Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary - Chapter 143: Chapter 143

Adrian's quick breaths brushed against Elara's ear, making her feel ticklish. Her ears and neck went red in an instant. She couldn't help but recall the beautiful moments from earlier that day.
She remembered watching those playful crabs with him underwater, how he stayed by her side to protect her, how he swam into the barracuda storm to herd them, and how he let the shimmering fish sweep past her eyes.
But what made her heart flutter the most was that heart gesture he made.
She felt like something inside her was growing wild. Now, he was seducing her all over again. His deep, charming voice was like a hook threatening to pull her under, and every word he whispered echoed in her ears.
"Honey, I can't wait any longer," Adrian said.
Elara forced herself to snap back to reality. "No, you haven't called off your engagement yet."
"Honey, guess what was on my mind when I was falling into the ocean earlier," Adrian whispered.
He pressed his lips to her earlobe and murmured, "I was thinking, 'If I die without ever getting laid with you, that would be so unfair.'"
Elara didn't know what to say.
"Honey, if you keep keeping me hanging like this, I'm afraid one day I might really drop dead, and then I'll never get a taste of you," Adrian said.
His hands grew restless. His large palms caressed her slender waist and gave it a gentle squeeze. Under his touch, Elara's tense spine melted.
Her breathing grew ragged, completely out of control. Her sweet, breathy whimpers only spurred Adrian on.
His hand slid lower and lifted the hem of her robe. Her thighs were smooth and soft, and his heated palm ventured further in.
Seeing Adrian completely lose himself, Elara suddenly had an idea. A sly smile appeared at the corner of her lips, and she let him continue without stopping him. She even started to respond to him, matching his movements.
"Adrian," she whispered.
"Yeah?" Adrian replied.
"Am I your first woman?" Elara asked.
Adrian buried his face in her neck and pressed a kiss on her collarbone. "Yes," he murmured.
She edged back a little, and he lifted his head. His deep eyes with desire showed her figure. When he saw Elara's flushed face and ears, the heat inside him only grew stronger.
Elara dropped a kiss on his Adam's apple, and Adrian shuddered.
"Honey... Mm..." he murmured. Elara moved away for a few seconds and then kissed him again.
"Honey, I want you..." The kiss broke again, only to return with even more intensity. Each time Elara kissed him, it grew deeper and more passionate.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke, and his voice was rough and breathy, driving Elara wild.
"Mm... Honey, you're so good at this..." Adrian whispered.
Elara suppressed her own desire and shot him a teasing grin. "Mr. Hartley, why do you get turned on so easily?"
"Honey, let's do it, okay?" Adrian pleaded.
Elara gently pushed him away and said, "Mr. Hartley, call off the engagement first, okay?"
Adrian cupped her face, making her look straight into his eyes. He sounded a bit pissed, "Elara, you keep flirting with me but won't give in?"
Elara had the upper hand now. She gave a playful smile and said, "I did flirt with you—so what? It's not my fault that you can't handle a little touch on your Adam's apple."
His warm, lingering kisses found her again, and Elara didn't resist. She closed her eyes, soaking in his burning heat. He gripped her waist, lifted her up in one swift motion, and then set her down on his lap.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, their noses brushed together, and their breaths mingled in the heated air. Suddenly, Adrian stopped, and for a moment, all they could hear was the sound of their mingled breaths.
Adrian said, "Elara, you saved my life again."
Elara wasn't sure why he said "again," but she didn't think too much about it. Thinking the mood was getting a bit too heavy, she just grinned and teased, "I told you, I'm an angel. I can fly and save people."
There wasn't a trace of playfulness in Adrian's eyes. He caressed her soft waist with his thumb, and his gaze fixed on her bright eyes. "You really are my angel, Elara."
The kiss got out of hand before they even realized it. Adrian couldn't hold back anymore, and his hand found its way inside her clothes.
He thought, 'I'm gonna call off that engagement, no matter what. Elara can only be mine.'
He tested the waters for a bit, and Elara didn't push him away. Her teeth lazily grazed his earlobe. He took it as a green light.
So, emboldened, he slipped his hand in deeper, until he touched something soft beneath—a thin layer of padding. Then he froze, completely stunned.
Elara, in his arms, burst out laughing. She pushed herself up a bit, looking at the man whose desire had mostly faded from his face.
Her sly, foxy eyes met Adrian's, sparkling with mischief as her lips curled into a playful smile. "My period started when I was in the shower. Guess I let you down, Mr. Hartley."
Adrian slightly looked up, and for once, a rare, aggrieved look appeared on his usually confident face.
Elara thought, 'Tsk. I can't bear watching such a handsome man show such an aggrieved look. Maybe I shouldn't have messed with him like that.'
While Elara was still feeling a little guilty for bullying him too much, she was suddenly lifted right off the ground. Adrian had both hands under her and lifted her up by her bottom as he stood.
Off-balance, Elara clung to his neck. "What are you doing?" she asked.
Adrian headed for the bedroom. "Looks like you got itchy hands—ready to put in some work?"
Elara was speechless. Then, it took her a whole hour. By the time she finished washing her hands, her stomach was growling and her head was spinning from hunger.
She walked out of the bathroom and saw Adrian sprawled out naked on the bed, looking like he had just had the time of his life. That smug, satisfied look on his face just made her even more annoyed.
Elara thought, 'Back then, he'd be all sweet, carrying me to the bathroom and helping me wash up. But now? I have to drag myself up and do it alone, while this guy just lounges there like a king.'
The more she thought about it, the more pissed off she got. She thought, 'See? This is what happens when you let a man have what he wants too easily.'
Adrian had just finished replying to Justin's message when he looked up and planned to ask Elara if she was hungry. Instead, he saw her storming out and slamming the door behind her.
Adrian got up, threw on some clothes, and went to knock on Elara's door.
Elara had just slipped into a white dress, ready to head out for dinner by herself. When she opened the door, she saw Adrian—dressed in a casual white shirt and gray pants, with hair all tousled. His handsome features carried that lazy, boyish vibe. Honestly, that boyish charm was exactly her type.
But Elara just shot him a frosty look, barely glanced at him, and squeezed out through the gap between the door and Adrian.
"Wanna go get some seafood?" Adrian offered. Seafood was exactly what Elara had in mind.
Elara said, "No."
Adrian reached for her hand. "Justin's already waiting for us at the restaurant."
Elara repeated, "No."
He kept coaxing her, "I swear, I'll help you wash your hands next time. My legs were just a little wobbly earlier. And it's definitely not because I was weak. I just stayed underwater a bit too long.
"Come on, don't be mad, hmm? The seafood sashimi by the beach is way fresher than anything in Veritasiton. The taste isn't even close."
Elara shot back, "I'm on my period. I can't have sashimi."
"Oh, really?" Adrian honestly had no clue. He was a spoiled heir who'd been single for years. He knew nothing about it.
Then he said, "Seafood isn't just about sashimi. Steamed, braised, stewed—it's all good. You'd love it."
He knew she was hungry, knew she wanted seafood, and even figured out she was mad because he hadn't carried her to the bathroom to wash her hands after.
Elara thought, 'Does he have mind-reading power or what?' The frown on her face finally eased up a bit.
Noticing she wasn't that mad anymore, Adrian didn't give her a chance to protest. He grabbed her hand and started pulling her outside. "Come on, let me take you out for some seafood."
It was an upscale restaurant by the sea. The waiter asked, "Good evening, sir. Do you have a reservation?"
"With the name, Justin Johnson," Adrian replied.
"Right this way, sir," the waiter said. They took the glass elevator up to the top floor of the restaurant.
Justin and Lucas were lounging on the sofa in the private room and playing games, while Jade was by the window, chatting on the phone.
When Justin saw Adrian walk in, he jumped up from the sofa and complained, "What time is it? When did I text you? Why are you so late? I'm starving!"
Adrian led Elara straight over to the table and sat down with her. "Let them start serving the dishes."
Justin, still grumbling, went out to tell the waiter to start serving. The big round table was covered in clouds of steam, loaded up with every kind of seafood—sashimi, steamed platters, bubbling stews, braised dishes, and so on. It was a true seafood feast.
Elara was already starving, so she grabbed a bowl of seafood soup to warm up her stomach first. Since she couldn't eat sashimi, she just went for the steamed ones instead.
"Elara, why aren't you having any sashimi? This salmon was just caught this afternoon. I watched them slice it fresh," Justin said.
Elara just smiled. "My stomach's not feeling great."
Justin caught on instantly. He ladled out a bowl of sea cucumber soup and handed it to her. "Here, have something warm." Elara gave a slight nod.
Justin said, "Don't eat too much seafood, or you'll get a tummy ache. But sea cucumber and shrimp are totally fine. Eat as much as you want."
Elara never really looked into all that. She just knew she couldn't have anything raw like sashimi. She never thought Justin would actually learn all this just to flirt with girls.
Adrian frowned, picked up the menu, flipped through it, and then called the waiter over to order a few non-seafood dishes.
Elara always thought she could eat a lot, but after just a few bites, she was already stuffed. Most of the dishes that came later barely got touched.
Suddenly, Elara's phone started ringing in her pocket. At the same time, Adrian pulled out his own phone and checked the caller ID—it was Victor.
Elara picked up a call from an unfamiliar number. "Hello?"
"Is this Elara Langton?" the voice on the other end asked.
"Yes, it is," Elara answered.
"This is the Central District Police Station in Veritasiton. You and Ruby Lawson own the Tiffany Café on Maple Street, right?" the officer asked.
Elara had a bad feeling. "Yes, that's right. Anything wrong?"
"Your café is suspected of illegally storing prohibited items. We need you to come to the police station to cooperate with our investigation. Where are you right now?" the officer said.
"Illegally storing prohibited items?" Elara repeated.
After finishing his call with Victor, Adrian reached over and took Elara's phone from her. He said, "This is Elara's lawyer. Please speak to me directly regarding any matters."