Secretly Married for 4 Years, He Regrets to Tears After the Divorce-Chapter 129: A Barely There Kiss
Wren Sutton was still giving Adrian Lancaster the cold shoulder. She shook his hand off, and just as the elevator doors opened, she hurried inside.
As the elevator doors were about to close, Adrian Lancaster shot out a hand to block them, a dark expression on his face as he stepped inside.
They were alone in the elevator.
In the small, enclosed space, Wren Sutton stood pressed against the back wall.
She kept her gaze lowered, refusing to look at the man standing beside her. She didn’t speak to him, treating Adrian Lancaster like a complete stranger.
Having just been snubbed, Adrian Lancaster was already in a foul mood. Now, he radiated an unapproachable coldness and ignored Wren Sutton in turn.
The two of them stood in a standoff.
In the silence, the atmosphere grew cold and oppressive.
Wren Sutton endured the awkwardness, silently praying, ’Please go faster, just get to our floor.’
The thought had barely crossed her mind when the elevator abruptly malfunctioned. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
The power cut out first, plunging them into pitch-black darkness where nothing was visible.
Immediately afterward, the elevator began to operate erratically, then it started to plummet.
Wren Sutton instinctively cried out in alarm. Her heart hammered with tension—she was terrified. The intense feeling of weightlessness made her nauseous, as if she were about to be sick.
"Adrian Lancaster..."
In the darkness, Wren Sutton’s voice was startlingly clear, the final syllable trembling with fear.
"I’m here."
Adrian Lancaster was composed and calm. Though his expression was hidden by the darkness, his voice was deeply reassuring. He reached out, pulling Wren Sutton protectively into his arms.
With his other hand, he quickly pressed every button for every floor to trigger the emergency braking system.
A few seconds later, the elevator stopped its descent.
Next, Adrian Lancaster pressed the emergency alarm button repeatedly.
"The elevator should be back to normal soon. Just wait a few minutes."
Hearing the deep, steady voice from above her, Wren Sutton nodded instinctively.
The trauma of being trapped in an elevator as a child resurfaced, a persistent shadow that refused to dissipate.
The complete darkness doubled her panic, and her other senses were magnified to an unbearable degree.
She gripped Adrian Lancaster’s collar with both hands, the sound of her own heart thundering in her ears.
Adrian Lancaster held Wren Sutton, his chin resting on the top of her head.
"Don’t be afraid. I’m with you."
It was a simple phrase of comfort, but Wren Sutton froze when she heard it. A sudden, bitter ache spread through her chest, a dull, suffocating pain.
She pressed her lips together, swallowing the inexpressible emotions that rose within her.
Adrian Lancaster felt her trembling and tightened his embrace.
"So timid, huh?"
Wren Sutton didn’t want to speak.
Adrian Lancaster didn’t press her.
Soon, the lights in the elevator flickered on, and it resumed its normal operation.
Adrian Lancaster pressed their floor button again. When he turned back, he saw the tear tracks she hadn’t yet wiped from her face.
"Still crying? Was it because I called you timid?" he teased.
"..." Wren Sutton looked embarrassed and didn’t respond.
She realized she was still clutching Adrian Lancaster’s collar, nestled against his chest like a frightened bird. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, an impossibly intimate and ambiguous posture.
Her mind went blank. She hurriedly released her grip and wiped away her tears.
She started to take a step back to put some distance between herself and Adrian Lancaster.
But before she could, Adrian Lancaster was quicker, hooking an arm around her waist and pulling her back into his embrace, leaving her with no way to escape.
Wren Sutton looked up, her gaze meeting his dark, profound eyes.
He stared straight at her. "So, why were you really crying earlier?"
Wren Sutton gave a half-truthful explanation. "I was scared. Worried we wouldn’t get out."
Adrian Lancaster smoothed back a few stray strands of hair from her forehead. "As long as I’m here, you don’t have to be afraid of anything."
His tone was loaded with unspoken meaning.
Once she understood his implication, Wren Sutton let out a soft laugh. But it wasn’t a sound of sweet relief; it was the knowing, cynical laugh of someone who sees the truth but doesn’t call it out, and it made her heart ache.
Adrian Lancaster, oblivious to her true thoughts, gently lifted her chin and continued where he’d left off. "That includes this business with the Quinn Family."
"As long as you’re a little more yielding, you’ll still be the Mrs. Lancaster everyone envies. I guarantee that in Aston, no one will dare to lay a hand on you."
As if only half-understanding, Wren Sutton probed uncertainly, "You mean..."
"Regardless of the truth, I will protect you. I’ll make sure you come out on top."
Wren Sutton’s pupils quivered. She was completely stunned. She never imagined Adrian Lancaster would say something like that.
’He...’
The next second, Adrian Lancaster’s face suddenly drew close until his forehead was resting against hers. His clean, cool breath washed over her face as he brushed a fleeting, barely-there kiss against her lips.
"Mrs. Lancaster, is my sincerity enough for you?"
