SIGNED TO SURRENDER

Lines and Loyalties

Chapter Four: Lines and Loyalties **

The morning sunlight streamed into Adele’s room through sheer curtains, painting golden lines across the marble floor.

She sat curled up by the window, phone clutched in both hands, her fingers trembling slightly as she dialed her brother’s number.

It rang once. Twice.

Then—

“Sis?”

“Caleb,” she breathed, her voice cracking with emotion. “How’s Mom?”

“Better,” he said quickly, and Adele could hear the hope in his voice. “You won’t believe it , an anonymous person moved her to a VIP ward yesterday.” And she has started receiving proper treatment.

“What?” She sat up straighter.

“How?”

“I don’t know,” he said, his voice still in awe. “The nurse said everything’s been taken care of and she refused to tell me who did it, but mom is in her own room now. There's even a special nurse assigned to her full-time.”

Adele’s throat tightened. Alexandra had said the medical expenses were covered, but somehow she hadn’t expected it to be this fast .

Not so soon.

“Caleb... does she know?”

Yes

“She was crying,” he whispered. “Said an angel must’ve done it.”

Adele swallowed the lump in her throat. “Make sure she rests, okay? Tell her not to worry about anything.”

There was silence for a second.

“You did this right,” he added. “Whatever you’re doing… thank you.”

But what was she doing?

The silence continued for sometime

“And mom has been asking of you since she woke up but I told her you got a new job at a hotel and that you are staying with aunt Jane for now because her house is close to your working place”. Caleb said. Jane is Adele's best friend .

“Thanks”, Adele whispered but audible for him to hear.

“But where are you “ , Caleb asked curiously

Caleb you don’t need to know for now but I promise I’ll come back very soon , Adele said her voice still down .

“I miss you,” he said.

“I miss you too,” she whispered. “But everything’s going to be okay. I promise.”

Meanwhile, in Alexandra’s Office

The air in the office was thick with silence and the scent of red whiskey. Alexandra sat behind his sleek black desk, sleeves rolled up, eyes fixed on the laptop screen working .

A knock.

“Enter.”

Rex Kane , his best friend and also a business mogul stepped in wearing a tailored brown jacket and his usual no bullshit expression.

“You put her mother in the VIP wing?” Rex asked coldly, closing the door behind him.

Alexandra didn’t look up. “It was part of the deal”

If I can remember vividly

“You don’t usually over deliver on deals.”

“I needed her settled,” Alexandra said flatly, “and I needed her focused. No distractions.”

Rex raised an eyebrow and sat on the chair opposite his desk . “And can you also explain why you had to go with her of all people ”. They were better choices but why her.

Alexandra’s jaw tensed.

Rex let out a short laugh. “You don’t do well with people who don’t fit into categories, so what changed “.

“She’s not supposed to fit,” Alexandra snapped. “She’s temporary. That’s all.”

This is not the Alexandra I know, you’re changing .

The Alexandra I know would not even allow her stay in his apartment.

Rex studied him quietly, then said, “You’re lying to yourself, and it’s starting to show.” It’s just too obvious.

Alexandra met his gaze. Cold. Still. But for a moment just a second there was something else there. A flicker of doubt.

Then it was gone.

“She’s just a means to an end,” he said.

Rex didn't speak right away, he leaned back in his chair watching him with narrowed eyes. "You know what your problem is ?" Alex arched his brow, cold and unreadable

"You like to act like you don't have a heart", Rex continued. Like feelings are beneath you. But we both know what happened the last time you let someone in.

Alexandra’s jaw tightened, "Don't" he warned. Rex pressed on anyway "you shut down for two years after Ava left.

You buried yourself in your work, you didn't only become a workaholic Alex, you disappeared . You froze out everyone who gave a damn.

And now you've got this girl in your house , all in the name of Surrogacy and you're pretending it means nothing?.

That's because it doesn't, Alexandra snapped.

Rex stood. “Keep telling yourself that.”

He walked out, leaving the room heavy with things unsaid.

**Later That Night *

Adele couldn’t sleep.

The silence in the mansion pressed against her like a second skin, suffocating. She decided to just do some stuff on her phone and then an alert came in.

**you’ve been credited with the sum of 3 million dollars **.

Adele read her eyes widened in shock then tears started pouring down her cheeks

“I can’t believe this, everything is just happening so fast , I can’t believe am 3 million dollars rich”

she screamed while crying .

And then she left her room , she wandered the hall barefooted looking for him.

She told herself she was just going to appreciate him for the money and also for her mother’s treatment . Although it sounds reckless. But not stupid she assured herself.

The hallway upstairs was darker, colder. Unlike the pristine perfection of her floor, this one felt older.

She wanted to turn back but she decided to just proceed hoping nothing goes wrong.

She passed a series of closed doors until one stood slightly ajar.

She shouldn’t.

But she did.

She pushed the door open, just enough to peer inside.

It was a music room , dusty, quiet, a grand piano sitting in the center like a memory no one wants to revisit. Bookshelves lined the walls. And in the far corner, facing the window, sat Alexandra.

He didn’t see her.

He was sitting on a chair, a glass of something dark in his hand,

And then…..

He played a single note on the piano.

Then another...

Then a melody beautiful and aching. It rolled through the room like grief wearing a tuxedo.

Adele watched him, stunned.

This wasn’t the cold, controlled billionaire who barked orders and avoided eye contact. This man was… broken. Or at least bending. She thought deeply.

She stepped back, accidentally nudging a table.

The sound broke the spell.

Alexandra’s head turned sharply. Their eyes met.

He stood instantly. “What are you doing here?”

“I—I came to s—say thank you ,” she stammered. “And then I heard music… while looking for you”,

She said hurriedly

His eyes narrowed. Not angry. Just… unreadable.

“This wing is off-limits.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

A pause. Then, softer than before—

“Go to bed,

But I—I

I said

“Go to bed, Adele.” He said raising his voice slightly

Her name in his voice made her chest throb. She nodded, turned, and left.

Behind her, the melody stopped.

And the silence returned.