The rhythm of the music pulsed through my body as Oliver spun me around on the dance floor,, The soft lights overhead painted us in shades of gold and rose,, casting dreamy shadows on the marble beneath our feet,, I could feel Adrian's gaze burning into my back—intense,, unblinking,, unmistakably jealous.
And I ignored it...
Oliver's hand slipped to the small of my back,, guiding me closer,, Our bodies were nearly touching now,, moving in sync with the music. My heart pounded,, not from the dance,, but from the storm I could sense brewing behind me...
"You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen,," Oliver murmured into my ear,, his warm breath sending a shiver down my spine...
I knew he didn't mean it,. Not really... Not in the way I wanted someone to mean it,. Still,, I smiled politely and whispered,, "Thank you."
But before I could even pull away,, a strong pair of arms suddenly wrapped around my waist and yanked me backward—away from Oliver...
"What the—" I gasped,, turning in alarm.
It was Adrian...
His grip was firm,, possessive. And even more shocking,, he didn't even look at me. His eyes were locked on Oliver,, seething.
"Adrian,," I breathed out in disbelief,, trying to wriggle free. He released me reluctantly, his jaw clenched so tightly I thought it might crack. I took a shaky step back,, glancing at Oliver,, who stood frozen,, clearly startled.
Then Adrian spoke,, voice low but venomous. "Oliver,, I warned you... Stay away from her. Don't you understand??"
My lips parted,, but no words came out. I could only watch,, stunned,, as the tension escalated.
Oliver opened his mouth,, but Adrian didn't wait for a response. In a flash,, he grabbed Oliver by the collar and yanked him forward.
"If I ever see you near Rimi again,," Adrian growled,, eyes dark and dangerous,, "I swear,, I'll kill you."
Then,, with a violent push,, Adrian shoved Oliver to the ground.. A collective gasp echoed across the ballroom,, Every pair of eyes was now on us. The once graceful music came to an awkward halt,, The glittering party had turned into a stage for chaos.
I looked around in horror,. Lily and Mike were standing at the edge of the crowd,, their expressions a mixture of shock and fury. Lily's eyes met mine,, and I saw the disappointment there,. My stomach twisted,.
Adrian didn't hesitate,, He grabbed my wrist and pulled me through the crowd. My heels clicked against the marble as I stumbled to keep up,, We pushed past murmuring guests until we reached the door,, escaping the heavy silence behind us..
Outside,, the air was cooler,, fresher. The sounds of the party dimmed to a distant hum behind the closed doors...
We stood there,, under the soft lights of the corridor,, staring at each other. For a long moment,, neither of us spoke. I searched his eyes for something—remorse,, explanation, anything—but all I saw was the same burning intensity...
Then the silence was broken.
"What kind of mess did you two create??" Lily's voice sliced through the tension like a knife. She and Mike had followed us out.. Her arms were crossed,, jaw set.
I looked down,, guilt flooding my chest.
Adrian was the first to respond. "Lily,, can't you see?? Everything inside is fine... No one's going to talk about it. If they do,, I'll handle it."
Lily frowned. "Still—"
"Go back,," he said,, voice calm but commanding. "Both of you..."
Lily exchanged a look with Mike before sighing. "Fine... We forgot something in our room anyway,, We'll be back soon."
As they disappeared toward the elevator, Adrian turned his eyes on me again,. I was still breathless from everything that had happened,.
I crossed my arms,, suddenly cold. "Why are you acting like this?? Weird..."
He scoffed. "Me?? Acting weird?? Wow,, that's rich. I saw you,, Dancing so close with him like he mattered. Like he could touch you like that..."
My eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me?? We were just dancing!! And you—what about you, huh?? Hugging Sophie,, smiling at her like I wasn't even in the room!!"
"Sophie??" Adrian blinked,, then laughed bitterly. "You were jealous??"
I looked away. "Don't be ridiculous..."
He stepped closer. "She's my best friend's sister. She's like a sister to me... You really think I'd flirt with her??"
I shrugged,, not trusting my voice. The truth was, seeing him with her had hurt... More than I wanted to admit.
He tilted his head,, watching me. "So,, you don't care,, huh??"
"Nope... Do whatever you want,," I replied, folding my arms tighter.
He smirked,, then in one swift motion,, pulled me close. My chest brushed against his,, and I gasped at the sudden proximity. His scent surrounded me—faint cologne,, warm skin,, something undeniably Adrian..
"Well,," he whispered, eyes flicking to my lips,, "I care."
My breath caught...
I said- w-whatever,, leave me...
"Why would I leave,," he murmured,, voice lower now,, almost a plea,, "when I'm finally this close to you??"
"Adrian,," I said,, pushing against his chest. "Stop this madness."
"Why??"
"Because…" I faltered,. "Because we're just friends."
He stared at me,, and in that moment,, everything inside him seemed to collapse,. His arms slowly loosened around me,. The spark in his eyes dimmed.
I stepped back...
"I'm going back,," I said quietly,, and turned away before I could see the pain fully settle on his face.
But I didn't get far.
As I turned the corner,, I saw Lily standing there. She had one hand on Adrian's shoulder,, gently squeezing it,, as if trying to give him strength.
"Tell her the truth,," she said softly.
Adrian looked at her,, eyes shadowed.,
"One truth,," she continued,, "can change everything between you two..."
"I can't,," he said hoarsely. "Not yet..."
"Why??"
He looked down. "Because I don't know what she feels... I don't know if she'll forgive me. I don't even know if she'd still want me after everything,."
Tears glistened in his eyes...
Mike stepped forward and pulled him into a tight hug. "She's just confused,, Adrian. Tell her,. She deserves to know."
Adrian shook his head. "Not yet..."
"Why not??" Lily pressed. "She's the center of our industry now—independent,, admired. Men notice her,, Adrian. You think they won't try?? If you really love her, then what are you waiting for?? The moment she walks away forever??"
Adrian closed his eyes. His voice cracked when he finally answered,, "I'm waiting for the right moment. The moment where I know... I won't lose her forever..."
From where I stood,, hidden around the corner,, my heart cracked.
I didn't know everything about Adrian's past. But I knew he wasn't a man who cried easily... And yet... he was breaking for me. I leaned against the wall,, trying to hold back tears. The weight of my confusion,, my feelings,, and the way he'd looked at me—it all felt unbearable now...
I slowly walked away,, needing air,, needing time.
Back in the ballroom,, the soft melody of a slow song filled the air once more,, like the chaos never happened. Couples danced,, laughed,, whispered.
But I couldn't.
My heart was too full...
Too torn...
I don't know what are they hiding,, but I can see adrian is crying,, but I didn't understand my feelings...
To be continue...