Anna got up extra early every morning so that she could get in a workout at the gym before heading off to work. After putting her AirPods in her ears, she grabbed her duffle bag and walked out of her penthouse. It was five o'clock in the morning when Anna entered the elevator. However, as she is about to enter the parking lot to fetch her car, a LaFerrari pulls up in front of Anna. Annalia let out a hiss as she came dangerously close to being hit by it.
"What the hell? Hey! Watch where you're going!"
Annalia is greeted by the driver, who can be seen smiling proudly through the open window. Furious, Anna kicked the wheel of Adam's LaFerrari and stumped away. He was very close to hitting me!
"Ms. Davis, I was ordered to fetch you for the gym!" Adam yells from his car. Annalia ignores him and continues to find her BMW. While Adam keeps pestering her, Anna is trying to find her BMW, but to her annoyance, she cannot find it inside the parking lot.
"Where is it?" Annalia cursed under her breath.
"Your car? They took it," Adam stepped out of his car. In a fit of annoyance, Annalia cocked her head to the side and simultaneously shut both of her eyes. To be in such a terrible mood at this hour of the morning is ridiculous.
"They?" She asks in a chilly tone while avoiding Adam.
"Your father," Adam briefly answered. Anna can already see him shrugging his shoulders as if he has nothing to do with them taking her car. She moved past Adam in silence as she was about to leave the parking lot and went outside to find a cab. But before Anna could make a move, Adam stood in her way, obstructing her path with his absurdly broad shoulder and wide chest.
"It's not a good idea. There are press waiting for you outside the building," Adam solemnly stated while looking down at her due to the size disparity between them. Annalia lets out a deep sigh as she suddenly recalls that she hasn't discussed the events the previous day with the public. Annalia called Donovan, although it was still early in the morning, to inquire about her schedule.
"What? It is the wee hours of the morning, Ann," Donovan greeted with a voice that sounded drowsy.
"What's my schedule for today?"
"I just emailed it to you the day before yesterday. Please make it a routine to check your email and respond when appropriate." Donovan scolded. Anna gave a frustrated groan before hanging up the phone. On the other hand, Adam was doing nothing more than patiently waiting for her while Anna was occupied attempting to check her email. She has an interview scheduled with the SS talk show. It's best that later is the appropriate time to open up the incident. She did not waste any time and turned her attention to Adam after she put down her phone.
She remarked to Adam in a stern tone, "You're still not my personal bodyguard, but since you took my car, you're accountable for it." Adam had stolen her vehicle. As Anna was walking toward his car, Anna purposely bumped up against his arm.
They make their way to Anna's regular gym, where she works out in complete privacy. Even though Anna has her AirPods, the environment around them is relatively quiet as they are traveling. After three years, Anna found it extremely unsettling to be in such close proximity to him and have the natural tendency to have a casual conversation with him. Seeing that Adam appears so relaxed and at ease infuriates her immensely. In the meantime, the mere fact that he is there has caused her heart to beat at an embarrassingly rapid rate. Even though it's been three years since they've seen each other, he still has this impact on her. She despises it to such a degree! When Adam stopped the car, Anna was in the middle of soothing her heart and head when she was interrupted.
Adam immediately asks casually, "So, how have you been?" There he goes, doing the same problem again!
Anna retorted in an attempt to appear impolite by saying, "Don't talk to me." This always works in her favor when she acts incredibly rudely to someone to get them to quit talking to her. Nevertheless, Adam is obviously of a different breed. He does not show any signs of being intimidated and instead laughs heartily at her.
"It has been quite some time. I'm simply asking." Anna can still see him saying that with a grin on his face, regardless that she cannot see his face.
"I'm your boss. It is not professional behavior."
"Hm? I was under the impression that I was not your personal bodyguard."
The fact that Adam continues talking back to Anna only serves to aggravate her further.
She gave him the side-eye for a split second before responding in a monotone voice, "My Father hired you, and you're still working at the company under my family's ownership." After that, she turned her attention to the traffic lights. Why does it take so long to get the green light?!Adam retorted snidely, "But that doesn't count you as my boss," as though he was enjoying taunting her increasing irritation. Anna could not contain her annoyance for a moment longer. She turns her back on Adam, which she momentarily regrets because his face is so gorgeous, it's distracting her concentration, but she quickly pushes the thought out of her mind.
"Just drive, Adam, and keep your mouth shut."
"Feisty," Adam mutter and chuckles, "However, if you allow me to be your personal bodyguard, it is something that can be altered. I may treat you differently going forward," he continues on further.
Anna mumbles and scoffs while rolling her eyes and muttering, "Over my hot body."
Adam teasingly responds, "True," once more. Annalia is so flabbergasted by his holier-than-thou attitude and arrogance that she can only shake her head in disbelief.They arrived at the private gym at precisely six in the morning, and fortunately, she was the only other person in the facility at the moment. Because this gym is geared toward prominent celebrities and other high-profile individuals, ordinary people are not permitted to enter unless they first obtain a membership card from the facility. Annalia set her duffle bag down, retrieved her workout clothes, and changed into a different gear. On the other hand, Adam was not doing anything more than waiting outside the building because he was not permitted to enter the gym. That is to Anna's advantage because she does not want him to come in just to watch her work out. That would be a very uncomfortable situation. After exercising for close to an hour, Anna took a shower and changed clothes to a collar wrap romper and chunky heels inside the gym for the rest of her day's schedule.
"Tell them not to come here. I already give an order, Sullivan."
As Annalia left the building, she was greeted by a frustrated Adam waiting outside. When Adam first noticed her, he immediately put the phone down and focused his attention on her simultaneously. When Annalia saw the sudden change in expression on Adam's face, she couldn't help but frown. It was almost as if no one else could see it shifted."Are you done?" Adam inquires with a softer tone than he had used earlier in the conversation.
"Yes," Anna responds, her voice dull. She decided to disregard what had just occurred and not pry about it further. Although Anna didn't hear it very clearly, Annalia could tell by the change in tone in his voice that something had happened. She jumped into the car without wasting any time.
While they were on their way to the company, Adam suddenly mentioned, "I heard what happened." He then looked in her direction. The arch of Annalia's eyebrow slightly rises as if she were asking him something but not actually saying it. Adam may notice that she's listening, so he continues.
"The kidnapping." Anna is uncertain how to respond now that she is alert that he was aware of what happened during that incident. Why is that? He was in Switzerland. Adam continued his line of questioning by saying, "Well, I saw on the internet, and your father informed me." Anna lets out a long sigh before turning her gaze to him.
"Why are you doing this? You don't need to get a job when you're already wealthy; you don't have any financial obligations," Annalia bluntly said. She is oblivious of his goals for either the company or her personally, and she has no desire to learn more about them. However, what he is doing is both confounding and absurd in nature.
Adam stated matter-of-factly, "Well, I need money for my own purposes."
"If this is about the "owe" thing you're trying to pull off, quit it. I'm not interested, Adam," The statement was made by Annalia, who sounded incredibly agitated. If Adam keeps up this absurdity, then a lot of troubling things could take place.
Adam gives a brief response, saying, "It's not." Anna simply rolled her eyes before stopping herself from continuing to speak. After that, there was complete silence until they arrived at the company. Anna observed that there was media press yet again dispersed outside the building. She mutters a curse under her breath. Okay, so this could ultimately be it. When Annalia was just about to open the door, she heard Adam open his door and slam it loudly as he approached her. Adam was heading in her direction. When Annalia realized that the press could see him opening her door, her eyes widened with terror. What is the name of all that is holy hell is he doing?! As was to be predicted, Adam opened the door for her. The attention of the press immediately shifted to the two of them.
"Let's go," Adam said in a calm tone. What is wrong with him?! He always acts this way, doing something unexpected that cannot be avoided anymore!
"Adam, what the hell are you doing?! Are you attempting to get me into some sort of trouble here?!" Annalia clenched her teeth and spoke to him in a hushed tone while holding back her noises."We arrived at the company, Ms. Davis," Adam purposely stated so the press could hear them. Annalia gave a menacing gaze to his face, one that composed no expression other than glacier eyes. She can never read this man. Anna lets out a sigh while gritting her teeth in annoyance. The two of them being together inside a luxury car is another problem for her. However, she has no choice but to let him accompany her. She reached out and grabbed Adam's arm and held onto it. Annalia can pick up on the mutterings of the people in the area until the point where one person musters the courage to ask.
"Are you Adam Delatorre from the Delatorre house?" Adam did not provide an answer to the question but instead gave another response.
"Could you please make room for Ms. Davis to enter the building? Your queries will be answered in a bit more detail later on. So kindly allow us to enter the building without causing any damage," Adam spoke flatly. Everyone obeyed him as if he had some magical power, but some seemed confused and clearly puzzled about why they were together. Annalia exhales deeply before being the first person to enter the building.
"Annalia! God, you're here. Let's get you ready. The SS talk show will be aired an hour from now," Donovan greeted her, panting.
Annalia followed Donovan to the elevator, but before they could get away, she peeked momentarily to see if Adam was following them. When Annalia saw Adam enter the building alongside the several security guards who were stationed both inside and outside the company, she experienced a strange but pleasant sense of relief. A smile passed across her face almost unconsciously. It's possible that Adam being her bodyguard wouldn't be such a bad thing. However, she must first find out what her father has in store for Adam about his plans. Despite Anna's unexplainable has for him, Annalia knows that certain boundaries should not cross. Her suffering at the hands of Adam's father is not easy to be forgotten and deemed worthy of forgiveness. The things that bring her the most pain may also be the things that bring her the most joy. Perhaps her sorrows are blessings, but they will never fully be understood.
As soon as the show was over, Annalia walked straight to the VIP area to relax and cool off. She was ready for the hosts' and the audience's questions. However, when they were answered—particularly the ones that were out of the line—Annalia was forced to provide a safe response even though she was already finding it difficult to express her annoyance. "Are you hungry? I'll order food for you. You didn't eat this morning, did you?" Don enquired with concern. Donovan's offer was declined by Anna, who instead responded by saying that they should phone their father. There is still the matter of her father's plans for her to take Adam on as her personal bodyguard, which they need to discuss. "Where's Dad?" Annalia asked Don. "He should arrive any minute now." Annalia responds with a simple nod of her head before returning to nap. In the meantime, Donovan left the VIP room to get some lunch for Anna. While she was taking a moment to relax, the door abruptly opened, which caused Anna to f
Anna awoke a little later than usual with her clothes already prepared for the day. Donovan most likely instructed one of his female assistants to bring her these clothes when he realized she would be late for another appointment. Anna put on makeup and did her hair at her vanity after she finished showering. Anna only uses a quick curling iron now because there has no time. While Annalia is on the phone with Donovan, she frantically grabs her purse and the key to her car. After opening the door, Annalia was greeted by a stunningly handsome man who was dressed in black slacks, an unbuttoned suit, and a white polo shirt is worn underneath. Even though his hair is a bit messy, he still manages to look good. "What are you doing?" Annalia asks Adam. Adam responds briefly, "Fetching you." "I will drive mys-" Draw him closer to you as much as possible. "Okay," Annalia merely responded after recalling what her father had said. She turned her back on Adam and started walking ahead after
Annalia did nothing but gaze at Adam for a few moments before she realized that Antonio had noticed her preoccupation with something else and abruptly switched the focus of her attention.Anna cleared her throat and muttered "A-ahm" before pulling her hand from Antonio's palm."Well, would you like to join me?" She asks him while doing her best to ignore the icy glare that Adam is sending her."Sure," was Marcel's response. Annalia asked them to walk ahead of her before she did. She attempted to glance at Adam, but it was too late—he had already disappeared. The Delatorre were shown to their table by Donovan, standing right next to her at the time."Ann?""Yes?""What are you doing? Let's go," Don said. The only thing Annalia did was nod her head before she followed them.Fortunately, their father grabbed Marcel and Antonio for a chat, so she wouldn't have to deal with them for the time being. Annalia is tense for no apparent reason—no, she is nervous. And she doesn't know why. Anna
"Cut!" "Annalia, come here," said the director. They have just begun filming their newest movie. This is the first day of production. Annalia is, as is her usual routine, extremely busy with work. "Yes?" "This scene right here. I want you to show as much affection toward the male lead! It seems as though you're unsure whether or not to kiss him," the director scolded. Annalia heaves a sigh and bobs her head in agreement. Since the encounter with Adam, Annalia has had trouble concentrating since the beginning of filming. She used to be very professional in her job, but she feels a little hesitant being intimately close to someone of the other sex at this moment. Annalia responded with a simple "Okay, noted." "Okay! Let's get back in position. Chop-chop!" After a little break, Annalia reappeared at the scene. Her partner, Lorence, gave her a reassuring grin as if he were trying to console Anna. "Hey, it's okay. You don't need to kiss me as much as you have been. Just show some si
Because Adam is a jerk and lacks professionalism, Anna has no choice but to drive herself to the restaurant where she and Antonio will meet. She is unable to wrap her head around how audacious Adam was to behave in such a manner with her. God! After what he's done, he's definitely getting fired.When she enters, a group of bodyguards gathers in front of the restaurant's entrance. Annalia shortly jumped from her car in the parking lot. This restaurant is impressive, and the parking lot does not have to be accessed from the street, which is convenient for high-profile guests like her. As soon as the bodyguards caught sight of Annalia, they made their way toward Anna, ushering and directing her inside the restaurant. Annalia noticed that Antonio was standing there and staring at her with the tiniest smile on his face, although his rugged facial aspect was still very evident.Antonio welcomed Anna by saying, "Hello, Ms. Davis," while extending his arm and opening his palm in a way that s
When they arrived at the nearest hospital, Annalia quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and prepared to leave the car. However, Adam unexpectedly seized her and prevented her from leaving."No. There are still quite a few people inside, and the situation is extremely precarious, given that the offender of the shooting has not been caught," Adam gasped in pain and hissed due to the wound he got."No, Adam. It's okay. We have no choice but to bring you inside so that the bullet lodged in your arm can be extracted," Anna harped on him. But Adam did nothing more than shake his head and groan at the pain in his arm."Have you given Don a call?""Yes. Don is on his way," Annalia responded with a worried tone. Adam merely nods before leaning his head back on the car seat. Because Adam's face was visibly pale, which caused him to suddenly lose consciousness, Anna rushed over to him."Hey, hey. Look at me. Adam, wake up. I need you to stay with me. I'll leave the car and help you find your way int
"What...what are you doing here?" Adam is taken aback upon first sighting Annalia in front of his home. He then immediately wears his sando shirt, looking at Anna in surprise. How did she get to know his address in the first place? "I believe I heard you were released from the hospital on your own accord. So, I came over to see if... if everything is going well for you," while Annalia spoke, her attention was drawn to the arm sling Adam wore. "Don't worry, I was the one who went through your document to find your address since Don...won't tell me." She continues clenching her knuckles to stop the electric vibration in her palms. The realization that her presence here may cause Adam to become irate has caused her anxiety and fear. It took him some time to react while Anna's gaze remained focused on the arm sling that Adam was wearing. The young man makes her feel too ashamed to stare at him, so she avoids doing so. Fuck! She is now feeling both regret and a sense of realization. Don h
As Adam saw Annalia place the meat in the frying pan, he commented, "You really are a good cook." Annalia offered to make him dinner before she planned to leave his house. Adam mentioned to her that he hadn't eaten anything until this evening, which was now eight o'clock. Since there were no cooks or even a maid to take care of him, Anna couldn't say she blamed him. After all, there was no one else here to do it. Also, Annalia asks Adam if he can simply order his people outside to get him food, but he refuses to do so, noting that even if there is food, he can't eat properly due to the wound to his arm. "I learned," is all Annalia has to say in response. Adam stands up and walks toward the refrigerator before he leans against it and turns his head to properly look at her. Adam examined Annalia from her feet all the way up to her face, thinking to himself how stunningly gorgeous she was. Adam caught a lumpy, dry, taut skin on her neck as he continued to stare at her. With a frown, he