Falling for the Goddess

I Came to Take You Home

After hanging up the call, Sara Hart grabbed a coat and hurried out of the villa. She didn't even pay attention to which car she picked from the garage—her mind was too preoccupied.

She didn't know how Adrian Blake would react to her presence, but she felt she had to tell him that she wasn't leaving and wasn't divorcing him.

She needed to be beside him, even if he tried to push her away.

When she reached Meisi and headed straight for the private lounge on the third floor, she heard mocking voices floating down the hallway.

"So what's Adrian now? Nothing without the Blake family."

"Yeah, all high and mighty before, like he was better than everyone. What's he now? Just a discarded toy from the Blake family."

Another voice chimed in, filled with glee. "Exactly. He's nothing. Compared to you, Mr. Liu? He can't even shine your shoes!"

Mr. Liu laughed loudly. "Shine my shoes? That's generous. Maybe if he begged like a dog, I'd consider throwing him a bone."

The group stumbled out of a room, drunken and rowdy. Just as they turned a corner, they came face-to-face with Sara.

"Well, well, who's this pretty little thing? Come on, sweetheart, join us," Mr. Liu leered, reaching out to grab her arm.

Sara's eyes were cold, her gaze sharp enough to make him hesitate mid-step. It took him a second to recognize her. His eyes narrowed with drunken familiarity.

"Wait a second. Isn't this Adrian's wife? Looks like you're out of luck, honey. Without Adrian's power, he can't protect you anymore. Why don't you come with me instead? I'll make sure you're well taken care of."

Sara stared at him, her expression icy. She remembered this man—he'd tried to harass her and Ella Duvall at the bar before.

Seeing her indifferent look, Mr. Liu's anger flared. "What's with that attitude? Don't think you're better than me. Let me show you what it's like to be with a real man!"

He reached out again, but before his hand could touch her, Sara sidestepped, grabbed his wrist, and twisted it forward. Her knee shot up, driving hard into his stomach, and with a quick kick to his knee, she sent him sprawling to the ground.

"Ahhh!" that man's agonized scream echoed through the hallway.

The others stared at Sara Hart, stunned.

Sara looked down at him, her voice cold as ice. "Even without the Blake family, Adrian is still Adrian." Her gaze swept over the group. "And you? You're nothing but clowns."

That man's face turned purple with rage. "What are you all standing around for? Hold her down!"

Sara adjusted her stance, preparing to take on all of them if necessary when a cold, authoritative voice rang out behind her.

"Who dares?"

Sara froze.

Turning around, she saw Adrian standing in the doorway of a nearby suite, flanked by Lucas Graves, Noah Ashford, and Eric Thorne. The lounge manager hovered nervously at their side.

Lucas Graves gestured sharply at the manager. "What kind of riffraff are you letting in? Get them out of here. Now."

The manager nodded furiously, calling for security to escort Mr. Liu and his entourage out.

Mr. Liu's drunken arrogance evaporated the moment he saw Adrian and his companions. He tried to scramble to his feet but only managed a pathetic crawl.

Before he was dragged away, Noah Ashford spoke, his tone low and chilling. "Make sure they understand what they can and cannot say in this city."

The manager assured him with a bow before disappearing down the hallway with the troublemakers in tow.

As silence fell, Sara turned to Adrian, unsure of what to say. She didn't know how much of the confrontation he had witnessed.

Lucas Graves had only called her because Adrian had been drinking heavily and seemed unreachable. He hadn't expected Sara to arrive just in time to defend herself against a gang of drunken thugs.

Adrian's friends were impressed. They had never seen this side of Sara—the quiet and delicate woman they'd underestimated turned out to have a sharp edge.

Even Adrian seemed momentarily taken aback. Her cheeks were flushed, whether from anger or exertion, and her eyes glistened as she looked at him.

Her earlier words rang in his ears: "Even without the Blake family, Adrian is still Adrian."

"Come here," he said.

Sara hesitated before stepping closer, her hands nervously twisting the hem of her coat.

"Why did you start a fight?" His tone was calm, unreadable.

"They started it," she muttered, her voice growing quieter with each word. "It was... self-defense."

"What would you have done if we hadn't been here?" Adrian's voice was steady, but there was a note of something else—fear, perhaps.

"I could've handled it," she whispered.

Adrian's jaw tightened, but the anger wasn't directed at her. He was furious at himself—for not being there, for letting her face this alone.

Finally, he sighed, the tension in his shoulders easing. "Why did you come here?"

Sara swallowed, her fingers curling into fists to steady herself. She raised her head, meeting his gaze directly.

"I came to take you home."

Her voice was steady, her eyes unwavering. The words were simple, but the meaning behind them was unmistakable.

Adrian's friends exchanged glances, choosing to step away and give the couple some space quietly.

For the first time that night, the storm in Adrian's heart began to calm.