adam reached out and i


    I opened the wardrobe door, and there she was


    Celine was curled up in theer of the wardrobe, her small body buddied tightly, her long, silky ck hair cascading around be


    When the door wring open, her sleepy, dee–like eyes still hary from post waking up–napped up to meet his, startled, like a frightened fawn caught in the


    ut moment, she looked so pititul, se vulnerable. She was like a sectet mistress someone might keep hidden away, forced in flee the bed and hide in a closet ven the wite bar?evin munnowncod.


    Adam frowned “Why are you hiding in the wardrobe?


    celine blinked, bet thoughts still scattered from sleep. She had woken suddenly


    she had been sleeping on his bed in the lounge


    of Carly’s voter outside. As her surroundings registered, she realized


    She couldn’t even remember how she got there. Thest thing she remembered was dozing off at the desk.


    That when Carly stemmed in, clearly on the warpathi, celine had panicked and instinctively hidden in the wardrobe.


    Lisoking sp at Adam now, she asked<b>, </b>“1s Carly gone?


    Celime tilted her head slightly, a faint, yful smile curving her lips. “When I saw Carlying in, I hid on my own. Mr. Alvarez, wasn’t I good this time?” Adam’s expression didn’t change, but his thoughts flickered darkly. “Good? When it matters, you’re never good,” he thought to himself.


    Without a word, Celine began climbing out of the wardrobe. But <b>she </b>had been crouched in the confined space for so long that her legs had gonepletely numb The minment she stepped out, hersers buckled, and she wobbled forward, about to copse onto the carpet.


    Adam’s hand shot out with lightning speed, his long, strong fingers closing around her slender am. He steadied her effortlessly before she could hit the ground, Celine bent one knee slightly, wincing as she tried to shake the pins and needles out of her leg. “Thank you, Mr. Alvarez<b>,</b>” she murmured.


    Adam’s gaze stayed on her. She reached up, brushing a lock of hair behind her show–white <b>ear</b><b>, </b>the delicate curve of her profile catching the light.


    His lips pressed into a thin line before he finally spoke, <b>his </b>voice low and measured. “Next time something like this happens, if the man hasn’t told you to hide. there’s no need for you to hide. Got it?”


    Celine’s longshes fluttered slightly at his words.


    Did he think she wanted to hide? She was the real wife? Carly was the mistress here<b>, </b>not her.


    And yet, crouching in that wardrobe<b>, </b>feeling pathetic and ridiculous, had left her shaken.


    “I was afraid Carly would hit me,” she muttered


    Adam let out <b>a </b>low, sarcasticugh. “<b>You </b>think you can’t beat her?”


    The memory of Celine pining Elijah to the ground and beating him senseless was still vivid in his mind. The idea that she couldn’t handle <b>Carly</b>? That was hard to


    Celine caused her gaze to meets: “I <b>can </b>beat Carly, but I’m afraid you’ll take her side.”


    Adam Trope, her words catching hish off guard.


    She was afraid of Carly. She was afraid of lim siding with Carly.


    Crline’s atrady paze stayed on his handsome face. After a beat of silence, she asked seriously, “I one day carly <b>and </b>I really got into a fight, who would you help? Adarn looked at her but didn’t say a word.


    His silence was as good as an awer – he would side with Cady


    Carly, bús favorite, the oor he’d given so much power and confidence that she could walk around like she owned the ce.


    Gelite dowdy but family pulled her an from lus grasp.


    <b>iin </b><b>his </b>haul, Adam let his ann fall to his side


    Celine fruword ditly, bei voiceced with confusion. “Me Alvarez, why was <b>I </b>sleeping in your lounge?? novelbin


    Adani’a raporssion temainedrd. “You tell asleep at the deskst night. When you woke up, your wandered into my lounge and shamelessly made yourseli


    date gasped softly, her eyes widening in shock was that something she had done ?


    ,st night did I sleep alone? on did I. derp with you?”


    Her gaze, brimaning within


    damanswered igaradious, betrayed hier groupe struggle to recall how stud clog to his resk and <b>suggled </b>into his arms. Adam, totiring her apparent atujaria, decided it was best to let it go. Alteralj,st night had been isothing more than an ident.


    A mocking smark cursed his thin lips. “Celine, what exactly ste you bepling for? Did you think I’d sleep with you? I slept on the <b>couch</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>


    Celine lulent