Chapter 15: Unspoken Truths and Deepening Shadows

“I wanted to return to the safe house too… but there is someone looking for you.”

Adrian briefly explained and seated Sena on the office chair.

The moment the plush cushion of the chair touched her bottom, Sena unwittingly slumped her entire body onto it.

As Adrian acted standardly beyond her expectations, her tension melted away.

Her progressively hurting leg also played a part.

“Haa…”

Sena buried her body in the leather chair and exhaled raggedly.

Then she carefully gauged Adrian’s mood.

No matter how composure-driven he acted as if nothing had happened, it was a fact that she had been caught while fleeing.

No matter how little Adrian Blake let it show, he must have been angry over this incident.

Sena seriously pondered whether she needed to flee from Adrian right away.

However, if she were to run away, where would she run to?

This place was his office.

“Sena, are you feeling very uncomfortable?”

Without hesitation, he reached out his hand and swept back Sena’s hair.

Before long, as she felt something soft yet firm between her lips, Sena rolled only her eyes to check what it was.

Adrian Blake was inserting his finger between her lips, which were chapped because he had bitten them so much.

“Your lips are completely chapped.”

Making it uncomfortable to kiss you.

That whisper was so secretive that for a moment Sena thought she had misheard.

However, Adrian returned a meaningful smile to her.

Startled, Sena spat out his finger.

Adrian calmly stroked her lips with his wet finger as he spoke.

“Even if you dislike it here, it cannot be helped. Because I perform hard labor at the Special Bureau… no, because I am working here.”

I think he just said hard labor.

Sena looked at Adrian with a suspicious face.

“Sena. I…”

Adrian started to say something, but as if he could endure it no longer, he buried his face into her neckline.

The breath touching her neck was ticklish.

Sena’s shoulders flinched reflexively.

As if gathering his patience, he took a deep breath and returned to a proper, upright posture.

“Deputy Director Sandria has stepped forward to help you.”

It was words completely different from what he was originally saying.

However, Sena didn’t have a single bit of interest in whatever Adrian Blake wanted to say.

Brightening up at the mention of help, she asked back.

“To help me?”

“An investigator’s family sometimes consults with their superior. This time, she will consult with you.”

Understanding those words, Sena nodded her head.

Whether it was consultation or whatever, from the perspective of the Special Bureau, which had suddenly been drenched in dirty water called a scandal, it was only natural to verify Sena.

They would either cut Sena off and dismiss the scandal as a rumor, or persuade her to show a proper marital relationship.

Meanwhile, as Sena quickly acquiesced, Adrian added weakly.

“They said… mediation is needed between us.”

So there is someone with a proper head on their shoulders at the Special Bureau too.

Sena thought cold-heartedly.

She could not remain with Adrian Blake like this.

Sena would constantly try to flee, and Adrian could not catch her and bring her back every time while pulling off these stunts.

And whatever Adrian Blake was forcibly holding back right now, it was likely not a very positive emotion.

“Sena? What are you thinking about?”

Sensing something suspicious, Adrian lightly embraced Sena.

Sena roughly pushed his arms away and held onto a slender thread of expectation.

Sandria Oslo was one of the few female investigators.

A hope rose that perhaps she could share grievances with her as a fellow woman.

Before long, the Deputy Director visited Adrian Blake’s private office.

Knock, knock.

Along with a polite knocking sound, a woman opened the door and stepped inside.

The person who entered was a beauty appearing to be in her early thirties.

Her rich rose-red hair flowed abundantly, and her tight-fitting investigator uniform matched her dignified posture like a picture.

If there were one flaw, it was her perpetually hardened face.

Rather, wouldn’t a woman like that suit Adrian Blake better?

Immersed in such imagination, Sena came to her senses at the voice heard next.

“That is an extremely rude thought, Han.”

Before she knew it, the woman, Sandria Oslo, was looking straight at her.

With a face that went beyond reluctance into disgust.

Seeing that forceful expression, Sena apologized before she knew it.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Only then did Sena late raise a question.

Did she just read my thoughts?

Adrian wrapped his arm around Sena’s shoulder and laughed softly.

“The Deputy Director possesses an ability called Cold Reading. It seems you click well with the Deputy Director.”

“What you just said is classified information. Blinded by a woman, you do a fine job.”

When Deputy Director Sandria shot back somewhat nervously, Adrian answered calmly.

“In any case, whether she likes it or not, Sena is a project stakeholder. She should know at least this much.”

At those words, Deputy Director Sandria glared at Adrian for a long time as if flabbergasted.

Before long, as if she saw something, the Deputy Director’s face turned pale white, and she waved her hand.

“Enough. That’s enough, so step aside.”

“But Sena, I—”

“Will you not get the hell out? Selena Han is anxious right now because of you. Do not return until I call you.”

Deputy Director Sandria shouted sharply.

Adrian had a somewhat dissatisfied face, but in the end left a kiss on Sena’s cheek and departed the office.

Now, all that remained in the ownerless office were the two women.

Deputy Director Sandria examined the woman sitting in the office chair like an owner.

The woman with a blunt bob cut slightly long and a sharp impression looked healthy, except for her under-eyes being slightly blue and looking tired.

However, blue-turning bruises were visible here and there beneath her loose shirt.

The Deputy Director let out a long sigh inside.

An unleashed Adrian Blake must have pounced like a dog in heat.

Selena Han must have been swept away helplessly.

She briefly recalled the event from several hours ago.

Adrian Blake, upon hearing the news that Selena Han had escaped.

At the time Sandria Oslo was interrogating Adrian Blake, Adrian was letting out a hollow laugh.

“That Selena Han and I are enemies?”

Ending with those words, Adrian smiled soundlessly, then abruptly stopped smiling and whispered.

“The word ‘enemies’ applies only when both parties are equally perpetrators and victims to each other. Therefore, that is not us.”

Deputy Director Sandria parted her lips with difficulty.

“I cannot accept such a thing.”

“Then please remain unable to accept it.”

Adrian and Deputy Director Sandria glared at each other.

The flickering light bulb finally turned off, and the interrogation room was enveloped in darkness.

The Deputy Director tightly gripped the pistol held in her hand.

Fear ran down her spine.

The darkness stimulated human fundamental terror, and the existence sitting in front of her was an entity presiding over light and heat.

No, more precisely, one that used to be.

“Adrian Blake.”

Deputy Director Sandria overcame her fear and spoke to her opponent, who was buried in shadows and invisible.

Her ability to do so was solely due to training ingrained into her bones.

“Your word that Selena Han is safe—fine, I will accept it.”

“Yes.”

“Then did Han accept your confession as well?”

“……”

“While you took Han away, they say your marriage contract was discovered in a temple on the fringes.”

“……”

“Just when on earth did Han register her marriage with you?”

From a certain moment, no answer returned.

The presence of Adrian Blake, who should be on the opposite side of the interrogation room table, could not be felt.

It was uncertain whether he was still in that spot, or if he was, whether he was even in human form.

Tense, Deputy Director Sandria wetted her dry lips.

In a moment where everything was buried in darkness and what was false or true could not be distinguished.

The interrogation room door burst open.

“Selena Han has appeared.”

Deputy Director Sandria blinked her eyes, momentarily unable to understand those words.

As light poured in, tears welled up in her eyes, which had completed dark adaptation, as they were insanely blinded.

Standing at the doorway was an investigator breathing heavily, having run over in a rush.

When no response came back, he spoke once more.

“The Selena Han we were marking. She is in the residential district of Blue County. I am coming right after confirming her location through a citizen’s report.”

In an instant, the gazes of Deputy Director Sandria and the investigator gathered on Adrian.

The one who hid her was undoubtedly Adrian Blake, who was keeping silent.

Indeed, Adrian did not seem surprised.

“She… escaped.”

He whispered in a raspy voice.

On his face, a refined smile was drawn as always.

However, just for this time, she did not feel that smile was perfect.

Somehow it felt like a fragile smile about to crack, Deputy Director Sandria thought.

“I will go to catch Sena.”

The words heard next were eerie to the point of being sinister.

Adrian Blake was Selena Han’s husband.

Strictly speaking, he could not be stopped from going to retrieve his wife.

However, Deputy Director Sandria could not shake off a strangely ominous feeling and deliberately added.

“However, the Special Bureau needs Selena Han.”

At the Deputy Director’s words, Adrian bared his teeth.

Beneath his hand, with a crunching sound, the iron desk caved in deep.

He spoke in a low and rapid tone.

“Selena Han belongs to me.”

Rather than a human voice, it was a sound like a wolf crying and a snake hissing.

The Deputy Director instantly got goosebumps and clenched her teeth.

📚 Also on NHV Novels

I Think I Like You

Beautiful ProtagonistDevoted Love InterestMisunderstanding

Read Now →
Not interested