Adrian Carter's Silent Dominance

CHAPTER 6

Adrian looked at Vanessa and suddenly felt amused.

Not in a warm way.

More like watching someone embarrass themselves without realizing it.

A faint sneer tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“If we’re talking about affairs,” he said coldly, “then your relationship with him looks far more convincing.”

His gaze slid briefly to Charles before returning to Vanessa.

“She and I just met today,” Adrian added calmly, nodding slightly toward Iris. “Try again.”

The words were light, almost casual.

There was no anger in them. No raised voice. No explanation.

Vanessa's face flushed instantly.

Her breath hitched as disbelief turned into rage.

Her chest rose sharply as anger flooded her expression.

“You—!” she shouted, taking a sharp step forward. “How dare you say that!”

Her heels scraped loudly against the floor, the sound sharp and jarring.

Several people nearby flinched.

Being called an adulterer was her biggest fear.

She had spent years polishing her image—successful, respectable, admirable.

A woman everyone praised.

The idea that people might now see her as immoral made panic creep into her bones.

She clenched her fists.

“You’re lying!” she yelled, her voice cracking slightly from fury. “You’re shameless! Twisting the truth like this—”

Her finger jabbed toward Adrian, trembling with anger.

Her voice rose even higher, sharp enough to draw more attention from across the lobby.

“You think you can smear me just because you’re pathetic?” she snapped. “Do you think anyone here would believe you?”

She let out a cold laugh, trying to steady herself.

“Fine,” she sneered. “Since you love lying so much, are you going to tell everyone now that she is the one from the Rand family who invited you here?”

Her eyes darted sharply toward Iris.

The accusation was deliberate and calculated, meant to humiliate.

Iris didn’t react.

She stood quietly beside Adrian, posture straight and expression composed.

She didn’t frown, didn’t argue, she didn’t even look offended.

That composure alone irritated Vanessa even more.

Adrian answered without hesitation.

“She is from the Rand family,” he said indifferently.

The statement was simple.

A beat passed.

“But she’s not the one who invited me.”

For half a second, the lobby fell silent.

It was the kind of silence that came before laughter—

before mockery—

before judgment.

Then laughter erupted.

It rolled through the lobby like a wave.

Whispers burst out immediately.

“Did you hear that?”

“He’s really serious about this nonsense.”

“First he claims the Rand family invited him, now this?”

“Does he think everyone here is stupid?”

Some shook their heads.

Others smirked openly.

Charles laughed the loudest.

He threw his head back, clapping his hands slowly, exaggerated and mocking, as if applauding a bad performance.

“Vanessa,” he said with a wide grin, “your ex-husband is impressive.”

He dragged the word impressive, thick with sarcasm.

He turned to look at Adrian, eyes filled with disdain, as if he were watching a clown who didn’t know when to stop.

“Truly a man who loves to daydream,” Charles added lazily. “One fantasy stacked on another.”

He leaned closer to Vanessa.

“No wonder you divorced him,” he muttered loudly enough for others to hear. “This level of delusion is dangerous.”

Vanessa felt reassured by Charles' reaction.

The support steadied her nerves.

She crossed her arms, lifting her chin proudly as if reclaiming control of the situation.

Her earlier panic faded, replaced by confidence.

“Exactly,” she said coldly. “He’s gone mad.”

She looked around deliberately, letting everyone hear her.

“A poor man pretending to be important,” she added. “How laughable.”

At that moment, a pair of heels echoed across the lobby.

The sound cut through the noise.

A woman walked out from behind the lobby counter.

She wore a tailored suit, perfectly pressed.

Her hair was neatly tied back and her expression was calm but sharp, eyes already assessing the scene.

It was Elaine .

The manager of Skyline Hotel .

Her presence alone caused several people to straighten subconsciously.

Elaine frowned slightly as she approached, her gaze sweeping over the gathered crowd, then landing on Vanessa, Charles, Adrian, and Iris.

“What’s going on here?” Elaine asked.

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried authority.

The surrounding chatter faded.

Charles turned immediately.

His face brightened as if he had been waiting for her.

“Elaine,” he greeted her warmly, stepping forward. “Long time no see.”

He smiled, familiarity obvious, his posture relaxed.

“It’s nothing serious,” Charles said casually, waving a hand. “Just ran into a couple of lunatics.”

Elaine raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Lunatics?”

Charles chuckled, then gestured toward Adrian and Iris with a mocking tilt of his head.

“This man suddenly barged in claiming someone from the Rand family invited him to dinner here,” Charles said with amusement.

His eyes flicked toward Adrian disdainfully.

“And the woman next to him even claims she’s from the Rand family.”

Another ripple of laughter passed through the crowd.

Vanessa smirked, clearly satisfied.

She watched Elaine carefully, waiting for her to take their side.

Elaine’s smile stiffened.

Her fingers tightened slightly at her side.

The Rand family?

Her heartbeat skipped.

She did know the Rand family was hosting an important guest today.

A very important one.

One she had personally overseen preparations for.

She glanced at Adrian.

Then at Iris.

Both of them stood calmly. No fear. No anger. No desperation.

Neither of them tried to explain further.

That calm unsettled her.

For a brief moment, doubt crept in.

The lobby grew quiet.

Some people exchanged looks.

Charles noticed the hesitation immediately.

His smile stiffened and he spoke up quickly.

“Elaine, don’t misunderstand,” he said smoothly. “It’s actually Vanessa who’s hosting the Rand family today.”

He gestured toward Vanessa.

“We’re here to celebrate their cooperation.”

Vanessa nodded firmly, stepping forward half a step.

“That’s right,” she said confidently. “I’m the one working with them.”

She met Elaine’s gaze without flinching.

Elaine pressed her lips together.

Even so, unease lingered. Just in case.

She straightened her back.

“Skyline Hotel is a property of the Rand family,” Elaine said clearly, her voice firm. “And I know every single member of the Rand family.”

Her gaze sharpened.

She pushed through the crowd, walking straight toward Adrian and Iris.

Up close, she examined them carefully.

Their faces. Their posture. Their quiet confidence.

She searched her memory.

Every gathering. Every banquet. Every family member she had ever met.

Nothing. Recognition didn’t come.

Her expression darkened and the doubt vanished.

Suddenly, her hesitation turned into anger.

She spun around sharply.

“Security!” Elaine shouted. “Get these two people out of Skyline Hotel!”

Her voice echoed across the lobby.

Gasps followed instantly.

Security guards moved at once, stepping forward.

Vanessa's lips curled into a triumphant smile and Charles folded his arms, clearly pleased.