Torn Between Love and Hate

Chapter 178 Adrian Confesses to Deborah

The next day, Deborah and Alyssa woke up early.

Alyssa was used to waking up early, while Deborah couldn't sleep well because she wasn't accustomed to this place.

After washing up, she went downstairs with Alyssa. Adrian was already sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast with his eyes closed. It's clear that they haven't fully woken up yet.

Rebecca got up as well and sat down by the small table near the floor-to-ceiling window. In front of her, there was milk and scrambled

eggs.

She didn't eat, gazing out the window with a face full of sorrow.

Adrian heard footsteps and opened his eyes to see Deborah walking down towards him.

He noticed Deborah's gaze and said aloud, "Come sit over here. Don't mind that woman; she's just going through some emotional troubles lately, and she's been like that all the time." Deborah pulled Alyssa along and sat down across from Adrian.

The housekeeper immediately brought up two servings of breakfast and placed them in front of them.

Adrian yawned for quite a while before he started complaining, "Who could be more miserable than me? I've been busy all year long, and now it's already late December, yet I still can't get a good night's sleep."

Deborah was surprised. "Mr. Moxley is up so early, does the crew still have work to do?"

"What kind of job is it? My grandmother wants me to get up early and interact more with you to strengthen our bond." Adrian said candidly.

He didn't hide his fondness for Deborah, nor did he conceal the tasks Donna asked him to do.

After all, when it comes to matters of the heart, there's no need to hide or be ashamed of them.

He liked Deborah, so he approached her.

If Deborah really doesn't like him, then it's not a big deal.

Upon hearing this, Alyssa became anxious, "Adrian, I've already warned you not to have any ideas about my mom!"

Adrian looked at her disdainfully. "You're just a kid, you wouldn't understand adult matters. Don't interfere, just eat your egg."

He spoke and rudely pushed the scrambled egg plate closer to Alyssa.

With a gentle and considerate expression, they pulled Deborah's plate closer and said, "Ms. Shepherd, let me help you cut your scrambled egg and toast into smaller pieces.

Can you eat these dishes? If not, there's pasta and pancakes in the kitchen, and I can cook them for you."

Deborah immediately stopped him, "No need, no need, thank you. I can eat it directly. Mr. Moxley, I explained to Mrs. Donna last night. If Mrs. Donna still misunderstands. I can explain again, so I won't cause you any trouble."

Adrian saw her stopping him and didn't insist on helping her cut anymore. "It's not a bother at all. My grandmother understands me: it's because I'm really into you.

You say you have someone you fancy, but who doesn't have someone they fancy? Spend some time with me, and you might just find out that I'm the one you fancy even more."

Deborah knew Adrian was straightforward, but she didn't expect him to be this candid. His directness left her struggling to keep up with

his responses.

Alyssa was so angry she wanted to smash a plate, "Adrian, how dare you scheme against my mother like this-"

Adrian interrupted her. "Come on, kid, stay out of this. What's wrong with me? Why can't I pursue your mom?"

He quickly turned to Deborah with a gentle expression and explained. "Ms. Shepherd, I wouldn't joke about something like this with you,

I'm serious.

Last night, I spent the entire night thinking, and I realized that it was love at first sight when I saw you. I've never met anyone who has made my heart race like you do.

You are the first person who can make me get up at six in the morning, and I personally made these breakfasts for you."

Deborah felt that she might indeed be a bit emotionally insensitive. Adrian spoke with such affection, but she genuinely felt nothing inside. Even so, it seemed a bit amusing.

"Mr. Moxley, it seems like you mentioned earlier that it was your grandmother who forced you to wake up early."

Adrian explained earnestly. "That's not the main reason. If it wasn't for the fact that I like you, even if a deity itself came at six in the morning, they wouldn't be able to wake me up.

I just want to wake up early, make you breakfast, and express my feelings for you."

If Deborah remembered correctly, yesterday was her first official meeting with Adrian.

Although they had bumped into each other before, the two of them had never interacted, not even face-to-face.

She racked her brains but couldn't figure it out. What was it about their brief two-hour encounter yesterday that had made Adrian's heart flutter?

Really, it doesn't make sense.

Deborah continued to explain, "Mr. Moxley. I really already have..."

"I know, it's just a crush. Ms. Shepherd, you can try getting along with me too. Of course, if you really don't have any feelings for me, you can just say it. I won't force you into anything." Deborah looked at him and said, "I don't have feelings for you."

After a long silence, Adrian reluctantly struggled a bit.

"How can you know you have no feelings for me if you've never really spent time with me?"

Deborah asked with a smile, "If Mr. Moxley hasn't really gotten along well with me, how could he have feelings for me?"

Adrian finally realized that although Deborah appeared gentle and soft-spoken, there were times when she could be quite sharp-tongued

and eloquent.

But it seemed to make his heart race even more.

"Ms. Shepherd, please stay with me for three days, until the end of Christmas. If you really don't like me, you can tell me then."

Deborah couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time, "I already have someone I like, and we're together. Mr. Moxley, it's really impossible for us."

Adrian, unconvinced, asked, "Who is it?"

What kind of man could be better than him, for Deborah to reject him so decisively? This was a huge blow to his ego.

Besides Steven and Norman, who else can compare with him?

There's also an Ashton, but he's Deborah's ex-husband, so there's absolutely no chance for them.

Deborah really didn't want to talk about certain things, but she knew that no matter what, she couldn't afford to be unclear or ambiguous with the Moxley family..

She didn't intend to please the Moxley family, couldn't reach their high status, and couldn't afford to offend them either.

After a moment of silence, Deborah looked at him and said, "Joseph, I've been with Joseph for three years now."

+

Adrian's face was filled with disbelief. "Could those gossip news on the internet actually be true?"

What it says is that Deborah left Ashton and found solace in Joseph's embrace.

That day at the Mullen family banquet, Adrian witnessed Deborah kissing Joseph with his own eyes.

But he felt that it was just a prank, something Deborah did to annoy Ashton.

News media, after all, what kind of things won't they make up?

Deborah nodded, "Yes, it's all true."

Adrian still couldn't believe it. "So, are you guys still together? When you came to Richmond, why didn't I see him with you?" Deborah didn't want to bring up her recent conflict with Joseph. "Mr. Moxley, I think I've explained myself quite clearly. As for the rest, it's my personal business. Can we please not discuss it any further?"

Adrian sat there with a dejected look on his face, never expecting that his well-thought-out plan from last night would end in failure like

this.

He remained silent for quite a while, until Deborah asked him, "Mr. Moxley, can I still have breakfast?"

Adrian's face was filled with disappointment, and it took him a moment to understand what Deborah meant.

"Go ahead and eat, even if I made it, I can't force you to be with me just because of a meal."

Alyssa had a look of joy on her face after looking at his sad face. Then, she picked up the glass and took big gulps of milk, making some gulping sounds.

After realizing Adrian's intentions, Deborah instinctively kept her distance from him.

After having breakfast, she politely greeted Adrian and then took Alyssa to the shopping mall.

After much thought, Adrian still couldn't figure it out, so he took out his phone and called Joseph directly.

The call connected, and Joseph's voice came through. "Mr. Moxley."

,

Adrian immediately asked, "How far have you and Deborah gotten?"

Over there, Joseph had just picked up his briefcase, ready to head to the company, when he suddenly stopped in his tracks upon hearing something. "What?"

Adrian got straight to the point, his tone firm. "I plan to pursue Deborah. If you two haven't gotten your marriage certificate yet, I'll compete with you fairly."