🔹CrystalRussell

'ADRIEN RUSSELL, CEO'

I grinned largely at the picture that Adrien sent to me of his nameplate in the office. My chest swelled up with pride, looking at his achievement. His office was filled with large bouquets and cards that congratulated him.

But I haven't congratulated him yet.

He deserved better than a gif over text or mere call. I had something special in mind.

He was so excited and happy in the morning, like a kid before a picnic. He voluntarily asked me to knot his tie for him and I was more than happy to do it.

The first thing that I had known about Adrien is that he is a hopeless foodie. The taste of the food was like a switch to his mood. Food is the ultimate solution to anything that concerns Adrien Russell.

I asked Lily about all of Adrien's favourite foods and upon her suggestions, I began cooking a couple of hours before Adrien's time of return. I had also invited his parents for dinner for him to celebrate with them but didn't inform them about my plan.

I was doing the preparations for dinner when the doorbell rang. Lily opened the door and I heard a familiar feminine voice of Mrs. Russell.

"What are you doing?" I turned around at the voice and saw Mrs. Russell who was looking around the messy kitchen with wide eyes.

I chuckled nervously. "Mrs. Russell, please ignore the condition of the kitchen and believe me, I am actually cooking."

"But dear, if you wanted to eat something, you should have asked Lily to cook it for you." She chuckled with a small frown.

"Not for me. Um.. for Adrien." I told her and a small smile graced her lips. "It's his first day as the CEO.. so I thought I should do something special for him. He'd feel good." Her smile reached her ears and she nodded in approval as I told her about the dishes.

She offered help but I politely declined it politely as I had Lily for it.

Almost three hours later, I was done with the cooking. Mr. Russell had also arrived and we all waited for Adrien to return.

One and a half hours.

Adrien was one and a half hours late and all of us had been starving. I specifically asked him to come home early in the morning but instead he is late. I had been working for more than three hours in the hot kitchen. I burned my hand twice while preparing for his surprise. And He. Is. Late.

All my hard work, my hopes and anticipation were gone in vain.

I laid straight on the bed glaring at the ceiling with fiery eyes when I heard the door of the bedroom click.

Finally, my dear husband was home, but I didn't even bother to glance at him. I felt his gaze on me while he shuffled around the room and took off his blazer and slowly laid beside me, mirroring my position.

"It was my first day." He slowly muttered.

I had absolutely no idea.

"Hmm." I responded, still looking at the fan above.

He lifted himself up and supported his body with his elbow and continued. "For some reason, the whole day, I waited for you to call me, or at least a text. During a few meetings too, I kept looking at the phone. While everybody congratulated me, I glanced at the phone every next minute thinking that you might call but nothing." He shook his head at me in disappointment as if I was the guilty one. My temper flared. My eyes burned and I could practically feel smoke escaping my ears.

"The whole day, I kept pacing around the room waiting for the ringing phone to show your name but you didn't bother at all. My parents came all the way here for me, even Lily has stayed here for longer and Aunt came back home early but you didn't put any effort." He sighed and continued. "When finally dragons started rumbling in my stomach, I came home."

"The food is ready. Ask Lily to serve it." I said blatantly and fisted my palms to control the fury burning inside me.

"Lily? Seriously Crys? Lily serves me food everyday, today, on my firs-"

"SHUT UP! JUST KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT AND DON'T UTTER ANOTHER WORD. I FEEL LIKE TEAR OPENING YOUR HEAD!" I jerked myself up, making him fall straight back on the bed with eyes wide in horror.

"I spent hours in that torrid kitchen making food for you. I made four dishes. Four. Damn. Dishes. Including your favourite dessert. After I specifically told you to come early you came one and a half hours later than you should and you have the audacity to accuse me for not calling you??" By now I was nearly hovering over him and yelling on his face.

The horror in his eyes had slightly changed to amusement and he looked around the room.

"Where are you looking at? Look at me. I am talking to you." I yelled again.

"I- I am giving you." He said sliding down the bed.

"Giving what?"

"This." He stretched a showpiece towards me that was on the coffee table.

"What is this?" I asked in frustration.

"Use this to tear." He said in the lowest voice.

"Tear what??"

"My head." His blunt reply almost had me laughing but I controlled hard. His stupid attempt to joke had actually managed to drain down some of my fury but I was still annoyed.

"Leave it. You spoiled the mood of fighting." I whined and yanked the showpiece from his hand to put it back in its place.

Crossing my arms against my chest, I huffed. "I worked hard. For you." I looked away with a scowl.

After a moment Adrien spoke. "Listen." When I didn't look at him, he pulled me close by my arm and caged me between his. "Listen." He said again and I looked at him.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again." He said genuinely.

"It shouldn't. Or else I will really tear open your head with this only. I threatened, pointing towards the showpiece and he nodded his head like a child being scolded by his parents.

"Now don't be mad." He pleaded but I paid no heed. Seeing my stubbornness, he tightened his arms around me and leaned dangerously close. I started to panic inwardly when his breath hit my face. I still refused to give in but when his nose brushed mine, I had to.

"Fine. Fine." I yanked myself out of his hold and stood a few feets away. "Now, come on. I had called your parents here so that they could join us for dinner. We've all waited enough."

"Let me change first."

"No." I declared, glaring at him. "Come with me NOW." I tried to pull his arm but he didn't budge.

"Okay. At least let me wash up." He pleaded and this time, I let him.

"Okay but be quick." I warned him sternly and he made his way to the bathroom while the glint of amusement didn't leave his blue eyes.

The threats worked on him and he didn't take longer than a minute to come out of the bathroom. His hair was messy, his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He quickly removed his tie and threw it on the bed before opening the first two buttons of his shirt.

For a moment I forgot that we were getting late and ogled over his devilishly-handsome appearance.

"Come on." I snapped out of my trance and gave him a glare to continue my act and asked him to follow me to the dining room. I was surprised to see an unexpected face that was seated on the table.

"Hi, Crystal." Sophie smiled at me and I awkwardly returned it.

"Hi, Sophie." I noticed her formal attire. She wore a black full sleeved shirt and a grey pencil skirt. Maybe she had come here directly from work. "What a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting you."

"Uh.. actually, Adrien and I work together and today he asked me to have dinner with him here. I didn't know the entire family was here." She explained.

They worked together? Why didn't Adrien tell me that?

Why would he, anyway.

I was genuinely disappointed but I hid it with a soft smile and welcomed Sophie warmly. We all sat on the dinner table with Mr. Russell at the one edge, being the head of the family. Adrien on his right and I was beside him while Sophie sat in front of me beside Mrs. Russell. We began having dinner and I was glad that everyone loved it.

"Crystal, this food is the best I have ever had. I'd appoint you as the head chef of our restaurants without a second thought." Mr. Russell complimented and I smiled widely in satisfaction.

"Oh please, her recipes have a special ingredient named 'love' that is exclusive to her husband. It wouldn't taste the same if she had cooked for anyone else." Aunt Margaret, who was seated beside me commented and everyone except Sophie, Adrien and I laughed.

Blush crept up my neck as I avoided everyone's teasing gaze. "It's n-not like that." I muttered.

"Really? I have seen you how you were so particular about everything. Making sure that the dishes were perfect. Just like Adrien liked." Mrs. Russell said with a teasing smile and I looked up at her with disbelief. She knew about us, yet she was doing this. Why?

I felt Adrien's constant glances on my right side of the head. He had a smirk on his lips while he quietly munched on his food.

He was having fun.

"It is indeed perfect." He said and turned to look at me as our eyes met. His reaction was what I needed for the satisfaction to run through me. Mission successful. I looked back into my plate and ate the food quietly with a small smile constant on my lips.

"Sophie? Why aren't you eating? The food is so delicious." Aunt questioned and we all looked up at her. Her jaw was slightly clenched that made me wonder if she didn't like the food.

"No. It's just that, the food is way too spicy for my taste. My mouth is burning." There was a hint of arrogance in her voice that I didn't like. Maybe it's not the food that's bothering her.

"Of course, you're burning." Adrien muttered under his breath and we all snapped our heads at him with wide eyes.

Did he just taunt Sophie? Did he mean that she was jealous?

I fought hard to stop the smile that threatened to break on my lips and looked at him with amusement. But Mr. Russell, Lily and Aunt Margaret did nothing to hide their chuckles.

He didn't have to embarrass her like that, but I'd be lying if I said that I didn't feel good about it.

"I mean, it was specially cooked for me and I like spicy food so... have some water." He passed a glass to her and continued eating without paying any heed to the rest.

The dinner was finished on a happy note. Well, at least for most of us. Before everyone had left for their respective houses, Aunt Margaret announced that she would be leaving tomorrow.

We came back to our room after everyone's departure. Adrien was taking a bath and I was standing near the open window, letting the smooth breeze surround me. Ever since Aunt said that she'd be gone, there was something that disappointed me.

I wouldn't be staying in this room with Adrien anymore.

I had got so used to his presence around me, especially after that night that I slept in his arms. I didn't want to lose the warmth of his room. I knew that once I had gone back to my room, we'd be spending our days just like before. Like strangers who only have their breakfast or dinner together, that too eventually.

I just wished that there was some way in which I could stay a bit longer but that wasn't going to happen. I should have known. I shouldn't have let myself get attached to him.

I didn't even know why I was acting like this. Why was it getting so hard for me to stick to our terms?

Why did things have to be so complicated?

"What are you thinking so hard about?" A whisper in my ear made me jump. I turned my head and saw Adrien blue eyes studying me closely. "It's so easy to startle you." He chuckled.

I turned around to face him. The scent of his aftershave hit my nostrils and my mind felt dazed. I leaned back against the pane of the window to increase the distance between us and looked down to his chest, unable to meet his eyes.

"The dinner was fabulous. Thank you so much." He took a step closer and I tensed. His voice was dark and I looked up in his eyes that were a shade darker.

I struggled to bring a small smile on my face, as my heart beat at an abnormal pace. "I- I am glad you liked it."

A few strands of my hair fell on my face due to the wind and before I could, Adrien's fingers reached it to push them away. He tucked them behind my ear and leaned a bit more forward.

"It did make me feel really special." The low frequency of his voice made my nerves tremble. The fingers that he used to push back my hair sensually slid down my neck, igniting sparks on my skin. "If that's what you wanted."

He stood way too close for my sanity, but I did nothing to push him away. I stood frozen in my place letting him take over my senses.

When his soft lips were pressed on my cheekbone, my body was set on fire. Some impossible amount of heat rushed in my body and I closed my eyes.

He slowly pulled away and I looked at him through my eyelashes. He was still very close, making my breath grow heavy. His eyes moved from my eyes to my lips and he visibly gulped.

My obviously subconscious mind insisted on making me lean forward, leaving a centimetre of space between our lips. Both our eyes were closed and I parted my lips to take in whatever that was about to come.

We would have kissed.

'Would have'. If the ringing of my stupid phone hadn't interrupted us.

My eyes shot open and I came back to my senses. Adrien cursed under his breath, clearly frustrated, as I walked towards my phone on the bedside, throwing some mental profanities at the person who ruined our moment.

I sighed when I saw the name and answered the call. "Hey."

.... ....

"Huh?"

.... ....

"Sorry, come again?"

.... ....

"WHAT!?"

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