My Reborn Admirer Wins Over My Heart (Oriana) novel Chapter 106

**Chapter 106: An Unexpected Encounter**

Lily inched closer to Oriana, her expression twisted in disdain, a storm brewing behind her eyes.

“Why is it this scumbag again? Of all the people to run into!” she muttered, her voice dripping with contempt.

As if on cue, Grant ascended the steps, his face a canvas of surprise, his deep-set eyes reflecting an unexpected intensity. “Oriana, no matter where we find ourselves, fate always seems to have a hand in our meetings,” he declared, his tone earnest yet tinged with an underlying bravado.

Oriana scoffed, her voice cold and biting, but beneath her icy demeanor, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Grant was somehow different today—more vibrant, more alive than she remembered from their last encounter.

He seemed to radiate an infectious cheerfulness, a stark contrast to the brooding figure she had encountered days prior.

Grant, unable to contain his excitement, leaned closer, his voice almost a whisper. “Oriana, I did it! The concepts I spoke of before, I’ve finally…”

“Grant!”

Before he could finish, Luna came barreling toward him, launching herself into his arms.

In an almost possessive manner, her petite frame melded into Grant’s broad embrace, creating a picture of a couple utterly lost in each other.

Grant’s body stiffened momentarily, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his features as he glanced at Oriana, caught between awkwardness and acceptance. Yet, he made no move to displace Luna, allowing her to bask in the warmth of their connection.

“Grant, did you come to pick me up right after your press conference?” Luna asked, her voice laced with playful flirtation.

“Mm… there’s a thunderstorm brewing in Jindiwood tonight. I was worried, so I thought I’d come,” he replied, his tone casual yet protective.

“Oh, I’m not that delicate!” Luna shot back, her eyes sparkling with mischief, the sweetness of her demeanor unmistakable.

With a deliberate glance towards Oriana, who stood as a silent witness to their display of affection, Luna feigned surprise. “Oriana, Lily, what a coincidence! You’re dining here too?”

Lily’s voice dripped with sarcasm as she muttered under her breath, “Of all people to run into, times two!”

Despite Luna’s cheerful chatter, Oriana felt a wave of suffocation wash over her. She had no desire to share the same space with individuals she found so distasteful, especially not with two of them!

Hearing Oriana’s frosty refusal, Grant felt a flicker of thrill igniting within him.

In this miserable weather, Micah was ignoring her completely. Wasn’t that proof that their moment at City Hall had merely been a performance for his benefit? They weren’t a real couple at all.

Grant’s lips curled into a slight smile as he contemplated this.

“Oriana, even if you harbor disdain for me, why make things difficult for yourself? In this weather, even if you offer extra cash, you might not find a cab. Instead of waiting here, why not come with me…”

Suddenly, a blinding beam of light sliced through the darkness, illuminating Grant and Luna’s faces in an unforgiving glare, shattering the moment.

“Damn it! Who’s the blind idiot shining that light?” Grant cursed, squinting against the brightness.

Oriana’s voice was filled with genuine surprise. “Weren’t you busy? How did you manage to get here?”

“And are you out of your mind? Why did you get out of the car? It’s dark and wet—what if you slipped?”

Her concern bubbled over, and she couldn’t help but fuss a little, her eyes wide with worry.

Micah reached out, tenderly brushing a damp strand of hair from her face, his voice rich with warmth. “If I’m foolish for getting out, what does that make you, rushing through the rain like that just because you were worried I might slip?”

Oriana stuck out her tongue playfully. “It’s just a few drops of rain; it’s nothing! If you fell, it would be way more embarrassing than me.”

Micah chuckled softly, unable to find a counterargument to her logic. “Is your friend still here? Let Kieran take her back.”

“Okay,” she replied, her voice softening.

The rain intensified once more, as if the heavens had opened wide, pouring water down in torrents.

Oriana instinctively placed her hand over Micah’s, sharing the burden of the umbrella, and naturally leaned closer to him.

In the damp mist, their clothing felt almost transparent, and their bodies pressed together, creating an electric tension between them. Micah could feel the coolness of her skin against his, a contrast that ignited a fierce warmth within his veins.

Taking a deep breath, he fought to suppress the wild, primal urge surging within him, a battle that was becoming increasingly difficult as the moments passed.