Chapter 10

Chapter 10

After work, Adrian said he had something to do and couldn’t pick me up. So I planned to go get a spa with Vivian. We walked down the street, arm in arm, chatting.

“Everyone’s talking about you now—you actually managed to win over Adrian Foster, that ‘untouchable heartthrob’!”

After Adrian had officially confessed to me, he’d immediately shared the good news in our group chat.

It was just a photo of us together, with one sentence: “Let everyone meet my girlfriend.”

The group exploded instantly.

“Oh my god! Adrian’s taken!”

“I used to think Adrian had weird kinks—I’m so sorry, hahaha…”

“Who would’ve thought it’d be Anna!”

“Aww～ Adrian finally got the love he’s been waiting for!”

“Congratulations to Anna and Adrian!”

…

“Of course I did! If I didn’t, who would?”

I puffed out my chest, proud of myself.

Suddenly, I saw a familiar car turn from the opposite street and stop.

Vivian saw it too. She grabbed my arm and pointed.

“Anna, look! Isn’t that Adrian’s car?”

My heart skipped a beat.

I knew that car too well.

Who else’s car could it be?

That eye-catching license plate was a dead giveaway.

First, a girl in a white dress got out. I couldn’t see her face clearly, but she was slim, with long black hair and fair skin—she must have been pretty.

I prayed in my heart that Adrian wouldn’t be in the car.

He’d said he had something to do.

So he definitely wasn’t there.

Then, another figure got out—wearing a black suit, as always.

“It’s him…”

I stared, stunned.

Adrian took the girl’s hand and walked into… a hospital.

“What are they doing in a hospital?”

“What do you think a man and a woman go to a hospital for?”

Vivian snapped, so angry she wanted to march over and confront him.

But I pulled her away and headed home.

Soon after, a medical report popped up in our WeChat chat.

“Oh my god! Anna, look! I told you so!”

Vivian was so angry she was shaking. She threw her phone on the floor.

Sure enough—it was a gynecology report…

And it said she was pregnant.

A cliché story instantly popped into my head.

“Dammit, Vivi—help me…”

I stormed into the walk-in closet, grabbed Adrian’s clothes, and threw them on the floor.

Vivian knew exactly what I wanted. She hurried over to help.

It took Vivian and me a long time to pack up all Adrian’s things. We called someone to come take them away.

Staring at the piles of stuff—like small mountains.

I didn’t even realize he’d left so many things at my place…

“Adrian Foster, you bastard… I’m so mad!”

I threw myself onto the sofa and beat it hard—as if it were Adrian. I wanted to punch him.

Adrian came home late that night. He thought Anna must have been asleep, so he took out his key to unlock the door.

Huh? Why wouldn’t it open?

He tried several times—he almost broke the key, but it still wouldn’t work.

Adrian was confused. Had she changed the lock?

He hadn’t done anything wrong lately—he hadn’t even dared to make her mad.

In the middle of the night, I was fast asleep in my bedroom when I heard rustling sounds outside the door—and the sound of someone hitting the door.

Was it a burglar?

I huddled under the covers, scared. My first thought was to call Adrian—but then I remembered what I’d seen that day. I got angry, so I called the police instead.

When it mattered most, the police were the most reliable.

“The two of you should work out your couple’s fight on your own. If there’s nothing else, we’ll leave now.”

Watching the two officers walk downstairs, I was so embarrassed I wanted to disappear.

It turned out—the person banging on the door in the middle of the night was Adrian. He couldn’t get in, so he’d called a locksmith to pick the lock!

“What are you doing here?”

“Anna’s here, so I’m here.” Adrian leaned in, grinning like a suck-up.

Every time he moved closer, I moved away.

“Get out…”

I didn’t want to say a single word to him. I dragged him to the door, threw him out, and slammed it shut.

Done!

Adrian was rejected, but he still had no idea what was going on.

He remembered that Vivian was always with Anna, so he called her.

Vivian chewed him out over the phone—she was so angry, Adrian was sure she would’ve hit him if she’d been there.

She was just as bad as Anna now…

Even though he got yelled at, Adrian finally figured out what was wrong.

The next night, there was a drinking party in our circle.

I didn’t want to go at first—if I did, I’d have to see Adrian, that liar. But Vivian begged and begged, so I finally gave in and went with her.

When we got there, I saw the pregnant girl sitting in the corner. I scanned the room, but Adrian was nowhere to be seen.

Had he chickened out?

Suddenly, the door opened. It was Adrian.

And Michael Young!

Michael had been sent abroad by his family two years ago to manage their business. He rarely had time to come back and meet us. No one expected him to show up today!

Michael picked up his glass and toasted everyone first.

“Here’s to friendship—cheers!”

He downed the drink in one go.

Then he picked up a second glass, walked straight over to me, and said in a relaxed tone, his eyes bright.

“This one’s to apologize to you, sister-in-law. Cheers!”

“Xiao Ge? What’s going on?”

Michael laughed and waved. The girl walked over and snuggled into his arms.

“If I didn’t come back to apologize to you, my fiancée would end up being called a homewrecker. And if you and Adrian broke up, he’d throw me to the dogs.”

That’s when I realized—the girl was Michael’s fiancée!

Everything that had happened yesterday was just a misunderstanding.

I was so embarrassed I wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide.

“I didn’t know you had a fiancée, Xiao Ge… That’s why I…”

I stuck out my tongue, looking guilty.

Michael waved it off, not caring.

“I’ve been abroad, but she came back recently because she’s not feeling well. I asked Adrian to take her to the hospital. I never thought it would cause such a misunderstanding. But luckily, you two sorted it out. And it was worth it—even if Adrian forced me to drop everything at the company and fly back on a private jet.”

“Anna, believe me…”

Adrian walked over, then got down on one knee. He held a black jewelry box in his hand, his eyes deep and determined.

“Anna, I love you. I fell in love with you before I even realized it. I don’t know how long it’s been, but I’ll only ever love you. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved. Anna, will you marry me?”

His voice was cold, but there was a hint of urgency—mixed with hope and nervousness.

He was usually so calm, so in control. But when it came to Anna, he got nervous over and over again.

It was nervousness, hope, and fear.

When you love someone too much, you become the loser. But in front of Anna, he was willing to be a loser for the rest of his life.

Tears filled my eyes as I looked down at him. The people around us started cheering.

“Say yes… Say yes… Say yes…”

I glanced left and right, shy and a little annoyed, then held out my hand.

“Hurry up!”

Adrian let out a sigh of relief. The weight in his heart finally lifted. He slipped the ring onto my slender, delicate finger.

“Anna, I love you…”

Adrian hugged me tightly—as if he wanted to merge me into his body. I could feel his joy. I whispered in his ear, so softly only he could hear.

“Being with you is the first time I’ve ever felt what love is. Adrian Foster, I love you.”

That night was unforgettable. Everyone kept toasting Adrian and Michael. Adrian was so happy, he drank every glass they handed him.

Michael was happy too. He’d had quite a few drinks—his head was a little fuzzy, but he still stood steady and talked to me.

“Adrian always bickered with you because he was scared. He was afraid the age gap would push you apart, so he wanted you to remember him—even if it was because you were angry.

“He scared off those boys who sent you love letters not because he was afraid you’d date young and ruin your studies. It was because he didn’t want you to be with anyone but him.

“Slowly, you grew up. Adrian wanted to confess to you, but he couldn’t. He’s calm about everything—except when it comes to you. When it’s about you, he panics. And after bickering with you for so long, you saw him as your arch-nemesis. He had no idea how to tell you how he felt.

“Later, when you started dating other people, Adrian came to me to drink his sorrows away so many times. I even saw him cry once—drunk. That was the first time I’d ever seen Adrian cry so hard. I was mad at you for a while. I wanted to tell you how he felt, but Adrian stopped me. He said as long as you were happy, it was enough.

“But Adrian’s only human. He gets jealous too. He couldn’t stand watching the girl he loved be with someone else. That’s why your relationships never lasted long. And honestly? Those guys weren’t good enough for you anyway. Adrian thought he’d lost his chance—until that night.

“When you got drunk, Adrian finally got a chance to get close to you. He had a reason to be by your side, to take care of you, to care about you. He’s such a proud man, but for you, he was willing to be a nanny—just to take care of you. Your happiness was his greatest joy.

“But it’s okay now. Adrian finally got the love he’s been waiting for. Anna, I’m really happy for him…”

Tears streamed down my face as I looked at the slightly drunk man. At that moment, I finally understood everything he’d done for me. I finally realized how deep his love for me was.

For more than 20 years—he’d loved me consistently, every single day.

When my mom and Adrian’s mom found out we were together, they both said Adrian had finally “won the girl of his dreams.”

Turns out everyone knew—except me!

But this New Year would be the first time I’d feel truly confident. Because I was bringing Adrian Foster home with me…