Chapter Forty One

"We're headed for the use. We were about to call Oliver, have him meet us here. But we saw you first." Evidently, Adam was surprised at seeing them there. Brielle lowered her head to avoid his gaze.

"No need to call Oliver. We can take my car back." Adam was curious why she was reporting for duty before the end of her holiday. Wasn't her husband the CEO of Chu International Group? Why didn't her husband send a car for her to go back to the base in?

"Major Adam, are you busy now? I don't want to impose." Brielle had a thought: this might interfere with his duties. "Nothing important or urgent. I was just hanging out when I saw you." Adam was out of sorts. He didn't like the distance between them or her coldness.

"Ok. Thank you." Brielle, as aloof as she was, could feel that something was wrong. She felt the tension when Adam looked at her. She thought it was better if she brushed him off and was only could feel that something was wrong. She felt the tension when Adam looked at her. She thought it was better if she brushed him off and was only cordial to him.

Adam was about to say something and thought better of it. He closed his eyes briefly. Then, then he picked up Ariel in his arms and headed for his car. He looked like a man defeated. "Have you eaten?" Adam said before he pulled away from the curb. He turned his head and could see that Brielle and Ariel looked dispirited.

"No, and Uncle Adam, Mommy said we could eat after we got back on base," Ariel answered before Brielle could say anything. Something his bluntness surprised and embarrassed her. Adam looked at his watch. he frowned, said nothing, and pulled away. he headed to a restaurant.

"You can come back after you finish your dinner. It'll take too long to get to the base. You won't be able to get anything to eat that late." Adam exited the car. He didn't ask what Brielle or Ariel wanted. he just did as he wanted and expected them to go along with it.

Brielle looked at Adam in bewilderment but said nothing. She held Ariel's hand and they followed Adam together. Brielle was uncomfortable, and Adam seemed to be angry. Adam really was angry. He asked himself, 'Brielle, have you made up with your husband? Why are you always unhappy? Why do you look pale and tired? How can I leave you alone when I see you like that?

Stephen turned the steering wheel and pursed his sexy lips. The well-cut face showed no expression despite messed up thoughts in his head, 'Brielle, am I unreliable? I was a playboy, true. But, I gave up my pride and presented my heart to you. What did I get? Noone of your trust. In fact, you told me I wasn't the guy you wanted.'

He honked the horn vigorously and smiled sarcastically, 'Since when did I need to read a woman's mind? Don't they always kowtow to me?' Because Fan was sent to look for Chloe, and he saw Stephen and Ariel together, he didn't arrange a bodyguard. A young female colonel had to be pretty competent to make that rank. Stephen would be okay, he thought. But when Stephen showed up at the base alone, he figured that woman must not be as reliable as he thought.

"Sir, Brielle and Ariel haven't come back." Fan approached as soon as Stephen left the car. Fan scanned him for any obvious signs of injury. "What? Haven't they come back? Impossible!" When I talked to Ariel on the phone, he told me they were going back." Stephen was worried if they weren't here, where were they now?

Stephen dialed up Ariel, but the boy's phone inside the car, with his slender body leaning on the car door. He gave off very dark vibes that indicated "leave me alone." Brielle never thought Stephen would look for her on base. Her heart caught in her throat when she saw Stephen leaning on his car lazily and handsomely. How could he come here? Shouldn't he sleep with that girl right now?

"Mommy, it's Daddy and Uncle Fan." Ariel was a little kid, so he couldn't keep his emotions in check. Although he was angry at Stephen a moment ago, Stephen was still daddy.

No. You had no idea that I was hanging out here waiting worrying while you were out with this guy; that I was full of regrets, while you ignored everything I've done for you. The smile on Stephen's face was cold, but also flirtatious and breathtaking, like a blossoming mandragora. Brielle was too enchanted by Stephen's smile to remember to respond, sitting there and gazing at him through the car window. It was Ariel who opened the door, then got out of the car and threw his tiny body into Stephen's arms.

"Daddy, why are you here?" Asked Ariel, with his arms around Stephen's neck and his cheek against Stephen's enchanting face. He was so pleased to see Stephen that he had totally forgotten everything Stephen did not make his mom angry.

"Um! Where have you been?" Asked Stephen, with his eyes fixed on Brielle to see how long she would stay in the car. "We met Uncle Adam on the street and had dinner with him," Ariel said with a bright smile. He had no idea anything awkward had happened.

"How are you? Mr. Stephen. We meet again." Adam got out of the car and gave Stephen a gentle handshake, his handsome face showing no signs of sadness. "Yes! What a coincidence! It seems you have plenty of time. I feel very guilty to bother you to take care of my wife every time." Stephen said and looked at Adam with a cold smile on his face. Every word he said to Adam was full of sarcasm.

"You're joking. Not even worth mentioning. I can't take any credit for it." Adam said with an easy smile and held Stephen's gaze. he didn't intend to back down but didn't care about the confrontation, either.

"Your modesty is unnecessary. You make me feel unappreciative." Stephen is the Smiling Tiger of the City. How could anyone get the upper hand in a war of words? "Daddy. What are you talking about?" Ariel asked, innocent of what was going on between the two men.

"Um! Nothing. Daddy was saying thanks to your uncle Adam. I should thank him for buying you dinner and bringing you home." Stephen said with a sparkling smile, which even dazzled Adam. Fan's poker face twitched as he heard this. He was trying to decide whether Stephen was thanking Adam or putting him down.

"Brielle! Are you going to sit in there forever? Stephen asked. His pretty face shifted to cool and grave. At that moment, Stephen was as domineering as a king. Brielle could smell the power in the air and trembled as she saw Stephen's fierce eyes. She opened the door, but she still stood far away. Brielle said to herself: 'It's so terrifying when Stephen gets mad.'

Adam didn't expect this and looked at Brielle with concern. Brielle had pulled herself together. "Adam. You can go in first! I need a word with Stephen. Thanks for your help tonight." Brielle said calmly and nodded to Adam. Fan was impressed by this because Brielle was the first one who had the guts to ignore Stephen's anger.

"Ok. Let me know if you need anything." Adam nodded back to Brielle and then turned to Stephen, saying "Till we meet again."

"Goodbye, Adam. We shall never meet again." Hello! Stephen! What in the world? Couldn't you act like a gentleman? You just ruined your image. Adam was shocked for a moment. He eventually chucked and drove away. he knew Stephen was leery of him because of his attraction to Brielle. But he had done nothing to her, so Stephen's goading fell flat. Adam still had his pride.

Stephen winked at Fan as a sign to take Ariel away. In another life, Stephen and Adam could have been friends. Stephen even admired some things about the man. But however admirable Adam was, Stephen still had to protect his wife.

Fan took Ariel in his arms and got him in his car. he totally understood what Stephen meant, so he just drove away. This was all he could do for Stephen. Brielle was Stephen's battle. Brielle watched Fan's every move, but when she was about to say something, Fan's car had vanished from her sight, which meant she had lost her last bargaining chip.

"Get in the car." Stephen opened the door for Brielle with a gloomy face, glaring at her. "Uh... You have Ariel! I need to go back to the base to deal with some things." Brielle always got flustered when dealing with Stephen. She wanted to slap herself. he was in the wrong, but she still behaved like the obedient little wife.

"Do you want me to carry you to the car? Huh?" Stephen said, his teeth clenched, face twisted into an evil glare. Brielle was speechless. She looked at the gate of the military base and looked at Stephen. She measured the distance between the two and calculated her chances of escape.

"So you're planning on running?" Stephen stopped her with his cold words a fierce glare, making Brielle shuffle towards him. Was he a mind reader? How could he know what she was thinking?

Stephen slammed the door after she got in the car. he started it without a word then sped to the city. Brielle stole a glance at Stepehen's beautiful face and then looked away quickly. She had no idea why Stephen was so mad. Could she stay with this guy and still enjoy a sweet moment?

She didn't think she could do that, so she decided they needed some space. She knew that she couldn't demand anything that didn't belong to her. So why didn't she just let it go? She didn't have the answers herself.