Chapter Ten Sick
1002 Words
The soft glow of dawn painted the skyline in muted gold, bathing the towering cityscape in shimmering light.
Adrian stood by his office window, overlooking the endless stream of traffic below.
And in his mind, a face appeared.
Delicate. Beautiful. Clear as porcelain and quietly arresting.
He, a man who ruled the business world, who’d had countless women at his beck and call, who was known for his cold precision and flawless appearance, he seemed to possess everything anyone could possibly desire.
Yet deep in his heart, there remained an empty, hollow space.
A place no amount of wealth, power, or women could fill.
His eyes darkened, stormy as gathering clouds.
The bittersweet aroma of black coffee lingered in the air as he took a sip, savoring the sharp warmth.
Then, the shrill ring of his phone shattered the silence.
Adrian turned, picked up the sleek device from his desk, glancing at the caller ID before answering with his usual icy tone.
“Is there news?”
“Yes, sir,” came a deep, middle-aged voice from the other end. “Just as you predicted, Spencer’s business in Canada has completely collapsed. Bankruptcy will be announced soon. And he’s preparing to return home to take over his family’s company.”
A slow, almost sinister smile curved Adrian’s lips.
He hadn’t even lifted a finger against Spencer. Had he wanted to, Spencer would have been ruined long ago.
“Good. Your payment’s already been transferred. Keep watching them. Report any movement immediately.”
With that, Adrian ended the call.
He knew it wouldn’t be long now before Vanessa returned. The woman who had once abandoned him to chase after Spencer.
Would she regret it now?
A surge of anticipation shot through him — not love, no, that had died years ago. Not even hatred remained.
But the thought that the pain of all those years might finally find its closure… that made his blood quicken.
. . .
A light knock sounded at the door.
Elena stepped in.
Adrian turned, his sharp gaze landing on her pale face. His brows instantly knitted together.
“What’s wrong, Elena? Are you unwell?”
Elena stiffened. Was it that obvious?
“I… it’s nothing. Just a personal matter,” she murmured, her lips pressing together.
“Personal matter?” Adrian’s voice turned cold.
“Yes.”
He scowled, his irritation flaring for reasons he couldn’t even explain.
“Elena, I thought I made it clear, I don’t want personal emotions interfering with your work.”
“I haven’t,” she defended.
“Haven’t you? Then explain what it is you’re holding.” Adrian’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
Startled, Elena glanced down at the file in her hands — it was the wrong one.
“I… I didn’t notice. I’ll get the correct one immediately. But I swear, I haven’t let my personal life affect my work,” she said firmly, refusing to back down.
“Is that so? Then I look forward to seeing you prove it,” Adrian shot back, turning his back on her. “You may leave.”
Flushing with humiliation, Elena grabbed the right documents and returned to his office a few moments later. This time, Adrian only ordered her to prepare him a coffee.
Inside the break room, Elena stood in front of the coffee machine, her vision swimming. A pounding headache pulsed behind her eyes, and her legs felt as though they could give out at any second.
Am I really sick?
The soft hum of the coffee maker filled the small room.
As she reached for the switch, a wave of darkness washed over her, and the last thing she heard was the dull thud of her body hitting the floor.
Adrian, sitting at his desk, heard the faint crash.
In an instant, he was on his feet, heart slamming against his ribs. He bolted into the break room and froze at the sight of Elena collapsed on the floor.
His face turned ashen.
In that moment, one terrifying thought gripped him:
I’m going to lose her.
Without hesitation, he scooped her up into his arms, striding out of the office and toward the elevators, his mind an alarming, chaotic blank.
He didn’t care about anything else right now, he just knew he couldn’t let anything happen to Elena.
At the hospital, the doctor’s diagnosis came as a relief.
“She’s fine. Just exhaustion,” the physician said.
Adrian’s clenched chest finally eased, though his frown deepened.
Exhaustion?
From what? He knew her workload better than anyone. It shouldn’t have been enough to cause this.
Elena could vaguely remember reaching out for the coffee machine’s switch.
Then… nothing but darkness.
Her body ached, as though she’d run a marathon, muscles sore and head pounding. She tried to turn over, but she could barely move.
After what felt like hours, consciousness returned.
She slowly opened her heavy eyes, the blindingly white ceiling above her making her squint.
The sterile white of the hospital room dawned on her, and confusion set in.
What… what am I doing here?
She blinked again, noticing a tall figure slumped over at her bedside.
It was Adrian.
For a moment, she thought she was hallucinating.
But no — even after she blinked several times, he was still there.
The cold, aloof CEO himself, sitting at her bedside.
Startled, Elena bolted upright — too fast — and a wave of dizziness struck her.
When her vision cleared, Adrian was watching her, his expression unreadable.
“Finally done spacing out?” His cool voice sliced through the silence.
“W-what did you say?” Elena mumbled, still groggy.
She had no idea that the moment she’d woken, Adrian had immediately asked if she felt any better, if she was in pain… and she, in her daze, had ignored him completely, staring off into space like a fool.
Now, as reality settled over her, she felt her face flush with confusion and something warmer she couldn’t quite name.
- Writer
