Chapter 248

• I couldn’t shake the weight of the task at hand: finding a suitable partner for Adrian Warren. On paper, it sounded simple. In reality, it was a tangled web of legacy, image, and damage control.
• I couldn’t help but think back to the media storm that once surrounded Adrian and Vivian’s engagement. It had all the hallmarks of a modern corporate fairytale. Their announcement had been met with endorsements and social media adoration. The press hailed it as the merger of two powerhouses Vivian, the high-achieving executive with a stellar record in strategic acquisitions, and Adrian, the rising star with lineage, looks, and an enviable investor portfolio.
• Vivian had been lauded for her willingness to accept a secondary role in Adrian’s personal life, given that he was already engaged to Cassandra, the enigmatic daughter of the Sinclair legacy. Vivian's decision was portrayed as romantic selflessness, a bold move in a world that prized independence. Adrian, too, had been praised for his ability to “balance passion and duty.”