Chapter Thirty–Three
The hallway was quiet except for the faint hum of the rain outside, its rhythm echoing through the marble floors of the upper corridor. The night air carried the earthy scent of damp soil and city mist as Adrian pushed the elevator doors open, a small bundle of herbs clutched carefully in his hand. His coat was still wet from the downpour, strands of dark hair plastered slightly to his forehead.
He rubbed the back of his neck wearily, ready to collapse after the long, exhausting day at the Medical City. But as he approached his suite, he froze.
Someone was standing by the door.
Even through the dim lighting, he recognized her immediately.
“Isabella?” His voice came out a little rough from the chill. “What are you doing here this late?”
She turned sharply, relief washing over her features the instant she saw him. “Finally,” she breathed out, her tone a mix of irritation and concern. “I’ve been waiting for you for almost two hours.”
Adrian frowned, glancing at the clock on the hallway wall. “It’s almost midnight.” He raised an eyebrow. “You waited here all this time?”
Isabella’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Don’t start with that tone. I called earlier to check if you had returned, and the hotel manager said no. The weather was terrible, and I thought something might’ve happened to you. I wasn’t going to just sit at home and wait for bad news.”
Adrian blinked once, his lips twitching into the faintest trace of amusement. “You called the manager?”
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation, folding her arms. “I even asked him if he’d checked the security footage to see if you came in through the back entrance.”
He shook his head slowly, a small sigh escaping him. “You do realize how suspicious that looks, right?”
“Suspicious?” Isabella frowned, clearly not following.
He moved closer, his tone quiet and deliberate. “You, the Director of Cole Conglomerate, standing outside a man’s hotel suite at midnight, asking about security footage. If anyone saw you-”
She cut him off with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Please. This is your hotel, Adrian. No one here would dare gossip. They value their jobs too much.”
“That’s not the point.” He set the herbs gently on the side table by the door and turned back to face her. “I’m still trying to stay off the radar. Remember? The heir is supposed to be gone from the picture for now.”
Isabella’s expression softened slightly, though a small smirk tugged at her lips. “You mean, Dr. Adrian Cole, the mysterious man who no one seems to know anything about?”
He gave her a dry look. “Exactly.”
She stepped further into the room, her eyes scanning the neat interior. “You’ve been hiding here for days,” she said quietly. “It’s a wonder you haven’t gone crazy.”
1/3
“I like the quiet,” he replied simply, “It gives me space to think.”
“Think about what?” she asked, sitting on the edge of the sofa, watching him remove his coat. “Everything,” he said vaguely, hanging it on the rack. “About the cases, the treatments, and what comes next.”
Isabella studied him for a moment. His face was calm as always, but there was a sharpness beneath the surface a quiet storm she had learned to recognize. “You always make it sound like you’re carrying the weight of the world,” she murmured.
“Not the world,” he said softly, “The weight of how my mum died and my memories lost.”
Her eyes followed him as he placed the herbs neatly on the counter, separating them by color and texture. The faint scent of crushed leaves and mountain soil filled the room. She leaned back, watching him move with
effortless precision.
“You know,” she said finally, her voice breaking the silence, “most men would be thrilled if I showed up at their door this late.”
Adrian shot her a glance, the corner of his mouth twitching, “Most men don’t know how to be careful.”
She smiled faintly, “Careful, or boring?”
He ignored the teasing, reaching for a towel to dry his hands. “If you keep coming here, people will start talking. Even if this is my hotel, rumors have a way of slipping through walls.”
“Let them,” Isabella said flatly. “If anyone dares, I’ll have their contracts terminated by sunrise.”
Adrian looked at her, half amused, half exasperated. “You do realize that attitude makes people more curious, right? You threaten one rumor, and three more appear.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Then what do you suggest? That I sneak in through the fire exit next time?”
He chuckled quietly. “No. I suggest you act less…. dramatic.”
“Dramatic?” she repeated, mock–offended. “I came here because I was worried about you. That’s called being considerate.”
“Standing in the hallway for two hours is not considerate,” he countered calmly. “It’s obsessive.”
Her eyes widened slightly in disbelief, and then she laughed. “You’re unbelievable. You could’ve at least pretended to appreciate the concern.”
“I do appreciate it,” he said, his tone softening a little. “But I also don’t want people to start asking questions. Especially about us.”
She tilted her head. “Us?”
Adrian hesitated. “You know what I mean.”
She smirked. “Oh, I know exactly what you mean.”
He sighed, rubbing his temple. “You’re impossible.”
2/3
tesat nom***
+39 Bonus
“And you’re still the same,” she said quietly. “Always trying to keep everything separate. Always hiding behind that calm face.”
Adrian didn’t respond, only turned toward the window, the rain outside now reduced to a drizzle.
For a moment, the silence stretched between them–heavy but not uncomfortable.
Then Isabella spoke again, her tone casual but her gaze sharp. “Young Master Adrian…”
He looked over his shoulder. “Hmm?”
“Why haven’t you come back to the Cole mansion?”
The question landed softly, but its weight filled the entire room.
Adrian froze, his hand still resting on the windowsill. The faint reflection of the city lights shimmered against the glass, painting his face in fractured gold and shadow.
She watched him closely. “You’ve Known your identity eventhough you’ve not remember your memory,” she continued, her voice steady but probing. “The family doesn’t even know you’re here. Your uncle, cousins, You walk through the Medical City as a stranger, live in your own hotel”
“I already told you,” Adrian said quietly, his gaze still fixed on the window. “I don’t want anyone to know I’m alive for now. Since you’re the only one who knows I’m here–and the only one who knows who I really am- let’s keep it that way.”
He turned then, meeting Isabella’s eyes. “Everyone knows me as Ryan Cole. But my full name is Adrian Ryan Cole. Only my mother ever called me Adrian Cole… and I’d like to keep it that way for now.”
D
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
