Chapter 285 

Adam couldn’t help but laugh 

rene bolted like she’d seen a ghost her footsteps fading down the hallway. Her reaction confirmed what he’d suspected–he wasn’t the only one feeling this crazy attraction between them. The thought sent a ripple of satisfaction through him. 

–> 

His amusement faded quickly, replaced by frustration. This dance they were doing–all spark and no flame was pure torture for a man used to control in all things, yet completely at the mercy of his body’s slow recovery and his complicated feelings for a woman who was technically his doctor. 

He shifted in bed, trying to calm down. No way he was getting any sleep tonight. 

Next door, Irene stared at her bedroom ceiling, heart drumming against her ribs. She’d gone through her bedtime routine on autopilot, mind stuck on replay–her body pressed against Adam’s, the unmistakable hardness, his rough command not to move. 

“Get it together,” she muttered, punching her pillow into submission “You’re a grown woman, not some love–struck teenager.” 

Sleep claimed her eventually, But offered zero escape. 

In her dream, darkness wrapped around her like silk. She floated on an impossibly soft surface, surrounded by heat that seemed to radiate from everywhere at once. Hands moved over her skin–gentle one moment, urgent the next–leaving trails of fire wherever they touched. Her limbs tangled with someone else’s, creating a delicious friction that pulled a gasp from her throat. 

Adam…” His name escaped her lips as she arched into the touch, eyes squeezed shut against the flood of sensations coursing through her. 

The heat bordered on unbearable, yet she couldn’t pull away, didn’t want to pull away. Every nerve ending begged for more as she surrendered to primal instinct. 

A voice, low and familiar, responded: “Hmm?” 

Irene’s eyes snapped open, heart racing like she’d sprinted up stairs. Sweat dampened her hairline as she stared wide–eyed into darkness. The dream hadn’t shown her partner’s face, but her brain filled in the blank without hesitation–Adam. 

“Oh god,” she groaned, flipping over to bury her face in the pillow. She grabbed her water glass from the nightstand and gulped it down, trying to cool the flush spreading across her skin. It didn’t help. Dream fragments kept flashing behind her eyelids, making sleep impossible. 

After tossing and turning for what felt like forever, Irene stared at the ceiling fan. This dream just confirmed what she already knew but had been trying to ignore for weeks. Her feelings for Adam were undeniable–not just gratitude, not simple friendship, but something much more intense and real. Unlike the naive crush she’d felt for Richard years ago, this was deeper, based on who Adam actually was rather than who she imagined him to be. 

The thought opened a can of worms. How would this even work? The Haven family barely put up with her now–imagine if she became more than just Adam’s doctor. Sophia already looked at her like gum on her designer heel. And then there were her kids- three wild little monsters who needed steady ground, not another earthquake in their lives. 

Even if Adam feels the same way, she thought, we’re from totally different worlds. 

Her chest tightened with a sharp pang. The three little monsters sleeping down the hall were her non–negotiables–everything else could change, but not them. For Haven Enterprise’s golden boy, would three instant children ever fit his life? Could Adam accept her package deal when his own family would likely fight it every step of the wave 

The weight of these thoughts made her temples throb. She glanced at the clock–3:12 AM. Still hours until sunrise would rescue her from this emotional quicksand. Now she understood why Wesley sometimes prowled the halls at night, haunted by thoughts he 

couldn’t shake. 

1/3 

Chapter 285. 

“Where’s your mom?” Adam asked the next morning, eyes lingering Irene’s empty chair. 

Lily looked up from her cereal, milk dripping from het spoon. “Mom still in bed! She never sleeps in, even when she’s super tited.” 

“Yeah, it’s weird,” Lucas added, words muffled by cereal. “She must be thinking about something really important.” 

Alex remained quiet, studying Adam with that x–ray gaze of his. The boy missed absolutely nothing–a trait that made Adam both proud and slightly unnerved. 

“I see.” Adam nodded, finger tapping against his armrest. The nervous tic betrayed his carefully blank expression. 

After breakfast, Adam headed straight to Haven Enterprise, diving ino work with even more intensity than usual. Numbers and contracts made sense. People specifically one stubborn doctor with soft hands and eyes that saw right through him–did not. 

“Sir, I recommend we hold off on the Snow partnership,” Thomas said, striding into Adam’s office after the executive meeting. 

Adam’s eyebrow arched. “Problems?” 

“Our investigation found that Snow Industries is losing money like crazy from overseas investments.” Thomas’s mouth tightened. “They’re not looking for medical research cooperation–they need cash, urgently. And last night’s event has already attracted several potential investors because of your attendance. Even without Haven’s partnership, they’ve successfully leveraged your reputation.* 

Adam’s eyes darkened. The Snow family had played their hand well, using Haven’s influence while hiding their financial troubles. The deception struck a nerve. 

“Get me everything,” he ordered, voice hardening. “Full report, no details spared.” 

At ten o’clock, Natalie Snow strode into Haven Enterprise like someone who’d already won. Her makeup was flawless, her outfit carefully chosen to project both professionalism and feminine appeal. Under her arm, she carried a revised proposal addressing all of Adam’s concerns from the previous night. 

He’ll definitely be impressed, she thought, allowing herself a small smile. We could be signing contracts today. 

She swept into Adam’s office with practiced grace, placing the folder on his desk with a flourish. “I revised all the neural stimulation treatment protocols overnight,” she said, voice warm with enthusiasm. “This version is specifically tailored to your condition.” 

Lost in her anticipation of success, she missed Adam’s icy expression and the tension radiating off him. 

Adam glanced at the folder but made no move to open it. His hands remained flat on his desk, unnervingly still. 

“Miss Snow,” he said, cutting through the pleasantries, “why didn’t you mention your company’s overseas investment losses?” 

The question hit like a slap to the face. Natalie froze mid–smile, color draining from her face as she fought to maintain composure. Beneath her perfect makeup, panic flickered in her eyes. 

“I… that’s…” Her voice cracked, professional mask slipping for the first time since they’d met. 

Adam watched her squirm, expression revealing nothing while his mind calculated exactly how much this little deception had cost his family in reputation and potential liability. Business was business–and in business, trust wasn’t just everything. It was the only thing.