All Chapters of Adrian Vale: A Second Chance: Chapter 61
- Chapter 70
115 chapters
Chapter 61
Adrian closed his door behind him and let the quiet of his apartment settle in. The day had been heavy in a way that lingered under the skin, the kind that didn’t disappear just because work was over. He set his keys on the counter, loosened his jacket, and moved through his usual nighttime routine on autopilot.Dinner was simple. Something warm, filling, and uncomplicated. He ate standing at the counter, staring out the window at the city lights, letting his thoughts slow. Afterward, he showered, the hot water washing away the tension that had built up over the last few days. By the time he dried off and pulled on a clean shirt, his body felt steady again—even if his mind wasn’t.Nightly tasks completed. No rewards. No prompts. Just confirmation.That alone was telling.He sat down at his desk and opened his laptop, intending to review notes for tomorrow and maybe distract himself with something mindless. His inbox loaded—and one subject line immediately pulled his attention into sha
Chapter 62
The workday unfolded with a different kind of focus than Adrian was used to.Instead of reacting to problems as they appeared, he spent the morning building something from the ground up. He sketched frameworks, mapped decision paths, and outlined checks that would force transparency without paralyzing operations. It wasn’t just about catching fraud—it was about removing the blind spots that allowed it to thrive.By late morning, his notes had turned into a coherent structure.Tiered proposal reviews based on financial exposure. Mandatory cross-department validation for high-risk contracts. Independent vendor verification that included physical presence, not just paperwork. Behavioral red flags—urgency, resistance to oversight, single-thread advocacy—flagged automatically for review.It was elegant in its simplicity. And more importantly, it was difficult to abuse without leaving fingerprints.An hour later, Adrian found himself back in Eleanor Whitmore’s office.She listened withou
Chapter 63
The day wound down quietly after that. By the time Adrian shut down his laptop and stepped away from the conference room, the office had slipped back into its usual rhythm—emails, conversations, the low hum of routine returning now that the crisis had passed. He gathered his things and headed for the elevators, the weight of everything he’d started still sitting comfortably in the back of his mind. Elena was waiting near the lobby again, her posture relaxing when she spotted him. “Ready?” she asked. He nodded, and they walked out together into the evening air. The sun was already low, painting the street in warm light as they made their way back toward the apartment building. The conversation drifted easily—small comments about the day, the strange calm that had settled over the office, how different everything felt compared to last week. As they neared home, Elena glanced over at him. “So… Maya’s coming over tonight. She wants to hang out, decompress a little.” She hesitated, th
Chapter 64
Adrian settled back into his pace, breath steady, feet striking the pavement in an easy rhythm. The encounter at the bus stop faded behind him, adrenaline smoothing into focus rather than spiking. This was what he’d needed—movement, clarity, the city stripped down to motion and sound. A sharp metallic clatter cut through the night. He slowed again, instinct pulling his attention toward a side street half a block ahead. Shadows moved near a parked sedan, too many of them, too deliberate. As Adrian angled closer, the scene resolved itself. Four men. One crouched near the driver’s door, working a tool against the lock. Another stood lookout, swaying slightly. The other two were rifling through a backpack, glancing around with nervous impatience. “Come on, hurry up,” one hissed. “Someone’s gonna see.” Adrian stopped at the mouth of the street. He didn’t announce himself right away. He took in spacing, angles, escape routes. The way one of them favored his right leg. The way another
Chapter 65
Saturday morning arrived without urgency. Adrian woke naturally, sunlight filtering through the blinds in a way that felt unhurried, almost generous. For a few seconds he stayed still, aware of the difference between this morning and the others that had come before it. No alarms. No work waiting. Just a date tonight—and time he could finally spend on himself. He got up and moved through his morning routine at an easy pace. Stretching first, longer than usual, feeling out the subtle stiffness left over from the week. Pushups and sit-ups followed, not as a task to complete, but as a way to settle into his body. He noticed how controlled everything felt now—how each movement carried intention instead of effort. Breakfast was simple and deliberate. As he ate, he opened his laptop, not to chase problems or threats, but to learn. He picked a subject he’d always skimmed around but never truly understood—systems theory and feedback loops. How complex systems corrected themselves. How small
Chapter 66
Adrian returned home just after noon, the calm from the park still sitting comfortably in his shoulders. He set his keys down, rolled up his sleeves, and made himself lunch—nothing elaborate, just something warm and solid. Cooking had become another kind of grounding for him. Measure. Adjust. Finish. He ate at the counter, then opened his laptop again, curiosity nudging him forward. If watching was enough… how far did that go? He started with karate. Traditional forms first—kata demonstrations broken down from multiple angles. He slowed the videos, replayed transitions, watched foot placement and hip rotation. As before, it wasn’t about memorizing the sequence. His mind filtered out noise, isolating intent: strike paths, defensive structure, timing between tension and release. Combat Mastery engaged again, quieter this time. Observed discipline: Karate. Analysis progressing. Adrian felt the click almost immediately. The sharpness contrasted with tai chi’s softness, but the pri
Chapter 67
Adrian checked the time one last time, then stepped across the hall and knocked. The door opened almost immediately. Elena stood there already smiling, the kind that reached her eyes before she even spoke. “Hey,” she said, excitement clear in her voice. “You look… really good.” “So do you,” Adrian replied, and meant it. She leaned in without hesitation and kissed his cheek, lingering just long enough to make it feel intentional rather than casual. When she pulled back, her smile softened into something warmer. “Ready?” he asked. “Very,” she said, grabbing her bag and stepping out into the hallway. She locked her door and slipped her arm easily through his as they headed for the elevator. The ride down was light and easy. Small comments about the day, about how strange it felt to have a quiet Saturday after such a hectic week. Nothing heavy. Nothing forced. Just comfort. Outside, the Uber was already waiting. They slid into the back seat, knees brushing as the car pulled away
Chapter 68
They paid the bill and stepped back out into the night, the air cooler now, the city humming at a gentler pace. The theater was only a few blocks away, close enough that the walk felt like part of the evening instead of a transition. Elena slipped her hand back into Adrian’s as they walked, fingers lacing comfortably. The sidewalk buzzed with people heading the same direction, couples and small groups drifting toward the glow of the marquee ahead. “There it is,” she said, nodding toward the theater lights. “I’ve been looking forward to this all week.” “So have I,” Adrian replied, giving her hand a light squeeze. Inside, the lobby was alive with anticipation—voices overlapping, programs being handed out, the soft swell of excitement that came before the lights dimmed. Adrian guided them through the crowd, finding their section and then their seats with ease. They settled in side by side, coats folded neatly, shoulders brushing. Elena leaned closer, lowering her voice. “I already k
Chapter 69
Adrian barely had time to set his jacket aside before Elena moved toward the couch, dropping her purse with a soft thud. She turned back to him, and the look on her face stopped him in place—open, intent, unguarded. There was no hesitation in it. Just want, and trust, and the kind of certainty that didn’t need words. She closed the distance in a few quick steps and pressed him back onto the cushions, her momentum carrying them both down as she climbed into his lap. Her hands found his shoulders, then his jaw, drawing him up into a kiss that was nothing like the gentle ones they’d shared before. This one was deeper, hungry, unafraid. Adrian’s hands came to her waist, steadying her, pulling her closer. He felt the warmth of her through the fabric of her dress, the way she fit against him as if she’d always known exactly where she belonged. She smiled against his mouth, breath warm, then kissed him again—slower this time, savoring it. Her fingers slid up to his collar, tugging him clo
Chapter 70
Adrian gave Elana's ass a soft squeeze as he pull her hips closer to him. As she settled in closer to his hips, she could feel the hardness of his member pulsing against her lips. When she felt this she lost all control and started grinding against him. Adrian then slid his hands up and swiftly unclasped her bra, releasing her large firm breasts from the cups. As he tossed the bra away, his hands quickly moved to her chest, moving slowly across them, the electric he felt in his hands from the the touch of their skin, was obviously as strong to her, a soft moan escaped her lips then as he moved down with his mouth to kiss every inch of her body. As the heat between the two intensified Adrian picked her up and laid her down on the couch. Moving further down, as she entertwined her fingers in his hair. He quickly grabbed the outside of her hips, and slid off her thong. Seeing what she wanted he quickly moved to her lips and parted them with his tongue. The action caused her to squeal w