After the gift Aiden gave Adrian last night, there was no way he could flat-out say no to me—even if he had doubts. Since he agreed, I told him to tidy himself up and make an effort. He threw on a soft gray tracksuit, sprayed a little cologne, and just like that, his whole vibe leveled up. Adrian had always been handsome, with that kind of sharp, intense good looks. But now, with the outfit and a little effort, he looked genuinely striking. I was pretty pleased with the final result. With Adrian and Aiden in tow, I headed straight to Moon Pack. It wasn’t until we got to the gate that I realized—it was Tammy’s house. Adrian glanced back at me, clearly annoyed. “Why are we here?” I smiled sweetly. “It’s Tammy’s birthday. You get along with her brother, don’t you? Just showing up is the polite thing to do.” He shot me a look. “You do know Tammy and I don’t get along, right? You’re kind of throwing me under the bus here.” I kept the smile on my face, but my tone turned icy. “Adrian, you’re already here. If you throw a fit now, don’t blame me when I lose it in front of everyone.” Adrian shot a desperate look toward Aiden, but he just gave him a blank stare and stayed silent. Left with no backup, Adrian shut his mouth and followed along with a miserable expression. Tammy was already waiting at the door. When she saw Adrian, her eyes lit up and she ran over, beaming. “You actually came?” Adrian let out a low huff and looked away. “You’ve got a boyfriend now. We should probably keep some distance.” He took a step back, putting real space between them. Tammy blinked, confused. “Boyfriend? What are you talking about?” Then it hit her. She stifled a laugh. “Oh, you mean Brandon?” Before she could even finish her sentence, a guy in a black denim jacket walked up and casually threw an arm around her shoulders. “There you are,” he said, grinning. “I thought I lost you.” Tammy shot him a playful glare. “Brandon, can you not manhandle me every time? You always grab me like you’re about to throw me over your shoulder.” Brandon laughed. “Come on, I wouldn’t dare. If I were actually trying to rough someone up, you’d know it. I don’t go this easy on people at school.” The two of them were clearly in their own little world, teasing and laughing like no one else was around. Adrian’s expression froze. Without saying a word, he slipped away and followed Aiden into the house—putting as much distance between them as possible. I came in last, watching Tammy and Brandon mess around like that. Adrian clearly had no idea about their relationship. I leaned in and whispered, “Tammy, if you actually like Adrian, maybe tone it down a bit. This isn’t helping.” Tammy looked startled. “He’s my cousin. He just doesn’t know yet—I was planning to tell him.” I glanced at Adrian’s retreating figure and shook my head. “Well, right now he looks like someone just hit him in the chest. You should probably tell him soon.” Tammy pouted. “I want to. I really do. But every time I try, something gets in the way. I don’t know why.” Brandon’s gaze flickered—just for a second. Then he smiled and ruffled Tammy’s hair. “Come on, birthday girl. The party’s starting.” Tammy nodded and walked inside with him. Moon Pack wasn’t just any clan—they were well-known even outside of the city. Rumor had it they came from Capital City, from an old, powerful bloodline. Wealth, influence, status—they had it all. Tammy’s birthday celebration was nothing short of extravagant. I wandered through the crowd, casually chatting with familiar faces, keeping it light. After a while, my feet started to ache, so I snuck off to a quiet corner, kicked off my heels, and finally let myself relax. I’d barely settled in when a familiar voice approached me from behind. “Ms. Beck. Long time no see. How have you been?” Randall’s voice still carried that same cool detachment—like nothing in the world could ever truly move him. “I’m doing well, Mr. Randall. But don’t you think your interest in me is getting a little... excessive?”He hadn’t crossed any lines—yet. But I could see right through him. His intentions were all over his face. “I’ve said it before,” he replied, his tone light. “I admire you, Ms. Beck. So of course I care.” He stepped closer, smiling faintly. “And if you’re really asking why... it’s because I like you.” I took a small step back. “There are billions of people in this world, Mr. Randall. Why me?” He swirled the drink in his glass. “Because there’s something about you that draws me in. You already know this, don’t you? I’ve never exactly been subtle.” The way he said it made my skin crawl a little. I frowned. “I don’t know what you’re trying to get at, but whatever this is, I don’t like it. Not one bit.” He tilted his head, like I was the one being unreasonable. “One day... you’ll come around.” With that, he gave me a small bow and walked off without another word. I didn’t feel like going back inside, so I stayed where I was, sipping my drink and letting the quiet settle over me. After a few minutes, the warmth of the alcohol started kicking in, and I felt a little too hot. I stood and headed to the balcony for some fresh air. It was winter, and the cold hit me instantly, sharp and biting. I wrapped my coat tighter around myself. The cold helped clear my head, and I took a long breath. But then, just as I exhaled, I heard it—quiet sobs coming from a corner of the balcony. And a man’s voice, low and familiar. Both voices sounded oddly familiar. I stilled, leaning gently against the railing to listen. “Adrian... can you just tell me why you turned me down?”