All Chapters of Adrian Vale: A Second Chance: Chapter 71
- Chapter 80
115 chapters
Chapter 71
They didn’t realize how much time had passed until the room grew quiet. Not suddenly—just gradually, like the world easing back in after holding its breath. The city lights outside the window had shifted, traffic thinning, the night deepening while neither of them had noticed. Elana was still sitting on Adrian’s lap, her head resting against his shoulder, both of them slick with sweat, bodies warm and overstimulated, breathing slow and uneven. The couch beneath them felt too small now, as if it had been asked to hold something bigger than itself. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Adrian’s arms were wrapped around her without thinking, hands resting low on her back, holding her there because letting go felt… wrong. His body ached in that deep, dull way that came from giving everything you had without restraint. Not pain. Aftermath. Elana shifted slightly, a quiet sound escaping her as she settled more comfortably, still close, still pressed against him. She didn’t move awa
Chapter 72
They stayed like that for a while longer, the quiet settling in naturally instead of awkwardly. Elana shifted just enough to get comfortable, still on his lap, her head resting against his chest. Her breathing had evened out, but there was a softness to her that hadn’t been there before—unguarded, open. She broke the silence first. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt that… present,” she said quietly. “Like everything else just disappeared.” Adrian’s hand moved slowly along her back, not exploring now, just grounding. “Yeah,” he said. “It felt like the world narrowed down to one point. Nothing else mattered.” She tilted her head, looking up at him. There was a trace of vulnerability in her eyes, mixed with something warmer. “I was a little scared, honestly. Not in a bad way. Just… because it felt important.” He met her gaze, not looking away. “It was important.” That answer seemed to settle something in her. She smiled faintly and leaned back against him again, fingers absently tracing
Chapter 73
Morning came softly. Adrian woke to warmth first—the weight of another body against his, the steady rise and fall of breathing that wasn’t his own. Sunlight filtered in through the curtains, painting the room in muted gold. For a moment, he stayed still, letting himself register where he was and who he was holding. Elana was curled against him, one arm draped loosely over his chest, her hair spilled across his shoulder. She stirred slightly as he shifted, making a quiet sound and pressing closer without opening her eyes. He smiled to himself. His body felt rested in a way he wasn’t used to—heavy but comfortable, muscles loose instead of tense. Hunger followed almost immediately, a deep, honest kind that came from a long night and real exertion. But it wasn’t urgent. Nothing about this morning felt rushed. Elana blinked awake a few seconds later, eyes adjusting as she took him in. There was a brief flicker of surprise—then recognition—and then a slow smile spread across her face.
Chapter 74
They cleaned up together in a quiet, unhurried way. Elana disappeared into the bathroom first, the sound of running water filling the apartment a moment later. Adrian leaned against the counter while he waited, finishing his coffee and letting the morning settle fully into place. There was no awkwardness about timing, no sense of needing space—just the easy understanding that they were sharing it. When it was his turn, the shower felt grounding. Warm water, steady breath, the lingering sense of closeness still wrapped around him. He took his time, not rushing, letting his thoughts drift toward the day ahead rather than replaying the night before. By the time he shut the water off, he felt reset—clear-headed and relaxed. They met again in the bedroom, both dressed comfortably, hair still slightly damp. Elana smiled when she saw him, that familiar warmth in her expression now carrying something deeper. “Okay,” she said, slipping on her shoes. “I’m officially ready to be a person aga
Chapter 75
By the time they made their way back to the apartment building, the afternoon had softened into early evening. The city outside was still lively, but their energy had shifted—comfortable, a little tired in the best way, like they’d used the day well. They rode the elevator up together in easy silence, shoulders touching, the faint hum of the cables filling the space. When the doors opened, Elana glanced at him. “Dinner?” she asked. “We could order something… or we could actually cook.” Adrian smiled. “Let’s cook.” Inside her apartment, they set their things down and moved into the kitchen like they’d done it a hundred times before. Music went on low in the background, something relaxed and familiar. Elana tied her hair back and handed Adrian a cutting board without asking, already pulling ingredients from the fridge. They didn’t follow a recipe. They didn’t need to. Adrian chopped vegetables while Elana worked the stove, occasionally stealing a piece from his side of the counter
Chapter 76
The movie ended without either of them really noticing when.The credits rolled in soft light across the walls, the sound low, almost distant. Elana stirred slightly against Adrian’s chest, blinking as if she’d just realized how late it had gotten. She didn’t move away. If anything, she shifted closer, fingers curling lightly into his shirt.“Hey,” she said quietly.“Hey,” he answered.She tilted her head to look up at him, her expression calm but open, the kind that came from feeling safe enough not to guard every word. “Would you… stay tonight? Again.”It wasn’t asked urgently. There was no pressure in it. Just an invitation.Adrian didn’t hesitate. “Yeah,” he said. “I’d like that.”Relief crossed her face, followed by a soft smile. She leaned up and kissed him—slow, unhurried, affectionate rather than hungry this time. When she pulled back, she rested her forehead against his.“Good,” she murmured. “I didn’t really want to be alone tonight.”“Neither did I.”They stood together, tu
Chapter 77
The meeting request came just after lunch.Adrian wasn’t surprised. Eleanor Whitmore didn’t waste time, and she didn’t summon people unless she already knew what she was looking for.Her office sat on the upper floor, glass-walled and quiet, overlooking the city rather than the bullpen. Adrian arrived on time, tablet under his arm, his thoughts already arranged. This wasn’t a presentation. It was a progress check.“Come in,” Eleanor said, not looking up at first.She finished reading something on her screen before meeting his eyes. Sharp. Assessing. The kind of attention that made it clear she missed very little.“Sit,” she said. “I want to know where you are, not where you think you should be.”Adrian took the chair across from her. “I’ve already built an initial shortlist,” he said. No preamble. No padding.That earned a faint, approving smile.He activated the tablet and slid it across the desk. Names appeared—five of them—each with a concise summary beneath.“These aren’t top perf
Chapter 78
The rest of the day passed without incident.Adrian wrapped up his work in the late afternoon, responding to routine emails and making notes for the meetings ahead. When he shut down his computer and stood, there was a sense of quiet completion to the day—not exhaustion, just the feeling that things were moving in the right direction.Elana was waiting near the elevators when he reached the lobby.“There you are,” she said, falling into step beside him as they headed out. “Long day?”“Productive,” Adrian replied. “The good kind.”They walked back toward the apartment building together, the city easing into evening around them. Streetlights flickered on one by one, and the air had cooled just enough to be comfortable. Their conversation was light—small observations, shared jokes, little moments from the day that didn’t need to be important to be meaningful.When they reached the building, neither of them rushed upstairs.Dinner ended up being simple. They split the work without really
Chapter 79
Adrian settled into his desk with a different kind of focus than he’d had weeks ago.Today wasn’t about reacting. It was about preparation.He started by pulling up his calendar, reviewing the meeting invites he’d sent out the day before. Five conversations spread across the next two weeks, each deliberately short, each designed to reveal more than the words spoken in them. He reviewed his notes on each candidate again, adding questions tailored to their histories—how they handled pressure, how they escalated concerns, where they’d felt resistance before.This wasn’t interrogation. It was alignment.Once he was satisfied, he shifted gears.The Holloways had been quiet since Grant’s arrest. Too quiet.Adrian accessed external compliance databases, public records, and industry chatter feeds—nothing illegal, nothing invasive. Just the kind of information anyone diligent enough could gather if they knew where to look. Patterns began to emerge quickly.Holloway Investments had been making
Chapter 80
Adrian checked the time and glanced toward the edge of the floor where Elana usually packed up first.He didn’t want to alarm her. Not yet.He pulled out his phone and typed a quick message.Running a little late tonight. Don’t wait for me—text me when you get home, okay?The reply came almost immediately.Okay 🙂 Don’t work too hard.That small smile at the end tightened something in his chest. It also confirmed his decision.He waited.Not conspicuously. He finished a few emails, shut down his workstation at a normal pace, and lingered near the elevators without boarding. When Elana finally stepped out of her department and headed toward the exit, Adrian followed at a distance—far enough to be coincidence, close enough to observe.Outside, he kept to the opposite side of the street.Automatic Learning quietly surfaced patterns he’d read about hours earlier. Who slowed when she slowed. Who adjusted pace to maintain distance. Reflections in windows. Footsteps that matched rhythm too c