The Bullet Screen Says He Loves Me, But I Can’t Feel It Chapter 05

The Bullet Screen Says He Loves Me, But I Can’t Feel It Chapter 05

I forced my eyes open and saw a face I never expected.

Adrian Shaw.

He frowned at the cut near my eye and took the box from my arms.

“You don’t look fine.”

“I’m just a little dizzy.”

“People who nearly pass out always say that.”

Adrian didn’t give me a chance to refuse.

He put the box in the trunk, helped me into the car, and handed me a bottle of water.

Then he took me straight to a nearby urgent care clinic.

A nurse cleaned the cut near my eye. After the exam confirmed that the dizziness came from exhaustion and an empty stomach, Adrian’s expression finally eased a little.

When we left the clinic, he opened the car door for me, his voice perfectly serious.

“So, would Shaw & Sterling’s newest employee like to take her new boss out to lunch?”

Some of the dull ache in my chest faded.

I couldn’t help smiling.

“Deal.”

Adrian took me to a Cajun restaurant.

We ordered a huge platter of seafood and the hottest sauce they had.

Lunch lasted nearly two hours. The spice made my eyes stream, and I went through most of a box of tissues.

At least for a while, I could blame every tear on the peppers.

Adrian didn’t ask what had happened at Crosswell, and he didn’t try to comfort me.

He only pushed the ice water toward me in silence.

That made it easier to relax.

Adrian and I had known each other for years.

He was the CEO of Shaw & Sterling and the competitor Gavin feared most.

Over the years, we’d faced off across the negotiating table more times than I could count.

Adrian was good at seeing through clients. I was good at turning nearly impossible proposals into reality.

We’d each won and lost our share. Neither of us had ever truly beaten the other.

Later, he repeatedly joked that I should quit and join his company.

He’d even said he could give me half the company.

I turned him down every time.

And now Adrian was actually my boss.

After lunch, he didn’t take me to Shaw & Sterling. Instead, he drove me to Rockaway Beach.

The ocean wind cleared the lingering smell of disinfectant from my clothes. I took off my heels and walked barefoot across the sand, strolling along the shore with Adrian for a long time.

We didn’t get back in the car until the sun was nearly down.

On the drive back, Adrian suddenly asked, “Any problem with starting early?”

I turned to look at him.

“So you took me to the clinic, bought me lunch, and brought me to the beach just to get me to start working for you early?”

“For the record, you bought me lunch.”

“I’m starting to regret it.”

Adrian laughed. “I’ll pick you up at eight tomorrow morning.”

I sighed dramatically.

But I still agreed.

After all, it was a six-figure salary.

Since I already knew Adrian’s business and his people, I barely had time to dwell on my heartbreak once I got home.

Right before bed, I got a call from Gavin’s brother, Ethan.

“Willa, Gavin’s drunk. Come pick him up.”

“He’s been calling your name nonstop, and none of us can do anything with him.”

I was silent for a moment. “We broke up.”

A light, mocking laugh came through the phone from Ethan.

“How many times has Gavin said that? You always sweet-talk him and he gets over it.”

“You actually took him seriously? Come on, come get him. We’ve already given you an opening. If Gavin really gets angry later, you won’t be able to smooth things over so easily.”

The call ended.

Apparently, even Gavin’s friends had never imagined I could truly leave him.

A few seconds later, a video popped up in our group chat.

In it, Sienna was sitting in Gavin’s lap.

“You called Willa to come get you, so why are you still holding me?”

Gavin’s lazy voice came through.

“You don’t get it. This is what I call dog training. When she gets here, if she apologizes, I’ll forgive her. Then she’ll be completely mine. I can yell at her or hit her, and she still won’t leave.”

“I’ve used this trick for eight years. You guys should take notes.”

After that, Gavin gripped Sienna’s chin and kissed her.

Disgusted, I dropped my phone and nearly threw up.

[Don’t listen to him. He’s just running his mouth in front of his friends. Deep down, he’d do anything to be your dog.]

[That kiss was only meant to make you jealous. He knew the video would reach you, so he put on a show. If you go over there, he’ll push Sienna away immediately.]

[But am I the only one who thinks what he just said was genuinely disgusting?]

[He spent eight years tormenting Willa with breakup threats and treated it like something to brag about. Is that really love?]

My phone buzzed again, but this time the message was from Adrian.

“Go to sleep. I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

Only then did I realize I’d left my Shaw & Sterling work account open the entire time.

I closed the laptop and fell asleep peacefully.

…

The next morning, I got up on time and put on a polished, professional face.

When the elevator opened, I froze.

Gavin and Sienna were inside.

They both froze when they saw me.

Sienna took one look at my work clothes and started laughing.

“Gavin, I told you Willa was only putting on a show yesterday.”

“There was no way she could really leave Crosswell, was there?”

[See? She still came running after him.]

[Maybe she didn’t sleep at all last night. She was probably waiting outside the door.]

The scowl on Gavin’s face suddenly eased.

“Weren’t you so determined to leave yesterday?”

“You leave when you feel like it, then come back when you feel like it.”

“You don’t get to do that so easily.”

Gavin paused, then suddenly seemed to remember something.

“Willa, you didn’t go back to our place last night?”