lanie Carpenter’s gaze lingered on Adrian Desmond’s retreating figure. She hoped he would turn around and look back at her—just a glance would be enough—but he didn’t.
As the door to the hospital room closed, lanie’s hope, like a candle in the darkness, was snuffed out.
Auntie Pala saw Adrian leave and entered the room, only to find lanie with a desolate and gloomy expression. Having cared for lanie since childhood, Auntie Pala was intimately familiar with her emotions.
"Miss, does your wound hurt?"
lanie lowered her head, looking at her hand. Her ring finger was still bare. "Auntie Pala, did you know? Sixth Brother gave the ring—the one ant for the Desmond family’s daughter-in-law—to *that* woman..."
Auntie Pala was shocked. "Is that true?"
"Absolutely true!"
Auntie Pala worried too. lanie was now an orphan, helpless and alone. What if Adrian abandoned her as well? Such thoughts could only swirl in Auntie Pala’s mind; she dared not voice them to lanie, fearing it would only increase her anxiety.
"Miss, Sixth Master is a man of his word. If he’s promised to marry you, he will definitely marry you," Auntie Pala consoled her.
"I know he’ll marry and take good care of for the rest of my life, but..." lanie’s gaze turned sorrowful as she said, "Sixth Brother doesn’t love ..."
Auntie Pala smiled, walked over, and said with a loving expression, "Silly girl, you’re still young. What’s all this fuss about feelings and love? The most important thing is that a man is willing to marry you and take care of you for a lifeti."
lanie offered no response.
"Don’t worry about it," Auntie Pala continued. "It’s just one woman. For a man like Sixth Master, there will never be a shortage of won. But you, Miss, will be Sixth Master’s wife!"
lanie didn’t think so.
Adrian had always been indifferent to won, and lanie used to secretly rejoice, thinking it was because of her. But now *that* woman had appeared, and there was a woman by Adrian’s side. lanie couldn’t help but worry. If it was just a fling, that would be fine, but she was afraid Adrian would develop real feelings for her. What would she do then?
Her family was gone, everything was lost. Adrian was all she had left.
"Sixth Master!"
Adrian returned to the Desmond estate. The servants stopped their work to greet him. Adolph Desmond, the Head Housekeeper, hadn’t expected him back and quickly began giving orders. After Adrian had taken a bath, Adolph had already prepared dinner.
"Sixth Master, dinner is ready. Would you like to eat now?"
Adolph knew Adrian’s dietary preferences, so there was no need to ask what he wanted for dinner.
"Not hungry yet. I’ll eat later!"
"Yes!"
Adrian changed into loose black trousers and a light-colored shirt. His damp hair hung casually, slightly ssy, exuding an air of lazy allure.
His cell phone rang insistently, but he didn’t answer.
Throwing a tantrum again? Adrian was calling Sienna Johnson. He missed her, especially on this quiet night.
Adrian dialed Sienna’s number ten tis, but she didn’t pick up. Eventually, he called Selena Robertson, whose call connected quickly.
"S-Sixth... Sixth Master..." Kiki stamred, honored and flustered by Adrian’s call.
"Where’s Mai?"
"Mai?" Kiki understood why Adrian was calling and answered honestly, "Mai should be asleep by now, I guess?"
Adrian frowned. "It’s only eight o’clock!"
"Mai spent the day learning close quarter combat with Xavier, and she’s exhausted. After dinner, she rested for a while and then went to sleep."
"Xavier? Who’s Xavier?" Adrian asked.
"Xavier Young!" Kiki replied. "Sienna always calls him Xavier, so I started doing it too. Xavier Young strongly objected to the nickna, but his protests were useless. Eventually, after hearing it so much, he just got used to it."
"Since when did she and Xavier beco so close?"
When asked about this, Kiki imdiately launched into a complaint to Adrian. "Xavier and Mai aren’t close at all! Sixth Master, Xavier is just using it as an excuse to get back at her! He’s bullying Mai while ’teaching’ her close quarter combat. She cos back with new injuries every day. He’s doing it on purpose!
"Sixth Master, when you get back, you have to teach him a good lesson!
"Mai’s a girl; how can he throw her to the ground like that, as if she were a man..."
As Kiki rambled on, Adrian’s attention began to wander. She’s only been gone three days, and she’s already found ways to amuse herself.
He missed her like crazy. If it weren’t for lanie’s serious injuries and the need to deal with Maxwell Bradford’s affairs, he would have flown back to her already.
"Sixth Master, did you hang up?" Kiki asked carefully after a long silence from Adrian’s end.
"No, keep talking." He loved hearing about Sienna.
"What should I talk about?"
"Tell about Mai."
Kiki imdiately understood what Adrian wanted to hear and began to vividly recount Mai’s life on the island. The two of them talked for over an hour. Kiki talked until her mouth was dry and the phone felt hot against her ear.
"...Sixth Master, that’s all."
Adrian’s gloomy mood lightened sowhat. "Mm," he responded before hanging up. Kiki imdiately gulped down a large mouthful of water.
Sixth Master really does like Mai, Kiki thought, happy for Sienna.
The street view from Adrian’s bedroom window was beautiful. Not far away, a large amusent park glowed brightly. Fireworks were set off punctually at 9:00 p.m. every night. At 8:15 p.m., a high-speed train would cross the sea bridge, looking like a streak of light. He wanted to bring Mai here to see this night view.
Adrian took out a cigarette, placed it between his lips, and lit it. He inhaled slowly, exhaling one smoke ring after another. Only that woman could soothe his loneliness.
If only he could hear her voice now, that would be even better.
The next day, after breakfast, Sienna Johnson went to find Xavier Young again.
Xavier Young’s feelings for Mai were complicated now, so much so that he didn’t know how to describe them.
"I’ve already learned the moves you taught yesterday. Teach sothing else today, alright?"
Adrian liked Sienna with long, flowing hair and fluttering skirts, looking like a fairy. But Sienna had cut off her long hair, swapped her skirts for trousers and a T-shirt, and now sported a neat, practical look.
"You’re just learning martial arts; do you have to dress like a man?" Xavier asked.
Actually, Xavier wasn’t fond of Sienna’s tomboyish look either. Her hair, cut so short it revealed her ears, was sothing he found hard to accept.
"If I don’t dress like this, am I supposed to wear a skirt while you teach close quarter combat? Xavier, I’m very serious about learning from you, so please don’t doubt my sincerity!" Sienna said, her expression earnest.
"Why does a girl need to learn close quarter combat?"
"To protect myself!"
"Sixth Master will protect you!"
"Sixth Master has too many won. I’m afraid he can’t protect so many people all by himself."
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