It took a long mont before Elara finally ca back to herself.
A strange feeling lingered in her chest, but she assud it was because of the conversation she had just had with Mrs Vale. So without saying anything, she turned her face away from him.
Adrian did not speak either. After she had settled properly in her seat, he started the car and drove out of the Vale residence without delay.
The ride was very quiet and Elara simply kept her eyes on the moving lights outside the window, watching cars pass and buildings blur into each other. Every now and then, her eyelids will drop without her permission, but she forced them open again each ti.
She could not fall asleep here.
As the thought settled in her mind, another followed instantly.
She did not even know where he was taking her. It was possible he intended to drop her back at Voice.
She wanted to ask him that did he rember that she’s not currently at Voice, but the words stayed stuck in her throat. She did not dare to speak. Instead, she continued staring outside silently.
When the car turned into a different district and slowly approached a restaurant, she could no longer hold back. She turned toward him with confusion clear in her eyes. "Where are you going to?" she asked softly.
He did not reply. He simply parked the car and stepped out.
Elara remained seated for a mont, hesitating, but in the end she followed. It felt like resisting would only make things worse.
She walked behind him at a respectable distance, and when they entered, he chose a quiet table at the corner and sat down. Elara’s steps wavered lightly, but she still managed walk over and sit across from him.
Almost imdiately they both settled down, a waiter quickly approached them. "Mr Vale," he greeted politely in a familiar tone. "The usual wine?"
Then his gaze shifted to Elara and he flashed a warm smile. Then he turned back to Adrian. "A new face," he murmured in a playful voice, but did not linger on it.
He simply bowed to Elara in greeting while she nodded back in acknowledgent
"Give her the nu," Adrian said in a flat, effortless tone.
"Of course." The waiter nodded quickly and went to bring the nu, then he handed it to Elara.
She glanced through it easily and chose a simple al. When the waiter turned back to Adrian, he asked, "As usual?"
Adrian gave a small nod. The waiter was about to leave when he suddenly called him back.
"Wait." he muttered quietly, stretching his hand out.
The waiter looked at him in confusion for a long mont. Then when he seed to co back to himself, he quickly handed the nu to him.
Adrian took it and looked through it briefly. He marked one item, then another, and then a few more without any expression.
Elara watched him, her brows slowly knitting together in wonder.
He had really got a great appetite.
When the food finally arrived, the table was filled. But as Elara started eating, she noticed that Adrian did not touch any of it. He only sat there, calmly sipping his wine.
"You aren’t eating these?" he asked suddenly, when he noticed her gaze.
Elara looked up at him, confused. "Uh?"
He stared at her face for a second, then pointed at the table in front of them casually.
Her lips curved into a frown. Those were his orders. Why would she eat them? And she was not even that hungry.
Before she could respond, her phone suddenly rang.
Seeing that it was Ziva. She picked up imdiately.
"Ah, I’m surely dead!" Ziva’s voice burst out from the other end.
"What’s wrong?" Elara asked calmly.
"What do you an by ’what’s wrong’? Are you coming back? Am I the only one sleeping here tonight? After everything that happened yesterday? Especially after you couldn’t make it through the night! Then how will I sleep if it’s alone in the room?"
Elara’s face flushed instantly.
Even without speaker mode, Ziva’s voice was loud enough. She was sure Adrian could pick up a few lines from it.
"Co on. There’s nothing scary there," Elara said quickly. "I checked the window this afternoon and saw a tree branch dangling close to it. So I guessed it might be the shadow you said you saw last night."
"What do you an ’you said you saw’? Didn’t you also–"
"Goodnight. I’m still coming back tonight," Elara cut in hurriedly, ending the call before Ziva could continue.
She exhaled deeply and looked up. Adrian was already looking at her, but the mont their eyes t, he looked away.
"Eat more," he said.
Elara stared at the table again, still confused by his actions.
Why order food when you know you won’t eat it.
But she said nothing. Since she disliked wasting food, she forced herself to eat a bit more, though she still could not finish everything.
When they left the restaurant and got back into the car, Adrian drove off without a word.
After a while, as the car approached a turning further ahead, Elara noticed sothing imdiately.
This was not the direction back to where she was supposed to go.
Her brows furrowed. "This isn’t the way," she said, turning toward him quickly.
He remained silent, his eyes still on the road. Then, as if acknowledging her gaze, he opened his mouth a bit.
"It’s late," he muttered gently. "Co with ."
Elara’s eyes widened instantly. "What do you an?" she snapped.
First the restaurant– she’d let that slide. But now this? It wasn’t going to work.
"I have filming tomorrow morning," she added firmly.
He did not respond.
"Do you hear ?" she continued, her frustration rising.
Still nothing.
Elara grew more annoyed. Her words ca out faster as she protested. She did not even care that he was driving anymore. The only thing on her mind was that she was not going to his house.
Who knows what might happen again!
Then suddenly, the car ca to a stop at the roadside.
Before she could react or say anything further– Adrian turned and caught her chin in one hand, pulling her toward him before she could even blink. In one swift motion, he lowered his lips onto hers.
Elara’s breath caught in her throat instantly.
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