Emma’s POV

The penthouse was unnervingly quiet tonight, a gilded echo chamber for the frantic beat of my own heart. The city lights outside shimmered, indifferent to the silent storm brewing within me. Adrian was in his study, the faint glow of his desk lamp a testament to his relentless work ethic, his presence a comforting anchor in the vast, impersonal space. After the charged car ride home from the gala, the unspoken tension between us had settled into a heavy, almost suffocating silence, a constant hum in the air that promised something uncontainable. We were fighting the undeniable pull between us, a battle I wasn't sure I wanted to win.