Chapter 17

The very next day, the media was in a frenzy. News outlets and gossip columns were flooded with speculations about Adrian Blackwood’s abrupt departure from the gala.

“Adrian Blackwood leaves the event without a word. Trouble in paradise?”

“The leading lady was abandoned. What made Adrian storm out?”

“Did Bianca Monroe get dumped?”

The paparazzi had been relentless. They snapped pictures of Bianca left alone in their seats, looking frustrated and visibly upset. Social media was buzzing with theories, some claiming it was a lovers’ quarrel, others suggesting Adrian had a secret someone waiting for him elsewhere.

But Adrian didn’t care.

He hadn’t even glanced at his phone, which was now buried under the mess of broken glass and overturned furniture from last night. His house was a wreck, mirroring the chaos in his mind. He hadn’t slept. His body ached from the tension of waiting and from the sheer exhaustion of his emotions.

Then came the frant