The Distance Between Them
663 Words
Luna Aria slowly realized that living with Adrian Xue was like trying to understand a mystery.
Every day, she discovered a new side of him.
The man everyone feared was not as emotionless as people believed.
He remembered small details.
He noticed when she was tired.
He protected her without asking for anything in return.
But at the same time, he kept a distance between them.
A distance she could not understand.
---
After finishing her filming schedule, Luna returned to the Xue mansion later than usual.
The moment she entered, she noticed the lights were still on.
She looked toward the living room.
Adrian was sitting there.
His laptop was open, and several documents were placed beside him.
“You are still working?”
Adrian looked up.
“You are back.”
Luna removed her coat.
“Yes.”
She looked at the time.
“It’s almost midnight.”
“I know.”
“You always work this late?”
“Most of the time.”
Luna frowned.
“That is not healthy.”
Adrian stared at her.
Nobody had ever spoken to him like that.
Most people admired his success.
They praised his achievements.
But Luna was the first person who looked at him and worried about whether he was taking care of himself.
“You should rest too,” he said.
Luna was surprised.
“Are you telling me to rest?”
“Yes.”
She smiled slightly.
“Look at that. The great Adrian Xue actually cares about someone’s health.”
Adrian looked away.
“You talk too much.”
Luna laughed.
And once again, Adrian found himself watching her.
The sound of her laughter.
The warmth in her eyes.
Things that should not matter to him.
But they did.
---
The next day, Luna received an invitation.
A charity event organized by the Xue family.
She looked at the invitation carefully.
“Do I have to attend?”
Adrian, who was reading a newspaper, answered without looking up.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you are my wife.”
Luna sighed.
“That reason again.”
Adrian finally looked at her.
“Do you dislike being my wife?”
The question caught her off guard.
Because his voice sounded different.
Not cold.
Not angry.
Almost uncertain.
Luna quickly shook her head.
“No.”
She paused.
“I just don’t want people to think I am only important because of you.”
Adrian stared at her.
Then he said:
“I have never thought that.”
Luna looked at him.
“You haven’t?”
“No.”
His answer was immediate.
“You worked for everything you have.”
Those words touched her more than she expected.
Because Adrian Xue was not someone who gave meaningless compliments.
If he said something, he meant it.
---
At the charity event, Luna finally experienced the world Adrian belonged to.
Powerful businessmen.
Influential families.
People who smiled politely while hiding their true intentions.
She stood beside Adrian, watching everything carefully.
Then a woman approached them.
“President Xue.”
Adrian turned.
Luna recognized her immediately.
She was from one of the powerful families in the city.
“Miss Su.”
The woman smiled.
“I heard you finally married.”
Her eyes moved toward Luna.
“She is beautiful.”
Luna smiled politely.
“Thank you.”
But the woman continued:
“However, the Xue family is very strict. I wonder if an actress can really adapt.”
The words sounded like a compliment.
But the meaning was obvious.
She was looking down on Luna.
Before Luna could respond, Adrian spoke.
“My wife does not need to prove herself to anyone.”
The woman became silent.
Adrian’s voice remained calm.
“She is already part of the Xue family.”
Luna looked at him.
Again, he protected her.
Not because of the contract.
But because he respected her.
And slowly…
That mattered more than she wanted to admit.
- Writer
