Accidentally Yours, My Super Rich Second Husband-Chapter 180: Lingering Echoes

Kai stormed into his office, the heavy door slamming shut behind him with a loud thud. His jaw tightened as he tossed his briefcase onto the sleek, mahogany desk, the sound of it echoing through the silent room. Dropping into his leather chair, he ran a frustrated hand through his hair, his mind spinning from the earlier encounter with Evander Walton.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, leaning back and glaring up at the ceiling.

He couldn’t focus. The pile of documents on his desk sat untouched, the blinking notifications on his computer ignored. All he could think about was how miserably the meeting had gone. He had walked in confident, certain he could sway Evander—if not with charm, then with money. Yet, Evander had effortlessly dismantled his plan, leaving him seething.

Kai’s fingers drummed against the armrest as he replayed the conversation in his mind. Evander’s cool smirk, the way he dismissed the hefty cheque like it was worthless—it gnawed at Kai’s pride. But it wasn’t just the rejection that unsettled him. It was what Evander had hinted at, the sly remark about Adalaine.

"Good luck keeping up with her demands."

The words echoed in Kai’s mind, sharper than they had any right to be.

When the clock finally signaled the end of office hours, Kai shot up from his chair, grabbed his coat, and left the building without a backward glance. His car sped through the city, weaving through traffic, but instead of heading home, he veered toward a familiar side street lined with dimly lit storefronts.

The warm, low glow of Bar Ezra greeted him as he pushed through the glass door. The familiar scent of aged whiskey and polished wood wrapped around him, instantly grounding him. A few scattered patrons sat in booths, but the bar counter was nearly empty.

"Hey, Kai," the bartender, a broad-shouldered man named Vince, greeted, wiping down a glass. "Still bright outside. You sure you wanna start now?"

Kai slumped onto the stool with a heavy sigh, loosening his tie. "Since when do I care about the time when I wanna drink?"

Vince chuckled, grabbing a bottle from the shelf. "The usual, huh?"

Kai nodded, drumming his fingers against the bar. Moments later, Vince slid a glass of amber liquid toward him.

Kai took a long sip, the sharp burn of whiskey spreading through his chest, but it didn’t ease the irritation clawing at him. He swirled the liquid in the glass, watching the light catch on the swirling amber, his mind unwillingly drifting back to Evander’s smug face.

"You sure you’re the one making the decisions in this wedding?" Evander’s taunt clawed its way back into his thoughts.

Kai clenched his jaw. "Bastard," he muttered before downing the rest of his drink.

He gestured for another, and Vince refilled the glass without a word.

Kai’s thoughts darkened. Adalaine. The whole reason he wanted the Royal’s venue was because she insisted on it. She had been adamant—it had to be the best. And of course, in her mind, that meant the Royal’s grand hall. It had to be perfect, down to every crystal on the chandelier.

He didn’t mind at first. He’d always given Adalaine what she wanted. But now, Evander’s words made him hesitate.

"Damn it," he cursed again, taking another swig.

He didn’t want to admit it, but... it was tiring sometimes. Adalaine’s constant demands, her perfectionism. There was always something more she needed. It wasn’t like—

His thoughts slipped before he could stop them.

Delphinia.

He scowled, slamming the glass down harder than necessary. Vince shot him a look but didn’t comment.

"Why the hell am I thinking about her?" Kai grumbled under his breath.

Yet, he couldn’t stop the image from surfacing. Delphinia, quiet and composed, never asked for much. She had been easy, undemanding. No constant pushing or need for extravagant things. Sometimes... too easy.

It was why he’d gotten bored—right? That’s what he told himself, time and time again.

Kai let out a frustrated sigh, raking a hand through his hair as he slumped back against the couch. Delphinia and Adalaine were so different. In every possible way. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Adalaine was vibrant, passionate, and always knew exactly what she wanted. She never hesitated to voice her desires, never held back when it came to making demands. That was what had drawn him to her in the first place—the sheer energy, the confidence.

Back then, Delphinia had annoyed him.

But now?

Now, he had someone who did all those things. And it was exhausting.

It was starting to wear on him.

Kai let out a bitter chuckle. Funny, isn’t it? He used to be frustrated that Delphinia didn’t ask for much, and now he was frustrated that Adalaine asked for too much.

As he sat in the bar, the comparison gnawed at him.

He shook his head violently. "No. Stop it."

Vince raised a brow. "You alright there?"

Kai forced a grin. "Yeah. Just... a long day."

But inside, irritation buzzed through him. Why was Evander’s damn comment sticking with him?

He needed to focus. He still had to break the news to Adalaine—that they wouldn’t be getting the venue. She wasn’t going to take it well, and Kai already dreaded the upcoming conversation.

"Geez," he muttered, rubbing his temple.

Evander’s smug face returned to his mind, and Kai gritted his teeth. "Arrogant bastard."

Yet, no matter how much he tried to focus on his annoyance toward Evander—or the frustration over Adalaine’s demands—his mind stubbornly wandered back to Delphinia. Her calm face. Her soft voice. The way she never pushed him.

Stop it.

He had Adalaine now. That’s what he wanted. That’s who he loved.

So why did he keep thinking about the woman he had already lost?

Kai raised his glass again, but the bitter taste in his mouth wasn’t from the whiskey.

"I love Adalaine," he muttered, as if saying it aloud would drown out the lingering doubt.

But the quiet bar, heavy with silence, didn’t argue back. It left him alone with his thoughts—and the gnawing feeling he wished he could drink away.