Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary - Chapter 74: Chapter 74

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Elara sobbed even harder. She never expected Adrian would be the one to come to help her in the end.
Adrian walked up to Elara and stood facing her. Seeing her delicate face streaked with tears, he gently reached up to wipe them from the corners of her eyes, but the tears just kept coming.
Her tears fell in an unstoppable torrent, like pearls slipping from a snapped string. She looked clearly deeply wronged.
Adrian pressed his cool knuckles against Elara's swollen, burning cheek, his brow furrowing in concern. He turned to glare at Nancy across from them. "Did you hit her?"
Nancy, looking wronged, pointed at Elara and protested, "She hit me too."
"I don't care if she hit you first. Just answer me. Did you hit her?" Adrian's eyes, usually deep and unreadable, now turned fierce and sharp as a blade, his glare so lethal it seemed he wanted to slice Nancy to pieces.
Nancy, her eyes brimming with tears, shot back, "Yeah, I hit her. So what? She was seducing my fiancé. She totally deserved it."
Adrian's expression flickered with surprise. He fixed his gaze and asked coolly, "Oh? She was seducing your fiancé? Do you have any proof?"
Nancy complained, "Adrian, Elara is just a shameless gold-digger. You have no idea how she clung to Alex in college. She practically lived in his apartment and wouldn't leave even if you tried to kick her out.
"A man and a woman alone together all the time. She had no decency at all."
Julian couldn't take it anymore and snapped at Nancy, "What the hell are you talking about? Alex and Elara have been close since they were kids.
"So what if they spend a lot of time together? Not everyone is as dirty-minded as you. Maybe you should stop projecting your twisted thoughts onto other people."
Nancy spat at Julian, "You're just their pawn, covering up their dirty affair."
Julian roared, "Watch your filthy mouth. Who the hell is having an affair? Don't push me, or I just might break my rule and hit a woman today."
Elara stood there, silent. Alex didn't say a single word to defend her. His silence spoke volumes, as if admitting Elara had no decency at all.
Adrian took a drag from his cigarette, ignoring the arguing pair. He turned to Elara and asked coolly, "Did you come on to Alex?"
Elara's eyes were rimmed with red, glistening with tears as she looked up at Adrian and shook her head helplessly.
Her voice quivered with palpable hurt as she said, "No, I was just waiting for you at our table all this time. Alex and Julian happened to be meeting here too.
"Nancy thought I'd secretly arranged to meet Alex, and she just came over and slapped me."
As soon as Elara finished speaking, a single tear rolled down her cheek. Adrian felt his heart twist at the sight. He said coldly, "Nancy, just because Elara is here today, you jump to the conclusion she's seducing your fiancé?"
"What else could it be? Veritasiton is huge. You expect me to believe this is just a coincidence? Plus, this place is impossible to get reservations at," said Nancy.
Adrian's face turned ice-cold. "I brought her here. Got a problem with that?"
Nancy's face froze in disbelief. She snapped, "Adrian, are you seriously taking her side? Don't let her fool you. She's nothing but a gold-digging bitch who preys on men."
Elara sobbed even harder, her shoulders trembling as she finally managed to speak. "Adrian, I told her I came with you, but she wouldn't believe me.
"She said it was pointless for me to cling to a disgraced heir who got kicked out of his family, since you won't inherit a single penny from the Hartley family fortune.
"She even said I must be out of my mind to fall for you."
Tears streamed down her delicate face. Even if her words were exaggerated, Adrian found himself compelled to shield her.
Nancy grew flustered and snapped, "Elara, you liar. When did I ever say anything like that about Adrian?"
"Now you are panicked? Just a minute ago, you kept mocking him, and now you won't even own up to your words.
"Adrian, I'm so wronged," Elara choked out, throwing her arms around him and burying her tear-streaked face in his immaculate suit.
Adrian paused briefly, then chose to play along with her little act. He raised his hand and gently stroked her head, his touch surprisingly tender.
Adrian turned to Nancy with a warning in his voice. "You and Sadie seem awfully confident. How is it that the legitimate heir gets nothing from the Hartley family fortune, while the mistress's kids get to reap all the benefits?"
Looking flustered, Nancy protested, "Adrian, I never said that, I swear. Sadie always told me to respect you in public and never be rude. I wouldn't dare badmouth you. Elara made up lies about me."
"Elara made up lies? You dare lay a hand on my girlfriend. You call that respect? Didn't I warn you and Sadie last time? She's under my protection. Don't you get it?" said Adrian.
Nancy tried to explain, "Adrian—"
"And you, Alex, right?" Adrian finally looked the man straight in the eye for the first time. "Aren't you ashamed of being unable to keep your unreasonable girlfriend in line?
"Do you think the Hartley family needs a spineless coward like you?"
Alex clenched his fists in silent fury but didn't dare speak up. Lowering his head, he muttered, "Understood, Adrian. I'll try to talk some sense into Nancy from now on."
Adrian shot Alex a warning look. "And stay the hell away from Elara from now on. Understood?"
Alex lowered his gaze, concealing the storm raging in his heart. "Got it, Adrian."
Adrian flicked his cigarette butt away, took off his suit jacket, and draped it over Elara's shoulders. "How about this? Let them both apologize to you for today, and we'll call it even."
He said this to Elara, and Elara nodded quietly.
Adrian looked up at the pair across from him, his gaze cold. "You heard me. Apologize to Elara, and I'll let this matter slide today."
However stubborn Nancy usually was, she knew better than to cross Adrian. Scowling, she reluctantly muttered an apology.
Adrian shifted his gaze to Alex. "Your turn."
Alex muttered, "Sorry, Elara."
Seeing that both had apologized, Adrian didn't linger. He took Elara's hand and led her away.
The upscale restaurant stretched endlessly before them. Elara trailed silently behind Adrian as they navigated the seemingly interminable hallway.
Adrian's large, warm palm was strong in hers, radiating a sense of security she hadn't felt in ages, a rock-solid assurance that made her feel completely protected.
Alex had given her this security before. Now, it was Adrian.
Elara never expected Adrian would lead her into a restroom stall. The stall was spacious and well-lit. As soon as they entered, Adrian pinned Elara against the door.
His handsome yet stern face was mere inches away, their rapid breaths mingling in the charged space between them. Their eyes locked, the air thick with electric tension, like the stillness before a storm.
Elara's lashes fluttered nervously as she finally broke the silence, her voice tentative. "I thought we were supposed to have dinner with your friend, so why are we in the restroom instead?"
To her surprise, Adrian replied gently, "He's waiting in another room. No rush. Let me comfort you first."
Elara blinked in surprise, her voice shaky. "C-Comfort me?"
Adrian said, "If you show up to meet my friend with your face all tear-streaked, they'll think I made you cry."
Elara reached up and wiped away the tear stains from the corners of her eyes. "You go ahead and eat first. I'll wash my face and freshen up before joining you."
"No rush. Like I said, let me comfort you first," he smiled.
Elara parted her lips, her voice trembling as she stammered, "H-how would you do?"
"How would you like to be comforted? Cash? Designer bags? Or maybe a penthouse?" he asked.
Elara's tear-streaked eyes curved slightly as she managed a bitter smile. "Is this how you used to pamper your fiancée, too? No wonder she left you."
Adrian frowned. "I've never tried to coax her, and she didn't leave."
Elara's heart gave an involuntary lurch, not so much at his claim of never comforting Josie, but rather at his last words.
'So does that mean they're still getting married after all?' Elara thought. She lowered her gaze, saying nothing.
Adrian fixed her with a piercing gaze. "Why the deception?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Elara asked, startled.
"I just stood up for you. Why did you have to frame Nancy like that?" he continued.
Elara stared at him, startled. "H-how did you know?"
Adrian looked at her coolly and said, "I can believe she'd hit you, but I just don't buy that she'd badmouth me behind my back."
"Come on, aren't you two sworn enemies? Isn't it totally normal for her to trash-talk you behind your back?" she said.
"Those two sisters wouldn't dare cross me, at least not openly. They know they have to walk on eggshells around me. Otherwise, if I wanted, Sadie would be kicked out of the Hartley Group by tomorrow," explained Adrian.
His gaze sharpened. "So, why the lie?"
Elara was momentarily at a loss for words.
"Look. I already stood up for you, but you still had to mess with Nancy and push me to put her in her place. Do you really hate her that much?" he asked.
Elara wondered, 'Hell yes, I hate Nancy. She's been making my life hell since college, always playing dirty tricks on me. And now she just won't let up, insisting I had an affair with Alex tonight.
'All I wanted was to have Adrian teach Nancy a lesson, at least that'd keep her in line for a while.'
Elara couldn't meet Adrian's searching gaze, ducking her head without a word.
Adrian looked at her and said, "So she took your man. Was that really worth all this payback? There are plenty of fish in the sea. Why get so hung up on just one?"