Adrian
I leaned against Kelly's office desk, arms crossed, my gaze fixed on the bouquet sitting there like a ticking time bomb. The tension in the room was thick, and Kelly's silence only amplified it. The Kelly I knew, the one who had worked tirelessly for every bit of success she'd earned, never let anything rattle her. But now, her distress was as clear as the lines etched into her usually composed features.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on, or do I have to drag it out of you?" I asked, keeping my tone firm but steady.
Kelly looked up from her chair, her hands resting on the edge of her desk. Her hesitation spoke volumes, but I wasn't going to let this slide. Not when she looked like someone had knocked the ground out from under her.
She sighed, shaking her head.
"It's... nothing I can't handle, Adrian."
The hell it was! I didn't buy her deflection for a second.
"Bullshit," I snapped, stepping closer. "Don't sit there and tell me you're fine when you're clearly not. Kelly, this is me you're talking to."
Her shoulders slumped, and she rubbed her temples as if trying to wield the weight pressing down on her.
"It's Anderson," she finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Anderson! The name hit me like a slap. That bastard, the same man who had turned her life into a living nightmare years ago. My jaw tightened, and my fists clenched at my sides.
"What the hell did he do?" I asked, trying to keep my voice level, but anger was bubbling beneath the surface.
She gestured toward the bouquet.
"The flowers. They're from him. And the message..." Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard before continuing. "It's threatening."
I moved closer to the desk and grabbed the card sitting beside the flowers. The words written on it were vague but chilling enough to make my blood boil. Anderson's audacity was astounding.
"That son of a bitch," I muttered, tossing the card back onto the desk. "What does he want? Is he trying to drag you back into his toxic world?"
"I don't know," Kelly admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "I saw him at one of my events last week. I thought I could stay out of his way, but now..."
I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair.
"Now he knows who you are. Damn it, Kelly, you should've told me this sooner."
Her eyes met mine, a flicker of guilt crossing her face.
"I didn't want to burden you, Adrian. You have enough on your plate with the hospital and everything else."
Burden me? I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it.
"Kelly, you're not a burden. You're family, more than that, you're... Look, the point is, I'm here for you, always. Don't shut me out like this."
She nodded, her expression softening. "I know. I'm sorry."
I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my frustration.
"First things first," I said. "I'm getting you more security. No arguments."
"Adrian…"
"No," I cut her off. "Don't even think about fighting me on this. I'll make the calls myself if I have to, but you're not going anywhere without protection. And for the love of God, don't move around alone. Promise me."
She hesitated, but eventually, she nodded.
"Okay. I promise."
"Good." The tightness in my chest eased slightly, but the anger rising beneath the surface didn't fade. I'd make sure Anderson regretted ever trying to mess with her again.
We fell into a brief silence, the weight of the conversation hanging in the air. Finally, I decided to change the subject, if only to give her a moment to breathe.
"How's Harper?" I asked, leaning against the desk again.
The tension in Kelly's face eased just a bit at the mention of her daughter.
"She's fine. Olivia picked her up from daycare earlier today. But I've been thinking... I want to move her to a different school. Something closer. I'd like to be the one picking her up from now on, not always relying on Olivia."
I nodded. "Makes sense. We can talk more about it later, figure out the logistics."
Kelly smiled faintly. "Thanks, Adrian."
"Of course."
As much as I wanted to stay and make sure she was okay, I knew she needed space to process everything. Still, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that leaving her alone, even for a moment, was a bad idea.
"Hey," I said, as the thought struck me. "There's an event this weekend. High-profile, lots of influential people. It could be a good distraction for you, a way to unwind."
Kelly raised an eyebrow.
"Unwind? At a social event?"
"Trust me," I said with a smirk. "It's not all business. There'll be plenty of opportunities to relax. Plus, it'll give me an excuse to stick around and keep an eye on you."
She chuckled softly. "Alright, fine. I'll go."
"Don't worry about anything," I said, my tone softening. "I'll handle the details. We'll go together."
As we left her office together, my mind was already racing with plans. Anderson had crossed a line, and I wasn't going to let him get away with it. If he thought he could intimidate Kelly or threaten what she'd built, he was in for a rude awakening.
No one messed with Kelly and got away with it.