People who had just avoided her now looked at her with awe and guilt.
Adriana, still shocked, looked around in confusion.
She had no idea why Peter helped her.
She didn’t understand it at all.
’Why is Peter Richardson helping ?’ Adriana was confused.
She didn’t even know who Peter Richardson was before yesterday. However, now... he was taking a stand for her.
How strange.
Just as she thought so, a handso man dressed in a black suit, with ssy, rich auburn hair and eyes which looked as if they were made of gold.
Just as Adriana stood there, lost in thoughts and questions, a tall man stepped through the crowd.
He wore a sharp black suit that made him look like soone out of a movie. His rich auburn hair was a little ssy, like he didn’t care about perfection. But it suited him. His golden eyes shimred under the morning sun like real treasure.
Adriana’s heart skipped a beat.
She knew him.
Peter.
The sa guy who had saved her yesterday when she was surrounded.
The sa guy who had just stood up for her in front of the entire school.
The sa guy who, for so reason, kept helping her again and again, even though she didn’t know why.
Peter stopped walking when he reached her. He stood right in front of her, close enough for her to see how sharp his features were—his strong jawline, the way his lips curved slightly at the corners, and those gold-colored eyes that looked right into hers.
Adriana felt her cheeks get warm.
Still, she rembered her manners.
She smiled gently and said in a soft voice, "Thank you... for helping . Again."
Peter looked at her with eyes full of sothing warm. Sothing deep.
Admiration.
And maybe... sothing else too.
Sothing stronger.
Sothing that made his gaze feel almost too intense.
He had loved her ever since that day, long ago, when she had donated blood to save his life. Adriana didn’t even rember doing it—but Peter never forgot. That mont had stayed with him forever. It wasn’t just gratitude. It wasn’t just respect.
It was love.
Real, strong, unshakable love.
But... he was scared.
He didn’t want to frighten her by telling her all that.
He was scared she might think he was obsessed, that his feelings were too much. So, instead, he hid it behind a calm, charming smile.
Peter reached out his hand and said kindly, "Peter. Peter Richardson. It’s nice to finally et you properly."
Adriana looked at the hand, then back up at his face.
He was so handso it almost made her forget how to breathe.
She took his hand and smiled back. "I’m Adriana," she replied, though she knew he already knew that. Her voice was soft, but inside, her heart was beating fast.
’Why is he being so kind to ?’ she wondered. ’Instead of questioning myself... I should ask him directly instead of dilly-dallying!’
"Um... why are you helping so much?" Adriana asked in an uncertain voice.
Peter’s smile didn’t fade.
He kept holding Adriana’s hand gently, like it was sothing precious. Then, after a second, he let go and slipped his hands into his pockets.
Adriana’s question hung in the air.
Peter looked at her for a mont, his golden eyes serious now, but still calm.
"That’s a good question," he said, tilting his head slightly. "I guess... I just couldn’t stand seeing soone innocent get hurt like that."
Adriana blinked. "But... we’re not even friends."
Peter smiled again, just a little. "Not yet."
Adriana looked confused, but before she could ask anything more, Peter stepped a little closer. His voice was soft, but strong.
"So people only help others when they get sothing in return," he said.
"I’m not like that. I helped you because you didn’t deserve what happened. You were alone. And I didn’t want you to feel like no one was on your side."
Adriana’s heart gave another small skip.
She looked down for a second, feeling a strange mix of feelings she didn’t understand yet.
"I... I am thankful that you think about like that." Adriana said with a small smile.
Peter knew that the mont was just right. He wanted to pursue Adriana, but before that, he needed to make sure that she didn’t see him as so rich, spoiled, creepy brat.
"No need to thank . However, if you genuinely feel grateful, why not have a quick coffee break with ?"
He very cleverly downplayed the word ’coffee date’
Adriana blushed, though she didn’t want to think much; it was hard not to feel that Peter was inviting her on a date.
’What are you thinking? How can soone like him like you? A broken piece?’
All the fantasies she was building shattered that instant. Even Peter felt a change in deanor, before he could say anything, Adriana smiled,
"Sure. When you are free, we have a coffee break."
’Maybe he was being polite. Maybe he just feels sympathy and pity for you.’
Peter noticed the quick change in Adriana’s smile.
It looked bright on the outside, but he could feel it wasn’t real. Like she was hiding sothing behind it. He tilted his head, just slightly, watching her a bit closer.
But he didn’t want to push.
Not yet.
So, he nodded and gave her a light, teasing grin. "Then it’s a deal. I’ll let you know when I’m free. Be ready for the best coffee break ever."
Adriana chuckled softly, even though her heart still felt a little heavy.
She didn’t really believe he liked her.
Not that way.
Why would soone like Peter—rich, handso, calm, and confident—be interested in soone like her?
She was quiet, kept to herself, and most people didn’t even notice she was around unless they were making fun of her.
She cleared her throat and said, "Okay then... I’ll be waiting."
Peter gave a little bow, like a gentleman, and said, "Then I’ll see you soon, Adriana."
He turned and began to walk away, his black suit catching the sunlight.
But before he fully left, he glanced back over his shoulder and added, "By the way... Your eyes look beautiful when you smile, so smile more, maybe soone can forget about the bad day they were having and feel light."
Adriana froze.
Adriana stood still, like soone had hit pause on her entire body.
Her heart thudded loudly in her chest, almost too loudly. Her cheeks turned bright red, and for a second, she forgot how to breathe.
Did he just say... that my smile is beautiful?
Her fingers curled around the strap of her backpack as she looked down, too shy to et anyone’s eyes.
Her lips twitched, trying to hold back a smile—but it ca anyway. Small, soft, but real.
She looked up again, but Peter was already gone, lost in the crowd.
And yet, his words stayed with her like a warm hug.
Maybe he wasn’t just being polite... maybe he really ant it.
Adriana walked slowly toward her class, her footsteps light, like she wasn’t walking on the ground at all.
Peter, on the other hand, was in a good mood too. He humd on the way to his car. His assistant, who was following him, was stunned but didn’t dare to question Peter.
What a joke? The Devil was happy after such a long ti. How could they ruin his mood?
Suddenly, Peter paused, and a thoughtful look appeared on his face. The assistant, too, had to stop and look at Peter in confusion.
He asked in a tentative voice,
"Boss, what happened?"
"Keep an eye on Adriana. Don’t let anyone near her. Especially the girls who claid to be my ex-girlfriend, or the girls who are pursuing .
I don’t want any f*cking misunderstanding between her and . The next ti I et her coincidentally in a cafe, I don’t want her to avoid !" Peter said in a serious voice.
The assistant gulped. He had never seen Peter Richardson care this much about anyone. Girls chased after Peter all the ti.
Rich girls. Famous girls. Girls who could buy the whole school if they wanted to. But Peter never paid attention to them.
Now, he was acting like a whole bodyguard over a girl who didn’t even know she was special yet.
"Yes, boss!" the assistant said quickly. "I’ll make sure nobody bothers her. I’ll keep things smooth."
Peter gave a sharp nod and started walking again, but this ti, he wasn’t humming.
He was thinking.
He wanted to make sure Adriana was safe, but he also didn’t want to scare her. She was already shy and unsure around him, and he could feel it. That fake smile? He saw right through it.
"She’s too used to hiding her feelings..." Peter muttered under his breath. "I’ll change that."
The assistant stayed silent. It wasn’t his place to speak, especially when the Devil King of the university started talking like a lovesick drama hero.
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