Unmasking the Heart

JOI'S POV

We arrived at a set of double doors, and the butler opened them for us. Adrian stepped into the dining room, and I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what awaited me. When I finally entered, I saw Anna already standing close to Adrian, speaking to him with a sweetness that made me feel like an outsider.

"Adrian, you came. I'm so glad you made it," Anna said, her voice overly saccharine as she reached out her hand to touch Adrian. But Adrian walked past her without acknowledging her or responding, and I noticed the brief flash of disappointment on Anna's face.

I walked in gracefully, my nerves beginning to settle as I greeted Adrian's parents.

A woman sitting next to Mr. Reginald immediately caught my attention, and I guessed that she must be Mrs. Catherine. I was about to pull out a chair for myself when Mr. Reginald's cold voice cut through the air.

"I don't recall inviting you to my house," Mr. Reginald's words were sharper tonight, more biting than usual.

I quickly collected myself, trying to smile. "Yes, sir, but Adrian insisted that I escort him to have dessert with you."

"Good. Now that you've escorted him, you can leave," Mr. Reginald said, his expression a mix of disdain and indifference.

Before I could respond, Adrian stood up, his voice firm. "If she's leaving, then I'm leaving."

Anna, who had been watching us intently, suddenly spoke up, her voice laced with an almost forced sweetness. "Father, she can stay and have dessert with us. I don't mind."

Mr. Reginald raised an eyebrow, eyeing me with distaste. "Are you sure you're comfortable with her here?"

Anna nodded, smiling widely. "Father, I'm sure. She's special to Adrian. Why would I hate her? Maybe I should get used to her being around." Her smile was so sugary, it almost seemed fake.

Mrs. Catherine finally spoke, her voice pleasant but neutral. "You can sit, dear."

It was the first time I'd heard her speak, and I took the opportunity to sit down. Despite Anna's seething glares, I remained calm. I was used to pretending; I would play the role of Adrian's fiancée for as long as needed.

"Let's eat the dessert," Anna declared, as if she owned the entire room.

"How did you meet my son, Adrian?" Mrs. Catherine asked, just as I scooped a spoonful of milk cake.

I felt my heart race. I had expected them to dismiss me, not ask personal questions. But I forced myself to stay calm. "I met him at the company, ma'am," I answered truthfully, unsure what else to say.

I glanced at Adrian quickly, but he seemed unaffected, as though this situation didn't bother him at all.

As I tasted the cake, its sweetness calmed my nerves. No matter how stressed or anxious I felt, desserts always helped me find some peace. I continued to eat, savoring the cake and yogurt, feeling comfort in the familiarity of the flavors.

"I see… What do you do at Adrian's company?" Mrs. Catherine pressed further.

"I'm not working at Adrian's company, ma'am. I just happened to have a friend there and accidentally took the wrong elevator. That's when I met Adrian," I explained, taking another spoonful of cake.

"Oh, and Adrian liked you right away?" Mrs. Catherine asked, her curiosity piqued.

"No, ma'am. He was cold at first, but over time, we bumped into each other at other places, and we became close. He started to like me. Though he's cold sometimes, I'm used to his temperament," I added, taking a sip of yogurt. I noticed I was the only one eating the dessert, but it didn't bother me. I preferred it this way.

Mrs. Catherine seemed satisfied with my answer. "That's good. That means he must have told you about his past."

"No, ma'am. I don't want to know about it. I feel like, since I'm his future, the past shouldn't matter. But if he decides to open up to me, I'll listen," I replied, finishing my second plate of cake and moving on to the chocolate brownie.

"I like your patience," Mrs. Catherine said, sipping her orange juice. "I hope it lasts."

I was relieved when she stopped asking about Adrian. The less I had to talk about him, the better, especially since I didn't really know anything about his past.

Anna, however, wasn't about to let the conversation end. "I like your possessiveness toward Adrian and your patience with him. I also love Adrian, and I'm his fiancée. I hope you've heard of me." She smiled sweetly, almost too sweetly.

I raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "I would've loved to admit that I know you, but I really haven't heard anything about you. Adrian has never introduced you or mentioned anything about you being his fiancée."

I could see Anna's face turn red with frustration, but I didn't mind teasing her a little. She tried too hard, and I couldn't stand women who pretended to be something they weren't.

We finished our dessert in an uncomfortable silence. Once we were done, Adrian and Mr. Reginald excused themselves to talk in private, and Mrs. Catherine left the room as well.

That left Anna and me alone in the dining room.

"Umm… I don't know your name. Adrian didn't introduce you. Can you tell me?" Anna asked, standing up from her seat and walking toward me.

I put down my phone and looked at her. "I'm Joi," I replied briefly.

"Nice name. Let's go for a walk," Anna suggested, her tone suddenly more insistent.

"I don't really know the area, so I'll skip this one. If Adrian comes out and doesn't find me, I'll be wasting his time," I explained, trying to politely excuse myself.

"Oh, come on. Don't be too straightforward. I know you don't like me because we're rivals. But that doesn't mean I can't walk you around this big house. Besides, this place belongs to Mr. Reginald, not me. You don't need to refuse with the excuse of Adrian," Anna said, her smile warm but unsettling.

"Okay, lead the way," I said, reluctantly standing up.

"We'll just walk around the place. I'm not giving you a tour, so let's just walk together," Anna said, walking beside me.

She showed me her room, but I wasn't interested in going inside, so we kept walking down the corridors. She pointed out the doors to each family member's room, then we moved on to the kitchen. I took a sip of water, trying to stay calm. If Emily had been here, she would've spent hours in this kitchen.

After a few minutes, Anna excused herself, saying she would be back shortly. True to her word, she returned in five minutes, and we continued walking. Eventually, she stopped in front of Adrian's door.

"This is Adrian's room," she said, a gleam in her eye. Just as I was about to respond, Anna's phone rang.

"Sorry, it's my mother. I need to take this call. I'll be back in a minute. You can have a look inside since you're close to him," Anna said, placing the phone to her ear and walking away.

Left alone, curiosity got the best of me. I hesitated, then pushed the door open, stepping inside. The room was dimly lit, but I quickly found the light switch and turned it on.

What caught my attention immediately was a large portrait of a woman on the wall. She was beautiful, with round eyes that seemed so familiar. Beneath the portrait, there was a photo frame, and my heart skipped a beat. I hadn't expected to find a photo of a woman in Adrian's room.

My gaze fell to a small box next to the frame. I opened it, and my heart sank when I saw two pairs of rings inside. They were clearly meant for a couple—Adrian and the woman in the photo. My suspicions grew. I was nothing more than a pawn in a game to get rid of Anna.

I didn't know what had happened between them, but I made a mental note to ask Alex. Just as I was about to close the box, I spotted a necklace. It wasn't the starlight necklace Adrian had bought; this one was simple yet beautiful. As I picked it up, I noticed it was broken, and I tried to fix it.

Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me, and I froze.