"Bro, that's seriously scummy," Zachary blurted. "Even if that woman is the one from three years ago, what about the little fool at home?"
At the mention of Riley, something shifted in Adrian's eyes.
His gaze grew complicated.
One was the woman he had searched for over the past three years.
The other… was the simple, innocent girl who had just married into his life.
He thought of Riley's bright, guileless face.
A faint ache tugged at his chest.
He shook his head. "I won't divorce her. If no one wants her, the little fool will cry."
Zachary's jaw dropped even wider.
This was somehow even more shocking than Adrian admitting he liked Sheena.
***
Meanwhile, downstairs, Lucas stubbornly stayed by Riley's side, carrying her medical bag as they made their way down together.
When the elevator reached the second floor, Riley suddenly remembered the two unfinished bottles of wine in her private room.
She turned to retrieve them.
Lucas followed closely, as usual.
But the moment they stepped out, they saw someone lingering outside her room, peering inside.
Lucas raised a brow. "Friend of yours?"
"No."
Riley walked forward and stopped behind him.
"What are you doing?" she asked coldly.
Startled, Evan spun around. "I… I was just passing by."
"Oh?" Riley's tone turned faintly amused. "That's strange. This section isn't even on the way to your room. Or did you upgrade to this side?"
Her words hit their mark.
Evan flushed, then noticed the man standing behind her.
"Who is he?" he blurted.
Lucas frowned. "Why do you care? Who are you? Do we even know you?"
Evan's face burned.
He knew it himself—this was their first meeting. He didn't even know her name.
So what right did he have to question her?
And yet, something twisted uncomfortably in his chest at the sight of her with another man.
Felicia had said she already had a tattooed boyfriend.
And now she was here, alone with someone else.
Two-timing?
For some reason, that thought sparked a strange excitement in him.
He straightened his back, putting on a righteous tone.
"You're a woman—shouldn't you be at home? Why are you hanging around places like this? Don't you already have a boyfriend? What's your relationship with this man?"
The audacity.
Riley's eyes curved slightly, her smile faint and unreadable.
To Evan, it felt like mockery.
His irritation flared.
Riley let out a soft laugh, then turned to Lucas.
"Do me a favor. Throw this random guy out. I don't want to see him."
Lucas had already found him annoying.
Without hesitation, he handed the medical bag back to Riley, grabbed Evan by the collar, and dragged him away.
Evan, a bookish type with no strength to speak of, couldn't resist at all.
Seeing the cold look in Lucas's eyes, his heart pounded.
If this turned into a real fight—
He wouldn't stand a chance.
Fortunately, Lucas was too focused on showing off in front of Riley to go further.
He hauled Evan to the stairwell and shoved him down.
Evan tumbled down the steps, limbs aching as if they'd been pulled apart.
Lucas's voice cut through the air, cold and sharp. "Stay away from her. Next time, I won't be so lenient."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Evan struggled to his feet, disheveled and humiliated, and slunk back to his original room.