Reborn Young Miss: Phoenix Burning Red-Chapter 206: Miss Jiang, I Really Like You (2)
Adrienne looked at Alistair indifferently. Since her rebirth, she did her best to avoid this man at all costs, but a single encounter during her grandfather’s banquet was enough to evoke the obsession of this man with her. It was clear to her that Alistair wouldn’t take her rejection easily.
She could see the determination in his eyes as he relentlessly pursued her, refusing to accept her disinterest. Adrienne knew she had to find a way to protect herself from his relentless advances in the future.
If she were to marry Lennox, she didn’t want Alistair to ruin their marriage. She also felt at ease knowing that the Zhao family wanted to respect her opinion and decisions when choosing a prospective partner.
Other women would have been over the moon, being proposed to in marriage like this, but not Adrienne. She remembered how Alistair proposed a marriage to her in her past life, and she would be lying if she said she wasn’t moved. However, she also knew the pain and heartbreak that followed, and she couldn’t bear to go through it again.
She was abused, kept against her will, and forbidden to see the outside world again. How many times had Alistair forced himself on her when she was unwilling to share her bed with him? How many times did he bind her and lock her in a windowless room just because she had a small talk with another man at a social function?
Adrienne was afraid. She was afraid to wake up, realizing that all of these were nothing but a dream and that her interaction with Lennox Qin was just a figment of her imagination, and he didn’t exist in her world. She was afraid to wake up in that familial gray room at the Han mansion that served as a room for punishment during her years of marriage with Alistair.
Alistair’s obsession on her and jealousy for another man were the usual reasons for their arguments, and it only turned worse when she couldn’t bear a child. He went as far as denying her the right to see her mother for the last time.
Even to this day, she was constantly having nightmares as the memories of her past life continued to haunt her, so how could she fall for these sweet, deceitful words of Alistair?
In this life, the man who would become her husband was Lennox Qin, and even if their relationship failed, Adrienne decided not to remarry. She no longer held any affection for the man before her.
Lennox Qin was the complete opposite of Alistair — kind, understanding, and supportive. Adrienne found solace in his presence and felt a sense of security she had never experienced before. She couldn’t believe she would find contentment and happiness with another man after experiencing a traumatic and toxic relationship with Alistair in the past.
Adrienne looked at Alistair and sneered in her heart. He was still the same deceitful man she married in her past life. She couldn’t believe that she had once fallen for his charm and lies. The nightmares served as a constant reminder of the pain he had caused her.
Alistair waited patiently for her answer, confident that she would agree. However, what greeted him was a pair of dark eyes that were as cold as the coldest winter. They didn’t contain any gratitude or admiration she usually had when she was younger whenever she looked at him. If anything, he could only see disgust and deep hatred in her eyes.
Alistair’s smile faltered as he looked at Adrienne. She really despised the idea of marrying him, but why? Under such circumstances, Adrienne should have cowered in fear and made some excuses, but instead her eyes were telling him that she was unwilling to be his wife.
"Why?" He suddenly asked, breaking the silence between them and startling those who were around them.
"I’m not worthy, Mr. Han. I cannot compare to your magnificence." Adrienne slightly lowered her head and looked away.
Alistair didn’t believe her at all. How could someone as beautiful and confident as her feel unworthy of him? He wondered why she was showing this hostility towards him when he hadn’t done anything that could warrant this reaction from her.
Adrienne then gave Ayla a meaningful look, and Alistair’s eyes followed her gaze with displeasure. Was it because of her cousin, Ayla Jiang?
"I’m honored that you think highly of me, Mr. Han, but I think there’s another more willing and more suitable candidate to be your wife." Adrienne smiled this time, and it sent a cold shiver down Ayla’s spine. "What do you think, Mr. Han?"
Alistair wasn’t oblivious to Ayla’s infatuation with him, but he didn’t see her as worthy as Adrienne. Ayla Jiang was known for her beauty and gentleness, like a fairy who lost her way to the mortal world, but Alistair knew better. It was nothing but a facade Ayla used to hide her sinister heart.
Alistair had seen glimpses of Ayla’s true nature, moments where her kindness slipped and revealed a darker side. He couldn’t trust someone who could so easily switch between masks, unlike Adrienne, whose authenticity drew him in despite her disinterest in him.
Finally, a smile spread on his lips, and a glint of mischievousness appeared in his eyes.
"You better give me a more logical excuse than this, Miss Jiang. If you thought I would be dissuaded from pursuing you for marriage, you are mistaken. Your refusal only made me more interested in you. Mark my words, Miss Jiang. You’re going to marry me eventually." Alistair spoke with a confident tone as he leaned in closer to Adrienne. The intensity in his gaze made it clear that he was not one to easily give up on what he desired.
"Who will get married to whom?"
Suddenly, a familiar voice boomed within the hall, and for the first time in three years, Adrienne felt her heart skip a beat. She turned around to see the man she’d been longing to see for a long time, standing at the entrance of the banquet hall with a mischievous grin on his face.
The sight of him sent a rush of warmth through her body, and she couldn’t help but smile back at him. It was as if time had stood still, and all the longing and yearning she had felt for him came rushing back in an instant.
