The Billionaire’s Fight For Redemption (Noah and Sierra) novel Chapter 256

Adrian arrives exactly on time.

I know this because I’ve checked the clock three times already, pacing from the living room to the hallway and back again like I’m waiting for an exam result instead of a date. When his car finally pulls up outside, headlights briefly washing over the front of my house, my heart gives a small, traitorous leap.

I stop pacing.

From the window, I watch him step out of the car, adjusting his jacket as he looks up at my house. He pauses for a second, like he’s taking it in, and something about that makes my chest tighten in a way that feels dangerously close to hope.

I smooth my hands down my dress even though it’s already smooth, grab my bag, and then freeze when the doorbell rings.

“Okay,” I mutter to myself. “You’ve got this.”

When I open the door, Adrian is standing there with an easy, unforced smile—hands tucked into his pockets, posture relaxed, eyes warm.

“Hey,” he says softly. “Wow.”

“Wow?” I echo, amused.

“You look really beautiful,” he says, like it’s a simple fact, not a performance.

Heat creeps up my neck. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

He chuckles. “High praise.”

“Deserved high praise," I say, before continuing, “Come in.”

The moment he crosses the threshold, he pauses. Not in an awkward way, but like he’s taking everything in. His eyes drift around the living room, lingering on the throw pillows my mom insisted made everything cozier, the framed photos on the wall, and the soft glow of the lamp near the couch.

“This place feels…” He trails off, searching for the right word.

“Small?” I offer lightly.

“No,” he says immediately. “Warm… Like it actually gets lived in.”

Something in my chest loosens.

“Thank you,” I admit. “Though I’m curious about the last part of your sentence.”

Before he can answer, a familiar black shape pads into the room.

Blackie stops short when she sees him.

I brace myself instinctively. She hates strangers. Hates them. Usually reacts with a glare that could curdle milk or worse, a warning hiss… but instead, she tilts her head.

Adrian notices her immediately, his expression lighting up. “Oh wow… is that your cat?”

“Yes,” I say carefully. “And she’s not very social.”

He crouches slowly, not reaching for her, just holding out his fingers at a respectful distance. “Hey there, beautiful. I’m Adrian.”

I hold my breath.

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