Spoiled Sweetness

Chapter 8: The Storm

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The drive home was quiet, too quiet. Adrian's hands gripped the steering wheel tighter than usual, his knuckles white, the tension thick between them. Lily sat in the passenger seat, her arms crossed, her face turned away from him, staring out the window as the streets blurred past. Her pout was deep, lips pressed together in that stubborn way he found frustrating yet painfully adorable. But not today. Not after what had just happened.

It started with something small, as it always did. A tiny disagreement. Adrian insisting she couldn't buy another expensive doll, not with the twenty untouched ones collecting dust in her room. He'd meant it as a light refusal, playful even, but Lily had taken it personally.

"I don't care!" she had snapped in the store earlier, her voice sharp and petulant. "You always ruin my fun!"

Adrian had tried to explain, tried to keep his voice calm despite the curious stares from the other customers. "Baby, you have too many already. Let's pick something else today, okay?"

But Lily hadn't cared. She stomped her foot, her brown eyes flashing with anger, embarrassed to be denied in front of strangers. "You're just mean!" she had shouted, loud enough for everyone to hear. "I hate you!"

Those words 'I hate you' had hit Adrian like a punch to the chest. He didn't respond. He couldn't. His heart had clenched painfully, and in that moment, all he could do was grab her hand and quietly lead her out of the store.

And now, the silence between them was suffocating.

Adrian pulled the car into her family's driveway and turned off the engine. The hum of the car ceased, leaving only the dull patter of light rain against the windshield. He sat still for a moment, trying to gather himself, his jaw tight.

Lily, still pouting, made no effort to leave the car. She kept her gaze firmly fixed out the window, ignoring the growing tension between them.

Adrian turned toward her, his voice low and careful. "Lily... do you really mean that?"

She didn't answer right away. She knew what he was asking, but she was stubborn, too proud to back down.

When she didn't respond, Adrian exhaled slowly, his heart heavy. "You know I don't want to upset you," he continued softly. "But sometimes, baby, I just—" His voice broke slightly, and he clenched his fists to steady himself. "I just want to do what's best for you."

Lily shifted in her seat, hugging her knees to her chest. "You always think you know what's best," she muttered under her breath.

Adrian's chest ached. She wasn't trying to be cruel. She was just frustrated. But that didn't stop the sting from settling deep inside him. He was used to her tantrums, her bratty behavior, but today, it hurt differently. Today, her words felt sharp, cutting deeper than they should.

"I try because I care about you," he whispered, barely audible. "You know that, right?"

Lily finally glanced at him, her brown eyes filled with a mix of guilt and defiance. For a fleeting moment, she saw the exhaustion in his expression, the sadness in his dark eyes, and it made her heart twist uncomfortably. But instead of softening, her pride flared up again.

"You're still mean," she mumbled, burying her face against her knees.

Adrian closed his eyes for a moment, breathing through the ache in his chest. "I know you're upset," he said quietly. "But it really hurt when you said you hated me."

Lily froze. The words weren't accusatory, just sad. Heartbreakingly sad.

He leaned back against the seat, running a hand through his dark hair. "I don't mind when you get mad at me, baby. I know you like to push my buttons." A faint, hollow smile flickered across his lips before vanishing. "But... I never thought I'd hear those words from you."

Lily's throat tightened. She didn't mean it. not really. But now, seeing the weight those words carried for him, guilt gnawed at her.

For a moment, she stayed silent, too afraid to say the wrong thing again. Then, in the smallest voice, she whispered, "I didn't mean it."

Adrian let out a shaky breath, the tension in his shoulders easing just slightly. "I know, baby," he murmured, his voice soft. "But it still hurt."

Tears welled in Lily's eyes, and she blinked them back stubbornly. She hated feeling guilty. Hated admitting she was wrong. But hurting Adrian felt worse than any tantrum she could throw.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, barely audible.

Adrian reached over, gently cupping her cheek with his hand. His thumb brushed away a stray tear that escaped, his touch so tender it made her heart ache.

"It's okay, baby," he whispered, leaning in to press a soft kiss to her forehead. "I've got you. Always."

The warmth in his voice broke something inside her, and she couldn't hold back the tears any longer. She crawled across the seat, curling into his lap like a child, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

Adrian rested his chin on top of her head, breathing in the scent of her hair. "I'll always be here," he murmured against her hair. "Even when you're mad. Even when you hate me."

"I don't hate you," she sniffled, her voice muffled against his chest. "I was just being stupid."

Adrian's heart squeezed at how small she sounded, how vulnerable. "You're not stupid, baby," he said gently. "Don't say that."

Lily clung to him tighter, her tears soaking into his shirt, and Adrian just held her, rocking her gently as the rain continued to tap softly against the windows. The world outside faded away, leaving only the two of them in the quiet cocoon of the car.

And in that moment, neither of them cared about the earlier argument or the tantrums or the misunderstandings. All that mattered was that they had each other, even when things weren't perfect.

"Let's go inside," Adrian whispered after a while, kissing the top of her head. "We'll have some tea, and you can cuddle with me on the couch. Sound good?"

Lily sniffled, nodding against his chest. "Yeah... that sounds good."

Adrian smiled softly, brushing her hair away from her face. "Come on, baby. Let's go."

He helped her out of the car, keeping his arm protectively around her as they walked toward the front door. And as they stepped into the warmth of her family's home, Adrian knew that no matter how many tantrums or difficult moments came their way, he would never stop loving her.

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