unnamed bouquet

Adrian and I sat in the car,,

the soft purring of the kitten filling the quiet space between us. He handed her to me gently,, his fingers lingering for a second as they brushed against mine...

A small,, knowing smile played on his lips as he started the engine,, and we followed Lily's car straight to the hotel... The sky was painted in hues of deep orange and violet,, the last remnants of the sun casting a warm glow over the city....

As we arrived, Lily stretched her arms and turned toward us with an excited grin,,. "Let's have some cookies with hot chocolate!!" she suggested enthusiastically.

I beamed at her... "Yes,, yes,, Lily!! Let's go!!We can sit in the garden and enjoy the evening breeze."

Adrian and Mike exchanged amused glances,, watching our excitement. Mike chuckled,, shaking his head. "Alright, you girls go enjoy your cookies and hot chocolate... Adrian and I will have some snacks with tea."

I nodded eagerly and grabbed Lily's hand,, pulling her towards the garden. The place was serene,, with twinkling fairy lights hanging from the trees and a mesmerizing view of the city lights beyond... We settled at a cozy table and ordered our drinks,, our laughter mingling with the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind...

Meanwhile,, Adrian and Mike sat at another table, their eyes occasionally drifting towards us... Lily smirked. "You two do know that tomorrow all the guests are arriving in the evening, right??"

I rolled my eyes,, sighing dramatically. "Come on,, Lily. We all know, Our parents are coming too."

She giggled. "Oh yeah, I just forgot!! But there's one more thing—you and Adrian will be rehearsing alone tomorrow... The dance teacher had to leave for something important."

I blinked,, looking at Adrian instinctively. He was already gazing at me with a warm,, unreadable expression. My heartbeat quickened. Lily,, noticing our silent exchange,, burst into laughter. "Please,, you two!! Don't act like kids."

I frowned playfully. "We are not kids!!"

Lily's teasing smile deepened.. "Oh,, but you are—lovebirds in denial..."

Heat crept up my cheeks as Adrian chuckled,, his eyes never leaving mine... At that moment, the kitten suddenly jumped onto my lap,, purring as she rubbed her tiny head against me...

I grinned triumphantly. "See,, Adrian?? She loves me more than you!"

Adrian leaned in,, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Seems like the kitten loves mom more than dad now."

His words sent a shiver down my spine,, and I found myself blushing again... Mike and Lily exchanged knowing glances,, their smiles mischievous...

After finishing our drinks,, Lily clapped her hands. "Guys, let's go to my room... There's something important I need to discuss with you all."

I turned to Adrian,, and he looked just as puzzled as I felt...

What could be so urgent?? But before we could ask,, Lily led us straight to the hotel's private theater. She turned dramatically, placing her hands on her hips... "No one is leaving,, and if anyone tries,, I won't talk to them anymore."

Mike grinned. "Don't worry,, Rimi and Adrian. I already gave the kitten to the caretaker for four hours... You two are stuck with us."

Adrian leaned closer,, his breath warm against my ear. "Rimi,, let's escape from here."

I giggled softly. "No,, we can't... They're our friends... Let's enjoy it for a few hours."

We sank into the plush theater seats as the movie started. It was a classic romance—Romeo and Juliet,, Throughout the film,, Adrian barely looked at the screen,, his attention solely on me...

His fingers laced through mine,, sending a comforting warmth up my arm.. As Romeo met his tragic end, my chest tightened,, and before I knew it,, tears welled in my eyes... I couldn't breathe—I needed air.

I hurried out onto the balcony,, wiping away my tears. The night breeze kissed my skin as I got lost in memories—happy moments with my parents,, childhood laughter,, and a boy who used to hold my hand the same way Adrian did now....

A gentle touch on my shoulder startled me.. I turned quickly to find Adrian standing there,, concern etched into his features. "Are you okay? You ran out so suddenly."

I forced a smile. "I'm fine., The movie just made me emotional."

His sharp gaze searched mine... "Are you missing someone?"

I hesitated. "No...." I whispered, but it felt like a lie.

Before he could probe further,, Luna appeared, her energy breaking the tension. "Come on,, let's go back!! Mike ordered dinner,, and we're watching another movie."

I sighed,, not in the mood,, but Lily pouted. "Please,, Rimi? You're my one and only bestie!!"

I knew she wouldn't let it go,, so I relented. "Fine,, but this is the last one for tonight."

The next movie was lighthearted,, making me laugh more than I had in days... Adrian still held my hand,, his thumb absentmindedly stroking my skin. It was comforting,, familiar. By the time the movie ended,, I stretched,, stifling a yawn. "I'm going to my room... I need to feed my kitten."

Lily waved. "See you tomorrow!! And don't forget,, you two have rehearsal."

I nodded absentmindedly and walked to my room... As I opened the door,, my breath hitched—a stunning bouquet of white and black roses lay on my bed... I picked it up, inhaling its soft, intoxicating scent... "Who sent this?" I wondered aloud... But then I smiled. "Doesn't matter,, I love black roses."

Setting the bouquet aside,, I scooped up my kitten,, feeding her before heading to the bathroom for a shower...

The cool water did little to calm my restless thoughts.,, Adrian—he looked so much like someone from my past... Could it be him? But how?? How could he be the CEO of Queen Company when I had never even heard his name before??

I climbed into bed,,forcing myself to push away the endless questions... But as I closed my eyes,, Adrian's face lingered in my mind,, and sleep felt miles away...

Thank you for reading,, hope you like it...

See you soon,, love you all... bye-bye....