CHAPTER 2: Adrian Is Angry
1497 Words
The silence that followed Willow's announcement was absolute. Then, with theatrical timing, Arthur's eyes rolled back and he slumped in his chair.
"Grandfather!" Willow gasped. She had expected him to object, but not to collapse.
Adrian moved fast, catching the old man before he hit the floor.
Arthur cracked one eye open and winked at his grandson.
Adrian: "......"
"Quick, pinch his philtrum!" Sophie shouted, using all her strength to press her thumb between the old man's nose and upper lip.
Well done. Now Arthur really was seeing stars.
The household descended into chaos. Servants rushed to carry the patriarch to his room while Dr. Hoffman arrived, wiping sweat from his forehead as he examined the elderly gentleman.
"Was he shocked by something?" the doctor asked, adjusting his glasses.
Everyone fell silent. Willow, especially, stared at the floor like a schoolgirl caught cheating on a test.
"Don't agitate the old man anymore. He needs rest. Otherwise, his vitals are excellent."
"Thank you, Dr. Hoffman. I'll walk you out." Richard escorted the doctor from the room.
"Willow. Adrian. Stay." Arthur's weak voice commanded from the bed. "Everyone else, out."
Catherine was still in a daze as Sophie dragged her from the room.
Arthur studied his grandson****** brows were drawn together so tightly they could crush a fly***** looked at the small, pitiful figure of Willow with her head bowed.
"I failed you. I didn't take care of Willow." Arthur clutched his chest, his voice breaking.
"Grandfather, please don't say that." Willow's heart twisted hearing him call her by that name. It felt strange. Bittersweet.
"You beast, kneel!" Arthur snapped at Adrian.
Adrian knelt without a word.
"Grandfather, no..." Willow's eyes reddened.
"Tell me, did he wrong you?" Arthur squinted at her.
Willow didn't know how to answer. Did Olivia count?
While she hesitated, Arthur raised his walking cane to strike Adrian.
"I didn't," Adrian finally spoke, his brow furrowed.
"Then why?" Arthur panted with rage.
Adrian said nothing. He wished he knew.
Watching his grandson*** stubborn you couldn't beat a response out of him with three sticks*** wonder no woman could stand it!
The thought sent Arthur's blood pressure genuinely spiking.
"I'm giving you time to fix this. If you can't, don't come back. Get out!" Arthur wheezed, reaching for his oxygen mask.
Adrian stood, glanced at Willow, and walked out.
Downstairs:
"Sophie, pinch me. Am I dreaming? Is this real?" Catherine grabbed Sophie's arm.
"Mom, please don't make things worse right now," Sophie whined.
Richard stood with crossed arms, saying nothing.
"Sister-in-law, Brother, you're down!" Sophie said awkwardly as the two descended.
"We're heading home. Take care of Grandfather. Call me if anything happens." Adrian told Sophie.
Sophie nodded, then glanced at Willow behind Adrian.
Yeah, Brother is furious. I'm scared too, Sister-in-law. Good luck.
Willow kept her head down as she followed Adrian out.
"George, take the other car. I'll drive myself." Adrian told the driver.
"Yes, sir." George bolted***'d known something was coming today.
Adrian walked to the driver's seat, watching Willow hesitate by the passenger door.
"Need me to open the door for you?" Adrian asked, his voice ice-cold.
Willow got in, feeling the suffocating tension in the car.
It had been so long since she'd seen Adrian angry... He was always so composed, like a flower on a high mountain*********** to read, impossible to... possess.
When was the last time he got angry? Willow tilted her head, lost in thought.
Ah... the day her grandfather died.
That day, although they had prepared for it forever, when it finally came, Willow couldn't accept it.
There was so much to do, but she couldn't hear anything around her. She ran.
First to the old house she had shared with her grandfather.
They hadn't been back in so long**** since she was five and her grandfather was diagnosed with cancer. He had moved to the hospital, and she had been taken in by the Ashfords. How long had it been? So long... but everything here was exactly the same. Arthur must have arranged for regular cleaning.
Willow looked around the old house, tears falling unconsciously.
Arthur had found the best medical team for her grandfather. He had fought for so long***** when she was five until she was twenty-two. So many years, so many rounds of chemotherapy. At first, there had been improvement. Things were getting better. Her grandfather always said he had to live, had to see his dear get married.
Willow sometimes believed her grandfather would outlast the illness, that he had beaten it.
Then, three years ago, the cancer returned with a vengeance. It swept through her grandfather's body like a reaper, his hands growing more frail with each visit. Willow had kept lying to herself...
And now he was truly gone. Willow should be happy for him*** more chemotherapy, no more pain.
But she had no family left... Who would stroke her hair and call her Willow with such tenderness?
Her phone had been ringing off the hook for so long it finally died and shut off.
Willow didn't stay long at the old house. She realized it no longer smelled like her grandfather. Not on the bed, not on the sofa.
Ah... right. Because all these years, he had been in the hospital. That place filled with disinfectant***** was where his scent lingered.
Willow rushed out the door and back to the hospital.
Everyone was looking for her. No one expected her to return there.
She curled up on her grandfather's hospital bed, making herself as small as possible, soaking up the last traces of him.
Grandpa said, dear, be good.
Grandpa said, dear, be happy.
Grandpa said, dear, don't miss me too much.
How could I... You just left, and I already miss you to death.
The door burst open with a bang, followed by heavy breathing.
Willow jumped.
"I found you." Adrian repeated the words, his chest heaving.
Willow stared at him, so shocked she forgot to cry. She just looked at him with a tear-streaked face.
"Do you know how stupid this is? Everyone, everyone has been looking for you! Where is your phone? Why didn't you answer? Even one call, one message telling us where you were!" Adrian grabbed her arm, his anger at maximum.
Willow was terrified. She rarely saw Adrian lose his temper.
And this level of fury... she had never seen it.
"I..." Willow choked.
"I went to the old house, but it didn't... didn't smell like Grandpa, so I came back. This is where his scent is." She spoke brokenly, tears falling like pearls from a broken string.
"Sorry... my phone died." She pulled out her dead phone to show him.
Adrian finally caught his breath, sweat beading on his forehead******** her had not been easy.
Willow looked at him for a long moment, tears streaming uncontrollably.
"Brother... Brother, I, I have no family left." She hiccupped, then broke down completely.
Adrian pulled her into his arms.
"I'm here," he murmured, gently stroking her head.
"Willow, I'll marry you," he whispered.
In that moment, pressed against Adrian's chest, the world seemed to go silent. All she could hear was his heartbeat******, thump, thump******* so fast.
"We're home. Aren't you getting out?" Adrian opened the car door, his voice pulling her back to reality.
"Yes, thank you." Willow nodded and stepped out.
Thank you, thank you. Willow had said so many thank-yous today. It was as if, starting from today, the two of them had become strangers who barely knew each other.
Back home, Adrian loosened the top two buttons of his shirt and sat down.
"Speak," he said, looking up at her.
Willow hated this side of Adrian**** man who sat above her, waiting for her to justify her childishness like a subordinate reporting to a superior.
But speaking of superiority, in this relationship, Adrian truly held the upper hand.
He married her*** only said he would marry her, that he would become her family. But he never said he loved her... Was she the only one who had ever spoken of love?
"It's exactly what I said at the old house. I want a divorce." Willow sat down, meeting his gaze.
"Is there someone else?" Adrian asked.
Willow stared at him in disbelief.
"Of course not."
Adrian visibly exhaled in relief.
Then another silence stretched between them. Neither spoke.
Finally:
"What was last night, then?" Adrian broke the silence.
"What?" Willow was startled. She hadn't expected him to bring up the previous night.
"I said, what was last night?" he asked again.
"A... celebration of International Kissing Day?" Willow scratched her head.
Adrian was going to die of anger. He really was going to die of anger.
- Writer
