Accidentally Yours, My Super Rich Second Husband-Chapter 181: Fractured Expectations

Kai stepped into his house, the soft click of the door shutting behind him echoing through the dimly lit hallway. He exhaled, rolling his shoulders as if to shake off the lingering frustration from his earlier conversation with Evander. The bar had done little to soothe him, and though he hadn’t drunk enough to be intoxicated, the weight of his thoughts clung to him like a heavy coat.

Dragging a hand through his hair, he made his way upstairs. The moment he pushed open the bedroom door, his eyes landed on Adalaine sprawled across the bed, her legs crossed at the ankles, phone in hand. She was dressed in silk pajamas, the soft fabric slipping slightly off one shoulder, revealing smooth skin. The glow from her screen illuminated her delicate features, but when she heard the door open, she lifted her gaze. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Kai," she greeted, her voice carrying a hint of surprise. She put her phone down and sat up. "You’re home early."

He stepped further inside, tugging at his tie with a sigh. "Yeah."

As he moved toward the closet, Adalaine got up, padding barefoot across the carpet to meet him. She placed a hand on his chest before leaning in for a kiss. The touch of her lips was brief, barely lingering before she pulled back. She scrunched her nose slightly, eyes narrowing playfully.

"You drank."

Kai exhaled a short laugh. "Yeah."

She pouted. "You should’ve taken me with you."

"It was an impulse decision." He shrugged, walking past her to sit at the edge of the bed. He rubbed his temples, feeling the tension still coiled in his head.

Adalaine followed him, climbing onto the bed and sitting cross-legged beside him. "So? What happened?"

Kai hesitated for a moment, then turned to her. "It’s about the Royals venue."

"What about it?" she asked, raising a perfectly shaped brow. "You already secured it, right?"

He shook his head. "No, we need to find somewhere else."

Adalaine’s expression froze for a second before she let out a laugh, as if he had just told her a ridiculous joke. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean it. We need to book another place."

Her laughter faded instantly, and the amusement in her eyes was replaced with something colder. "No."

"Adalaine—"

"No, Kai." She leaned forward, her hands resting on the bed, her body tense. "You promised me the Royals venue. It’s the only place I want."

Kai sighed, tilting his head back. He had expected resistance, but the sharpness in her tone already made his patience wear thin. "Things changed. It’s not available anymore."

"Why?"

"Because I spoke to Evander Walton himself," Kai said, locking eyes with her. "And he made it clear there’s nothing he can do."

Adalaine scoffed. "You’re Kai Robinson. You can make anything happen."

Kai let out a humorless chuckle. "Not this time."

Adalaine’s lips pressed into a thin line. "You didn’t try hard enough."

A flicker of irritation flashed through Kai’s eyes, but he kept his tone steady. "I tried. But Evander isn’t someone you can just push around."

"So you’re just going to give up?" she snapped, crossing her arms.

"It’s not giving up," Kai countered. "It’s moving on."

"No, Kai. I don’t want another venue. The Royals is the best. Everyone who is anyone gets married there. Do you know what it would mean if we don’t have our wedding there?"

Kai exhaled through his nose. "Are we planning a wedding or a status statement?"

Adalaine’s eyes flashed with anger. "Oh, don’t start that with me. This is our wedding. My wedding. And I want it to be perfect."

Kai leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Adalaine, listen to me. We can still have a beautiful wedding somewhere else."

"No." Her tone was sharp. "You need to go back and fix this."

"There is no fixing it," Kai snapped, his patience finally wearing thin. "It’s done. The venue is booked solid. There’s nothing I can do."

Adalaine’s jaw clenched. "You mean there’s nothing you want to do."

Kai’s fingers curled into fists before he forced himself to relax. "Do you even hear yourself right now?"

"I hear you making excuses."

Kai shook his head and let out a dry laugh. "You’re unbelievable."

"Oh, I’m unbelievable?" Adalaine scoffed. "You’re the one who’s backing out on something you promised me."

Kai’s expression hardened. He turned to fully face her, his voice lowering. "If you truly love me, this shouldn’t be a problem."

Adalaine inhaled sharply, her lips parting slightly as if she couldn’t believe what he had just said. For the first time in their argument, she had no immediate retort.

Kai stared at her for a moment longer before standing up. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling harshly. "Think about it."

His hands found their way into his pockets, fingers curling slightly as Evander’s words echoed in his mind.

Before, he would have brushed off a comment like that, maybe even been annoyed by it. But now... now he couldn’t help but notice.

Adalaine was still standing there, arms crossed, eyes burning with frustration. He had seen that look before—many times, actually—but he had never questioned it. Whenever she pouted, whenever her voice took on that clipped, impatient tone, he had always just nodded along, smoothed things over, done whatever it took to keep her happy.

Because that was love, right? Making sure the person you cared about never had to be upset?

But now, standing here with Evander’s words fresh in his mind, he was seeing things differently.

He had spent so much time trying to keep her happy that he never stopped to ask himself if he was happy.

That thought alone unsettled him.

Adalaine exhaled loudly, her heels clicking against the floor as she shifted. "I don’t understand what’s gotten into you," she muttered, arms tightening around herself. "You’ve never—" She cut herself off, shaking her head in disbelief.

Without waiting for a more response, he turned and walked toward the bathroom, leaving Adalaine sitting on the bed, her hands clenched into the sheets, her expression unreadable.