1 CHAPTER 1

The moment she steps inside the restaurant, Adrianna automatically hears the mellow music that is coming from the grand piano. She heard this fancy restaurant let the young musicians play for them every weekend to showcase their talent. Adrianna has zero knowledge when it comes to classical music, but she can tell that whoever is playing the piano tonight knows what he is doing. 

She can also hear the soft laughter of the customers inside. To her luck, it seems like there is a small group of people celebrating some sort of company anniversary tonight. Adrianna doesn't hate associating with other people. But tonight, all she wanted to do is to stay in her apartment while watching some silly shows in her fluffy pajamas.

Yesterday, her father suddenly decided to make her meet one of his business partners. He said this one is only three years older than her and he is pleasing to his eyes. After thinking for a long time, her father said that his business partner must be the one she's been looking for a man.

At first, Adrianna obviously refused to attend this blind date. Her father knows she's not fond of blind dates and yet he keeps on setting her up in hopes of making her get interested in other people. It's not like Adrianna hates socializing, but she is picky on who to meet and befriend. In the meantime, Adrianna has three people she willingly wants to hang out with until now.

There are actually four people. But the fourth one is a bit special case for her. He is not a friend but he is also not her lover. He is just a person who willingly wants to stay there on her side even if she wants him to stay ten meters away from her.

Anyway, her father did not stop until she agreed on meeting his business partner. In exchange, he promised not to introduce her to another young man after this night. As long as she meets him and tries to give the person she's meeting tonight a chance, then her father will be contented. And as his beautiful and obedient daughter, Adrianna decided to follow her father's words.

Before leaving, her father said she will not have a hard time finding her blind date. Aside from the reservation he made, he also informed her that her date will be wearing a beige suit and a dark blue tie. And indeed, Adrianna easily spotted that person who is already waiting for her arrival. Changing her expression, Adrianna slowly appears at the table where the man wearing a beige suit is already sitting.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Philip Sy?" Adrianna asked with a sweet smile on her face.

Her blind date is obviously smitten with her smile. Adrianna knows that she's beautiful. It is already engraved in her mind since she was a child. Adrianna also has someone beside her who always remind her of that whether she likes it or not. And she knows how to use her pretty face to her advantage.

"Mr. Sy?" Adrianna asked in a sultry voice.

"Ah, yes! I mean, yes. I'm Philip Sy. And can I assume that you are Ms. Adrianna Lavine?"

"That's right."

He quickly stands up and immediately offers his hand for a handshake. Adrianna looks at it for a second before she accepted it with a smile. After that, her blind date pulls a chair and helps her to sit on it. When he sits back on his chair, her blind date cannot help but stares at her again.

Adrianna has completed her evaluation for this man tonight behind her pretty smile. As usual, this one is easy to deal with. She can't also help but hate her father a little. Adrianna is very sure that her father promised that the man she will meet today is different from the other men he introduced to her before.

"Mr. Sy, are we not going to order anything?" Adrianna asked.

"...Ah, right." He said and fakes a cough. "And you can just call me Philip. We don't need to be too formal."

"Alright. Then you can also call me Adrianna."

Soon, a waiter approaches them and offers them the restaurant menu. Adrianna orders a shrimp corn chowder while her blind date orders a steak. While waiting for their food to arrive, Philip initiates a conversation with her. At first, he asked her several simple questions and Adrianna answers all of them with a smile.

She leaves all the talking to her date. Fortunately, he did not notice that Adrianna is not asking him any questions. He is too engrossed in knowing to know his beautiful date tonight. He feels like all of his luck is now used just to meet the daughter of his new business partner.

He heard that Mr. Lavine has a very beautiful daughter. It is not like he is keeping that a secret. But everyone knows Mr. Lavine is not only a bigshot in the business industry but he is also rumored to be a boss of a mafia organization in their city. And that person is also known for his care towards his only daughter.

It is truly a miracle that Mr. Lavine asked him if he wants to meet his daughter over a simple dinner. Although Mr. Lavine says that, he knows that his business partner is trying to take him on a blind date with his daughter. Without missing a beat, he quickly agreed to it.

And he is not regretting his choices. The famous Adrianna Lavine is really beautiful in person. He has already seen her several times in newspapers and magazines. But seeing her in photos in person is completely different. The man really hopes this dinner will go well and he can have another chance in meeting her again after their dinner tonight.

When the waiter serves their food, Adrianna is still smiling at her date. If she will turn her head a little on the side, maybe Adrianna can see a tail wagging behind her date tonight. He looks so happy and eager to meet her in person.

It is not like Adrianna is being full of herself. But she knows to herself how beautiful she looks. She already encountered a lot of scouting managers when she was still in college asking her if she is interested to be a model or a celebrity. Some of them even came from big companies too.

"Ms. Adrianna, you are so beautiful." Her date suddenly blurts out.

"You flatter me too much, Mr. Philip." She replies with a smile.

"I sometimes see your picture in newspapers and magazines. No wonder people are regarding you as Mr. Lavine's treasure."

Adrianna just let him talk while her hand holding the spoon is slowly stirring her soup. She is not a celebrity or a famous entertainer. But Adrianna's pictures show up in newspapers and magazines once in a while because of the paparazzi who keep on following her. They are just people who want to throw dirt on her father's reputation since he's famous in their city.

But to be honest, Adrianna doesn't care about the articles clipped together with her pictures in those reading materials. Her only concern is how she looks in those photos. Adrianna doesn't want to look haggard and ugly in her pictures. She should maintain her reputation as a beautiful lady that can smitten a man of her choice in just a few actions and smiles.

Well, she can think her beauty is really poisonous. If not, then her ex-boyfriend should have moved on already. Unfortunately, that man is still thinking of her until now.

'Stupid Adrianna. You should stop thinking about him now.'

Her date tonight is very talkative. He already mentioned his first impression of her. He said she looks like the type of woman who is sweet and gentle. Adrianna feels funny inside because of it. He probably hasn't heard the rumors about her that are running in their circle these days.

Adrianna tries to talk with her date today a few more times. But she feels bored the longer she stays there. As expected, meeting another man is not going to have an effect on her. It's just her father is so persistent in finding a man that can become her new boyfriend.

Counting from one to three inside her head, Adrianna takes a small bite of her food before she gags a little and covers her mouth.

"Ms. Adrianna, are you okay?!"

"Hmm, yeah. I'm just a bit nauseous."

Pushing him a little, Adrianna gets her phone and dials a number. There is only one person who can save her from this boring date. After three rings, the person on the other line finally answers her call. Before that person can say something, Adrianna drops him a piece of sudden news.

"I'm pregnant!" Adrianna suddenly exclaimed. "I am two months pregnant, you jerk!"

(...What?)

Compared to the simple question of the person on the other line, Adrianna's date for tonight becomes pale and speechless beside her. Even the people sitting at the other table cannot help but look in their direction. But Adrianna ignores them and continues spilling more surprising news.

(What are you talking about? You're pregnant?!)

"You are such an evil man! How can you abandon me and our baby? Do you really dare to leave me after telling me all those sweet promises that night?! You're so heartless!"

Then Adrianna heard the sound of papers crumpling on the other line before he replied.

(...Wait. Are you on a date right now? Who's the bastard—)

"Because you abandon me and your child, I am now looking for another man to marry and become the father of our child!"

Because of her sudden outburst, the other customers in the restaurant are now looking in their direction. Even the pianist stops playing the instrument after noticing the commotion that Adrianna started at their table. Most of the guests have bewildered expressions on their faces while some are looking at her date with a pitiful glance.

Seeing this as a good opportunity, Adrianna picks up her bag and looks at her date with teary eyes.

"Thank you for meeting me tonight, Mr. Sy. But I cannot do this to a good man like you. I hope you can find the right woman that can make you smile and happy in the future."

After saying those words, Adrianna lowers her head and leaves the restaurant. Adrianna even covers her mouth and it seems like she is trying to stop herself from crying. Afraid that her date will still try to chase her, she quickly hails a taxi and enters it. Before the driver can ask her anything, Adrianna quickly tells him to drive as fast as he can away from the restaurant. She only let out a sigh when the car starts moving again.

"Ha... That was close." she said to herself.

Adrianna arrived at the restaurant with her car. But since she is in a rush to get out of it as soon as possible, she decided to leave her car and ask someone to get it for her later. Before Adrianna can let out a sigh, she hears someone speaking through her phone.

Right. She hasn't ended the call yet. Adrianna is too eager to leave her date that she had forgotten about this guy. With a click of her tongue, she put the phone back to her ear and listen to what he is saying.

(I swear, Adrianna! I have the ability to know who is that man and he will surely become miserable if he dares to touch you! He better keeps his hands to himself or else, I might ask someone to chop it into pieces.)

Adrianna rolls her eyes thinking this one is getting crazier every day. Until now, she has no idea why this man is so possessive of her. It seems like her beauty is not the only reason why.

"Why are you so brutal today? Stop exaggerating. And for your information, I did not even take a liking to my date tonight."

(If you are really dying to have a date, you should already know that I can push back all of my appointments just to be with him. There's no need for you to find another man to date.)

"Sure, sure. If you say so." Adrianna said with a sigh. "Are you still in your office?"

(Yes.)

"Then can I visit you tonight? I have nothing else to do after this anyway."

(Of course. You know that you are always welcome to visit me.)

"Okay! Then wait for me."

(Always.)

Without saying goodbye, Adrianna ended the call and put her phone back inside her purse. Then she told the taxi driver her destination before leaning her back on the seat. Adrianna knows that her father will scold her later for what she had done to Mr. Sy. But she is not worried about it.

Adrianna is more worried about Mr. Sy if she decided to go out with him and that lunatic discovers it. Who knows what will he do to the poor man later. Although his craziness over her has become subtle after several months, Adrianna knows very well that he is just pretending to be a docile cat in front of her. She let out another deep sigh and close her eyes for a moment.

Surely, teaching that man how to become less possessive of her is a difficult job to do.