Chapter 371: Being childish
Ella looked at the man, her eyes scanning him from head to toe. The scar running across his eye along the cheek was still striking but it looked less brutal than before, showing signs of healing.
Within two weeks, Adrian showed great signs of recovery, which was different from his usual health.
’It’s weird actually,’ Ronan had said when Ella called him a week ago, ’Ace’s body recovered from the light wounds with great difficulty. But now, his body is actually showing great progress.’
’As long as he is fine,’ Ella had sighed in relief hearing that.
’In fact, the reason behind it is simpler than it looks,’ Ronan had added after a second thought, ’Most of his health issues crop from his mental distress. His paranoia, seizures, nightmares... his body is usually way too drained dealing with his mental health that he ends up suffering physically whenever he is injured.’
’But now, he has become more carefree with his memory gone. He is like an entirely different person but that helps him escape all his inner struggles.’
"I’m asking you something. Can’t you hear this young master?" Adrian frowned in displeasure when he watched Ella zoning out.
’How could she get distracted with me sitting in front of her? Didn’t she claim to be my wife? Does this woman not know how to put an act?’ Adrian straightened in his seat.
"I... didn’t come here for you," Ella softly whispered as she took a step back.
Her resolve from before got washed away like a sand castle when she watched him, happier and healthier than she had ever seen him, ’Isn’t it better that he forgot everything that never gave him peace?’
Ella’s eyes burned, ’He looks so content, how can I selfishly want to ruin it all?’
A voice in her head refused to give up, ’He is yours. He will always be yours. You cannot let him go.’
’In my previous life, I hated how he never let me go. I feared that his love was just an obsession. In this life, I taught him to let go, to free me, to not tie me to him. How can I...’
’How can you obsess over him now?’ the voice seemed to laugh in her head, ’Ella, admit it already. Your entanglement with Adrian King is beyond mundane feelings. You love him, you are obsessed with him just as much as he was with you. You desire him, you...’
Ella shook her head, calming her racing heart.
She forced a mask of cool indifference over her features, burying the ache of seeing him so blissfully detached from her.
"I came for Riri and Lala," she steadied her voice and knelt to stroke Riri’s soft ears, "They’re mine, Adrian. Since you’ve clearly forgotten who I am, it’s only right I take my kids and leave you to your... peace."
Adrian’s eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the paintbrush, "Yours? These two have been living in my house, eating my gourmet treats, and shedding on my designer rugs. Just because they ran to you doesn’t mean you own them. Perhaps they just have a penchant for strangers with sad eyes,’’ he scoffed.
Ella flinched inwardly at ’strangers,’ but she tilted her chin up, matching his arrogance, "They don’t even listen to you. You just complained to Bertha that they ignored your every command."
"I am a King," Adrian countered, standing up from the stool. He looked taller than she remembered, or perhaps it has been quite some time since she looked at him properly.
’’Everything in this mansion belongs to me by default. If I say they are mine, they are mine. Besides," he stepped closer, his scent invading her space, "I find I quite like their company. They have... character. Unlike most of the sycophants I’ve met since waking up."
Ella, the said sycophant: "_"
Ella let out a bitter, airy laugh,"You used to hate the idea of pets. You said they were so tiny and fragile. You only kept them because—" She stopped herself, the words ’because of me’ dying on her tongue.
She looked at the man who was vibrant and unburdened, ’This healthy, arrogant, happy version of him is probably a gift the world owes him.’
"Because what?" Adrian prompted, his voice dropping an octave.
He felt a strange pull toward her, a magnetic irritation that felt more familiar than anything else in this house.
"Because you were momentarily interested in the idea of pets," Ella lied, "But now you’re back to being a spoiled heir. So just give them to me. You’ll be bored of them by Tuesday."
"Spoiled?" Adrian scoffed, offended yet strangely energized by her bite. "I am many things, Miss Yu, but bored is not one of them when you’re in the room. Your dramatics are weirdly entertaining. And no. I won’t give them up. Riri stays. Lala stays."
"They will go with me," Ella didn’t know why she had to be so stubborn on this point. But probably she was petty.
She had already decided to give Adrian some space for now. Now, she can’t leave her little fur babies behind too.
"They can learn the virtue of resilience!" Adrian crossed his arms, "I refuse to let a woman who claims to be my wife, yet looks at me like I’m a ghost, walk away with my current source of entertainment."
They stood there, locked in a stalemate, the air between them thick with a tension that was half-argument, half-unspoken longing.
Riri let out a small whimper, looking between the two of them, while Lala simply sat on Ella’s foot, claiming her territory.
"This is ridiculous," Ella snapped, "You’re being a child."
"And you’re being a dognapper," he retorted, "And catnapper."
Dognapper? And catnapper?
Ella: "_"
Bertha and the rest of the servants: "_"
As Ella turned to scoop up the kitten, Adrian stepped forward, blocking her path.
He was exasperated, his usual composure fraying at the edges because this woman, this beautiful, infuriating woman, made his blood boil in a way that felt dangerously enticing.
He never thought he would see her after that day at the hospital.