Falling for the Goddess

It's Snowing

The room fell into silence for a few moments.

The three men exchanged glances, each mirroring the same expression: shock.

"Did he really just say that?" Lucas Graves muttered under his breath.

Adrian Blake's tone, his nonchalant delivery, and his air of quiet pride—wasn't this a blatant show-off?

If not for the identical looks of astonishment on Eric Thorne and Noah Ashford's faces, Lucas Graves might have thought he was hallucinating.

He squinted at Adrian, who was lounging on the sofa with his usual composed demeanor. Yet, his cold and distant features were softened by a faint smile tugging at his lips.

What was this? Who was this man? Had his brother been possessed?!

Unable to resist, Lucas gestured toward the card Adrian was absentmindedly playing with. "Adrian, that card... what's the deal with it?"

Adrian glanced at it and answered casually, "Oh, she gave it to me before I went out."

Sara, worried that Adrian might need money for the night, had handed him the card with careful insistence before he left.

Noah clicked his tongue. "Are you telling me you're short on cash?"

Adrian didn't answer directly, but the slight upturn of his lips said enough. Of course, he wasn't short on money—but Sara thinking he might be made all the difference.

The image of Sara hesitating and fumbling with her words as she handed him the card came to mind, and his expression softened. A rare trace of warmth flickered in his usually cold gaze.

The others quickly caught on. This was outright flaunting.

Noah asked, his curiosity piqued, "So... you really like her?"

Adrian's response was instant and firm. "Yes."

There was no hesitation in his voice, only certainty. It was a question he had already answered for himself countless times.

Initially, when they had gotten married, he doubted Sara's intentions. But the moment she had stepped in front of him to protect him, something had shifted.

By the time she came to pick him up at Meisi and said, "I came to take you home," and later, when she stood at the cemetery and told him, "You're not wrong" and "Don't torment yourself," Adrian realized he had completely let her into his heart.

Sara wasn't just intelligent and perceptive—she was also resilient and composed. The more he learned about her, the more he was captivated by her quiet strength.

She wasn't like a fiery, attention-grabbing rose. She was more like a delicate daisy—soft, unassuming, yet unyielding in the face of adversity.

She'd slipped into his life like a gentle stream, gradually seeping into every corner of his existence. By the time he realized it, she had already become an irreplaceable part of his world.

Lucas seemed the least surprised, smugly thinking to himself: I knew it. My brother was bound to fall for her.

Eric chuckled as he swirled the drink in his glass. "Guess I'll have to start calling her my sister-in-law next time we meet."

Noah nodded, watching Adrian's transformation with genuine relief. "Looks like a blessing in disguise after all."

Leaning lazily against the back of the sofa, Adrian swirled his wine but didn't drink it. "Just make sure you're ready with your gifts when the time comes."

Noah smirked. "I almost miss the old, brooding Adrian. This new version feels surreal."

Eric glanced at Adrian, memories of their younger years surfacing. Back then, Adrian had been a cold, distant boy, his sharp edges hardened by pain. Now, those edges had softened, and there was light in his eyes—a light brought by someone who had finally touched his heart.

"You better not move too fast, though," Noah teased. "If I come back from abroad and you've already got a kid running around, I'll be pissed."

Adrian arched an eyebrow, a rare smile tugging at his lips. "What are you doing, mining in Africa? Are you planning to stay away for three to five years?"

Noah shook his head, laughing. "You're a whole new person."

Amid their banter, Lucas glanced at his phone and noticed a group chat buzzing. He opened it and casually mentioned, "Hey, it's snowing in North Capital."

The playful atmosphere suddenly stilled. Adrian froze, his gaze snapping to Lucas. "What did you say?"

"It's snowing," Lucas repeated, showing Adrian a video from his feed. Snowflakes danced under the streetlights, delicate and serene, blanketing the city in a quiet magic.

Adrian stared at the video for a moment before abruptly standing, grabbing his coat. "I have to go. We'll catch up next time."

"Huh? Wait, where are you—" Before Lucas could finish, Adrian was already out the door.

The three of them exchanged baffled looks. "What's his deal?" Lucas muttered.

At the villa, Sara had just finished saving her report when her phone pinged. It was a message from Ella Duvall:
[Sara, it's snowing!]
[Video attached]

Her heart skipped a beat. She pushed the window open, and sure enough, snowflakes were fluttering down, painting the world in pristine white.

Her chest tightened as she remembered her promise to Adrian. Did he know it was snowing?

As she turned to close the window, she heard the sound of an engine in the driveway. Adrian? Back so soon?

Slipping on her slippers, she hurried downstairs and ran into Adrian at the door. His coat carried the chill of the night air, and he seemed almost... windswept, as though he had driven straight through the snow to get here.

"You're back early," she said, her voice soft, unsure.

Adrian's gaze locked onto hers, intense and unwavering. "It's snowing."

The weight of those words was undeniable. They both knew what he meant.

Sara's breath hitched, her heart racing. His eyes bore into her, leaving her flustered and scrambling for words. "Do you... want to shower first?" she blurted, hoping to stall.

But Adrian stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. The quiet tension between them was palpable, the sound of their breathing loud in the stillness.

"Snowing," he repeated, his voice low and insistent.

Sara exhaled shakily. "I—I know."

Gathering her courage, she added softly, "Come upstairs."

She led the way, each step feeling heavier than the last as his steady footsteps followed closely behind. At the bedroom door, her fingers trembled slightly as she grasped the handle, finally pushing it open.

Her movements were deliberate yet hesitant as she retrieved a photo album from her bag. Adrian's gaze never wavered, tracking her every motion.

With her back to him, she took a deep breath, then turned abruptly, thrusting the album into his hands. Her voice came out in a rush: "Here, look at it. I'm... I'm going to shower!"

Without waiting for a response, she bolted for the bathroom, leaving Adrian standing there, the album in his hands and a bemused smile tugging at his lips.