The Breeding Deal: Brother-in-law's Forbidden Offer - Chapter 80

Chapter 80: Like

Adrian had just finished his shower when he noticed Christine hadn’t left.

She sat at the table outside his bedroom, a first-aid kit in front of her. Her bare feet rested on the carpet. The warm orange light fell across her profile, her smooth black hair cascading down, hiding her expression.

Hearing him emerge, she stood up and took a cotton swab from the kit. She dipped it in alcohol and walked toward him.

Adrian remained still, his eyes downcast, watching her approach step by step until they stood face to face. Just one step apart, he could hear her nervous breathing.

Christine looked up, meeting his impassive gaze for two seconds before the intensity became too much. Her eyes dropped to his mouth.

“I’ll… help you with the wound,” she managed to say, then raised her hand.

Ignoring the tremors running down her spine, she touched the cotton swab to the cut at the corner of his mouth.

The sharp scent of alcohol and iodine filled the air as she gently dabbed at his lip. Her movements were delicate, cautious yet focused, her long eyelashes fluttering as she concentrated like an artist working on a masterpiece.

Christine felt like prey under Adrian’s piercing gaze, a gazelle caught in a lion’s sights. She just wanted to finish this task, fulfill James’s request, and leave quickly.

This was what James had asked her to do earlier outside the room.

Earlier, James had handed her the first-aid kit with an unusual request: “Miss Christine, the boss is in a bad mood today. I wanted to treat his injuries from boxing, but couldn’t find the right moment… Could you please help me apply medicine for him later? You needn’t do anything else, just finish it, and leave.”

Christine hesitated – she caught James’s hidden meaning.

Treating Adrian’s wound wasn’t his real concern. As Adrian’s assistant, he would’ve had plenty of opportunities for applying this duty. He was actually hoping that somehow, she would talk to Adrian again tonight, after being dismissed earlier.

So… Adrian had just sent her away, and now his assistant wanted her to go back?

Seeing Christine’s confused and hesitant look, James made a bold move. He bent forward deeply, his voice filled with sincere pleading.

“Please, Miss Christine. Just this once.”

Christine’s heart softened.

James had always been kind to her, caring for her well-being beyond his professional duties since this whole arrangement began. For him to plead like this, he must have his reasons.

Having worked as Adrian’s assistant for so long, James wasn’t just capable – he must have endured much of Adrian’s difficult temperament. Christine remembered Sophie casually mentioning once that James and she were orphaned siblings, abandoned by their parents. They’d struggled all their lives to reach where they were now.

Looking into James’s earnest eyes, she nodded.

Before Christine could finish, Adrian suddenly caught her wrist. His grip was firm, but his voice remained neutral, impossible to tell if he was pleased or not.

“James asked you to come back?”

He knew too well that the first aid kit belonged to James.

Christine nodded.

So she was trying to appease him.

She must be afraid of him – her eyes and nose still tinged red from his ruthless treatment before- yet she didn’t step back. Her hand holding the cotton swab remained stubbornly raised.

Her gestures and eyes made it seem as if she genuinely cared about his injury.

Even though the wound was minor – if she’d come any later, it might have healed on its own.

Just like all the wounds he’d endured throughout his life.

Adrian studied those gentle, bright eyes. At this moment, in her slightly trembling pupils, he saw only himself reflected.

No others, no careful calculations, no blame or dissatisfaction, no unspoken favoritism – just… him.

He released her hand and tilted his head. “Go take a shower.”

Christine froze.

What? He’d just told her to get out, and she’d been ready to go home for the night. Now he wanted her to… stay here and sleep?

Sensing her hesitation, he added with forced patience: “I won’t touch you tonight.”

Then he turned and walked into the bedroom.

So… he wasn’t angry anymore?

Christine felt somewhat relieved at Adrian’s promise, impressed by James’s understanding of his boss’s moods.

In the bathroom after her shower, she spent half an hour on the phone with her mother, Patricia.

Pat said the situation with her brother had gotten completely out of hand. Even praying hadn’t helped. They’d temporarily given up on finding someone powerful to clear his name. Their immediate priority was to get Oliver out on bail, at least so they could see their child. Beyond that, they could only leave it to fate.

Christine could only try to reassure her, saying she’d asked Adrian for help and there might be some progress.

Pat wasn’t optimistic, just sighing on the other end.

“Your father and I considered before asking Adrian for help directly, but actually, it’s definitely useless. ”

“Think about it – everyone on that cruise is either wealthy or powerful. We’re nobody to them. For Adrian, helping Oliver out means offending all those officials’ and rich men’s children. This isn’t about money – it’s about his reputation and his company’s future. Why would he risk antagonizing all those powerful people just to help some relative he barely knows?”

Forget it, Chrissy. Why would Adrian ever want to help you?”

Why would Adrian ever want to help her?

The question stopped Christine short. She realized she’d never really thought about it since the very beginning.

Everything had seemed to fall into place naturally: she pleaded for help, he agreed, she followed his terms and satisfied him.

But yes, why would Adrian want to help her?

She could hardly tell her mother: Adrian was helping her in exchange for sex.

She didn’t believe that herself either.

Christine knew she wasn’t some extraordinary beauty. There were plenty of gorgeous women willing to share Adrian’s bed, including top actresses and models. Why would Adrian need her when he could have any woman he wanted?

So why was Adrian willing to help her?

As if possessed, she suddenly spoke, almost dreamlike: “What if… what if it wasn’t me, but someone more beautiful… like a famous actress? Would he help then?”

Pat thought her daughter was suggesting finding a more attractive woman to approach Adrian, speaking somehow surprisingly.

“Don’t be silly, Chrissy. Adrian’s a businessman, he’s Blackwood, not some fool led by desire. No successful businessman in this world would ruin his future just for a woman’s body – unless, of course, you’re talking about his wife or girlfriend. But as far as I know, Adrian’s single, with no fiancée, right?”

No successful businessman in this world would ruin his future just for a woman’s body.

After hanging up, Christine dried her hair in the bathroom, still pondering this question.

So, if it wasn’t for sex, and couldn’t be for any woman’s body… why was Adrian willing to help her?

She suddenly remembered his strange question from earlier: “If it were another man right now… you would do this for Ethan and Oliver, wouldn’t you.”

And his intense anger when she’d answered yes.

Putting it all together, an answer was slowly forming in Christine’s mind.

But this answer was too shocking, too bizarre… she dared not think about it, couldn’t even convince herself to believe it.

She emerged from the bathroom with dry hair. Only the warm bedside lamp was lit. Adrian lay against the headboard, a thin black blanket covering him. He was absorbed in a book, not looking up at her movement.

Christine didn’t dare disturb him. She slipped into the far side of the bed, pulled some covers over herself, and lay with her back to him.

Why was Adrian willing to help her?

She closed her eyes and heard him press a switch, plunging the bedroom into darkness.

A moment later, a warm, large hand reached for her waist – hesitating briefly, mindful of the baby, before moving up to her chest, pulling her back against his broad, warm chest.

Why was Adrian willing to help her?

Christine’s heart raced faster and faster. Her back pressed tightly against his chest – he must have felt it, because he reached out, gripped her chin, and turned her face toward him.

In the dark bedroom, Adrian could only see Christine’s bright eyes, trembling as they met his, filled with a shimmering gleam and shadowed by fluttering lashes. Fresh from her shower, her face radiated warmth and moisture, soft and warm, captivating his gaze.

Adrian’s thumb traced her soft, damp lips, feeling them pressed tightly closed. His eyes narrowed slightly, his grip on her chin suddenly tightening as he lowered his head and caught her lip between his teeth.

The moment their lips met, his tongue pushed forcefully past her teeth.

His cool lips captured her retreating tongue in an endless, passionate kiss.

Christine’s thoughts swirled in huge chaos.

Why was Adrian willing to help her?

Because.

He liked her.