The car wound its way through the Paris streets, the famousndmarks of the city passing by as they headed toward the iconic Eiffel Tower. ire stared out the window, feeling a little conflicted. She knew she needed to get back to London and bury herself in work, but there was something refreshing about Adrian''s carefree attitude. For once, maybe he was right-maybe she did need a break. "Adrian," she said after a moment, "you know this doesn''t mean I''m going to start cking off, right?"


    Heughed, turning to her with a teasing grin. "Oh, I wouldn''t dare think that. But even the toughest, most hardworking people need a little fun now and then. You''re allowed to enjoy yourself."


    ire gave him a sideways nce. "You''ve got a point. But just so you know, I''m already mentally preparing to dive back into work the second we''re back in London."


    Adrian shook his head in mock disbelief. "I wouldn''t expect anything less. But for now, just enjoy Paris. You deserve it."


    Soon, the car pulled up near the Eiffel Tower, the iron giant looming overhead, glittering against the twilight sky. ire gazed up at it, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She''d been to Paris plenty of times, but there was something about seeing the Eiffel Tower like this, with its golden lights twinkling, that never got old.


    Adrian jumped out of the car first and extended a hand to help ire out, his grin wide and goofy. "Mdy," he said, putting on an exaggerated posh ent.


    ire rolled her eyes, but couldn''t help theugh that escaped her. "You''re ridiculous," she said, taking his hand and stepping out of the car.


    They walked over to a quieter spot where they could get a perfect view of the tower. Adrian stood beside her, hands in his pockets, as they both looked up at the iconic structure.


    "Pretty nice, huh?" Adrian said, nudging her gently.


    "Yeah," ire admitted, her voice soft. "It is."


    They stood in silence for a moment, just taking in the view. The lights of Paris stretched out beneath them, and for the first time in a long time, ire allowed herself to feel at ease. Adrian nced over at her and saw the tension in her shoulders start to melt away. He smiled to himself, d his n to cheer her up was working.


    "Thanks, Adrian," ire said quietly, not looking at him. "I didn''t realize how much I needed this."


    Adrian''s grin widened. "See? I told you. You just needed to stop and take a breath."


    ire chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. Don''t get too smug about it."


    They spent a little more time at the Eiffel Tower, the conversation light and easy. For a little while, ire forgot about the chaos back in London, about Alexander, udia, and all the drama. Here, it was just her and Adrian, enjoying a peaceful moment in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.


    The sun was just about to dip below the horizon, casting a soft orange glow over Paris. ire and Adrian were strolling leisurely near the Eiffel Tower, the iconic structure bathed in golden light. The atmosphere was calm, almost dreamlike, and it seemed like nothing could disturb their peace.


    Adrian nced at ire and smiled. "Since we''re already in Paris," he started, casually but with a hint of mischief in his voice, "why don''t we have dinner here? You know, make the most of it?"


    ire raised an eyebrow, amused. She tilted her head, studying him for a moment. "Oh, so you nned this, didn''t you? You wanted to make sure we didn''t go back?" She teased, her tone yful, making Adrian chuckle.


    "Maybe," he admitted, the grin on his face widening. "Bute on, how often do we get to have dinner in Paris?"


    ire sighed, but a smile tugged at her lips. "Fine," she said, pretending to be reluctant, though she was clearly enjoying the idea. She nodded, and they made their way back to the car.


    As soon as they slid into the backseat, Adrian leaned forward and gave the driver the address of a restaurant. ire raised her brows, giving him a sideways nce. "You really did n this, huh?"


    Adrian winked. "I like to be prepared."


    The ride wasn''t long-about 20 minutes-but the whole time, the mood between them stayed light and yful. They exchanged jokes and stories,ughing easily as the city passed by outside. When they arrived at the restaurant, the golden hour was fading into twilight. The car pulled up to a beautiful, fancy-looking ce. Adrian stepped out first and, with a gentlemanly flourish, offered his hand to ire. She hesitated for a second, then took it, letting him help her out of the car.


    As they walked inside, ire couldn''t help but admire the ce. It had a calm, romantic ambiance, the soft glow of candles on every table adding a warm touch. The decor was luxurious without being intimidating, and despite its fancy vibe, the restaurant feltfortable. Adrian spoke to the hostess, and soon enough, they were being led to a table near the window. ire slid into her seat, ncing out at the sparkling Paris skyline, while Adrian took the seat across from her.


    "This is... nice" ire admitted, feeling surprisingly rxed. The tension of the past few days seemed to melt away as she nced around the room.


    Adrian nodded, smiling. "I thought you might like it. Paris at sunset, a nice dinner-what''s not to love?"


    As they chatted, their conversation flowed effortlessly. They ordered their meals and continued to talk about everything and nothing, from funny stories about work to silly observations about the tourists they''d seen earlier. ire found herselfughing more than she had in days, feeling light and at ease, a rare feeling after the drama with udia and the constant pressure of business.


    The food arrived, and it was as delicious as expected. They took their time, savoring every bite, but it was during dessert that things began to shift. Adrian''s mood, white still warm, grew a little more serious. ire didn''t notice at first-she was too busy marveling at her chocte mousse-but then she felt it.


    Adrian''s hand gently touched hers across the table.


    She blinked and looked up, slightly startled. "Need something?" she asked with a half-smile, her eyes questioning but still rxed.


    Adrian smiled softly, but this time there was something different in his expression-something more vulnerable. "Actually, yeah. There''s something I''ve been wanting to tell you for a while."


    ire set her fork down and turned to face him fully, curiosity piqued. "Oh?" she said, her voice light but her eyes searching his face. "What is it?"


    For a moment, Adrian seemed to


    hesitate, as if gathering his thoughts. Then he took a breath, his eyes never leaving hers. "ire, I


    know we only know each other for a short time. And I''ve always admired you your strength, your intelligence, the way you handle things, But recently..." He paused, smiling again, this time more nervously. "Recently, I''ve realized that it''s more than just admiration."


    ire''s brow furrowed slightly, not sure where he was going with this. "Adrian, what are you saying?"


    He held her gaze, his tone sincere and steady. "I''m saying I have feelings for you. More than just friendship. I''ve been trying to figure out the right time to tell you, and now just felt... right."


    For a split second, ire felt like her brain had short-circuited. Adrian? Adrian had feelings for her?


    This was not what she had expected when they set out for dinner.