The door creaked open—not with force this time, but with urgency. A suited club manager peeked inside, visibly startled by the crowd.
"Apologies," he said quickly, "just wanted to check if everything's alright. Mr. Miller, your father is asking if there's a situation."
Jason waved him off. "All good now. Thanks."
As the door closed behind him, the room settled into a strange stillness. Mary sat perched on the edge of the couch, her back straight, eyes sharp. Though the flush of dizziness had left her cheeks, a sliver of vulnerability still clung to her posture—but it was buried beneath layers of quiet confidence.
Adam observed her closely. Every move she made, every glance, every slight twitch of her fingers. His fascination with her wasn't something he could put into words, but it rooted itself deeper with every breath she took. She was unlike anyone he'd met before. Even the way she responded to Jason's touch—calm but detached—made something coil in his chest. Possessiveness, maybe. But also guilt.
Because he knew.
He knew the seizures were due to the accidents… and he had played a part in one of them. Not directly, not intentionally—but enough to plant a seed of guilt so heavy it settled in his bones. Yet he couldn't confess. Not yet. Especially not now. He had to watch her, learn more, and maybe… make it right.
Mary, meanwhile, had noticed Adam's gaze lingering again. Intense. Studying her like she was a puzzle he wanted to solve. A part of her was used to that look—it came with being beautiful and sharp and confident. But something about the way he looked at her… it wasn't about attraction alone. It felt deeper. Troubled. And that bothered her more than she'd admit.
Mary lightly pushed herself off the couch and looked at her friends.
"Let's go back to our room," she said, voice low but clear. "We've taken enough of their time."
Jason nodded in agreement, throwing a glance toward the door. "Yeah, we should get out of their hair."
But before they could make a move, Elijah stretched his long legs out and leaned forward, casually draping his arm across the back of the sofa.
"Why the rush? You're already here. Besides, this room has a better view… and better people."
Mar rolled her eyes. "Smooth."
Jason narrowed his gaze. "We're good, thanks."
But just as Elijah opened his mouth again to toss out another charmingly annoying line, it was Adam who unexpectedly spoke up, his tone even and low.
"As a thank you for helping Mary," he said, eyes briefly meeting hers, "Accept our invitation for a drink. At least stay for one."
There was something in the way he said it—not pushy, but certain. The others glanced at each other, surprised. Adam never offered anything. Ever.
Mary raised a brow slightly, but her friends looked to her for the final say.
Jason sighed, rubbing his neck. "One drink."
Elijah smirked. "Perfect."
The space adjusted naturally as they began to mingle. The room, which had once felt charged, now carried a current of curiosity and unspoken questions. It didn't take long before new conversations sparked. And Adam, usually reserved and borderline cold, had shifted noticeably.
He stayed near Mary, his usual detachment absent. His body was slightly turned toward her, his comments directed more to her than anyone else. Not too close—but close enough to notice her scent, to see the flecks of gold in her dark eyes under the dim lighting.
Benjamin leaned in toward William, Alex and Michael, voice low. "Okay… is it just me, or is Adam being… not Adam?"
William, sipping his drink, gave a small smile. "Nope. It's happening."
Michael smirked. "He's interested."
Elijah glanced over, amused. "About time. He needed someone to knock him off balance."
Back near the drinks, Adam caught Mary watching him sideways as she poured soda into her glass.
"You're not having alcohol?" he asked.
Mary arched a brow. "Not tonight."
He hesitated, then asked softly, "You don't drink?"
"Sometimes. Just not in a room full of strangers."
Adam gave a faint smile. "Then I'll stay sober too."
Mary gave him a questioning look. "You don't have to."
"I want to."
Their conversation was interrupted when Elijah, always the direct one, leaned toward Jason casually. "So, what's the story between you and Mary? You two together?"
That question seemed to suck the air out of the room for a beat.
Jason recoiled. "What? Ew. No."
Mary nearly choked on her drink. "He's like my brother. That's disgusting."
Mar burst out laughing. "We've been teasing them about that forever."
Malik cracked up too. "You should've seen their faces the first time someone actually asked."
Adam, who'd subtly paused, let out a quiet breath of relief. So she wasn't with Jason. Good.
Mary shook her head, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "I'm single, thank you very much."
That little confession made Adam's heart skip in a way that both annoyed and thrilled him. Wait—she's single? The report he read before had her labeled as "in a relationship." Either that information was outdated, or—
He tried to keep his voice casual. "Really? I just assumed someone as beautiful as you wouldn't be left alone for long."
Before Mary could respond, Zi's voice cut through the light banter with a sharp edge of loyalty.
"Oh, she's had plenty of admirers. But one bastard didn't know the difference between a diamond and coal."
The room fell into silence.
Jason's eyebrows furrowed as he cast a concerned glance at Mary.
Elijah winced. "Oof. Harsh."
Adam felt something twist in his chest—more than just sympathy. A slow-burning anger simmered beneath his calm expression. He hadn't even met the guy, but the mere thought of someone discarding Mary like that stirred something protective—and possessive—within him.
Mary shot Zi a sideways glance, half a warning, half an exhausted sigh.
Zi only grinned sheepishly and shrugged. "What? It's the truth." Then, as if realizing she might've dropped too much heat, she added lightly, "Anyway, the whole point of tonight was to help her forget the past and start fresh."
That made the older group pause, blinking as the realization hit.
They exchanged subtle glances—William raising a brow, Michael nodding slowly, Benjamin letting out a quiet "ah" of understanding.
Elijah leaned in with a teasing smirk. "So this wasn't just a random night out?"
Gia chuckled. "Nope. It was very much a mission. Operation: Get Mary to smile again."
Even Malik chimed in, grinning. "And possibly dance. Though we're still negotiating that part."
Alex, always perceptive, tilted his glass. "A proper celebration of freedom, then."
Adam's gaze lingered on Mary, her expression caught somewhere between amused and embarrassed. There was a softness in her smile now—reluctant but real.
He didn't say anything out loud, but in his mind, one thing was clear:
Whoever let her go was the biggest idiot alive.
And if tonight was about fresh starts…
He'd make damn sure she remembered his name.
Inside, every one of the guys mentally cursed the idiot who broke her heart—but silently celebrated the fact that he was out of the picture.