Chapter 377: He couldn’t push her away

Ella forced herself to close her mouth and look away, gripping her fork so hard her knuckles turned white. She composed herself with the sheer force of will, refusing to give him the satisfaction of her awe."It’s just hair dye," she muttered, returning to her salad.

Adrian sat down opposite her, his movements fluid and graceful. He didn’t eat immediately.

Instead, he adjusted his cuffs and leaned back, gazing at her through his tinted lenses.

The silence that followed was suffocating. The only sounds were the soft clinking of Ella’s fork and the distant, panicked whispers of the servants in the kitchen trying to process the fact that their master now looked like a top celebrity.

Adrian watched Ella for a long time. His gaze seemed to be gauging the woman who did not spare him a second glance. He had expected to see her awestruck.

But after the first moment of astonishment, she seemed to have gone into her own mind, totally lost in her thoughts.

He picked up a piece of fruit, turning it over in his hand. The arrogant smirk faded just a fraction, replaced by something more observant.

"You seem upset," Adrian remarked suddenly.

Ella froze and looked up.

"Is it because you finally realized that with your looks, you can’t even pretend to be ’this’ young master’s wife? Am I far too handsome?" he asked, his tone mocking but his eyes narrowed.

Ella looked at him, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something, but in the end nothing came out of her mouth.

As she stared into his eyes, she saw nothing but curious distance.

There was no trace of the man who had once burned the world down just to keep protecting her. He was looking at her like a stranger would look at a particularly puzzling piece of modern art.

A hint of sadness crossed her face, casting a shadow over her features that no amount of sunlight in the room could pierce.

Adrian’s smirk faltered. He found himself strangely unsettled by the way her expression crumpled into that quietness. For some reason, he didn’t like it.

Those defiant glares looked better on her. This... whatever this was... made him uncomfortable.

"What?" he prompted, his voice losing some of its narcissistic edge, "If you have something to say, say it."

Ella looked down at her hands, then back at him, her voice barely a whisper, "Are you happy, Adrian?"

The question caught him completely off guard. He blinked, the platinum strands of his hair shimmering as he tilted his head.

Adrian quirked a brow, recovering his poise, "What a ridiculous question. This young master has no reason to be unhappy."

Ella paused for a long time. Then, she smiled.

It was a smile that broke Adrian’s heart without him even realizing why he felt that way.

Although she was smiling, it seemed to have filled the air with some sort of melancholy.

"Good," she said softly.

Without another word, she rose from the dining table and walked away.

Adrian sat frozen, a piece of fruit halfway to his mouth. He watched her ascent the staircase as an inexplicable daze settled over him.

He felt like he had just watched something precious slip through his fingers, though he couldn’t for the life of him remember what it was.

He only snapped out of it when a sharp "Meow!" echoed near his feet, followed by a frantic "Woof!" Riri and Lala scurried past him, ignoring his existence entirely as they chased after Ella, their loyalties clearly decided and obvious.

Later that afternoon, the garden was blooming with fresh roses and quiet wind, but Adrian found no peace in it.

He sat before a fresh canvas, his palette filled with vibrant colors. But his brush remained unmoving.

For over an hour, the only mark on the white surface was a single black dot he had placed there in a fit of frustration.

After a long time, his fingers started moving almost of their own accord.

He moved with a feverish energy he didn’t recognize. He wasn’t thinking; nor did he know what to think about. The brush danced, dipped in deep umbers, midnight blues, and a touch of hazel.

By the time he paused to catch his breath, he realized what he had done.

A pair of eyes looked at him from the canvas.

They were deep, sad, and hauntingly beautiful. They were the eyes that had looked at him across the dining table.

Adrian looked at his hand in disbelief. He dropped the paintbrush, the wooden handle clattering against the stone patio.

He raked his fingers through his silver hair, messing up the perfect style he had spent hours achieving.

"Is she doing some witchcraft on me or what?" he hissed to the empty garden, "Why must she keep haunting my mind?"

The frustration boiled over in his mind, turning into a restless energy.

It seemed like keeping her here was a terrible idea.

He stormed back into the mansion and headed straight for her room. He didn’t knock; he threw the door open coldly.

"Now look here, Miss Yu—" he began, his voice booming.

But the words died in his throat.

Ella looked up at him, her doe eyes red-rimmed and exhausted.

Adrian went instantly quiet. The fiery lecture he had prepared evaporated, replaced by a hint of panic.

The sight of her tears made him feel utterly helpless.

"I... I haven’t even said anything to you yet!" he stammered, his hands hovering awkwardly in the air, "Why are you crying? Is it a tactic or you want to..." he slowly trailed off seeing the nonchalance on her face.

Ella didn’t answer. She stood up and walked towards him.

Before he could process anything, she threw herself into his arms.

Adrian stiffened, his breath hitching. He reached out to push her away.

Before his hands could touch her, she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, burying her face in the silk of his shirt, and he found he couldn’t push her away.