Before anyone could comprehend what was happening, Michael was on floor, his face bloody and bruised while Adrien was punching him like a mad man.

"Don't you dare say something like that to my wife. How dare you even glance at her harshly." He yelled at him.

Noah and Carl were trying to get him off the heavily injured man.

Well, they were also shocked at his outburst and the most shocking revelation of Em and Adrien being married .

Emerson was like she was in some shock, her eyes wide open, her lips parted. She sat their unblinking.

Every one else was also in distress not know what to do. A crowd had formed around them. The music was long stopped.

Shan tugged at his hair.

He shook Emerson furiously.

"Emerson"

"Emerson! "

"Emerson snap out of it do something. Adrien will kill Micheal!" He yelled at her.

She suddenly snapped out of him and inhaled sharply, her hand going to her chest. She looked at the scene in horror.

She stood up and approached Adrien.

"Adrien stop . Adrien! " She said to him.

Her tone was worried.

Adrien froze at her voice.

He stopped and turned at to look at her red rimmed eyes.

Seeing the pain on her face, he got up from Michael and gave him last kick in the balls before going to Emerson and hugging her tightly. His face went in her neck.

"I am sorry. I am so sorry." He uttered those words which he never did.

His voice almost breaking. His grip on her tightening.

Emerson sighed and gave him a squeeze in return, stroking his hair, combing her fingers through it.

"It's ok." She whispered.

He nuzzled his face more in her neck.

The were unaware of the surroundings.

Michael laid unconscious on the floor, Noah and Carl had their jaws on floor at Adrien's behavior.

Emerson's friend didn't know what to do.

Suddenly they heard sirens.

Someone called police.

~~~~~~~~~~

Adrien was sitting in the grey cell.

His back was against the wall, his elbows on his knees, his head leaned back to face the ceiling.

Words were ringing in his heads. He wasn't caring this wasn't a simple ticket for speeding but a jail for assault.

He knew he would be bailed, the media would be covered up, but the damage he did in reality.

It's not been even a whole year since her break up.

I am glad I had Stephanie instead of you on our wedding day.

No wonder every one, even your parents hate you.

They basically sold you to me.

Even if you were sold to the brothel.

No wonder you were abused.

He remembered her words.

This isn't the first time it happened.

She had said when Stephanie kissed him.

She was abused, her husband to be fucked her sister on her wedding day. She was basically sold.

And here he always thought she was sheltered, protected.

He thought she lived like a princess when she was fucking abused!

And he treated her harshly.

The squeaking of cell gates brought me out of my thoughts.

"You are bailed Mr Stone, your friends are waiting outside." The officer said.

I gave him a single nod and followed him out.

Carl and Noah were standing near the desk, their faces down.

But it didn't matter to me.

The person who had my sole attention was sitting on the metal chair with her head in her hands.

Today is her birthday, and it ends up like this.

She looked up at me, her gaze blank .

Before I could say anything, she handed me her phone.

I looked down to see Grandpa was on line.

Emerson left me alone.

I pressed the phone to my ear.

"Hello? "

"You are an idiot ,aren't you ? Today's her birthday." He said pointedly.

I gulped the lump in my throat.

"I couldn't control myself." I blurted.

I could feel his eyebrow creasing lightly.

"What happened? No one told me the real thing which took place. I only know you ended in jail from a club? Were you drunk? " He asked me.

It's new he doesn't have knowledge of something.

"Emerson's ex said some bad things about her, before that his cousin too did the same. But he crossed the line. And I blacked out. I don't remember much, just everything going red and then Emerson stopping me, a bloody Michael below me." I sighed.

Grandad was silent on the other end for a while.

"How did Michael Fort end up at the club where you both were? On her birthday? " He asked.

I frowned. I didn't tell him his name.

"Do you know him? " I asked.

He sighed on the other end.

"Leave it. Talk with Emerson, apologize." With that the line went dead.

I sighed and went towards the others.

Emerson was still blank. She must be embarrassed and angry because of me.

And that piece of shit.

"Every thing is covered sir. And;" An awkward glance at Emerson " Mr Fort is in a little critical condition." Carl told me.

I gave him a single nod.

Noah patted my shoulder.

"I have ordered your car here. I guess you two should go now. Everything else is under wraps." He hinted towards Emerson.

His eyes held curiousity about our relationship. I bet Emerson didn't tell him a single thing and he is refraining himself from asking.

I nodded.

Emerson put her palm out and I was a confused but it cleared when Noah put my car keys in it.

She left without a word and I followed her like lost puppy.

She went to my car and slid on the driver seat. It was first time she would be driving me somewhere.

I catched up with her and sat on the passenger seat.

Emerson was tense. Her knuckles white from gripping the steering tightly.

She reversed the car and pulled on the road.

As soon as we were on main road, she stepped on the gas and increased the speed, beyond limit.

For a second I was scared.

Driving on track and roads are different things.

But I didn't have the courage to tell her to slow down.

My gaze was low on the dashboard.

Her speed was increasing gradually but luckily it slow down when we reached somewhere. I was a little shocked to see we were below my penthouse.

She parked the car and we both got off together.

She started going in and I followed her, waiting by the elevator.

Emerson had her arms crossed, a blank look on her face and she was staring blankly at the elevator door.

It was awkward for me. I still couldn't grasp what happened. That asshole's words were still ringing in my head.

The elevator opened but it became more awkward because a couple was making out heavily. They parted, startled by the ding and smoothened their looks.

But the girl's attention snapped at Emerson. She looked between me and her and then chuckles at Emerson.

"No wonder you were irritated that day."

She said.

I was confused wondering what she meant.

Emerson turned a little pink.

It was an adorable shade.

"Sorry for that." She muttered.

The girl waved her hand in air dismissively and left with her partner.

Emerson and I entered the elevator.

Is it me or the elevator is turning hot.

Emerson leaned against the wall, her long, milky legs crossing.

I pushed the floor button and the lift ascended.

It was really, really awkward air.

~~~~~~~~~~~

When Adrien's floor came, he pushed a card and punched a code for the lift doors to open. It was a private floor after all.

The doors opened to a short lobby and then was a door.

Adrien punched a code and the lock opened and Emerson and Adrien entered the penthouse.

Emerson didn't glance at the penthouse. She had more important things to worry about.

Adrien was a little scared wondering what would happen now.

Emerson was humiliated in a really bad way. And Michael spilt her secrets like they were nothing. For a moment he also pitied her.

He couldn't even think about his parents, his own blood abusing him.

"Where is first aid kit? " Emerson asked, her voice sharp.

Adrien was suddenly worried.

"Are you ok? Are you hurt somewhere---"

"Where.is.first.aid.kit? " She asked slowly but her tone was chilly.

Adrien blinked.

"In the white cabinet of your left corner." He muttered like a robot.

She went and pulled out the box.

Dragging Adrien by his wrist, she went where she saw the kitchen door was.

Adrien let her, not wanting to upset her.

Only God knows what she went through already.

She stopped near the sink and held his hand under water.

He didn't even hiss.

Emerson then held his hand gently, and suddenly pressured on the bruises of his knuckles making him flinch.

"Ow what the hell? " He breathed heavily.

Emerson gave him a sharp look.

It looked wierdly sexy on her soft features.

Not the time Adrien.

She took out alcohol pads and cleaned his bruises gently and bandaged them.She ignored his question and chose not to answer him.Her working on them was soft and skilled like she did it a hundred times before.

Probably she did with her own cuts.

Adrien's face contorted in pain, pain he felt for her.

When done, she looked at Adrien, but her face was still blank.

Before she could say anything Adrien sighed and spoke in a rush.

"See Emerson, I am sorry for ruining your birthday, but if you are angry that I beat the shit out of that asshole, I am sorry that I am not sorry, he deserved it." He said firmly.

Emerson's gaze softened a bit.

She shrugged.

"It doesn't matter you beat him, but you should know better than to acton impulse Adrien. You aren't some immature boy, but a man, a businessman. He got a good beating, he deserved it. But if something serious would have happened, it would have been more problematic to you. You aren't a common man Adrien, your actions reflect on your reputation , your company's reputation which isn't just made by you. It reflects badly on your employees and your parents who worked hard for it. He is still in hospital, if he doesn't wake up soon, chances are he could slip in coma. Do you think his parents won't charge you with attempt to murder, because you nearly did. Even if his business in NYC is small compared to you, you could easily get out of it, but it will always be on your background and records that you were charged with assault or attempt to murder. What the hell were you thinking almost killing him? " Her voice was raising with her words.

Adrien looked down in shame, but he felt good that she was thinking for his welfare.

"Not that it was any of your business because people didn't know you are my husband and the things he spoke about me wasn't tainting your reputation. It would have been hidden, he would have left when he said those things because he got the satisfaction when he saw me froze, my secrets which I never, ever shared with him were spilled and I was again humiliated by him." She said in a defeated voice.

Adrien's face held pain and anger.

"Don't ever say it like that, you are my wife and he crossed the limit . It doesn't matter if my reputation is now tainted or not. He had no right to say those things." He paused and raked his hand through his already messy hair, and sighed, " And about the beating, I blacked out, I didn't realise that I beat him so badly untill you called me." His voice was a low whisper but Emerson heard him.

She breathed deeply.

"Thank you. You didn't need to do that, it wasn't the first time." She replied, her voice just a whisper like his.

Adrien remembered she said the same when her bitch of a sister kissed him. He could feel his heart ache at her words.

Suddenly the door bell rang.

***********

Ciao

S. A. D.

Word count ~ 2050