Using Me as a Substitute? Did You Know Your Best Friend Calls Me Wife? Chapter 40: The Old Peacock Spreads His Tail, So Smoldering

Mia Kane didn’t know either, and she certainly didn’t dare to answer.

"Clear your mind. Eyes forward."

Mia Kane took a deep breath, adjusted her mindset, and began to get used to the recoil.

This ti, she didn’t miss the target, hitting the edge instead.

Her palms were covered in sweat, and she could barely hold the gun.

"I’m right here. Why are you so nervous?"

Adrian Preston’s teasing voice drifted over. She couldn’t tell if he was leaning in this close on purpose. His lips were practically brushing against her ear, his warm breath swirling into her ear canal.

"I-I’m not."

"Then why are your ears red?"

The mont he finished speaking, she gasped. Adrian Preston had actually bitten her. It hurt a little.

But he quickly eased the pressure, his tongue tracing over the spot as if to soothe the sting.

The flirtatious act was quick. Beside them, Young Zane was still imrsed in the excitent of hitting the nine-ring, completely oblivious to what was happening.

Mia Kane froze. ’Is he teaching or just flirting with ?’

"Mia Kane, *this* is how you seduce soone. Your attempt was too stiff. It wasn’t a great experience for ."

"You..."

Mia Kane’s cheeks flushed red. She didn’t dare speak too loudly, afraid everyone would notice sothing was off.

’Doesn’t he know how to hold back a little in public?’

Adrian Preston watched her flustered expression, a smile playing on his lips. He didn’t push it too far. He could tell Mia Kane really wanted to shoot, but his presence was making her uncomfortable.

"I’ll get a female instructor for you in a bit."

"Okay."

When Adrian Preston left, she instantly breathed a sigh of relief. Her back was already damp with sweat.

Beside her, Young Zane was hitting inside the nine-ring with every shot.

Mia Kane couldn’t help but praise him, "You’re amazing! I’m practically missing the target."

"You’re just starting out, so of course you’re not used to it. I’m a veteran officer. An eight or nine is just a passing grade for ."

"Can you teach , then?"

Mia Kane was too impatient to wait for the female instructor and went to ask for help. Young Zane was naturally happy to teach her.

Of course, their interaction wasn’t as ambiguous as when Adrian Preston was teaching her.

"Raise your hand a little higher. Squint and see if it’s all in a straight line."

"Spread your feet about hip-width apart. Tighten your core. You have to be steady."

"And whatever you do, don’t let your hands shake."

After a few more shots, Mia Kane finally got the hang of it. Her hands stopped shaking, and her core felt stable.

Soon, Adrian Preston returned with the female instructor and his friends.

When Adrian Preston saw her chatting and laughing with Young Zane, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Young Zane, Old Parrish needs you for sothing."

Adrian Preston subtly sent him away.

Young Zane, still confused, ran over and looked at Old Parrish. "You needed for sothing?"

Old Parrish just smiled without saying a word.

While the female instructor ca over to teach Mia Kane, the n nearby didn’t stay idle and started a competition.

Adrian Preston, however, didn’t touch a gun. He just watched from the side.

"Aren’t you going to go play?"

The n were in the middle of a heated competition, none of them willing to back down.

"I stopped playing the day I took off that uniform."

Adrian Preston’s voice was soft and distant.

Mia Kane could actually hear a hint of regret in his voice. ’If Adrian Preston had been born into an ordinary family, he definitely would have continued being a police officer without a second thought, right?’

But he was the heir to the Preston Group. He had more important things to do.

"It’s probably for the best, anyway. Your job was very dangerous. Your family must have been worried sick."

"Soone has to step up. I left, and soone else seamlessly took my place."

"They’re truly great. By the way, what was your reason for becoming a police officer in the first place?"

"To protect the people I love."

As Adrian Preston said this, he suddenly turned his head, his gaze fixing on her, making her heart inexplicably tighten.

’They didn’t even know each other when Adrian Preston was a cop, right? His reason definitely couldn’t have been because of .’

’He probably just happened to glance at .’

It was just that his gaze was so deep, so earnest and intense, that she found it hard to bear.

"I-Is that so?"

"My sister was kidnapped once."

"No wonder."

Mia Kane inwardly chided herself. ’What was I so nervous about?’

’The people he loves are, of course, his family.’

"Whoa, nice one, Old Parrish! A bullseye!"

Just then, the group of n erupted in excitent. Mia Kane’s interest was piqued, and she hurried over to take a look.

"That’s so cool..."

Mia Kane looked at him with admiration. "I’ll co play here more often. You guys have to teach properly."

At that mont, a series of gunshots rang out from the adjacent lane.

"Brother Preston is shooting? Didn’t he say he was hanging up his gun after retiring?"

Young Zane was flabbergasted and rushed over to see.

"Brother Preston’s still got it! A string of bullseyes!"

"You’re incredible," Mia Kane praised him.

Young Zane didn’t understand what was going on, but Old Parrish and the other man knew exactly what was up. This was the difference between having a wife and not having one.

"Is he really that much of a show-off on the inside? How did we never notice before? His wife praises us a couple of tis, and he imdiately starts peacocking?"

"You don’t get it. With a pretty young wife like that, he’s probably afraid she’ll get stolen away. It’s normal for him to keep a close eye on her!"

"I never thought Young Preston was like this!"

The two of them shared a aningful laugh.

"Your aim is that good?"

Mia Kane’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him.

"It’s average," Adrian Preston said faintly.

Young Zane quickly chid in, "Brother Preston, you’re being way too modest! You don’t know this, but back at the police academy, Brother Preston was first in the grand skills competition every single year! Hand-to-hand combat, marksmanship, reconnaissance... he’s a master at all of it!"

"Whoa—"

"You never told any of this."

"Brother Preston didn’t tell you? He won more awards and trophies than he could count! He got promoted super fast, too! We all looked up to him as our role model..."

Once Young Zane started, he couldn’t stop. Mia Kane listened to the story of a legendary figure, unable to imagine it was the cold and arrogant Adrian Preston she knew. She kept glancing at him, finding it hard to reconcile the man before her with the daredevil Young Zane was describing.

In the past, Adrian Preston’s countless rits had all been earned at the risk of his own life. He disregarded his own safety, always the first to charge in when there was danger.

Young Zane gave a few examples of his most dangerous cases.

Once, during a mission, a smuggler took a hostage and jumped off a building with them.

With no safety asures whatsoever, Adrian Preston had rushed forward, vaulted over the edge of the high-rise, and grabbed the hostage.

His own body was left dangling in the air, his arm dislocated from the sheer force of the catch, yet he held on until the rescue team arrived.

Another ti, he had even offered himself up in a hostage exchange. A bullet pierced his chest, missing his heart by a hair’s breadth. It was a race against King Yama himself to pull him back from the brink of death.

After a while, Mia Kane couldn’t bear to listen anymore.

"I... I get it. He’s very capable. I’m a little tired today, so I’m going to head back first. Please excuse . We’ll play together again when there’s another chance."

Mia Kane turned and left, her retreating figure looking sowhat distraught.

Adrian Preston frowned and shot a glare at Young Zane. "Why did you have to be so graphic and bloody with your descriptions?"

"Huh? Was it bloody?"

Adrian Preston quickly caught up to Mia Kane.

"If you’re tired, let’s go ho."

"Adrian Preston, I really can’t agree with your way of thinking. Your reason was to protect the people you love, but have you ever thought about what would happen to them if you died?"

"I understand that when you wore that uniform, you had a responsibility to bear. But your thods were completely reckless. The reason you’re alive today isn’t because you’re that skilled; it’s because you were lucky and King Yama spared you. You can’t keep gambling on your luck. You’re responsible for other people’s lives, so why do you treat your own so lightly?"

"Are you... worried about ?"