Falling for the Goddess

He's My... Cousin

Sara Hart glanced at her phone and noticed that Ethan Brown had messaged her a few minutes earlier. She had missed it in her rush.

Hearing the car door shut, Ethan Brown looked up, spotting Adrian and Sara stepping out of the car together. Adrian Blake's gaze locked with Ethan Brown's for a fleeting moment, carrying an unreadable undertone.

Ethan Brown's curious eyes flicked between them before he asked, "And this is...?"

Sara turned to Adrian. His expression was as cold and distant as ever, clearly uninterested in engaging in conversation.

"You go ahead," she said softly to him. "I'll be right in."

Adrian didn't linger. Without a word, he turned and walked toward the house. But as he reached the front lawn, Sara's sweet, airy voice drifted behind him, carried by the evening breeze.

"He's my... cousin."

Adrian's steps faltered.

Ethan Brown chuckled. "Your brother? He does seem a little... intimidating."

Brother?

Adrian's hand tightened into a fist. He strode to the door, keyed in the password, and stepped inside without looking back. Before the door shut, he caught a glimpse of Ethan Brown saying something that made Sara laugh—a bright, carefree laugh that seemed to light up her entire face.

It was... irritating.

Adrian's jaw tensed as he reached into his pocket and dialed his assistant. His voice was calm, but his tone carried a biting chill.

"Charlie Scott, look into someone for me."

---

Sara didn't stay outside long. After about ten minutes, she bid Ethan Brown farewell.

"Don't forget—be on time!" he called after her.

"Don't worry, I'll be there," Sara promised before heading back inside.

When she entered the house, Mrs. Wang was setting the table. "Oh, you're back, Madam. Dinner's ready."

"Thank you, Mrs. Wong," Sara replied politely, heading to wash her hands before sitting down at the dining table.

Adrian sat across from her, his expression cold and aloof. Throughout the meal, he didn't say a single word to her, nor did he meet her gaze.

Several times, Sara thought about starting a conversation, but every time, Adrian's unyielding silence stopped her.

After dinner, Adrian retreated straight to the study without a word.

Normally, he would at least tell her he was going to handle work. Occasionally, they would even chat briefly about their day. But tonight, he had ignored her entirely.

Even Sara, who was usually slow to catch on, realized something was off.

Adrian seemed upset.

After her shower, she stayed in the bedroom, waiting for Adrian to return. She wanted to understand what was going on.

When Adrian finally entered, their eyes met. Sara was sitting on a chair by the side of the room, her expression a mix of hesitation and determination.

"Let's sleep," Adrian said flatly, heading toward the bed.

Sara bit her lip, then stood up and walked over to him. Gently, she tugged at the sleeve of his shirt.

"Are you... mad at me?"

Her voice was soft, almost timid, laced with concern.

Adrian looked down at her hand tugging his sleeve. Her fingers were slender, her nails neatly trimmed and faintly pink.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Adrian raised his gaze to meet hers. His tone was calm but probing. "What am I to you?"

Sara blinked, confused at first, then realized what he was referring to.

"You... heard that?" she asked hesitantly.

Without waiting for an answer, she quickly explained, "I didn't mean anything by it. I just thought you wouldn't want our relationship revealed to others, so..."

They lived together, and their relationship would be hard to explain to outsiders. Calling him her "cousin" had been a spur-of-the-moment decision to avoid awkward questions.

Adrian's gaze darkened slightly, his expression unreadable. It was true that their relationship had never been made public—only a few family members and close friends like Lucas Graves knew about it.

He didn't say anything immediately, and the silence stretched between them. Sara's heart tightened with every passing second, her gaze dropping to the floor.

Just as she was about to speak again, Adrian broke the silence. "Have you thought about what I said before?"

"Huh?" Sara blinked in confusion.

"At the hospital," he prompted.

Sara suddenly remembered their conversation. Her fingers curled into her palm, and her voice quivered slightly as she responded, "I thought... my actions already gave you my answer."

For the past few days, they had been living like a normal couple—going to work together, sharing meals, and spending their free time in each other's company.

She thought her intentions were clear. She couldn't say no to him, not now, not ever.

"It's not enough." Adrian's voice was low, his dark eyes boring into hers.

His gaze held a heat that made Sara's heart race uncontrollably. Her lashes trembled, and she took a deep breath to steady herself. Summoning her courage, she leaned in and kissed his cheek lightly.

It was fleeting, barely more than a brush, but the gesture left her cheeks and ears burning red.

Adrian froze for a moment, his skin tingling where her lips had touched him. It was like the faint flutter of a feather, leaving behind an inexplicable warmth.

The room seemed to hold its breath, tension hanging like an unspoken question. Sara's heart pounded in her chest, waiting nervously for his reaction.

Adrian finally looked at her, his deep, obsidian eyes unreadable. "From now on," he said, his voice slightly hoarse, "introduce me properly."

Sara blinked, taken aback. "You mean... I can tell people about us?"

"Why not?" Adrian asked, his tone calm but firm.

There was nothing about their relationship to hide.

Hearing his words, a radiant smile bloomed across Sara's face, lighting up her features with joy. Her once-muted expression came alive with emotion.

She didn't notice, but Adrian's ears had turned faintly red.