Our Apartment
Adrian became unbearable after she said yes.
Not dramatically unbearable.
Worse.
Soft.
Happy.
Terrifyingly happy.
And somehow—
that affected Lia more than all the obsession ever had.
—
By Sunday afternoon, the penthouse looked like a disaster.
Half-open boxes covered the living room.
Clothes draped over chairs.
Books stacked near the kitchen island.
Somewhere in the middle of the chaos, Sienna sat cross-legged on the couch eating expensive fruit while emotionally processing everything.
"You moved in with him."
Lia glanced up from unpacking another box.
"You've said that six times."
"Because it keeps sounding fake."
Honestly?
Fair.
Lia still felt slightly detached from reality herself.
The entire morning blurred together into Adrian carrying boxes like they personally offended him while simultaneously trying to reorganize her belongings before she even unpacked them.
Which led to multiple arguments already.
"You cannot alphabetize my sweaters."
"They looked disorganized."
"That sentence is insane."
Adrian didn't even deny it.
Currently, he stood near the dining table rolling up the sleeves of his black button-down while examining her bookshelf with the concentration of a man handling international security threats.
Beautiful psychopath.
Sienna watched him carefully for several seconds before lowering her voice dramatically.
"He looks happy."
Lia's chest tightened instantly.
Because he did.
Not polite happy.
Not controlled satisfaction.
Actually happy.
Every time Adrian carried another box upstairs, he looked calmer somehow.
Lighter.
Like something inside him physically settled more and more with every piece of her life added to the apartment.
The realization wrapped painfully around her heart.
Adrian looked over suddenly.
Of course.
"You stopped unpacking."
Lia blinked softly.
"You're literally across the room."
"You've been staring at me for thirty seconds."
Sienna physically covered her face.
"I need both of you psychologically evaluated."
A faint smile flickered across Adrian's mouth before his attention returned immediately to Lia.
"You look tired."
"It's because I'm dating an emotionally intense billionaire."
"You live with him now actually."
Heat rushed instantly into her cheeks.
God.
Even hearing it out loud still felt unreal.
Adrian crossed the room slowly before stopping beside her.
His hand settled automatically against the back of her neck.
Warm.
Affectionate.
Natural now.
Like touching her constantly had become second nature.
"You haven't eaten since breakfast."
Sienna stared upward at the ceiling dramatically.
"There it is."
Lia sighed softly.
"You monitor me too much."
"You forget basic human needs when distracted."
Unfortunately—
also true.
Adrian's thumb brushed lightly beneath her hairline while his gaze moved slowly over her face.
Softening more and more every second.
"You really moved in with me."
The quiet wonder in his voice nearly ruined her emotionally.
Because somehow—
even after she agreed—
part of him still sounded stunned she actually chose this.
Chose him.
Lia looked up at him carefully.
"You say that like you still can't believe it."
A faint flicker crossed his face.
"I can't."
The honesty shattered straight through her chest.
Because Adrian sounded completely sincere.
No ego.
No arrogance.
Just genuine disbelief that someone loved him enough to stay permanently.
Sienna stood abruptly.
"Nope. I'm leaving before this becomes emotionally damaging for me."
Lia laughed softly.
"You just got here."
"I watched a billionaire carry your skincare box upstairs like it contained national secrets." She pointed toward Adrian accusingly. "That man is gone."
Adrian looked entirely unbothered.
"It was glass."
Sienna stared at him silently for two full seconds.
Then toward Lia.
"...He's actually serious."
Unfortunately—
he was.
After Sienna finally left, the penthouse quieted again.
Soft afternoon sunlight spilled across the living room while the city stretched bright beyond the windows.
Boxes still covered half the apartment.
Except now—
instead of feeling chaotic—
everything felt lived in.
Real.
Lia wandered slowly toward the bedroom carrying another stack of folded clothes.
The second she entered—
she stopped.
Her breath caught softly.
Adrian had reorganized the closet.
Not just slightly.
Half the space now belonged entirely to her.
Her dresses hung beside his suits.
Her sweaters folded carefully beside his shirts.
Her shoes lined neatly beneath his.
Two lives blended together completely.
The sight hit harder than expected.
"You moved your things."
Adrian appeared quietly behind her moments later.
Close enough that warmth surrounded her instantly.
"I made room."
The roughness in his voice wrapped tightly around her chest.
Lia stared silently at the closet.
At the evidence of permanence everywhere.
This wasn't visiting anymore.
Wasn't temporary.
This was theirs now.
Adrian's hand slid slowly around her waist from behind.
Careful.
Almost hesitant suddenly.
Like he still feared overwhelming her even now.
"You hate it."
Lia turned immediately.
"What?"
His expression looked too calm.
Which meant he was overthinking.
"I moved too much too quickly."
The realization hurt instantly.
Because Adrian still expected himself to be too much eventually.
Lia set the clothes down before reaching for his face gently.
Immediate reaction.
Always immediate.
Adrian leaned into her touch unconsciously while his hands tightened carefully around her waist.
"I love it," she whispered softly.
The tension in his shoulders eased instantly.
Visible relief.
Like those words physically settled something inside him.
Lia's chest ached.
"You reorganized your entire life around me."
A faint smile touched his mouth.
"I wanted to."
God.
The sincerity again.
Always the sincerity.
Lia looked around the bedroom slowly.
Her books sat beside his on the shelves now.
Her chargers on his nightstand.
Her perfume beside his watch collection.
Tiny pieces of intimacy everywhere.
Adrian noticed the emotion crossing her face immediately.
"What are you thinking?"
Lia swallowed carefully.
"That this doesn't feel like your apartment anymore."
Silence.
Then Adrian stepped closer.
His forehead rested lightly against hers while his fingers brushed softly along her waist.
Then quietly—
with enough affection to ruin her permanently—
"That's because it's our apartment now."