All Chapters of Adrian Carter's Silent Dominance: Chapter 31
- Chapter 40
48 chapters
Chapter 31
Adrian became acutely aware of how long the silence had stretched between them. It wasn’t uncomfortable exactly—just unexpected. Charged in a way that made him suddenly self-conscious of the fact that he had been standing there, watching Iris move around his kitchen like she belonged there, even if only temporarily.He cleared his throat, the sound breaking the moment.“Uh… I’ll, um… give you space,” he said, gesturing vaguely toward the living room.Iris looked up from the counter, surprise flickering briefly across her face before she smiled, soft and understanding. “Okay.”Adrian turned and left the kitchen, exhaling quietly as he stepped away. He found Lily still on the couch, cartoons flashing brightly on the screen. She sat cross-legged, spoon abandoned somewhere beside her, eyes glued to the animation despite how heavy her eyelids looked.He sat beside her for a moment, resting an arm along the back of the couch. His gaze drifted toward the kitchen again, listening to the faint
Chapter 32
Morning light filtered softly into the Rand residence, stretching across the dining table where Iris sat with a cup of tea warming her hands. The house was quieter than usual—calm, settled—but Victor, as always, seemed fully awake and observant, his newspaper folded neatly beside his untouched breakfast.He took a sip of his coffee, then glanced at Iris over the rim of the cup, a knowing glint in his eyes.“You came home quite late last night,” he said casually, as though he were commenting on the weather.Iris froze for half a second. “What?” She blinked, then frowned. “How would you even know that?”Victor hummed thoughtfully. “Hard not to notice when the house stirs after midnight. And I could still hear your voice on the phone after you got back.”Her eyes widened. “Wait—are you listening to my phone calls now?”Victor burst into laughter, deep and amused. “Of course not. Don’t be dramatic. These walls just carry sound better than you think.”Iris narrowed her eyes, unconvinced, b
Chapter 33
Vanessa’s mood lifted after a little while, like a curtain pulled back to let light flood the room. The disappointment that had briefly clouded her expression earlier vanished, replaced by animated excitement. She leaned forward across the table, her eyes bright now, her earlier restraint completely gone.“Okay, so if we’re going,” she said, her voice dropping into that eager, conspiratorial tone she used when her mind was already racing ahead, “we can’t just go there to blend in.”Charles nodded automatically. “Of course.”“I mean it,” she pressed. “Everyone there will be rich, polished, perfectly styled. If we just show up looking acceptable, we’ll disappear. And I’m not disappearing.”She gestured with her fork, nearly knocking it against her glass. “We should stand out. Not in a desperate way—but in a controlled way. The kind of way where people turn, look twice, and start wondering who we are.”Charles smiled and agreed aloud, but inside, his stomach tightened.Standing out?At a
Chapter 34
By the time Vanessa got home, the sun had already dipped low in the sky, leaving the living room washed in a warm glow. Vanessa dropped her bag by the door and kicked off her heels with a soft sigh, already loosening up from the tightly held composure she’d worn all through lunch.Monica appeared from the hallway almost immediately, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed and a knowing smile on her face.“Well?” she asked, drawing the word out. “How did the date go?”Vanessa’s lips curved into a smile before she could stop herself. She rolled her shoulders, walking farther into the room, the tension she’d carried earlier now softened by excitement. “It was good,” she said lightly. “Really good, actually.”Monica arched an eyebrow. “That smile says more than ‘good.’ Sit. Tell me everything.”Vanessa laughed under her breath and headed for the couch, sinking into it with the kind of ease that came only when she was in the presence of someone who knew her too well to judge h
Chapter 35
Vanessa noticed the shift almost immediately.Monica, who had been responding with her usual sharp remarks and animated expressions, had gone quiet. Too quiet. She was nodding, yes, but her eyes weren’t fully present anymore. They drifted, unfocused, as if she were replaying the conversation in her head and dissecting every word Charles had said.Vanessa frowned slightly and turned on the couch so she could face her fully.“Hey,” she said. “Why did you suddenly freeze like that?”Monica blinked and looked back at her. “I didn’t freeze.”“You did,” Vanessa replied. “You went into that thing you do when you start overthinking.”Monica sighed. “I’m just saying… the whole ‘I know someone’ line is vague.”Vanessa waved her hand dismissively. “Monica, please don’t do this.”“Do what?”“Turn my good mood into a crime scene,” Vanessa said, half-laughing but with an edge. “You’re already pulling threads that don’t need to be pulled.”Monica shifted on the couch. “I’m not trying to ruin anythin
Chapter 36
The golf course stretched endlessly under the late-morning sun, a wide expanse of manicured green framed by tall trees and trimmed hedges that spoke of quiet wealth.The air smelled faintly of freshly cut grass and morning dew, clean and sharp, the kind of place where conversations were meant to be measured and secrets softened by polite swings and distant applause from other players.Adrian stood near the tee, dressed simply—neutral slacks, a crisp polo shirt, a cap pulled low over his eyes. Nothing about him screamed excess or arrogance. He looked like a man who belonged everywhere and nowhere at once, someone who could disappear into a crowd if he wished, even on a course where every presence was carefully curated.Victor Rand, on the other hand, looked exactly like a man who had owned spaces like this for decades. His movements were unhurried, confident. He leaned lightly on his club, surveying the distance ahead with the patience of someone who had learned long ago that timing ma
Chapter 37
The tension from their earlier conversation lingered in the air as they moved toward the next hole, but Victor, ever the master of timing, seemed to sense exactly when to shift gears. He rested his club against his shoulder, his steps measured, his expression smoothing into something lighter—deliberate.“I hope,” Victor began casually, as though they had just been discussing weather patterns and not abandoned fathers, “that you’re prepared for the event tomorrow.”Adrian glanced at him sideways. “Prepared how?”Victor smiled. “In every sense of the word.”Adrian scoffed softly, lining up his next shot. “I have a suit. Shoes. I’ll show up, shake hands, smile where necessary, and leave when it’s done. That’s prepared enough.”Victor watched him swing, then stepped forward to take his own turn. “You underestimate how much is riding on appearances,” he said, sending his ball sailing forward. “But that aside—your car has been ordered. It’s on its way as we speak.”Adrian froze mid-step. He
Chapter 38
The night air was smooth. The gala’s venue gleamed in the distance, a sprawling mansion-like structure lit by a constellation of golden lights, each lamp seeming to announce the arrival of those who belonged to a world far removed from ordinary life. Vanessa’s heart pounded with a mix of excitement and apprehension as she leaned slightly forward in the leather seat of Charles’ car, adjusting her gown, the deep fabric cascading over her legs with elegant ease. Charles, ever the gentleman, had insisted on driving tonight, giving Vanessa the rare luxury of arriving without the usual chaos of chauffeurs or valet confusion.“Here we are,” Charles murmured, his voice calm yet carrying the subtle tension he always seemed to have in these moments. He brought the car to a smooth stop, right in front of the main entrance. Vanessa could feel the energy of the place even from inside the car: the soft buzz of conversation, the muted glint of crystal chandeliers visible through the glass doors,
Chapter 39
Adrian lifted a hand and removed the glasses he had been wearing, the simple motion unhurried, almost absentminded. Under the glow of the venue lights, his face was fully revealed, sharp lines familiar enough to strike something raw and immediate in Vanessa’s chest.There was no more room for doubt.It was him.Vanessa’s lips parted slowly, disbelief flashing across her face before it hardened into something uglier—contempt mixed with vindication. She let out a short laugh, the sound sharp and derisive, drawing Charles’s attention fully back to the scene unfolding in front of them.“What is this nonsense?” she said aloud, not bothering to lower her voice. “Why are you always trying too hard to impress, Adrian?”She shook her head slowly, as though the answer disappointed her more than it surprised her. “As broke and helpless as you are, you went this far?” Her eyes dragged over him, from the polished shoes to the suit, then flicked dismissively to the car behind him. “Borrowing all th
Chapter 40
Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest, her posture radiating triumph as she still stood squarely in front of Adrian, as though she had already won a battle no one else knew they were fighting. The glow from the chandelier-lit entrance reflected off her jewelry as she laughed again, louder this time, drawing a few curious glances from nearby guests who were still milling around outside.“Honestly, Adrian,” she said, shaking her head slowly. “You must really think people are stupid.”Charles let out a chuckle beside her, the sound low and indulgent, clearly enjoying the direction this was taking. He slipped his hands into his pockets, rocking slightly on his heels as though settling in to watch a show.“You really thought,” Vanessa continued, her tone dripping with mockery, “that all you needed to do was look important and suddenly the doors would just open for you?”She gestured grandly toward the entrance of the hall, where suited security personnel stood at attention, checking nam