Second Chances

11. Adrianna

You are a coward.

Adrianna's sub-conscious mind kept on nagging her. It was way past the time for breakfast and she hadn't even made an effort to get out of her bed. Bright sunrays were filtering into her room, trying to do away with her gloomy mood, but to no avail. She didn't know what to expect from today. Did she want to leave her room and take the risk of running into Tony Stark? Was she hoping that he would miraculously find her and bring her breakfast? Did she want to meet him? Did she want him to track her down? Or maybe she could just pack her stuff and leave, even though she had four more days of her vacation?

Adrianna yelled into her pillow, frustrated to her wit's end. Why the hell was she behaving like a hormonal teenager? She was a grown ass woman for God's sake! But what if they did come face to face? Wait, but wasn't that a bit too far fetched? They hadn't revealed their real identities. Not to forget the mask they were wearing. The possibilities of them running into each other could be high, but the possibility of them recognising each other was almost nil.

After some more pep talk, Adrianna managed to get ready, taking extra care to look nothing like the night before. Last night was something else. She hadn't looked like that since she was born, so of course not looking like the previous night was a cakewalk for her. Looking at her reflection once again and taking a deep breath, she stepped out of her suite.

* * *

Okay, she was a coward.

Adrianna was back in her suite now, but she had been constantly looking over her shoulder when she was out - be it when she was walking along the beach, indulging in some beach-side spa, or just roaming around the property. Though she had been loving her time here, she had to leave immediately. Deep down, she feared that rather than him finding her, she would give in to her urges and seek him out. And if he were to reject her for whatever reason, she knew she wouldn't be able to bear it. Since last night, she had fantasized about the meeting and the outcome, and she was content with her fantasy.

Without wasting much time, she began packing her bags. The anxiety, the nervousness, and the excitement were too much for her to handle. Roughly forty minutes later, she was done packing. The suite was clean, as if no one had even stayed there. Packing and cleaning up after herself had been therapeutic for her and she was now set on what she had to do after leaving the island. If she wanted to fantasize about some stranger with a voice that deep and build that good, she had to stop feeling guilty. And to stop feeling guilty, she needed to take some hard decisions that were long overdue. Adrianna searched for her phone, finally powering it on after more than 16 hours. She had tonnes of messages and missed calls from Tess, her parents and her cousins.

If she wanted to bring about some change in her life, this was where she had to start. With her mind set on what she wanted to do, she dialled a number and waited for a response. Even though this vacation had turned into something different, she was grateful for the change it brought about in her life. She was a bit dejected that she had to cut her break short, but was thankful for the encounter that she had had last night. Maybe that's what she needed, an ego boost. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a groggy hello at the other end.

"Hello, dad? I am sorry this is so random. I want to meet you as soon as I land. I am leaving now, at this instant. There is something important I need to discuss."

***

After a journey of more than 13 hours, along with a few hours with her father, Adrianna was now on her way to the place she shared with Elton. Yes, it had ceased being her home now, she mused, surprised at how just a few days away from her daily life had given her a new perspective. And a new understanding of why things were the way they were. Was she happy with what she had learnt through her father? No! But she knew that being aware of it was vital, though it was quite difficult for her to be discreet in front of her dad. And if anything, she knew the kind of businessman he was and also that he might have guessed where her thoughts were coming from. Despite this, she was glad her dad hadn't pestered her with uncomfortable questions.

This journey from her dad's place to here had helped her clear her mind, make some decisions that she was sure would annoy her dad for the time being; but she knew he would come around and realise why she had decided what she had done. She let out a sigh as her shared place came into view, marvelling at the fact that the house didn't look that impressive or exciting. Maybe her love goggles had finally worn out? She exhaled audibly as her car reached closer to its destination. She had to man up and have "the talk" today itself. She got out of the car and thanked her driver, before making her way to the front door. She could hear some faint music playing and that made her retract her steps. Was Elton having a party? Did she really want to gatecrash it and bear to get insulted by him? She was about to leave when her conscience reminded her to be strong. She was under no obligation to serve his whims and fancies, or tolerate his insults. If he was having a party, it wasn't her problem. She simply wanted to enter the place and retreat to her room and if Elton or his guests felt inconvenienced because of it, it was their problem, not hers. Taking a few deep breaths and some more pep talk, she proceeded towards the door and rang the bell. She knew the house helps always had the evenings off, so it was likely Elton who would be opening the door. What if he asks where she had been? Or would he even care? No! She didn't want to go down that path after managing to build up her confidence.

The door suddenly opened and Adrianna, who had zoned out, took a few seconds to register that she was now facing Elton who looked... nervous? What was wrong with him? She was about to say something when she heard a voice.

"Babe, I am just gonna take a quick shower, okay?"

His expression definitely made sense now. Of course, what else was she expecting?