Surprisingly, his touch was firm yet gentle, not hurting her in the slightest.
Ella immediately pushed away her wayward thoughts regarding a certain someone who seemed to be dead set on bewitching her.
’’In the future, don’t.’’
His words snapped her out of her reverie.
Adrian pulled back and raised his hand towards her head, ’’In the future, don’t get caught up in danger.’’
He stroked her stray hairs.
The soft movement of his fingers and his cold words caught her off guard.
So, he was angry because of that.
It was not like she wanted to be kidnapped...
’’If you must act impulsively, let me know beforehand.’’
Eh... It seemed like he knew every detail of this event.
And he probably knew that their main target was Ruby and she jumped into the danger out of her own initiative.
Under Adrian’s pressuring gaze, however, Ella had no words to defend herself.
She gave him her sweetest smile and nodded her head like a hen, ’’Of course, baby!"
Adrian glanced at the girl’s ’I am the most obedient person in the world’ face and narrowed his eyes.
Ella’s smile turned a little stiff, ’’Oh, baby, don’t you think I should head back to the university... Won’t it be troublesome for a student to stay out of the dorms for so long?"
"You want to leave?" Adrian’s voice was flat, but the sudden drop in temperature said otherwise.
Ella blinked. Was it just her or did the room feel like someone had opened a freezer?
Before she could find a diplomatic excuse, he continued, "I applied for a sick leave. You’re staying."
"...Oh," she squeaked.
Adrian King applied for a sick leave for her?
Saying it with a straight face like that, why did he sound like her father?
"Then, what about the classes? I will still need to leave for the classes...’’
"It is the weekend,’’ Adrian deadpanned.
Ella froze. Oh crap! She forgot what day it was.
There were no classes over the weekends.
While she was pondering over it, she heard the man’s voice, "You want to leave?"
The temperature in the room dropped and Ella’s little heart frosted over.
Her head snapped to the man.
Even though Adrian’s face remained nonchalant, Ella felt a shiver down her spine.
The devil was about to erupt.
"Leave?! Are you mad, baby?" Ella yelled,"I have been relentlessly cursing the university for their messed up system that was preventing me from spending quality time with you. Now, they finally gave me the chance then how could I even want to leave?"
Adrian’s dull eyes gleamed a little, ’’Oh?"
Ella nodded her head like a hen. Sneakily, she pulled Riri, who was pretending to be a wallflower back to her lap. She vigorously rubbed his fur away to soothe her anxious little heart.
"You hate the system of the university?"
At his question, Ella naturally continued nodding away but then suddenly, she froze.
He... wouldn’t want to change it if she ’yes’, would he?
If it was some other person, Ella would not think like that.
But as long as it was His Royal Highness, there was nothing out of his reach or bounds. What he wanted, he got!
So, she warily snuck a peek at his ’Just say yes and let me fix it for you’ face. If she said, would he possibly make the university announce two 6-months long holidays every year?
Ella pondered over her words for a moment before speaking, ’’Actually, it is very annoying. But I think that’s how all universities are supposed to work. Or else, no student would take them seriously and nobody would want to study haha.’’
A hint of dissatisfaction crossed Adrian’s otherwise passive face.
After the man left, Ella slumped back on the bed.
The warm rays of sunshine caressed her skin and her body felt almost boneless.
Riri jumped from her hold and played near her face.
Ella looked at the little guy, ’’Why do I feel like he is awfully reasonable this time around?"
Even though he sulked, Ella had to admit, this version of Adrian was a mystery. Reasonable. Calm. But somehow... still terrifying.
He hadn’t chained her, and hadn’t even raised a brow too high.
And that scared her more than all his past madness.
Was this change... because of her changed behaviour towards him? Or was it just a quiet before the storm?
If such an incident had taken place back then, he would have cut off any shred of connection she had with the outside world. And he would have locked her up in the Eve Mansion.
But this time, he not only went there to protect her, but he also considerately applied for a valid leave from the university.
One has to know that with Ella’s current records in the university, if she were to disappear from the dorms without notice then she would probably be kicked out without any advance notice.
Ella looked at Riri’s fluffy body and pondered over things.
In fact, she could bet a fluff of Riri’s fur on the fact that Adrian must be aware of her ’sugar daddy’ scandal yet he remained mum about it.
Was he being so tolerant and understanding, repressing her true nature because of the sincerity she showed to him?
He did not trap her because she did not try to run from him and hence he was unbothered? And he did not mind the scandals because he knew those were fake as logically, she was out with him that day?
Ella thought about it for a long time.
And eventually, she reached one conclusion.
With all this brainpower that she exerted, she could easily crack a conspiracy theory.
Cracking Adrian King’s thoughts and intentions? Ah, what a delusion.
Hence, she settled for her second best option.
The gleaming bathroom in the Master bedroom invited her.
Hmm, since he brought me here, he should not mind if I use his bathroom.
Ella first left Riri with Bertha to play and looked around.
Seeing no signs of Adrian, she surmised that he must have left for work. Unlike normal people, there was no weekend or weekday distinction for the god.
Adrian King worked every day. And most of the time, he worked every hour.
Shuffling thoughts of Adrian to the back of her head, Ella went back to the bathroom in the Master bedroom.
And Adrian’s bathroom did not let her down. It was restocked with new season products, male and female both.
Ella was bewildered every time she saw all the female products in his bathroom. Had she not known better, she would have thought that the man had a mistress.
But two lives of knowing Adrian told her that he kept them just in case she used his bathroom.
That was even more unbelievable to her.
But again, she might as well eat the grapes. Counting seeds is completely useless.
When Ella crossed the bathroom mirror, she stopped in her tracks and took a step back.
Her gaze landed on the mirror.
And just like that, her thoughts went still.
Ji Yan: Little Master, are you saying you want to stay away from your mom and dad when they fight...? That’s not happening.
Ji Yan: *Wipes sweat* I get your point, but even I haven’t managed that. So... nope.
Riri: Woof woof! *Jumps out of his arms and runs off*
Ji Yan: Wait! Little Master—ah! We haven’t asked for this week’s golden tickets, power stones, reviews, and gifts yet!
Ji Yan: That pup... cough... Little master got better PR instincts than me...