Chapter 2 The Escape
The entire hall erupted into chaos the moment Adeline Carter made the announcement. Cameras flashed relentlessly while reporters and guests murmured louder than ever, the noise growing almost as loud as an actual storm.
She turned toward Julian Hale, expecting surprise or even disbelief, but instead found the same amused expression he had worn earlier, like he was privy to a secret the rest of the world hadn’t yet caught onto just yet.
His gray-green eyes met hers, filled with something she couldn’t quite define, curiosity, maybe, or perhaps admiration, which was strange considering this was Julian, the man who couldn’t stand her.
Before she could speak, he leaned close, his lips brushing her ear. “Do you want to get out of here?”
“Yes, please,” she breathed before her mind could catch up to her mouth.
Without hesitation, Julian shrugged off his suit jacket, draped it around her shoulders, and then slid an arm around her waist. With a confidence that was almost unnerving, he guided her through the crowd and out of the hall.
Reporters swarmed, shouting questions and snapping photos, but Julian held her firmly, his voice stern and commanding as he ordered them to step back. Security quickly intervened, forming a barrier to clear their path.
They finally burst through the front doors into the night, and Julian led her to his car, a deep red sports model that suited his dramatic flair. He opened the passenger door, his hand steady on her back as she slid in before circling around to the driver’s seat.
Inside, silence settled between them, and the craziness of what Adeline had done began to sink in all at once. She half-expected him to demand an explanation, to ask why she had dragged him into this spectacle, but he didn’t. He simply started the car, the low hum of the engine filling the silence.
“Where do you want to go?” he asked casually, as though they were simply choosing a dinner spot instead of fleeing a scandal.
Caught off guard by his calm tone, Adeline blinked. She had expected irritation, maybe sarcasm, but there was none of that.
“I need to go somewhere no one can find me,” she murmured. “Just a few hours to think… to figure out how to clean up the mess I’ve made.”
Julian chuckled softly. “Not to be the pessimist here, but I doubt a few hours will fix a cheating scandal you confessed to on camera.”
Her glare turned sharp. “Are you mocking me?”
“Not at all,” he replied, his mouth twitching into a half-smile. “I’m just being honest. You’ve made quite an impression tonight, Adeline. It’s going to take more than a nap to recover from it.”
He wasn’t wrong. She had just announced her divorce in front of half the business world, declared her love for a man she was supposed to hate, and handed the media the biggest headline of the year. There was no coming back from that easily.
“Just drive somewhere private, Julian,” she muttered wearily.
He didn’t argue. With his usual composure, he pressed on the accelerator, and the car sped off into the night.
They drove for what felt like hours. Adeline leaned back in the seat, letting her eyes drift closed. When she opened them again, they were passing through a set of tall gates she didn’t recognize.
“Where are we?” she asked, instantly alert.
Julian glanced at her briefly, expression unreadable. “My place,” he said simply.
Her brows furrowed. “I told you to take me somewhere the press wouldn’t find me.”
“That’s exactly what I did,” he replied. “No one knows about this house. It’s completely off the grid, and no one would imagine you’d be here, least of all with me.”
It was a fair point, though her instincts still screamed caution. She studied him from the passenger seat, trying to read his calm demeanor.
“Are you planning to murder me, Hale?” she asked, half-joking, half-serious.
He chuckled. “Killing you isn’t on my schedule just yet, Carter.”
The car rolled to a stop in front of a modern-looking home, and when the engine cut off, the silence that followed was strangely heavy.
Adeline stared at him, uncertain if she should really trust him, but she had just declared him her lover in front of hundreds of people. At this point, what more could she lose?
Maybe her life, but that seemed like a fair trade for a few hours of peace away from her father and the cameras.
“Fine,” she said, unbuckling her seatbelt. “Let’s see this hideaway of yours.”
Julian stepped out and met her on the other side. He didn’t speak, only motioned for her to follow as the front door opened automatically when they approached.
The interior was strikingly modern with open spaces and floor-to-ceiling glass that revealed a nice view of the city lights in the distance. The atmosphere was clean and cold, perfectly fitting Julian himself, who was disciplined, detached, and composed.
“Drink?” he asked, breaking her thoughts.
“Absolutely,” she said without hesitation. “A whole bottle of red wine.”
He arched an eyebrow. “A whole bottle? Planning to pass out?”
“You could say that,” she sighed, slipping off her heels. “Also, do you happen to have slippers? My feet are dying.”
Julian chuckled. “Give me a minute.” He gestured toward the couch. “Sit down. I’ll be right back.”
She did as told, pulling off his jacket and curling her legs on the sofa. A few moments later, he returned with a pair of house slippers in one hand and a bottle of red wine in the other. Two glasses dangled from his fingers.
“Here,” he said, handing her the slippers first.
“Thanks,” she murmured, sliding them on and sighing in relief.
He poured them each a drink, handing one glass to her before sitting down on the opposite end of the couch.
They drank in silence for a while, both lost in their thoughts. The wine bottle was halfway empty when Julian finally spoke.
“So,” he began lightly, “about that kiss earlier…”
Adeline smirked faintly. “What about it?”
“I didn’t see it coming,” he admitted with a hint of amusement. “Not that I’m complaining, it was just… unexpected.”
She laughed softly, swirling her wine. “Well, it definitely wasn’t planned. I acted on impulse. Though I didn’t expect you to kiss me back like that. You even used your tongue, Hale. Bold move.”
Julian rolled his eyes, grinning. “Well, it’s not every day I get kissed by Adeline Carter. I figured I should make the most of it.”
That caught her off guard, and she laughed, genuine, warm, and loud. The sound eased the tension between them. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was him, but she felt lighter.
“It was a good kiss, though,” she said suddenly, before she could stop herself. “Probably the best I’ve had in a long time.”
Julian didn’t flinch or tease her. He just smiled quietly, and maybe that silence, the easy, unbothered kind, was what made her bolder. She leaned back on the couch, her cheeks warm from the wine, her gaze on him.
“Do you want to do it again?” she asked.
