Chapter 22
Emma only realized Adrian was missing when her phone rang.
She turned the scooter around and eventually found him standing by the side of the road, looking deeply offended by life.
Emma gave him an awkward smile.
"Sorry. The wind was really loud. I didn't hear you yelling behind me."
Adrian glared at her.
"You did that on purpose."
Emma rubbed her nose.
"Of course not."
She pointed at the scooter.
"I've never had anyone ride on the back before. I didn't know taking a corner like that would launch the passenger."
Adrian paused.
His expression changed.
She's never had anyone ride on the back before?
He looked at the scooter.
Then at Emma.
So I'm the first?
The corners of his lips slowly lifted.
I knew it.
She really likes me.
Without another complaint, Adrian climbed back onto the scooter.
Emma lived in an older apartment building in a convenient neighborhood.
There was a small local market only a few minutes away, along with several produce stands that stayed open into the evening.
So instead of heading upstairs, Emma parked the scooter and took Adrian grocery shopping.
It was Adrian's first time at a neighborhood produce market.
The place was crowded with people picking up groceries for dinner.
Someone was stacking apples into wooden crates.
A woman nearby was inspecting tomatoes.
The smell of fresh bread drifted over from a bakery stall.
Adrian looked around curiously.
This was very different from the places where he normally bought food.
Actually—
he didn't normally buy food.
Food simply appeared.
Emma grabbed a shopping basket.
"What do you want for dinner?"
She needed to know now.
The last thing she wanted was to cook an entire meal only for this spoiled rich kid to look at it and suddenly decide he wasn't hungry.
Adrian shrugged.
"Anything homemade is fine."
Emma thought about it.
"Meatloaf, garlic butter shrimp, roasted potatoes, and tomato soup?"
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"You can make all that?"
Emma looked at him.
"Some of us don't have a personal chef."
Adrian shook his head.
"My family has four."
Emma:
"......"
Dear God.
Next life, can I please be born rich?
They stopped at one of the produce stands.
Emma picked up a bag of potatoes.
"How much for these?"
"Five bucks."
Emma inspected them.
"Four?"
Adrian's eyes lit up.
She negotiates.
She's so interesting.
The older vendor laughed.
"Fine. Four."
Emma smiled.
"Deal."
The man handed her a bag.
Then he noticed the blue-haired young man standing directly behind her.
Adrian happened to look at him at the same time.
Their eyes met.
Adrian immediately straightened his back.
Then he casually tugged at the silver chain around his neck.
He knew exactly what was coming.
The old man was obviously about to say—
Oh, is this your boyfriend?
Adrian waited.
The vendor smiled.
"Oh, your little brother joining you for dinner tonight?"
Adrian:
"......"
Little brother?
LITTLE brOTHER?!
What part of him looked like Emma's little brother?
Adrian immediately frowned at the potatoes.
"These don't look very fresh."
"We should buy them somewhere else."
The vendor:
"......"
The old man had done it on purpose.
Anyone with functioning eyes could tell the blue-haired kid liked Emma.
He'd been staring at her like she was the only person in the market.
He just hadn't expected the kid to retaliate by insulting his potatoes.
Before the vendor could say anything, Emma picked out a few more.
"These are fine."
The man weighed them.
"Four dollars."
Adrian immediately pulled out his wallet.
"I've got it."
He handed the vendor a five-dollar bill.
The vendor reached for the change.
"Keep it."
Then Adrian paused.
He looked the man directly in the eye.
"And just so we're clear—"
He pointed at himself.
"I'm not her little brother."
The vendor looked at Adrian.
Then at Emma.
Then back at Adrian.
"Sure, kid."
Adrian:
"......"
Kid?!
Emma grabbed the potatoes before Adrian could declare war on a seventy-year-old produce vendor.
"Come on."
Adrian followed her, visibly offended.
"He did that on purpose."
"Probably."
"You're not even going to defend me?"
Emma glanced at him.
"From what? Being young?"
Adrian:
"......"
She's so annoying.
Two seconds later—
She's so cute.
Emma wasn't surprised Adrian had paid.
That was actually one of the better things about him.
Whenever they went somewhere and she bought something for him, Adrian always paid her back.
Usually more than necessary.
A spoiled rich kid who didn't make other people pay for his things.
Rare.
But useful.
Emma's apartment wasn't large.
One bedroom.
One bathroom.
A small living room.
And a kitchen that was just big enough to cook in without hitting the refrigerator every time she turned around.
She set the groceries on the counter.
"Sit wherever you want. I'm going to change."
Adrian dropped onto the couch.
A few minutes later, Emma came back out.
She had changed out of her office suit.
Now she wore a loose gray T-shirt and casual shorts.
Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail, revealing the slender curve of her neck.
Adrian stared.
He'd never seen Emma dressed like this before.
He blinked.
Then blinked again.
Emma noticed.
"What?"
Adrian studied her ponytail.
Then said seriously,
"You look like a video game character."
Emma:
"......"
She stared at him.
"You know, you were doing really well until you started talking."
Adrian:
"......"
She's so funny.
She's so cute.
She's so—
He caught himself.
Wait.
Emma went into the kitchen to start dinner.
Adrian had nowhere else to go, so naturally, he followed her.
The moment he stepped inside—
he froze.
Something moved on the wall.
Something large.
Something brown.
Something with entirely too many legs.
Adrian's face changed.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"
Emma looked up.
"A roach."
"THAT IS NOT A ROACH!"
Adrian pointed at it in horror.
"THAT THING HAS A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!"
Emma:
"......"
The apartment building was old.
Roaches occasionally happened.
She'd seen worse.
Emma calmly pulled over a stool.
Stepped onto it.
Reached toward the wall—
and grabbed the roach.
With her bare hand.
Adrian's soul left his body.
"EMMA!"
She climbed down.
Disposed of it.
Washed her hands.
Then went right back to preparing dinner.
The entire process took less than thirty seconds.
Her ponytail bounced lightly behind her as she moved.
Adrian stood frozen.
His eyes were enormous.
She had grabbed a roach.
She's incredible.
At this point, Emma had absolutely no idea that Adrian Mercer had already lost most of his remaining brain cells where she was concerned.
If she had taken out the trash, he probably would've stared at her and thought:
Wow.
She's so independent.
That evening, Mrs. Mercer immediately noticed that her son was in an unusually good mood.
Adrian came home humming.
Actually humming.
Mrs. Mercer stared at him.
Adrian was heading upstairs when she called out.
"Adrian."
"Come here."
Adrian tugged casually at the silver chain around his neck and dropped onto the couch.
"What?"
Mrs. Mercer looked at him with interest.
"You're in a good mood."
She smiled.
"Did you go on a date?"
It had to be Trace Donovan.
A few days earlier, Adrian had attended the welcome-back party connected to the Donovan family.
Mrs. Mercer naturally assumed he'd finally spent some proper time with his future fiancée.
Adrian frowned.
"Mom."
"Why are you so nosy?"
Mrs. Mercer ignored that.
"So?"
"How did it go?"
"When are you two planning to make things official?"
Adrian's ears turned slightly red.
"Isn't it a little early for that?"
They hadn't even started dating yet.
Mrs. Mercer smiled.
Both Adrian and Trace were still young, so she wasn't in any rush.
"Fine, fine. Take your time."
Then she leaned closer.
"But what do you think of her?"
Adrian's head was completely filled with Emma.
It didn't even occur to him that his mother was talking about someone else.
He stood up.
His eyes lit up.
"She..."
A smile appeared on his face.
"She's really special."
Mrs. Mercer's eyebrows rose.
"And?"
Adrian's smile widened.
"And she's cute."
Mrs. Mercer looked delighted.
Adrian headed upstairs before she could ask anything else.
The second he reached his bedroom, he threw himself onto the bed.
His mind immediately replayed everything that had happened at Emma's apartment.
The dinner she'd made.
The way she'd tied her hair.
The scooter ride.
The way she'd touched his head.
Even the horrifying roach incident.
Her cooking had been amazing.
The best meal he'd ever had.
And when he'd said he wanted something sweet to drink, Emma hadn't had anything suitable at home.
So she'd made him a mango smoothie instead.
It had been incredible.
Adrian rolled onto his back.
Okay.
New favorite drink.
Mango smoothie.
He stared at the ceiling.
Maybe...
he didn't just like Emma a little.
A grin slowly spread across his face.
I freaking love her.
Adrian grabbed a pillow and buried his face in it.
Tomorrow, he was going to treat Emma better.
No.
Not just better.
She deserved special treatment.
Downstairs, Mrs. Mercer thought about the conversation.
Then she picked up her phone and sent Emma a message.
Emma was lying in bed with a sheet mask on her face when the message arrived.
She typed back.
A reply appeared almost immediately.
Emma stared at the screen.
Huh?
Adrian had another personality she didn't know about?
Hadn't he spent the last several days saying he had absolutely no intention of getting married?
Whatever.
Not her problem.
Emma typed:
A few seconds later, another message appeared.
Emma sat up.
Five thousand dollars?
Her fingers immediately started moving.
Mrs. Mercer replied:
Emma:
She deleted it immediately.
Five thousand dollars?
She would've deleted her twice if the phone allowed it.
She'd already finished handing over almost all of her work during the past two days anyway.
There was nothing important left for her to do tomorrow.
Mercer Holdings didn't normally require overtime at that branch, but several departments often worked late.
So the building was still open that night.
The lights were on.
Security was there.
And sometime later, a small pink scooter pulled up outside.
Emma walked into the office.
She cleared out her desk.
Pens.
Notebook.
Phone charger.
Coffee mug.
A few random snacks.
Anything that belonged to her went into a large trash bag.
She carried the whole thing downstairs, hooked it onto her scooter, and rode home.
By the time she got back into bed, everything was finished.
Emma opened her phone.
One by one, she left every Mercer Holdings group chat.
Then she opened her contacts.
Found Adrian Mercer.
Her thumb hovered over his name for exactly half a second.
Done.
Emma put her phone on the nightstand.
Pulled the blanket over herself.
And closed her eyes.
Tomorrow, Adrian Mercer was planning to start treating her better.
Unfortunately—