Adrian looked directly at him.
"I want the right to choose who I spend my life with."
His father's eyes narrowed immediately.
"So you're saying you want a life with a criminal?"
The moment those words left his mouth, Adrian's expression hardened instantly.
"I told you already," Adrian said sharply. "I'm here for myself."
He stepped forward slightly, his voice growing firmer.
"And when you talk to me, keep this conversation between the two of us. Don't bring Matteo into it, and don't speak about him like that."
Maxwell quietly looked between the two men as the tension in the room thickened.
"This is my decision," Adrian said. "I want happiness for myself, and whoever I choose to spend my life with should be my choice, not yours."
His father let out a cold laugh.
"You think this is about love?" he asked mockingly. "You think life works that way?"
