deserve Willow's love?
Looking up at the extinguished light at Willow's place, Adrian frowned, chose not to embarrass himself further, and turned to go home.
By the time he got home, it was already very late. Adrian just threw himself onto his bed.
Feeling the pain all over his body, the worst was his face—burning hot, hurting all the way to his heart.
His mind kept replaying the image of Willow shielding Lucas behind her, afraid he would charge over.
Adrian's heart felt suffocated.
So that little girl whose heart had only ever been for him—had he lost her?
Adrian put his arm over his eyes and let out a helpless laugh...
On the other side, Willow, who had returned home, simply and calmly took off her qipao, removed her accessories, and took her pajamas to the bathroom to shower, appearing exceptionally calm.
Turning on the faucet, Willow tilted her head back and let the hot water wash over her.
With her eyes closed, whether it was the image of Adrian and Olivia embracing, the gossip around her, or Adrian's unreasonable questioning downstairs.
Willow felt like a balloon. Scene after scene, word after word, were all inflating her emotions. She was about to reach her limit, about to burst.
The hot water hit her face. Willow couldn't tell whether the water on her face was tears or hot water.
She didn't understand how she and Adrian had ended up here, step by step.
The two of them seemed to be going in opposite directions. Or perhaps they had always been two parallel lines that were never supposed to intersect.
Someone as outstanding as Adrian—he had been the golden boy from the moment he was born. And her? She was just a sensitive, insecure, and... ungrateful ugly duckling. Yes, that's what Lina Sterling had called her before. It was fitting.
But after so many years of feelings, how could they just be cut off like that?
It would have been better to never have had them at all...
Spilled water is hard to retrieve.
Willow felt exhausted, heartbroken, and powerless...
- Writer
