CHAPTER 81: CHAPTER 81: ONLY LIKE THIS WITH YOU (REVISED)

On the third day of their trip to the ancient town, Adrian received a call from his subordinate Luke Langdon, saying Jessica Coleman had been found.

Coincidentally, Talia was also tired from playing and wanted to go home and rest for a couple of days, so the two packed their bags and returned to Oakhaven.

Jessica Coleman pretended to be pregnant and was kidnapped by people dispatched by Selina Hughes after being released from the detention center, smuggled all the way to Caldoria.

The promises Selina Hughes made before to arrange accommodation and work for her abroad were not fulfilled.

She was sold by Selina Hughes’s subordinates to a telecom fraud park in Caldoria, where she was tormented and lived a life worse than pigs and dogs.

Adrian’s people found her, and the leader of the park, also a person from Veridia, knew the Jennings Family was powerful and influential, dared not offend them and obediently handed her over.

...

A dimly lit basement.

Jessica Coleman is tied to a wooden chair.

Her hair is disheveled, body covered in bruises, looking extremely pathetic.

These injuries weren’t inflicted by the Jennings Family, but by the managers of the park before.

Adrian walks in from the basement entrance.

The man is dressed in black, his aura cold and sharp, his impeccably handsome face shadowed by gloom.

He sits on the sofa three or four meters away from Jessica Coleman, his gaze fierce, "Speak, who instructed you?"

At the sight of Adrian, Jessica Coleman breaks down emotionally.

"Adrian, please, please don’t look at me!" The woman’s voice is hoarse with sobs, despair flashing in her eyes, "I look too ugly now."

Adrian frowns unpleasantly.

In his eyes, Jessica Coleman is merely an unforgivable criminal, he doesn’t care about her appearance or attractiveness.

Unsatisfied with the lack of useful information, Adrian loses patience, his tone harsh, "Don’t understand?"

Jessica Coleman shakes her head while crying, "I can’t tell you, I... I was forced, can’t you let me go considering I’ve liked you for so many years?"

Adrian’s eyes are cold, devoid of warmth, "Tell me and I’ll let you go."

Jessica Coleman pleads, "I’m begging you, Adrian, I really can’t say, please spare me, I didn’t mean to ruin your engagement ceremony..."

At this point, she changes her tone, her face full of concern, "Has your injury healed? I’m sorry I didn’t mean to hurt you... I..."

She also didn’t mean to harm Talia Rhodes.

Selina Hughes forced her into all of this!

But she cannot say.

Her father is still in Selina Hughes’s hands.

She was tortured in the park for more than a month, she loathed Selina Hughes more than anyone, and wanted her dead more than anyone!

But she can’t.

Her father is the only family she has left in this world.

Seeing the man show no signs of compassion, Jessica Coleman feels hopeless, "Adrian, kill me then, I can’t tell you..."

"Why would I kill you?" Adrian’s expression is stern, "Miss Coleman, since you refuse to say anything, don’t blame me for being rude."

Adrian stands up coldly.

"Adrian, what are you going to do to me?" Jessica’s pale face is streaked with tears, eyes desolate.

Adrian’s gaze is icy, as if wrapped in a layer of frost.

He doesn’t answer the woman’s question, turns around intending to leave.

"Adrian, don’t leave!" Jessica shouts miserably, "Can you stay with me a little longer?"

The woman’s voice is wretched, filled with humble pleading, "In the park over the past month, I suffered inhuman torment, I... I..."

Jessica sobs, "I was defiled by those beasts! They’re not human, nothing but creatures worse than animals! Every day I was beaten multiple times, ate stale bread, porridge full of water with barely any rice grains, those meals were worse than pig slop, Adrian, I really almost couldn’t survive, you know, over the past month, you were my only hope, thinking of you gave me the courage to keep on living..."

Adrian stands with his back to her, his posture tall, his outline deep and cold.

He listens to Jessica Coleman recount her tragic experience, his expression unmoved.

The woman continues to cry fitfully, "Every day I think I have to hold on, I have to leave there alive, only alive can I see you, if I die, I’ll never see you again..."

"Adrian, I’m begging you, please stay with me, I’m really going insane, as soon as I close my eyes, I see those beasts assaulting me, I... the pain in my heart is a thousand times worse than the physical pain..."

Jessica cries intermittently, "Talk to me a little longer, will you? It’s fine if you scold me... please don’t go, please don’t leave me, please... I really... really want to see you... you’re the only light in my life!"

Being someone’s hope, becoming the only light in someone’s life would move any man to emotion.

But Adrian remains indifferent.

His heart is untouched, not even granting her a glance.

The man pauses no longer, turns and leaves.

Jessica watches Adrian’s cold and resolute back, the last glimmer of light in her eyes extinguished.

After exiting the basement, Adrian turns his head and instructs the bodyguard beside him, "Find a way to make her talk, get something useful out of her."

"Yes."

Sympathy?

Compassion?

He might possess them.

But he would never offer them to a sinner who tried to harm Talia.

Because over a month ago, Jessica Coleman nearly killed his Talia.

Those who harm Talia should be made to pay!

Leaving the base, Adrian glances at his watch, it’s ten o’clock.

His Talia should be waking up hungry.

...

Talia was exhausted by Adrian last night, and slept soundly, waking up at noon.

The curtains were half drawn, sunlight streaming through the glass, spreading a soft golden glow over the light blue quilt at the foot of the bed.

Dust dances gently in the air, giving the light a presence.

As Talia opens her eyes and regains her senses, she smells a tantalizing aroma of food.

Wearing cute bear pajamas, she gets out of bed, her hair disheveled, eyes half-closed, she follows the scent outside.

In the dining room, three dishes and two bowls of rice are already on the table.

The extractor fan in the kitchen buzzes softly.

Talia looks curiously towards the kitchen.

Adrian, wearing an apron, carries out a bowl of soup, "Awake?"

He places the bowl of soup on the table.

It’s Talia’s favorite winter melon pork rib soup.

"Hungry? Go wash up ready to eat." Adrian still has the apron on, resembling a "dutiful housewife."

Talia, still bleary-eyed, looks at him confused, "You’re still here?"

And even cooked such a meal.

Adrian unfastens the apron, "I thought you’d be hungry when you woke, so I bought groceries and cooked for you."

Talia rubs her eyes, her voice soft and melodious upon waking, captivating, "So devoted."

"Only to you." Adrian’s eyes are full of deep and abiding tenderness.