THE STUD MAN

THE STUD MAN

The nickname should have died after that night.

It didn’t.

Ollie made sure of it.

At first, it was a private joke.

Whenever Adrian arrived at a bar, Ollie would raise his glass.

“The Stud Man has arrived.”

Adrian would tell him to shut up.

Everyone would laugh.

Then other friends started using it.

Eventually, Adrian stopped correcting them.

Six months after the Soho party, his life looked nothing like the one Vanessa had left behind.

The software company he had built with Marcus was growing steadily. Their team was larger, their clients were better, and Adrian no longer checked his bank balance nervously before making plans.

His wardrobe had changed.

His apartment had changed.

His body had changed.

But the greatest difference wasn’t visible.

Adrian had stopped seeking approval.

Strangely, that made people seek his.

Especially women.

One Saturday night, he stood inside a Mayfair lounge with a woman named Natasha.

Beautiful.

Confident.

Twenty-eight.

She worked in luxury fashion and had spent most of the evening flirting shamelessly with him.

“You’re not listening,” she said.

“I am.”

“What did I just say?”

Adrian paused.

Natasha smiled triumphantly.

“Exactly.”

“You said your friend shouldn’t have gone back to her ex.”

“That was five minutes ago.”

“Then I surrender.”

She slapped his arm playfully.

“You’re terrible.”

“So I’ve been told.”

Across the room, Ollie caught Adrian’s eye and gave him an exaggerated thumbs-up.

Adrian shook his head.

His phone vibrated.

Chloe: Are you coming over tonight?

Another message appeared.

Isabelle: Still alive, stranger?

Then:

Rachel: Drinks tomorrow?

Adrian locked his phone.

Natasha noticed.

“Popular?”

“Work.”

“Liar.”

She moved closer.

“I’ve heard about you.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow.

“Should I be worried?”

“Maybe.”

“What have you heard?”

“That you’re dangerous.”

He laughed.

“I’m a software engineer.”

“Exactly. Nobody expects it.”

“Expects what?”

She took a sip of her drink.

“The Stud Man.”

Adrian groaned.

“Oh, for God’s sake.”

Natasha laughed.

“So it’s true?”

“No.”

“But you know the nickname.”

“Unfortunately.”

“Who started it?”

Adrian pointed toward Ollie.

Natasha smiled.

“I like it.”

“I don’t.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m thirty-two, not nineteen.”

“I don’t think you need to introduce yourself anymore.”

Something about that pleased him more than it should have.

Reputation.

Years earlier, Adrian had wondered why women eventually lost interest in him.

Now women he had never met had heard about him.

The reversal was intoxicating.

Later that night, Natasha kissed him in the back of a taxi.

Adrian kissed her back.

There was attraction.

Heat.

Excitement.

But nothing deeper.

Exactly how he wanted it.

By morning, he was gone.

No promises.

No lies.

No heartbreak.

At least, that was what he told himself.

Monday returned him to reality.

Marcus dropped a folder onto his desk.

“We have a problem.”

“What kind?”

“The expensive kind.”

“That narrows it down.”

“An investor wants revised projections before Thursday.”

Adrian opened the folder.

“This is finance.”

“Yes.”

“Why is it on my desk?”

“Because I trust you to tell me whether our technical projections are nonsense.”

Adrian smiled.

“Finally, appreciation.”

“Don’t get emotional.”

For the next several hours, Adrian forgot about women entirely.

That was the part outsiders rarely saw.

They saw his clothes.

The apartment.

The parties.

The women.

They didn’t see the nights spent debugging.

The rejected proposals.

The failed product features.

The mornings when he trained before sunrise and then worked twelve hours.

Success hadn’t fallen into Adrian’s lap.

He had chased it relentlessly.

At nearly nine that evening, Marcus appeared at his office door.

“Normal people eventually go home.”

“I’m almost finished.”

“You said that two hours ago.”

“I was lying.”

Marcus entered.

“Dinner?”

“No.”

“Drinks?”

“No.”

“Woman?”

Adrian looked up.

“Why is everyone obsessed with my personal life?”

“Because apparently you have several.”

Adrian laughed.

“Not you too.”

“I heard someone call you Stud Man last week.”

“I hate Ollie.”

“You secretly love it.”

“No.”

Marcus stared at him.

Adrian smiled.

“Maybe a little.”

Marcus sat opposite him.

“You’re enjoying yourself.”

“I’m single.”

“That wasn’t criticism.”

“Good.”

Marcus studied him.

“Just remember something.”

“What?”

“Reputation is easier to build than control.”

Adrian frowned.

“Meaning?”

“You think this is private. It isn’t.”

“I’m not cheating on anyone.”

“I know.”

“I don’t lie.”

“I know.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“No problem.”

Marcus stood.

“Just don’t let the character become bigger than the man.”

Adrian laughed.

“Stud Man isn’t a character.”

“Maybe not yet.”

Marcus walked toward the door.

“But people love stories. Be careful which one they tell about you.”

Adrian dismissed the warning.

Mostly.

Three weeks later, he attended a technology awards dinner near Park Lane.

His company had been nominated for an emerging innovation award.

Sophie came with him.

Ollie invited himself.

Marcus spent most of the evening networking.

Adrian was near the bar when Sophie suddenly went quiet.

“What?”

She stared over his shoulder.

“Don’t turn around.”

Naturally, Adrian did.

And saw Vanessa.

For a second, the room seemed to slow.

She stood near the entrance in a black evening dress.

Her hair was shorter.

Her smile was the same.

Adrian hadn’t seen her in years.

Not in person.

He had heard through mutual friends that she and Daniel were no longer together.

He never asked why.

Vanessa hadn’t noticed him.

Yet.

Sophie touched his arm.

“You okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because that’s Vanessa.”

“I know.”

“You’re doing that thing.”

“What thing?”

“Pretending you don’t feel anything.”

Adrian looked at his sister.

“I genuinely don’t know what I feel.”

He had imagined this moment many times.

Vanessa seeing him successful.

Confident.

Everything she once doubted he could become.

He had imagined revenge.

Satisfaction.

Triumph.

Now he mostly felt curious.

Then Vanessa turned.

Her eyes found him.

She froze.

Adrian watched recognition become surprise.

Her gaze moved over his suit, his face, his body.

Then returned to his eyes.

Adrian raised his glass slightly.

Vanessa hesitated.

Then approached.

“Adrian.”

“Vanessa.”

“You look…”

She stopped.

“Different.”

“So do you.”

“I heard about your company.”

“Good things, hopefully.”

“Very good things.”

She smiled.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

Vanessa glanced at Sophie.

“Hello, Sophie.”

“Vanessa.”

Sophie’s voice contained no warmth.

Vanessa looked back at Adrian.

“Can we talk?”

Sophie answered first.

“No.”

Adrian nearly laughed.

“Sophie.”

“What?”

“I can handle a conversation.”

She picked up her drink.

“I’ll be watching.”

After she walked away, Vanessa sighed.

“She still hates me.”

“She has a long memory.”

“I deserve that.”

Adrian hadn’t expected that answer.

Vanessa looked down.

“I’ve wanted to apologise.”

“You had my number.”

“I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me.”

“You were right.”

She nodded.

Then she looked around the room.

“You really did it.”

“Did what?”

“Everything you said you would.”

Years ago, Adrian would have lived for those words.

Now they felt strangely ordinary.

“I wasn’t doing it for you.”

“I know.”

Before she could continue, a woman approached.

“Adrian.”

He turned.

“Camille.”

She kissed his cheek.

“I thought that was you.”

Camille touched his arm.

“You disappeared last weekend.”

“Work.”

“You always have work.”

“Occupational hazard.”

She smiled.

“I’ll find you later.”

After Camille left, Vanessa looked at him.

“Girlfriend?”

“No.”

“Someone you’re seeing?”

“Sometimes.”

Vanessa raised an eyebrow.

“So the rumours are true.”

“What rumours?”

“The Stud Man.”

Adrian closed his eyes.

“I’m going to kill Ollie.”

Vanessa laughed.

Then she became serious.

“You’ve changed.”

“Yes.”

“Are you happy?”

Adrian glanced around the ballroom.

His company was succeeding.

His family was proud.

Women wanted him.

He had almost everything he once dreamed about.

“I’m doing well.”

“That wasn’t what I asked.”

Adrian said nothing.

Vanessa nodded slowly.

“I should go.”

“Probably.”

She turned, then stopped.

“Adrian?”

“Yes?”

“For what it’s worth, losing you was one of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made.”

There it was.

The sentence his younger self would have given anything to hear.

Adrian looked at the woman who had once convinced him he wasn’t enough.

He expected satisfaction.

Instead, he felt closure.

“Take care of yourself, Vanessa.”

Then he walked away.

Ollie waited across the room.

“Well?”

Adrian took the drink from his hand.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

Adrian glanced back.

Vanessa was watching him.

Years ago, he would have crossed London for her attention.

Tonight, she couldn’t make him cross a ballroom.

Ollie grinned.

“The Stud Man survives.”

Adrian laughed.

Then applause filled the room.

His company’s name was announced.

Adrian turned toward the stage.

Toward the lights.

Toward the life he had built.

He had finally become the man Vanessa once wanted.

But somewhere along the way, Adrian had stopped needing her to want him.

And that night, he realised something far more dangerous.

He was beginning to enjoy not needing anyone at all.