Chương 49: Chapter 49: Kiss of Defiance

Sophia had been biding her time, each passing day an opportunity to push Joi closer to the edge. Her barbs were subtle, her actions more deliberate, until finally, during an unusually tense breakfast, she decided to strike.

Joi had just taken her seat when Sophia smiled at her, her tone dripping with false sweetness. "I couldn't help but notice, Joi, that you're... struggling to fit in here. It's okay. Not everyone is cut out for this kind of life."

Joi stiffened but refused to bite. "I'm managing just fine, thank you."

Sophia tilted her head, her gaze sharp beneath her practiced smile. "Are you? Because from where I'm standing, it seems like you're trying so hard to hold on to something that doesn't belong to you."

Adrian, engrossed in his phone, didn't seem to notice the exchange. But Joi's fingers curled around her fork, her patience wearing thin. "I'm not sure where you're standing, Sophia, but it seems awfully shaky."

The subtle jab hit its mark, and Sophia's mask slipped for a fraction of a second. She leaned forward, her voice lowering to a private murmur meant only for Joi. "Let's make this interesting then. A bet."

Joi's brow arched. "A bet?"

Sophia's smile widened, a predatory gleam in her eyes. "I'll give you two weeks. Two weeks, and Adrian will be mine—completely. By then, you'll be out of this house like the trash you are."

The room felt suffocating. Joi swallowed the sharp retort bubbling in her throat, her gaze flickering to Adrian, who was still oblivious to the exchange. She didn't like this game Sophia was playing. She hated it, but something deep inside her—a refusal to lose—surged forward.

"Fine," Joi said, her voice steady, even as her heart pounded. "But don't cry when it doesn't go your way."

Sophia leaned back, triumphant, as though she had already won.

From that moment, Joi decided she wouldn't let Sophia see her falter. If Sophia wanted to play games, she would play along—and win.

She stopped being cold and distant toward Adrian, her behavior shifting in a way that even he couldn't ignore. At first, it was subtle: the occasional lingering gaze, brushing her hand against his when she handed him a document, or greeting him with a soft smile that warmed the icy edges of his heart.

Adrian noticed. He always noticed. But he didn't question it. Instead, he found himself craving the warmth she'd suddenly started offering.

Meanwhile, Joi began pulling away from Shane—not enough to burn bridges but enough to make her priorities clear. She still spoke to him, but their conversations were shorter, less personal.

The tension between the two women only grew. Sophia refused to back down, her attempts to undermine Joi growing more desperate. But Joi seemed untouchable, her calm confidence only fueling Sophia's anger.

---

One evening, as Joi passed by Adrian's study, her footsteps faltered. Her eyes caught Sophia striding toward the door, her expression confident, as though she belonged there. Without a second thought, Joi moved swiftly, slipping inside the room and shutting the door behind her.

Adrian looked up, his dark eyes narrowing in confusion before softening ever so slightly. "Joi?" His voice was steady, though curiosity tinged his tone.

Her heart pounded as she leaned against the closed door, her mind racing. She hadn't planned this—hadn't even thought it through. But something about the way Sophia moved with such certainty, as if Adrian was hers, set her resolve.

She crossed the room, her movements slow but deliberate, her gaze locked on his. Adrian watched her approach, his brows furrowing slightly as if trying to read her intentions. But he didn't stop her.

When she reached him, she hesitated for the briefest moment before leaning down, capturing his lips with her own.

The kiss was unhurried but purposeful, her lips pressing against his with a confidence that surprised even her. Adrian froze beneath her touch, startled, his breath hitching. But it lasted only a heartbeat.

A growl of something primal escaped him as his arms shot out, pulling her into his lap. His hands gripped her waist, his hold firm yet reverent, as though afraid she might slip away. His lips moved against hers, deepening the kiss, pouring unspoken emotions into every touch, every movement.

Joi's hands slid up to his shoulders, clutching at him as the world outside the study faded into nothing. Adrian tasted of something dark and intoxicating, and she let herself drown in it.

The door creaked open.

Joi stiffened, but Adrian didn't stop. His lips moved more fervently, his grip tightening as though trying to shield her from the intrusion.

Sophia's sharp intake of breath cut through the air like glass. "What the hell is going on here?"

Joi's heart slammed in her chest, but Adrian remained oblivious—or perhaps indifferent. His focus didn't waver, his hands staying firm on her as though daring Sophia to interrupt further.

"Adrian!" Sophia snapped, her voice high with outrage.

He didn't even flinch. His lips left Joi's just long enough to whisper, "Don't stop."

Joi hesitated, her senses suddenly returning. But before she could respond, Adrian's lips were on hers again, insistent and commanding, drawing her back into the moment.

"Adrian!" Sophia's voice cracked, but neither of them spared her a glance.

Finally, Joi pulled away, breathless, her cheeks flushed. Her gaze darted to Sophia, whose face was a mixture of shock and fury. The sight snapped something inside her—a memory she'd buried deep. Adrian kissing Sophia the day he saw her after five years, holding her just as tightly, with the same intensity.

Disgust washed over her, followed by a wave of regret. She pressed a hand against Adrian's chest, stopping him as he leaned in again. "Don't," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

His brows knitted, confusion flickering across his face. "Joi—"

She shook her head, taking a step back, her hand rising instinctively to cover his lips before he could speak. "I can't."

But when she tried to retreat further, Adrian caught her wrist, his grip firm but gentle. He rose to his feet, towering over her, his dark gaze unreadable. "You're not leaving," he said, his voice low and commanding.

"Adrian, let me go," she whispered, her resolve wavering as the warmth of his hand against her skin sent shivers down her spine.

Instead of releasing her, he cupped her face, his thumb brushing her cheek with a tenderness that disarmed her completely. His eyes searched hers, his voice softening. "Don't run from me."

Her lips parted, but no words came. Before she could protest, his mouth claimed hers again. This time, the kiss wasn't just demanding—it was consuming. It pulled her under, breaking down every barrier she'd carefully built.

Joi forgot everything. Sophia's presence in the doorway. The memory of Adrian with someone else. The uncertainty of where she stood in his life.

For now, she let herself feel.

Sophia's angry footsteps retreated down the hall, her muttered curses fading into silence.

---

Joi sat alone in her room later that night, her mind spinning. She couldn't ignore the way Adrian made her feel—the way he ignited something in her she thought she'd buried. But the memory of him kissing Sophia haunted her, reminding her of where she truly stood in his life.

She glanced at her phone, Shane's name lighting up the screen with a missed call. For once, she didn't feel the need to call back.

Adrian, on the other hand, lingered in his study, his thoughts consumed by the kiss. His feelings for Joi were growing stronger, and he couldn't suppress them any longer.

But for Sophia, the scene she'd walked in on was a declaration of war. And she wasn't about to lose.