ADELINE’S POVI stared at the message on my phone, feeling my stomach twist."We are shooting in Macau," I said angrily to Clarissa, my secretary, who sat next to me in the car on our way to the office. She didn't seem fazed at all."It was in the contract," she said, her tone even and calm.I looked at her, flabbergasted. "Why didn’t you tell me?" I asked, my voice rising."Because you read through it and signed it yourself," she replied. I opened my mouth to argue, but then I closed it. She was right. I had read the contract. But I was thinking of Xander the whole time and must have missed this part. The legal team had confirmed it was a fair contract, too. I couldn't even blame her.I put my head back against the seat in the car and groaned. Clarissa glanced at me, a small smile on her lips."Instead of thinking the worst, why don't you use the trip to relax and unwind?" she suggested. "You haven't had a break since you came to Manhattan.""This is not a holiday," I snapped. "I’l
XANDER’S POVI sat next to Adeline smiling to myself after she looked at me confused on why my seat was next to hers. The director had been more than happy to switch seats with me. He was very easygoing and smiled when I asked him to exchange seats with me. "Sure, Xander, no problem," he had said, waving a hand dismissively.So here I was, sliding into the seat next to Adeline. She was already seated, flipping through the in-flight magazine. When she saw me, her eyes widened in surprise."What are you doing here?" she asked,I almost smiled, finding her reaction endearing. "This is my seat," I replied, trying to keep my voice casual.Adeline nodded slowly, her eyes still wide. She fumbled with her seatbelt, trying to secure it around her waist. I picked up a magazine from the pocket in front of me and pretended to read, but I couldn't help sneaking glances at her. She was adorable, her fingers trembling slightly as she struggled with the belt.The plane started to move, taxiing slo
XANDER’S POV“Yes,” she answered, waiting for me to speak but I couldn’t say anything. Instead, I watched her. This was the first time I was sharing a meal with her, a fact that hit me harder than I expected. I thought of how I acted after our wedding. I never ate what she cooked back then. I was always out, never staying home. She waited for me every night, and I never cared. I was really cruel.Adeline looked at me, confused. She dropped her spoon on the table and sipped her water, her eyes searching mine.“Is everything okay, Xander. You called my name and said nothing.”"I'm glad we're doing this shoot, you and I," I said, breaking the silence. "I really wanted to talk to you for a very long time, but I had no idea where to start. And you hated and avoided me."I spoke sincerely and she nodded uncomfortably and said,"It’s just work. Let’s get through it." She tried to stand and go drop her plate, but I reached out and held her hand."Please," I said, feeling her hand slip awa
ADELINE’S POVThe smell of chicken stirred in my nose, pulling me from my jet-lagged slumber. The 32-hour flight had been brutal, leaving me more exhausted than I’d ever been. I had been sleeping since we landed. But now, my stomach growled. I pushed back the covers and sat up, rubbing my eyes. The smell was too tempting to ignore. I followed my nose, feeling like a cartoon character being led by an invisible scent trail, my feet padding softly on the cold, hardwood floors as I made my way to the kitchen.There, standing by the microwave, was Xander. He looked as handsome and sexy as ever, even in the harsh fluorescent light of the kitchen. His dark hair was tousled, and he wore a simple t-shirt and jeans that clung to his well-built frame. The sight of him took my breath away for a moment. I shook it off quickly, reminding myself why I was here.This was a job, nothing more. I hated him. He turned as I entered the kitchen, his eyes locking onto mine. He smiled, a slow, lazy grin t
ADELINE’S POV***I rummaged through my bag, my fingers brushing against lipsticks, sunglasses, and my phone charger. But there was no lotion or supplements in sight. The room felt stuffy, and I didn't have a shoot today."What now?" I sighed to myself, glancing at the clock on the wall. The mall seemed like a good idea.I slipped into a white crop tee and my favorite jorts, pulling a cap over my hair. It was going to be a simple, relaxing day.As I opened the door, I almost bumped into Xander. He was leaning against the wall, scrolling through his phone. He looked up, raising an eyebrow."Where are you headed?" he asked, pocketing his phone."To the mall," I replied. "I need to get some lotion and supplements."Xander grinned. "Mind if I join you? I'm bored out of my mind here."I hesitated for a second but then nodded. "Sure, why not?"We headed down to the car and he unlocked the car, and we both got in.He started the engine and glanced at me. "So, what exactly are we buying?""Lo
ADELINE’S POVIt was the last day of the shoot, and I sat under the huge umbrella where Jennie, the makeup artist, was doing my makeup. The sun was bright and the day was hot. Everyone was excited and relieved that the shoot was finally coming to an end. Jennie, was talking about the pool party the director was throwing later that night."You know, after the shoot, the director is throwing a pool party before we head back to Manhattan tomorrow," she said, her voice full of enthusiasm as she carefully applied mascara to my lashes.I sighed, feeling tired from the long days of shooting. "I might just sleep," I replied, trying to keep my tone light.She paused and looked at me with a mock frown. "No way! There is no party without you and Xander. You two are the stars of this shoot. We’d all be lost without you."I laughed softly, shaking my head. "I don't know, Jennie. I'm really tired."She waved her hand dismissively. "Nonsense! We'll go and get bikinis after the shoot. It'll be fun,
XANDER’S POVI leaned back in my seat, the hum of the airplane engines lulling me into a restless sleep.Adeline was next to me, her head resting gently on her shoulder, sleeping peacefully. It was a long flight back home from Macau, and despite wanting to talk we were both exhausted. I kept thinking of yesterday night in the pool. Her laughter, her body against mine, and our kiss, it all felt like a dream I couldn’t wake from.When we landed, she quickly disappeared into the crowd. I didn’t think much of it at first; we were both tired, and I assumed we’d catch up once we were rested. But days turned into weeks, and I hadn’t heard a word from her. I called her phone numerous times, left messages, and even sent texts. But there was no response. It was as if she had vanished.Each day became increasingly unbearable. I replayed that night over and over in my head, the way she had looked at me, the sound of her laughter, and the feel of her lips. I couldn't concentrate on anything els
***ADELINE’S POV***The gentle hum of the air conditioner and our breath was the only sound in the room. We stood close, too close. I could feel his eyes on me, burning with an intensity that made my heart race."Adeline," he whispered, his voice barely audible.Before I could respond, his lips were on mine. The kiss was sudden, taking my breath away. I pushed him away slightly, my hands on his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath my palms."Xander, we shouldn't," I started to say, but he pulled me back, his lips capturing mine once more, this time deeper and more fervent.I didn't fight back. Instead, I surrendered, letting him take my lips. My hands moved from his chest to wrap around his neck, pulling him closer.Our bodies pressed together as if we were holding on for dear life, as if the world around us could crumble at any moment and we would still be here, lost in this kiss.When we finally broke apart, both of us gasping for air, he looked into my eyes, his gaze