Married to the cold billionaire

The Storm Inside (Part Four)

The minutes stretched into hours, though neither of them moved. Wrapped in Adrian’s arms, Elena felt an unfamiliar peace settle over her — delicate, fragile, but real. She closed her eyes, letting herself believe, if only for tonight, that this could be the start of something stronger between them.

But peace never lasted long in their world.

A sharp buzz tore through the quiet, vibrating from the pocket of Adrian’s discarded suit jacket on the coffee table. He stiffened instantly. Elena felt it, the way his body tensed, the way his warmth seemed to retreat into something colder, more familiar.

“Ignore it,” she whispered, not ready to lose this rare moment.

But Adrian was already moving. With a sigh, he slipped away from her and grabbed the phone.

Elena watched him, heart sinking, as his eyes narrowed at the screen.

Without a word, he answered.

“Yes?” His voice was clipped, distant once again.

A pause.

A low curse under his breath.

Then he ended the call and threw the phone onto the couch beside him with more force than necessary.

Elena sat up, concern knotting in her stomach. “Adrian? What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer right away. He scrubbed a hand down his face, as if trying to erase whatever bad news he had just received.

“Business,” he said finally, but his voice was too tight, too cold to be just business. “I have to leave for New York tomorrow morning.”

“So soon?” she asked, her chest tightening.

He met her gaze, and for the briefest moment, she saw it again—the conflict, the reluctance. “It’s unavoidable.”

Elena nodded slowly, swallowing the disappointment that rose like bile in her throat. “I understand.”

But did she?

She understood why he had to go.

She didn’t understand why it always felt like he was running — from her, from them.

“I’ll come with you,” she said suddenly, the words out before she could second-guess herself.

Adrian froze. “No.”

The rejection was swift, automatic.

“Why not?” she challenged, standing now, the blanket falling from her lap. “We’re married. You said you didn’t want to lose me. Then don’t leave me behind.”

He shook his head. “It’s not safe. It’s complicated.”

Elena took a step closer. “You’re always protecting me from things you never explain. How am I supposed to trust you if you don’t trust me enough to face it with you?”

Adrian’s mouth tightened into a grim line. For a long, agonizing moment, she thought he would shut her out again. But then he said, almost reluctantly, “There are people who would hurt you to get to me.”

The words chilled her blood.

“You mean… enemies?” she asked carefully.

He nodded. “Business rivals. Enemies my father made long ago. Threats I’ve kept buried for years. But now…” He dragged a hand through his hair, looking more exhausted than she had ever seen him. “They’re stirring again.”

The room seemed to shrink around them.

“Then let me stay by your side,” Elena said fiercely. “I’m not made of glass, Adrian. If we’re going to survive this marriage — if you’re going to survive — you need someone in your corner who isn’t afraid of the fight.”

He looked at her like she was something both precious and terrifying.

Finally, he reached out, cupping her cheek in his rough, calloused hand. “You don’t know what you’re offering,” he said hoarsely.

She pressed her palm over his. “Maybe not. But I know who I’m offering it to.”

Adrian leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers, the fire crackling low in the background. His voice was barely a whisper. “You could get hurt.”

“I’d rather be hurt beside you,” she said, “than safe and alone without you.”

For the first time, she felt him break — not in weakness, but in surrender. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a kiss so tender, so fierce, it stole the breath from her lungs.

And in that kiss, Elena knew — whatever storms lay ahead, whatever battles waited in the shadows — they would face them together.