Falling for the Goddess

Why Did You Agree to Marry Me?

The overhead lights cast a brilliant reflection on the marble floor as Sara Hart and Adrian Blake stood alone in the long corridor.

Sara looked up at him with unwavering determination, her clear, luminous eyes reflecting nothing but his image.

In that moment, Adrian felt something shift deep within him, as if a long-frozen part of his heart had suddenly thawed. Her simple words, "I came to take you home," struck him harder than he expected.

At the other end of the hallway, Lucas Graves exchanged a knowing look with Noah Ashford and Eric Thorne. They silently decided to give the two some privacy.

Noah patted Adrian on the shoulder as he passed. "We'll head out. Call if you need anything."

As they walked toward the elevator, Eric glanced back briefly. He noticed how Adrian's usually cold demeanor seemed to soften as he gazed at Sara. The sharp, unyielding edge of his presence had eased, like ice melting under the warmth of spring.

With a small, satisfied smile, Eric said, "Let's go."

When the hallway fell quiet, only the two of them remained. Sara stood firm, her gaze locked on Adrian. His normally aloof expression showed a crack, a subtle hint of vulnerability that he rarely revealed.

"Did you get hurt earlier?" he asked, his voice low but steady.

Sara shook her head.

Adrian hesitated briefly before reaching out to take her hand. "Let's go."

"Where?"

"Home."

At the entrance of Meisi, Adrian paused when he saw the car Sara had brought. It seemed familiar, and he frowned slightly.

Sara hurried to explain, "I left in a rush and just picked one randomly from your garage."

"You can drive?"

"I have a license," she replied earnestly.

Adrian opened the passenger door and slid in, fastening his seatbelt before glancing at her. "Do you need a driver?"

Sara shook her head. "I can manage."

Adrian said nothing more, but as the car started moving, he silently observed her driving. Her technique was steady and cautious, far exceeding his expectations.

The journey home was quiet, the atmosphere thick with unspoken thoughts. Adrian stared out the window, his jaw set, his mind elsewhere.

When they arrived at the villa, Sara had barely turned on the lights when Adrian suddenly pinned her against the wall by the entryway. The dim light from the garden outside faintly illuminated his sharp profile, casting his features in shadow.

His hands trapped her, his voice low and laced with tension. "I'll give you one last chance. If you don't want to stay married, say so now. It'll be easier."

"I'm not leaving," Sara replied without hesitation.

Adrian's eyes darkened. "I'm no longer part of the Blake family. I'm just an ordinary man now. The Blake Corporation might even try to blacklist me. Life won't be easy from here on out. Think carefully before you answer."

Sara looked up at him, her voice steady and unwavering. "I've thought it through, Adrian. I didn't marry the Blake family. I married you. Nothing else matters."

Adrian's gaze bore into her, his eyes unreadable, and she stood frozen under his intense scrutiny.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he reached out to cup her chin, his voice tinged with an emotion she couldn't quite place. "You said it yourself. Don't forget."

Without waiting for a reply, he leaned in and kissed her.

The kiss was nothing like before—no gentle tenderness or quiet restraint. It was fierce, almost desperate as if he was trying to confirm the reality of her words, to claim her, to prove something to himself.

Sara's heart raced, but she didn't resist. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist, silently offering him the reassurance he seemed to need.

Later, Sara went to shower while Adrian sat on the terrace, the cold wind biting through the thin fabric of his sleepwear. He didn't seem to mind. For the first time in a long while, his mind felt clear, almost... at peace.

The Blake family announcement had been made. The decision was final.

It wasn't an easy choice, but it felt like a release. He was no longer bound by the weight of the family name, no longer tethered to his father's shadow.

His phone buzzed, breaking the stillness. It was a message from Noah Ashford:

[I sent you the security footage from earlier tonight.]

Adrian opened the video. It showed Sara walking toward their private suite before she paused, overhearing the drunken group's insults. The disdain and mockery directed at him were clear, yet Sara's expression was colder than he'd ever seen.

Her movements were sharp and decisive when she stepped forward to confront them. Her words echoed through the audio:

"Even without the Blake family, Adrian is still Adrian."

Adrian replayed that moment several times, his chest tightening.

When Sara finished her shower and didn't find Adrian in the bedroom, she started to worry. She eventually found him sitting on the terrace, half-shrouded in darkness, looking alone but strangely composed.

She hesitated before heading back inside. After a moment of thought, she grabbed something from her bag and went out to him.

The cold wind made her shiver, and Adrian immediately noticed. "Why are you out here?"

Sara didn't answer right away. Instead, she stood in front of him and held out her hand. In her palm were two cards.

Adrian looked up, his brows furrowing.

"This black card is the one you gave me. I haven't touched a single cent of it. The other is mine—it's everything I've saved over the years, about one or two million yuan.

"Whether you decide to start a business or do something else, it's not much, but it's a start."

Adrian stared at her, silent.

"And even if you can't find a job or start a company, I have my stipend as a doctoral student. I can write more papers and take on more projects. I can support us both."

Adrian's lips curved into a faint smile, his icy exterior softening. "You'd support me?"

"I'd support you," she said firmly. "And once I graduate, I'll earn even more."

Adrian let out a rare laugh, the sound low and warm. "Alright."

A gust of wind swept through, and Sara shivered again. Adrian pulled her into his arms, warming her cold hands with his.

As they returned inside, Adrian pressed the cards back into her palm. "Keep them for now. I don't need them yet."

Sara hesitated, unsure if she had said the wrong thing earlier.

Adrian tilted his head, his tone soft. "When I need them, I'll let you know."

Reassured, Sara smiled and turned to put the cards away.

Adrian watched her retreating figure, and a question that had been lingering in his mind slipped out.

"Sara," he asked, his voice quiet but steady, "why did you agree to my grandmother's request and marry me in the first place?"