The CEO's Forbidden Affection

Chapter 2: Starting Again

It's really her, Adrian thought as he stared at Anna's back.

He had not wanted to believe his eyes when he saw her while he was feeding Felicia the cake. He thought he was hallucinating as he used to, so he had kissed Felicia to shake it off. But when Felicia called her name...

"I think you should turn if someone is talking to you," he said coldly.

She turned back slowly, and Adrian couldn't decide how to feel. He was happy and angry at the same time. He was glad she was alright and healthy, but that only broke his heart more because it confirmed that she really had left him. Abandoned him to die. She was an evil woman, and he wouldn't allow her to deceive him and break his heart. Not again.

Anna raised her head and stared at him, frowning, her little nose turned up the way it always did when she started to get frustrated with someone.

"What do you want?" she said. "I need to leave."

Before I faint, she thought.

Adrian could feel his heart break even more.

"So after two years of just seeing each other again, that's what you have to say to me, Anna?" Adrian asked, trying not to sound broken. He ought to be angry. This woman abandoned him; why was he feeling like this again? Couldn't his heart understand that Anna was a terrible person?

"What do you want to hear from me, cousin-in-law?" she said slowly. "Nice to meet you? I already said that a while ago, and I know you are doing just fine now. I checked in."

But you didn't, she thought. I waited and waited for you to call, but you didn't.

Adrian felt raw anger penetrate his heart. She never loved him; she had just been swayed by their time on that island, lost and cold with only each other. He had been the only one in love.

"What are you doing at my engagement party?" Adrian asked. "Trying to get my attention? Don't tell me you suddenly want me back?" he asked smugly.

Anna looked tired of the conversation. How dare she? He was the victim here; she didn't get to behave as if he was bothering her. That hurt his pride more than his heart.

"I'm here to attend my cousin's engagement party. I was invited, you see," she said slowly, as if she was talking to a child.

Annoyance filled Adrian's heart. Was she calling him dumb?

"And you didn't know who her fiancé is?" Adrian asked coldly.

Anna stiffened and shook her head. "I did. I saw your pictures on the card," she answered calmly.

"And you still came? To what, ruin the party? Sway me and confuse me?" Adrian asked angrily.

"Why would I do that? Who am I to confuse you? Why would you even be confused? Don't you love Felicia? Isn't that why you are getting engaged?" she asked hotly.

"Of course I do!" Adrian replied urgently with an assurance he didn't feel. His engagement with Felicia had been a long time coming. She had been with him when he needed someone. He didn't have a choice.

But he wasn't going to tell Anna that. That he had pined after her for months and couldn't go on with his life. If it wasn't for Liam, his cousin and best friend, and Felicia who stood by him, he wouldn't have moved on.

Suddenly they heard several voices coming in their direction. Anna and Adrian were standing alone together behind the flowers; the situation could easily be misunderstood.

Adrian grabbed Anna's hand and pulled her away from where they could be seen. He pulled her inside a room where unused materials were kept and closed the door.

He could see that Anna was nervous about their new location.

"So as we were saying—"

"Why did you bring me here?" Anna asked nervously. "What if someone comes in? They would misunderstand the situation even more," she said, trying to walk out.

Adrian pulled her back and pushed her against the wall. "I'm still talking to you," he said angrily. "Don't you dare walk out on me. You are the problem here."

Anna scoffed angrily. "I'm the problem?" she asked, pushing him back. "You are not the psychopath who dragged your fiancée's cousin to a secluded room to shout at her?"

"I asked you a question, and you haven't answered me," Adrian said, trying to calm himself. He wouldn't stoop to her level.

"What exactly do you want to know?" Anna asked exasperatedly.

"Why did you just appear now at my engagement party after so long?" he asked.

Anna was obviously frustrated at the question, but Adrian wasn't letting her off easy. He had to know why she came.

"Did you really come to cause problems here? To get my attention?" Adrian asked, scoffing. "Well, let me tell you that you are old news. I no longer care about you, and there's nothing you can do to get between me and Felicia, so get that in your head," Adrian said.

Anna stared at Adrian as her mind seemed made up. "Okay, I understand you clearly. May I leave now?" she asked and pushed him away without waiting for a reply and ran out of the room, leaving the place immediately.

Adrian stared at her back as she ran out. And he felt his heart squeeze again.

She was a betrayer and a gold-digger, Adrian thought. He would do his best to stay away from her.

Anna ran out from the place as fast as her feet could carry her. She slowed down when she realized she was a reasonable distance away from the place. People looked at her weirdly as she walked with a huge stain on her clothes, but she really couldn't care less.

She soon arrived at her apartment and went in. She had done her best to turn the house into something decent. Because of the terrible condition she had met it in, she had only paid a small amount when she moved in. But the landlord had been asking her for more money after she put the place in shape. He was a greedy old man, Anna was sure of that.

Knock, knock.

"Is anyone in here? Anna, are you inside?"

Anna grimaced. That was the landlord's voice; she was sure he came to ask for more money again. Could she pretend she wasn't around?

"I saw you arrive a while ago, Anna, so open the door," the man said again.

Anna sighed. It seems she had no choice. "I'm coming, please," she said.

Anna opened the door and smiled brightly at the man on the other side of the door. "Landlord, how are you doing today? It's such a nice day, don't you think?"

The man with a mean face, sweating profusely, was obviously not in a good mood. "Don't smile at me, Anna. Where's my money? You haven't finished paying the deposit yet," he said with a cold face.

Anna kept the smile on her face, blinking rapidly. "Mr. Ken, I'm sorry, but I really haven't been able to get the money yet. But I promise you, I will pay you immediately when I get paid today at my part-time job," Anna said, trying to convince the man.

"You better get my money for me, Anna. A lot of people have been asking for this place, and they are ready to pay. If you don't pay, I won't have any choice but to send you out," Mr. Ken said seriously. He actually didn't want her to be able to pay.

The apartment had been very run down before, so people didn't want to rent it, but after Anna had cleaned it up, a lot of people had been requesting it and were ready to pay as well. Though Anna had done all the hard work, Mr. Ken just really wanted her to do free labor for him.

"Mr. Ken, you really shouldn't do this to me. After all, I'm the one who cleaned up the place. You should consider that, right?" she asked sadly.

"Well, that's why I gave you so much time already, even though you didn't pay much of the deposit. Listen to me, if you don't pay the rest of the money in a week, I will be forced to chase you out, and that's final," Mr. Ken said, walking away without giving Anna a chance to speak.

Mr. Ken didn't want to admit that he was being greedy, so he left quickly. If Anna couldn't pay up in time, he would have the perfect excuse to chase her out.

Anna closed the door and slumped on the chair. She was really exhausted. She looked around the room and at her dress. She realized she hadn't even changed yet. Now the cloth was completely ruined.

Anna stood up and walked towards the kitchen to make herself some food. She suddenly saw something moving on the kitchen sink. She was scared but moved a little closer to see what it was.

Anna's eyes widened, and fear gripped her heart as she began to scream.

"Help! Help! Somebody help me, please!"

"It's a snake!"