Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Since When Have You Known Me?

He sat at his desk, staring at documents, but he couldn’t concentrate on his work for the rest of the day.

His mind kept racing, looping back to the tense silence in the car. He couldn’t help but anxiously wonder if Kelly had whispered something else to Adrian, something cruel, dark, or deeply manipulative that went beyond the truths they had already discussed.

Meanwhile, back at the studio, Adrian walked straight into his office, the heavy worry still visibly etched onto his face. He sat behind his desk, trying to process the day, when a soft knock sounded at the door.

Kate stepped inside, slipping into the office and closing the door behind her. She walked over to his desk, her professional demeanor completely gone, replaced by a look of sheer, breathless awe. "Adrian, oh my god. What exactly happened up there? And why did Matteo suddenly storm the building like a SWAT team?"

Adrian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It’s a long story, Kate. It was just... a massive misunderstanding with an old acquaintance. Nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?!" Kate gasped, leaning over the desk. "Okay, whatever happened up there, I just have to say this, your boyfriend is so fucking hot. Damn! Adrian, I am not kidding. The exact second he stepped into that mansion, I was violently shaking from fear, but at the same time, I was completely losing my mind just admiring him. If he wasn’t your man, I swear I would have thrown myself at him, I don’t care how dangerous he is!"

That instantly caught Adrian’s attention. He blinked, a bit startled, and looked up at her. "Kate, are you for real right now?"

"Yes! A hundred percent!" Kate squealed, waving her hands dramatically. "You seriously need to see that man from an outside perspective. He is fucking delicious! Don’t you see it, Adrian? Your man is so yummy!"

Adrian couldn’t help it—a smile broke across his face. The tension that had been sitting in his chest finally began to ease. He leaned back in his chair, watching her with faint amusement.

Adrian said, "I don’t remember telling you Matteo is my man, or that we’re anything like that."

Kate immediately scoffed, waving a hand as if he had just said something ridiculous. "Oh please," she shot back. "You don’t have to deny it. It’s obvious you two are something behind closed doors."

Adrian raised a brow, still smiling.

Kate leaned forward again, fully committed now. "And you should know something, your man is literally my prayer. I want someone exactly like him. Hot as hell, intense, intimidating... the whole package."

That finally made Adrian laugh out loud. "Careful," he said, tilting his head. "You’re starting to sound a little too invested."

Kate didn’t even flinch. "I’m being honest. That man walked in here and I forgot how to function for a second. If I didn’t know he was yours, I swear I would’ve taken my chance."

Adrian shook his head, then leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the desk. "Honestly, Kate? I really didn’t see him that way."

"Well, then you need to start seeing it!" Kate said, crossing her arms. "Because that man is completely, helplessly in love with you. He is so freaking possessive, Adrian! You should have seen his face when he arrived at that house. His aura alone was insane. God, Adrian, I was screaming on the inside while simultaneously praying for my life. It was the most terrifying, attractive thing I’ve ever seen."

Listening to Kate gush about Matteo, Adrian was reminded that, even with all the darkness in his past and the dangerous world he came from, to others, he might look intimidating, but to Adrian, he was someone who would do anything just to protect him at all costs.

After dropping a few more dramatic compliments about Matteo’s shoulders and aura, Kate finally laughed and headed out, leaving Adrian alone in his office. This time, the worry was gone, replaced by a soft, enduring smile as he stared at his desk, shaking his head at Kate’s antics.

By the time night fell, Adrian finally made it back home. The exhausting day had taken its toll on him. He ate dinner and planned to call Matteo before sleeping, so they could have the long conversation they had promised each other.

He walked upstairs, showered, changed into comfortable clothes, and collapsed onto his bed, reaching for his phone to call Matteo. But just as he was about to tap the screen, Maya’s name suddenly flashed on the display.

Adrian answered the call, and they spoke for a long while, catching up on family matters. By the time the call finally ended, and he hung up, his eyelids felt heavy. The emotional exhaustion of the day caught up with him all at once, and his eyes began to drift shut.

Realizing he didn’t even have the energy to hold a conversation on the phone, he quickly opened his chat with Matteo and typed out a clumsy, exhausted text:

I got home not too long ago. I’m feeling so sleepy right now. Goodnight, baby. I love you.

After he sent the text, Adrian tried to wait a few more minutes for a response, his heavy eyelids blinking slowly in the soft light. But no reply came, and his body finally gave in to the exhaustion, pulling him under into a deep sleep.

After a while, as he drifted into sleep, a sudden loud, piercing sound broke through the quiet night.

In his sleep, Adrian vaguely heard his phone ringing. He tried to ignore it, too tired to even move an arm, but the phone just kept ringing, vibrating aggressively against the mattress.

Groaning softly, Adrian blindly traced the sound with his hand until his fingers brushed against the screen. He swiped to answer the call without even opening his eyes, his voice thick with sleep. "Hello...?"

"I’m outside your house."

The deep, familiar voice cutting through the line instantly jolted Adrian awake. His eyes snapped wide open. He quickly checked the glowing screen of his phone, the clock read exactly 1:21 AM.

Throwing the blanket aside, Adrian scrambled out of bed and rushed downstairs as fast as his legs could carry him. He unlocked the front door and threw it open, revealing Matteo standing there. Adrian immediately pulled him inside.

The moment they stepped into the living room, Adrian turned to him, his face tight with concern. "Are you okay? What happened? Why did you come all the way here at this hour?"

Matteo stood there for a long moment, just looking at him before finally speaking.

"I couldn’t sleep," he murmured. "I texted you, but you didn’t reply. I called you, and you didn’t pick up. I was worried, I couldn’t think straight. I couldn’t just sit there anymore, so I came here instead."

"You could have waited until morning, Matteo," Adrian murmured, rubbing his face in exhaustion.

"I couldn’t," Matteo said, his dark eyes locking onto Adrian’s with an intensity that made the room feel tense.

Adrian let out a quiet sigh. "Fine. You’re here now. Let’s go upstairs."

They walked up the stairs in silence. But the absolute second they stepped inside Adrian’s bedroom, before Adrian could even turn around to face him, Matteo lunged forward. He wrapped his arms tightly around Adrian’s waist, pulling him back against his chest and burying his face into Adrian’s shoulder.

"I know I have done so many bad things in the past," Matteo said. "But I have always tried to avoid the ones that would affect our relationship, or make you stop loving me. Rian... if there is anything in your mind, anything at all that you want to ask me or tell me, please just say it. I’m seriously worried. I haven’t been able to think straight since I left you at the studio and went back to my office."

Adrian went completely still in his embrace. The silence stretched between them for what felt like an eternity. Slowly, Adrian untangled himself from the grip and turned around to face Matteo directly, his expression completely serious.

"I was wondering about something," Adrian said softly, his eyes boring into Matteo’s. "I just want to know and be absolutely sure. And I do not want you to lie to me, Matteo. The day we first met... was that really the very first time you ever saw me?"

Matteo’s body stiffened instantly. A shadow crossed his face, and he looked away briefly before meeting Adrian’s eyes again. "Can we not talk about that right now? What matters is that we love each other."

The way Matteo avoided the question felt like a punch to Adrian’s heart. "I just want to know how long you had been following me before you set up that situation to make me owe you."

Matteo looked visibly shaken, panic breaking through his usual cold demeanor. He quickly grabbed Adrian’s shoulders. "I love you, Adrian," he said. "That’s the only thing that matters."

"So you really intentionally made me owe you," Adrian concluded, his voice dropping, a painful realization twisting in his chest.

"I’m sorry," Matteo whispered, the apology slipping out raw and desperate. "I’m so sorry."

Adrian looked at him, his chest tightening with a mixture of betrayal and hurt. "So you were leading me on this entire time."

"No! Baby, listen to me—" Matteo urged, his grip tightening on Adrian’s shoulders as he tried to stop him from pulling away.

"You told me you didn’t know me from the accident with my family," Adrian said, his voice trembling slightly as the doubts flooded his mind. "Now I’m starting to doubt if that was actually the truth... or if I’ve just been a complete fool for you this whole time."

"Babe, please, listen to me," Matteo pleaded, his eyes fierce with the fear of losing him. "I swear to you, I truly didn’t know you from the night of the accident. That part is the absolute truth."

Adrian stared at him, his heart heavy as he demanded the truth. "Then since when exactly have you known me, Matteo?"