Chapter.3
1052 Words
Chapter 3.
“Come down for breakfast.”
Adrian’s voice sliced through the quiet of the room like a knife. He didn’t wait for a reply. He didn’t look back. The door clicked shut behind him. Elaine remained on the edge of the bed looking towards the door long after he had left.
Her heart raced, but her mind was frighteningly calm.
This was before everything went wrong. There was still time, time to change everything and of course, get her revenge.
She stood slowly and began taking off her clothes. She looked at her reflection again and smiled slightly before entering the bathroom to take a bath. After her shower, she walked to the closet. Inside lay dozens of clothing from current collections of different brands, showing how much love and care she received. She cursed herself again for being a fool and went in to pick up a dress.
In her past life, she would’ve chosen dark colors, outfits that screamed distance and defiance. She had known that Adrian preferred soft fabrics, muted tones, a femininity that didn’t challenge his authority, so she had always consciously chosen the opposite. Today, however, she reached for a simple, light floral dress with a butterfly hem, gentle around the edges. Picking flat shoes, she allowed her long, silky black hair to fall free, securing it with a hairpin.
When she descended the stairs, the dining room was already set. Adrian looked up, and frowned.
She caught the brief pause, the flicker of confusion in his eyes before his expression smoothed into indifference.
Good, she thought.
He knew she knew his preferences. That was precisely why she had never dressed this way before. Every outfit she had previously chosen had been an act of defiance.
So why this change?
She took her seat calmly, lowered her gaze, then looked up at him.
"Let's eat," she said softly as she took her seat quietly beside him. The table was filled with food, soft bread, scrambled eggs, sausages, fruit, and two cups of tea, but the silence made it hard to breathe.
Elaine was the only one moving.
She picked up the serving spoon and gently placed the eggs onto Adrian’s plate.
“I don't like eggs,” Adrian said suddenly. Elaine stiffened in surprise but was quick to react as she placed sausages on the plate. She quickly replied, “I know you don't like sausages either, this plate is for me.” Adrian hummed indifferently as he reached for a plate, but Elaine grabbed it first, putting some toast and some fruits and arranging them neatly, as if she had done this many times before.
“You didn’t eat much last night,” she said softly. “You should eat well today.”
Adrian looked at her deeply but did not respond. He only glanced at his plate, then at her hands. His face remained calm, cold even, but inside, he was watching everything.
They started eating. Elaine tried to get more eggs but couldn't reach the bowl. Before she could try again, Adrian picked up the bowl and placed it closer to her. He did it without a word, without expression.
Elaine looked up at him and smiled brightly.
“Thank you, hubby.”
Adrian froze.
The spoon in his hand stopped midair.
Hubby?
Elaine had never called him that. Not once. She usually avoided him, avoided meals, avoided even looking at him. Yet here she was, smiling, serving him food, acting like a loving wife.
He slowly calmed down, his face blank. He said nothing.
He enjoyed it. The warmth. The attention. But he refused to show it. His silence made him seem distant, but his eyes never left her.
Elaine reached for her cup, her fingers brushing against his hand. It was light, almost accidental. She smiled again.
At that moment, the maid hurried in.
“Sir,” she said nervously, “Miss Julia is here.”
Adrian frowned. “Tell her to wait in the living room.”
“Yes, sir.”
But before the maid could leave, the door flew open.
Julia burst into the dining room, her face tight with anger. Her voice was loud and sharp, her eyes red, her face filled with anger.
“So this is where you are!” she shouted, pointing at Elaine. “Sitting down and eating like nothing happened?”
“Julia,” Adrian said calmly, “reduce your voice.”
She scoffed. “Why should I?”
Adrian did not raise his voice. He did not argue.
“Go to the living room,” he said coldly. “Wait there until we finish breakfast.”
Julia laughed at first, clearly not taking him seriously. But then she met his eyes.
The coldness in his gaze wiped the smile off her face.
She froze for a second. Her lips tightened, even she was scared of this second brother of hers. Without another word, she turned sharply and stormed out, her steps aggressive, her anger barely contained.
The room fell silent.
Adrian picked up his cutlery and continued eating as if nothing had happened.
Elaine did the same, but she could barely swallow two bites.
Her mind desperately tried to remember what happened a day before. She remembered walking into the restaurant and seeing Julia laughing with a man.
At first, Elaine planned to leave, but then she saw the man's face. She clearly remembered seeing the man earlier at the mall with his arms wrapped around a pregnant woman. She remembered clearly because the woman was causing a scene, scolding a sales person for bumping into her. The man desperately tried to calm her down and Elaine remembered thinking how unfortunate it was for this man to be with the pregnant lady, but when she saw the man laughing so sweetly with Julia, anger burned through her, she didn't expose the truth. She had only walked up to the table and cursed him out.
She had told him he was reaching above his league. That he was trying to climb the social ladder. She insulted him until his face went pale, then she left.
Back in the dining room,
Elaine pushed her food around her plate, her appetite gone. Adrian ate in silence beside her,
The silence between them was heavy.
- Writer
