Chapter 23 - The Sanctuary of Goethe House
By eight o’clock, the penthouse was enveloped in a deep, peaceful stillness, broken only by the crackle of a gentle fire in the stone hearth.
We had left the formal paperwork behind, migrating to the sprawling living room where a soft cashmere throw was draped over the deep velvet sofa. Adrian poured two glasses of aged bourbon from the crystal decanter on the side table, handing one to me before sitting down beside me, pulling my legs across his lap as he began a slow, soothing massage of my ankles.
"You've been working too hard today," Adrian observed, his voice laced with affectionate concern.
"I was merely ensuring that your multi-billion-dollar empire didn't collapse due to a misplaced decimal point," I retorted playfully, taking a slow sip of the rich, smoky bourbon.
"My empire would survive a misplaced decimal point," Adrian smiled. "Though I admit it runs considerably smoother with you at the helm."
For a long moment, the room fell into a peaceful, contemplative silence. I set my glass down on the wooden coffee table, resting my head back against the sofa cushions, my gaze drifting toward the high timber beams of the ceiling.
"Adrian?" I asked quietly.
May you like
"Hmm?"
"Do you ever think about where we would be if you had actually hired a traditional corporate compliance firm instead of letting me walk into your office?"
