11: His Trigger
1318 Words
A glimmer of something unreadable flashed through Serena’s eyes, quickly replaced by a bright smile. She walked up to them with ease.
“Hey, what a coincidence—fancy seeing you here.”
The moment her voice rang out, Xiara froze, whipping her head around. “You…”
“It’s me. Do you remember? I was the one who lent you clothes at the pool last night.” Her expression and tone were perfectly casual, like they were meeting for only the second time. As if the tense confrontation from the night before had never happened.
Xiara’s jaw clenched, but she still had to force a smile. “Of course I remember. Thanks again for last night.”
That’s when Serena finally turned to Adrian. He looked relaxed, his eyes dark and gleaming, filled with calm indifference.
“You two having dinner here?” she asked casually. “Mind if I join?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea—” Xiara’s smile was getting stiffer by the second.
“It’s fine,” Adrian cut in, tone flat but firm.
Serena smiled, smoothed her dress, and sat down gracefully. “Didn’t someone mention French escargot? Have you already finished?”
Xiara stiffened, blurting out, “How did you know we were having escargot?” Then, as if catching herself, she hissed, “Why did you kick my leg?”
Serena gasped, feigning surprise. “Oh? That was your leg?”
The implication: she meant to kick someone else’s.
Xiara’s face turned livid. She stood abruptly, barely stopping herself from spitting out the words "filthy b*tch."
Serena tilted her head with innocent confusion. “What’s wrong?”
What was wrong? Xiara could barely contain her fury. When she heard Adrian mention this restaurant over the phone, she hadn’t expected “someone” to be Serena!
This woman clearly hadn’t taken her warning seriously at all.
Adrian called for the waiter but turned to Xiara first. “I’ll consider what you said. Anything else?”
In other words—leave.
Xiara clenched her fists but remembered her father’s instructions: always be tactful in front of Adrian. She forced a smile. “Alright. I’ll get going then. See you next time, Adrian.”
But as she left, she shot Serena a murderous glare.
Adrian turned to his assistant. “See Miss Remington out.”
Irene nodded and followed Xiara to the exit.
“One order of escargot,” Adrian said to the waiter.
Serena rested her chin on her hand, watching him with a teasing smile. “I remember you hate anything that comes in a shell.”
Hate might’ve been an understatement.
Adrian looked at her. “Then why ask about the one we finished earlier?”
Caught red-handed, Serena didn’t flinch. Her lips curved into another dazzling smile, but before she could speak, someone called out uncertainly, “Sydney?”
The name made Adrian raise an eyebrow—and Serena’s smile faltered for the briefest moment.
But then she stood up, completely composed. “Mr. Jones? What a surprise, running into you here.”
Ivan, the heir to Silver Bay’s Jones family.
Adrian recognized him with a single glance.
Ivan’s expression was filled with hesitation and surprise—followed quickly by joy. He grasped Serena’s hand, unable to hide his excitement. “Sydney, where have you been all these years? I’ve been looking for you.”
“I’ve been in New Belmont this whole time. Why, were you looking for me for something?” Serena said with a smile, smoothly pulling her hand back. “Oh, I haven’t introduced you. This is Mr. Lancaster. I’m having dinner with him. Are you here with someone too?”
She already noticed the woman behind him at first glance.
Chanel dress. Versace necklace. Armani heels.
Definitely a trust fund princess.
Serena tilted her head, smiling. “Not going to introduce her?”
“Just a friend,” Ivan replied a little awkwardly. He quickly shifted the topic. “Sydney, can I get your number? I’d love to take you to dinner sometime.”
“Sure,” Serena replied easily, reciting a number. Ivan typed it into his phone, then politely nodded and walked toward the second floor with the woman—though his gaze lingered briefly on Adrian.
Serena sat down again, smile unfading. But Adrian suddenly recited the exact number she’d just given Ivan. “That your number?”
Serena sighed. “What can I say? I’ve got a few past flings. It’s not easy shaking off all the ones hoping for a second chance.”
Adrian’s lips quirked faintly, making no comment.
When they finished dinner and headed outside, Adrian finally asked, “You said you wanted to see me for something?”
“Adrian, did you forget? I said I owed you dinner to thank you. But I tried to pay just now, and you beat me to it.” Serena gave a dramatic sigh. “Guess I’ll have to plan a next time.”
Adrian didn’t respond, but his eyes flicked toward a window on the second floor. “Your ex is watching you.”
Serena grinned, unbothered. “I must be really charming. Even with a beauty at his side, he still can’t take his eyes off me.” As she spoke, she stepped closer to fix Adrian’s tie. “You got plans tonight?”
“No,” he replied, letting her fix his tie. He could tell at a glance—she’d dressed up on purpose.
A fitted pink two-piece: cropped top showing just a sliver of her waist with every move, perfectly proportioned skirt highlighting her long, sleek legs, and silver heels that gleamed faintly under the soft light above.
His gaze darkened slightly.
Serena blinked innocently. “What a coincidence, I’m free too. Since we’re both idle, how about a walk by the beach?”
“Sure.”
She beamed, practically throwing herself into his arms. When the driver pulled the car up, she climbed into the backseat.
Adrian glanced once at her own car parked nearby before getting in after her.
The vehicle smoothly drove off, heading for the coast.
Upstairs, Ivan stood frozen at the window, watching them. His eyes were vacant, the image of their casual intimacy burned into his mind.
The car cruised steadily down the road, leaving coincidence and calculated moves far behind.
Adrian stared straight ahead, then suddenly asked, “You don’t take your exes back either?”
“That depends,” Serena said, propping her elbow on the window, looking out. “If it’s someone like you, I’d go back a hundred times. But if it’s a walking disaster—then no thanks.”
“Which one’s Mr. Jones?”
Her thoughts scattered, and she answered without thinking, “Disaster.”
“So you used me to block a disaster?”
His voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of displeasure hidden beneath the surface.
Only then did Serena realize—he wasn’t happy.
Her heart skipped. She quickly retracted her hand and gave a nervous smile. “Fine, fine. I admit it. I wanted to get rid of that mess, and you were my best shot. But isn’t helping a lady in distress part of being a gentleman? You’re not really upset about something so small, are you?”
“You think I wouldn’t mind?” Adrian turned to look at her.
“…”
The car entered a tunnel. Darkness swallowed the world outside.
And suddenly—he grabbed her.
Serena gasped as she was yanked down flat onto the seat, pinned beneath him before she could react.
Adrian loomed above her, eyes colder than she’d ever seen.
He was always cool and composed—but never like this.
“Don’t be so clever for your own good.”
She’d crossed the line—hit a nerve.
She’d touched his forbidden line.
- Writer
