Chapter 16
Chapter 16:
Adrian hated when people tried to read his emotions. He was about to brush Sophie off, but the second he lowered his head and caught her eyes, his words froze.
Her gaze wavered, soft and worried, and it threw him completely off.
After a beat of silence, his voice came low and tight. “Why did you stop me? Trash like that landlord deserves a beating p>
“If you keep hitting him, you’ll land in jail!” Sophie blurted out anxiously.
Adrian blinked, stunned. That wasn’t the answer he expected. “You’re worried about me p>
“Of course I am,” Sophie replied right away. “We just got married. I’m not about to lose my husband so soon p>
The second the words left her mouth, she froze. Heat shot up her face, flooding her ears and even the back of her neck.
Adrian’s eyes lingered on her flushed ears, and the anger boiling in his chest loosened. He rubbed his forehead and let out a soft sigh. “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking straight p>
Sophie quickly shook her head. “No, I should be the one thanking you,” she said softly, her head lowered. “You’ve already protected me twice, and now you’re even helping me find a new place to stay p>
Adrian looked at the crown of her bowed head, and before he could stop himself, his hand reached out to ruffle her hair. His voice came out softer than he expected. “Then let’s pack while there’s still daylight p>
“Okay!” Sophie perked up, nodding quickly.
𝖭𝘦w 𝗐е𝘦𝗸𝗅𝘺 chа𝗉𝘵𝗲𝗿s оո 𝘨а𝘭ոо𝘃е𝘭𝘀.c𝗼𝘮
She stuffed her essentials into a suitcase, leaving the rest for later once they settled into a new place.
When Adrian came back from a call, he found her struggling to drag the suitcase outside. Without a word, he walked over and lifted it from her hands like it weighed nothing.
The neighborhood was close to the city center, so there were rental ads plastered everywhere. Sophie was about to pull out her phone to start calling when a laid-back guy in sunglasses strolled up. “Looking for a place to rent, ma’am?” he asked.
Sophie instinctively stepped back, but Adrian spoke first. “What kind of place p>
“A brand-new penthouse. Four bedrooms, two living rooms. Fully furnished, with all the appliances ready to go. Perfect for a young couple like you two,” the man replied.
Before Adrian could answer, Sophie panicked. She slapped her hand over his mouth. “No, no, we’re good. We’ll keep looking p>
Dragging him a few steps aside, she whispered fiercely, “A place like that has to cost a fortune. Let’s just find a one-bedroom… or two, at most p>
She thought of him crammed on the sofa last night and, after a pause, added reluctantly, “Yeah… two bedrooms would be better p>
Her budget flashed in her mind, and her stomach twisted. She had only been working for a year, still paying off loans. Her paycheck barely covered the basics.
Adrian broke into her thoughts. “How much can you spend on rent p>
Sophie bit her lip, running the numbers. Her last single room had been fifteen hundred. But now… Glancing at Adrian, who still looked sharp in his suit, she just couldn’t imagine him living in a cramped shoebox.
“Three grand,” she said finally, her heart aching. “Three grand at most p>
Adrian turned back to the guy in sunglasses, raised one finger, and said calmly, “One grand. Deal p>
Sophie’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. A penthouse near the city center had to cost at least ten grand. One thousand? She couldn’t even picture it.
Grabbing Adrian’s sleeve, she tugged hard. “Let’s go before he gets mad and cusses us out p>