From Ashes of Scandal to His Embrace (Laurinda) novel Chapter 304

Adolphus sat down across from Laurinda and took her hand, his fingers pressing gently into her palm, working over those pressure points like he’d done a hundred times before. The simple touch helped her find her balance again, her breathing slowing until it felt steady.

He waited a beat, then finally spoke.

“Everyone has memories they can’t let go of. He’s just stuck on his own issues. It really has nothing to do with you, so there’s no point letting it get to you.”

He gave her hand another comforting squeeze.

“Look at the Austin family. You and your parents already did so much for them. If they couldn’t hold onto what you left behind, that’s on them. It’s not your fault.”

“And Baal? That’s just business. You’re partners, nothing more. If he makes decisions you don’t like, don’t let it bother you. If you can work together, great. If not, just move on. With the projects you have, you’ll always find someone else who wants in. And if nobody’s good enough, then we’ll just develop it ourselves.”

He let out a soft sigh, his voice dropping lower.

“As for the Gates family, their fall is just a matter of time. Don’t forget, they’re still tied up with Frostfrod. The second Frostfrod pulls their investment, the Gates Group won’t last through the day.”

The way Adolphus spoke was so gentle, so sure, that Laurinda could feel the tension draining out of her shoulders. He cared about her, and he didn’t want anything or anyone to weigh her down with useless worries.

By the time he finished, the restlessness inside her had already faded. She got up, circled the table, and eased herself onto his lap, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head against his chest.

“Every time I take a step forward, there’s just more trouble waiting for me. I’m so tired, Adolphus.”

He held her tighter, his arms warm and strong around her.

“You’ve got me. Anything you don’t want to deal with, just let me handle it.”

She smiled, her face brightening just a little.

“Seriously, why are you so good to me? Oh, wait, that reminds me. Guess what? Earl and Cathleen are together now. They even went public about it on social media.”

Her sudden change of subject caught Adolphus off guard. He frowned, trying to keep up, then just laughed helplessly.

“Wait, is this all part of the same story?”

Adolphus just gave a little snort. Blocked? Seriously? Did Earl really think that would bother him?

Without another word, he slid his fingers between Laurinda’s, their hands twining together. Resting them on her lap, he snapped a quick picture and posted it to his own feed with a caption: “A sky full of stars could never compare to sharing everyday moments with you. Here’s to always having you by my side.”

Laurinda watched him, shaking her head with a soft laugh. She opened her own social media and quietly gave his post a like.

Honestly, this man was the biggest hypocrite. He called other people childish, but when it came down to it, he loved doing the same things.

The post blew up almost instantly. Screenshots started popping up everywhere, people sharing it in all their group chats.

Everyone at Raines’s birthday party had already guessed Adolphus was seeing someone, but since there’d never been any official announcement, most assumed it was just a fling.

Now, this sudden post made everything clear. Anyone who really knew Adolphus understood what this meant.

All across Cabinda, girls who used to dream about him felt their hearts drop the second they saw that post.