CHAPTER 57: 57: HATE & DESIRE REVEALED

The sudden, sharp sensation from the subtle pressure on his lip jolted Adrian’s entire body. His breath hitched—a silent, strangled sound—and the last vestiges of his composure shattered. He pushed weakly against Alexander’s chest, a futile, instinctive movement.

He burned with something Adrian couldn’t name, a storm that made his pulse stumble.

"Boss—" The word was a shaky plea, but it was cut off as Alexander immediately withdrew, stepping back only enough to allow a foot of space, yet the intensity in his gaze remained crushing.

Alexander’s eyes, still dark and hooded, dropped to Adrian’s lips, where a slight, involuntary swelling marked the contact. He didn’t look remorseful; he looked calculating, satisfied.

"Why does it bother you so much, my kiss?" Alexander asked, voice low, almost too steady.

Adrian swallowed hard. "It doesn’t."

"Lie again." Alexander’s tone was sharp silk.

Adrian’s chest rose and fell, his fingers gripping the handle of the door, "You’re crossing a line, boss."

Alexander leaned closer, stopping just shy of touch. The air between them was tight, charged, alive. "Maybe," he said quietly. "But tell me you didn’t want me to."

Adrian’s lips parted, but no sound came. The words wouldn’t form—not when Alexander’s gaze was that heavy, that knowing.

"Cheating wife, Adrian," Alexander repeated, his voice now lower than before, a low, dangerous rumble that seemed to vibrate only for Adrian. He reached out and grasped Adrian’s chin lightly, tilting his head up to force their eyes to lock. "Did you hear me? I said, My cheating wife."

Adrian stared back, his mind racing to process the two distinct pieces of information—the intimate, unauthorised touch, and the shocking accusation. He tried to pull his face away, but Alexander’s grip, though light, was firm.

"I-I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir," Adrian stammered, the formal address feeling ridiculous given their current proximity and the heat on his lip.

"Don’t you?" Alexander’s thumb gently stroked the corner of Adrian’s jaw. "You defended her so passionately, Mr. Cole. You know her so well. You knew she wouldn’t lie about something ’sacred.’" He paused, a cruel edge entering his voice. "And you know exactly why I need advice on how to treat a cheater, don’t you?"

Adrian gulped, his pulse jumping crazily within.

’This couldn’t be, right?’ He licked his dry lips as he stared up at Alexander’s darkened eyes.

Alexander let go of his face, his hand dropping to rest against the door right beside Adrian’s head, caging him in. "Look at you, all cornered, guilty, and sacred."

He jabbed a finger lightly against Adrian’s chest, right over his frantically beating heart. "You came in here, looking ready to fight Sonia off my lap. You froze when she touched me. You have been looking at me with undisguised hunger for a month now, pretending it’s just ’professionalism.’ And now... you’re shaking because I simply stood close to you."

Alexander’s lips curved into that slow, devastating smirk again. "The game is over, Adrian. Sit on the sofa. We are going to discuss my personal problems, and you are going to tell me everything." He stepped away, walking back to the sofa, leaving Adrian alone, trembling, and utterly exposed against the closed office door.

"Now, Adrian," Alexander commanded, his voice back to its calm, powerful executive tone, "Or do you need another form of persuasion?" He questioned calmly as he stood in front of the sofa.

Adrian closed his eyes briefly, inhaling a shuddering breath. He knew that it wasn’t entirely a threat; it meant revealing his vulnerability, his feelings, perhaps his very identity.

With numb, heavy feet, Adrian pushed off the door and walked toward the sofa, moving like a puppet whose strings had just been cut. He sat down, not beside Alexander this time, but on the far edge, clutching the tablet.

Alexander watched him settle, a triumphant glint in his eyes. He didn’t press the matter of the kiss, instead picking up the thread of the conversation as if nothing had happened.

"Where were we?" Alexander mused, leaning back and resting his elbow on the headrest, looking directly at Adrian’s profile. "Ah, yes. My cheating wife. Tell me, Adrian. As a man who understands her so well, why do you think she did it? Lied to me." He asked, crossing his legs.

Adrian’s fingers trembled and he gripped the tablet tightly until his hands started to turn white. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t come up with any words.

"You know what? I think I’m ready to accept my items back. Go, Adrian, get your backpack, I need my shirts back. You don’t deserve any of my customised collections," Alexander instructed, pointing at the door, "You have a minute, Adrian." He said sternly.

"Yes, boss," Adrian was on his feet in an instant, running toward the door.

He was glad he got a chance to go away from Alexander. Returning the shirts meant nothing to him, it wasn’t like he was using them anyway.

He moved with barely steady legs as he walked over to his desk to grab his bag.

"I’ll get the boss to fire you," Sonia suddenly appeared in Adrian’s path as he turned to return to the boss’s office.

Adrian sighed, "I could really use a distraction right now, but the boss is waiting for me, and I have an inkling that my identity is on the line. So, if you can just move," he reached out and placed his hand on the side of Sonia’s face, shoving her pit of his way.

"Ugh! I’ll get you for this!" Sonia raged.

But Adrian was already walking through the door, hands gripping his bag till his knuckles turned white.

Adrian stepped into the office and paused when he couldn’t find Alexander. He wanted to turn and leave but Alexander’s voice called him in from the private room.

"Come here, Adrian," Alexander’s calm voice called from behind the door.

Adrian muttered something inaudible beneath his breath and walked over to the door, his eyes determined.

Gently, he pushed the door in and walked into the room.

Alexander was facing his wardrobe, his hands in his pockets.

"Close the door, Adrian," Alexander ordered as he heard Adrian enter.

Adrian obeyed, pushing the door closed, and as the soft click sounded, his heart skipped a beat, danger, fear, and desire.

"My shirts, Adrian," Alexander said, not facing Adrian.

"Yes, boss," Adrian replied and unzipped his bag, he pulled out the second shirt, but then he reached for the white one, the first one Alexander had given him, and he came out with nothing.

"No..." he muttered, his face paling.

He stared into the bag and snapped his head immediately when he couldn’t find the shirt.

’No, I must have lost it when I lost the ring too!’ He bit his lip, trying to remember the moment when he lost two important items.

It was all Alexander’s fault. He had put him under pressure yesterday, and in a fit to maintain his lie, Adrian had lost his ring and one of Alexander’s customised shirts.

"What’s the hesitation, Adrian? You don’t want to return it anymore?" Alexander finally turned away from his wardrobe, his eyes falling on the valve shjr5 in Adrian’s hand.

"No, no, Boss. I’m really sorry, I..." he gulped, "I think I lost the second shirt," He confessed, sweating in the air-conditioned room.

Alexander’s lips tilted the slightest, his eyes gleaming with dark intent.

"Really? It must be a coincidence, my wife lost her ring last night, too. Don’t you think so, Adrian?" Alexander asked, extending his hand in front of him.

Adrian shivered, pulse racing.

Slowly, he walked over to Alexander and placed the shirt in his hand and was about to step back but Alexander caught his wrist, holding him in place.

Adrian’s pulse skyrocketed, his lips trembling as he looked up at Alexander.

"Boss?" He called in a small voice.

Alexander chuckled dryly, "Mr. Cole, I asked a question. Do you think it’s? Coincidence that my wife lost her ring at the same time you lost my shirt?" He asked, his eyes on Adrian’s pulse between his collarbone.

Adrian blinked rapidly, "I don’t know, Boss. I don’t know... please, just let me go... the shirt must have fallen off somewhere at the penthouse –"

"Make it make sense, Adrian..." Alexander cut in and drew Adrian in, his hand sliding down Adrian’s back to rest on his waist, pulling him closer until their chests touched.

Adrian was a shuddering mess, the fear and desire had collided, turning him into a confused ball of emotions. He wanted to push Alexander away and he wanted to pull him in at the same time. He wanted to look away, yet he wanted to lock eyes with him at the same fucking time.

He was a mess. A mess Alexander was deliberating on creating.

He pressed his hand on Alexander’s chest and pushed very weakly, "Boss –"

"Shh, Secretary... be quiet," Alexander murmured, his breath fanning Adrian’s lips.

He lowered his mouth to Adrian’s ear, voice low and deliberate, "All my life, I’ve been considered a smart and intelligent man. But here, right now, my little clumsy, timid, and shy secretary had proved that there was someone out there who could outsmart me. Make it make sense, Adrian," he whispered, his hand tightening on Adrian’s waist.

Adrian almost ran out of breath from the proximity and Alexander’s insinuating words. But he wasn’t going to slip up, this might just be one of Alexander’s mind games, and he wasn’t going to fall for it.

"I have no idea what you’re talking about, boss. Please, let me go, I have work to do," Adrien replied defiantly.

Alexander chuckled lowly, "My wife wasn’t lying, Adrian. She could really not bear my children. However, it’s not because she’s sterile, it’s just, she simply can’t." He muttered, drawing his face back to stare I tk Adrian’s unsteady eyes.

Adrian inhaled anxiously, "I’m sorry to hear that, Boss –"

"Don’t be, Adrian," Alexander said gently, he cupped Adrian’s chin and his gaze softened, "I just need you to answer one last question honestly, Adrian. Promise?" He asked in a surprisingly tender tone.

Adrian was taken aback by Alexander’s sudden tenderness, he could almost sense vulnerability in his tone, too.

He sighed, slowly bending his head.

’Just one more question and he would get back to my duty like none of this ever happened.’

"Yes, boss. I’ll answer honestly," Adrian replied, his hands still resting as a barrier between him and Alexander.

"Promise?" Alexander raised a brow.

"I promise," Adrian nodded.

"Good," Alexander smirked.

He gently pulled Adrian toward the sofa and pulled him to sit by his side, not letting go of his waist.

"Then, tell me, Adrian, why did I find my wife’s ring in your backpack? And my shirt which I had given to my secretary, why did I find it in my wife’s bag?l, Adrian... or should I say, Adrienne?" Alexander’s voice didn’t crack as he dropped the question that shattered all of Adrian’s worlds.

Adrian felt his blood run cold. His denial died in his throat. He couldn’t speak. He couldn’t breathe. Alexander knew. The realisation hit him with the force of a physical blow. The careful facade, the detachment, the entire life he’d built post-Alexander was about to be obliterated.

He opened his mouth, but not a si game sound came out. He blinked slowly, gasping loudly as his lungs suddenly felt too tight to breathe. He was having a panic attack.

Pit of all the ways he imagined Alexander might find out, he never expected to be trapped right in front of his CEO and got asked about his lies line they were discussing some new design.

"B-boss... I..." Adrian trembles visibly, his lips unable to form his words.

Alexandee sighed, "Don’t look so surprised, Adrian. Did you really think you could fool me for long?" He leaned back, his eyes finally moving, taking in the trembling body in front of him.

"I’m sorry..." Adrian murmured.

By then, his cheeks were completely flushed, his lips glistening from constant licking and his fingers curled on his thigh.

’I’m doomed! Doomed! He’s going to kill me!’ Adrian panicked.

Alexander leaned in, his hand finding the back of Adrian’s head, "Congratulations, Adrian, you married your boss." He whispered.

Their eyes locked, tension simmering between them.

Betrayal, anger, loathing and fear all coiled up just to something dangerous between them.

This should be the moment where they separated for good, but something new was suddenly growing between them, something neither of them could ignore. Something that made the revelation suddenly secondary.

Adrian slowly sank his teeth on his bottom lip, his chest slowly rising and falling as he watched he’d Alexander’s hooded eyes rake his face.

"Today..." Alexander traced his thumb along Adrian’s chin and gently pulled his thumb out from between his teeth, "I’ll help you with this hobby of yours," With that he covered the space and dragged Adrian’s bottom lip between his teeth, sliding his tongue across the heated lip.

Adrian gasped softly, his fingers digging into his thighs as his eyes fluttered shut.

Alexander saw Adrian’s reaction and something snapped within him, in a beat, he had Adrian pinned on the sofa, hands behind his secretary’s head as he moved in and claimed Adrian’s whole mouth, kissing him like a man starved.