Chapter 28: You’re Very Confident
Adrian Grant said coolly, "I wouldn’t know. I’ve never slept with anyone but you."
Caroline Whitman’s heart skipped a beat. She gave him an inscrutable look.
’He’s doing this on purpose, isn’t he.’
Hiding behind that handsome, expressionless face, he used the most mundane tone to utter something so ambiguous and suggestive.
Just as she was wondering if he was deliberately trying to bait her, Adrian Grant abruptly threw out another question:
"What about you? Do you always like to roll into people’s arms when you sleep?"
He glanced sideways at her, his gaze cool.
Caroline Whitman replied, "I wouldn’t know. I’ve never slept with anyone but you."
"..."
’What a mess.’
Caroline Whitman felt a headache coming on.
She was a normal woman. If she kept having such intimate contact with a man who had a face like his, it would be difficult not to develop some... complicated feelings for Adrian Grant.
"I’m going to stay somewhere else for a few days," Caroline Whitman said.
But Adrian Grant countered, "You’ve been leaving early and coming home late, and the child is already getting suspicious. If you make up another excuse to stay out for a few days, who knows what he’ll cook up by the time you get back."
Caroline Whitman said, "What can a child make us do? The worst he can do is make us lie in the same bed. Or maybe make us kiss in front of him. It’s not like we haven’t slept together or kissed before."
Adrian Grant was left speechless.
They really had properly kissed.
And they had woken up together in the same bed.
Caroline Whitman had already gotten out of bed. Just as she was about to leave the bedroom, she suddenly heard Adrian Grant say:
"You’re right. We’ve slept together, and we’ve kissed. So what’s the point of you staying somewhere else for a few days?"
"..."
Caroline Whitman froze for a second. ’He had a point.’
Adrian Grant continued, "Fine, you can go stay somewhere else for a few days. When you get back, I’ll go stay somewhere else for a few days."
"..."
’To put it bluntly, he meant they would have to take turns being the one left alone to deal with the child.’
Caroline Whitman instantly understood what he meant.
She couldn’t help but shudder at the thought of the days the child would spend looking for his mom and dad.
Caroline Whitman said, "Fine. If you don’t mind this every day, then I’m okay with it."
She gave up the idea of staying somewhere else for a few days.
In truth, living at Brocade Bay wasn’t so bad. It was close to her company, and the residential community was secure and private.
"But," Caroline Whitman suddenly asked, cutting straight to the point, "if this goes on long-term, you won’t develop any... complicated feelings for me, will you?"
In the memories she had from the original novel, Adrian Grant didn’t have a canonical love interest or a romantic subplot.
She wasn’t sure about Adrian Grant’s attitude toward relationships or whether he was a cold-hearted person.
But that didn’t stop her from wanting to needle him a little.
Adrian Grant: "..."
"You’re very confident."
He dropped that line and left the room before she could.
"..."
’Confident?’
’What’s that supposed to mean?’
’He’s not trying to say I’m narcissistic, is he?’
Caroline Whitman watched Adrian Grant’s retreating figure. He paused at the door, then turned to look back at her.
"I hope, Miss Whitman, that you won’t be the one developing any... complicated feelings for me."
Caroline Whitman flashed a polite smile. "You’re very confident."
...
Caroline Whitman got off work early.
Today, Adrian Grant was unusually late coming home.
Just as Caroline Whitman got home, she received a text from Adrian Grant.
Adrian Grant: [Going to the old residence tonight. I have a social engagement later, so I probably won’t be back.]
Caroline Whitman: [Okay.]
Reporting their whereabouts after work had practically become a habit for them.
They were afraid the child would ask questions they couldn’t answer.
...
「The Old Residence.」
"An arranged marriage?"
Adrian Grant had come to the old family estate today because he heard his grandfather, Gavin Grant, had something to say to him.
But as soon as he arrived, Gavin Grant was already pulling him aside to talk about a marriage alliance, causing his brow to furrow almost imperceptibly.
Adrian Grant’s tone was cool. "I believe the Grant Group’s current financial standing does not require a marriage alliance to secure its business foundations."
"The Group may not need a marriage alliance to secure its foundations, but you need to settle your own marriage situation, and quickly."
"If you were already married, you wouldn’t have been targeted and drugged at that banquet."
The investigation into the drugging incident at the last birthday banquet was complete. Besides Matthew Grant, the Suttons were also involved.
In reality, Wanda Sutton had plotted to drug Vincent Fuller, but Adrian Grant had accidentally drunk it instead.
It was a good thing nothing happened to Vincent Fuller at the Grant Residence that night.
But when word of this reached Mr. Grant’s ears, he naturally used it to build his case.
Adrian Grant hadn’t expected the blame to be pinned on him like this.
"Grandfather, are you misremembering? Wanda Sutton’s target was Vincent Fuller, not me."
Gavin Grant retorted, "Even if she wasn’t targeting you, the next person will be."
Adrian Grant: "That has nothing to do with me getting married."
Seeing him unmoved, Gavin Grant changed his tactics. "Sigh, your grandfather is an old man. I don’t have much time left. You’re the most promising one in the family, and now the Group is in your hands."
"My greatest wish now is to see your child born. Then I can die without any regrets."
A classic tactic of the older generation.
"These are photos of the young ladies. Pick a few and go meet them."
Adrian Grant casually glanced at the photos on the table. The first one he saw was a picture of a familiar face.
In the photo, a young woman in a school uniform and a ponytail was holding a black cat, her smile as bright as a flower. Her normally cool eyes were curved into crescents, revealing a spark of life.
The youthful face in the picture overlapped with his memory of Caroline Whitman.
Adrian Grant coolly withdrew his gaze and asked, "Where did you get these photos?"
"Never you mind where I got them. Just pick one. With so many options, surely there’s one you find appealing?"
Adrian Grant: "No."
"Not a single one?" Gavin Grant said in disbelief. He picked up a photo. "This is the Carson Family’s daughter. Take a look."
"Don’t know her."
"This is the Lowell Family’s daughter. You two even went to elementary school together."
"No memory of her."
"This is the King Family’s daughter. You were in kindergarten together."
"This was your deskmate in the third grade."
"This is the daughter of our old neighbors from the compound."
"This one is..."
As Gavin Grant continued his nonstop introductions, Adrian Grant finally cut in, "Why don’t you just find someone who was born in the same delivery room as me?"
Gavin Grant was taken aback for a second before snapping, "It wouldn’t be easy to find you someone born on the exact same day and at the exact same time, but if you’re serious, I can make it happen!"
"..."
Adrian Grant remained silent. He believed Gavin Grant could actually pull it off.
Seeing that he still wouldn’t budge, Gavin Grant conceded, "Fine. If you’re not happy with any of these, forget it. I’ll find you a new batch."
As Gavin Grant spoke, he began to gather the photos, only to see a long, slender finger land on the picture of the young woman in a school uniform holding a black cat.
"Her, then." Adrian Grant picked up Caroline Whitman’s photo.
A knowing smile finally spread across Gavin Grant’s face. "You should have just said you wanted her from the start."
Only then did Adrian Grant realize he’d been tricked.