THE LOVE WE LOST

CHAPTER THREE – Dodging Shadows

Elena’s heart pounded like a trapped bird inside her chest. Adrian’s eyes had locked on hers across the café, sharp and relentless, the way they always had when he was about to corner her into something. His lips curled into the faintest smile, a smile that made her stomach twist with a mix of dread and longing she didn’t want to admit.

“Elena,” he said, taking a step closer. His voice carried that same richness she had tried so hard to forget, as though the years hadn’t dulled it.

For a moment, she froze. She could feel Mia stiffen beside her, the warning clear in her friend’s glance. If Adrian was here, it wasn’t by chance. He never did coincidences.

Clutching her coffee cup tighter, Elena forced a small, polite smile. “Adrian. What are you doing here?” she asked, though the quiver in her voice betrayed her calm façade.

“Just passing by. Didn’t expect to run into you,” he said smoothly, though his gaze lingered on her too intently, scanning her face like he was searching for pieces of a puzzle.

Elena’s mind spun. He can’t know. He mustn’t know. Lily’s face flashed before her eyes—the tiny hands that clung to her in sleep, the innocent smile that mirrored his.

“I should go,” Elena blurted, before he could say more. She grabbed her bag and rose from the chair so quickly that coffee sloshed against the rim of the cup.

“Elena—wait.” Adrian reached out instinctively, but she stepped back, her pulse thundering.

“No. I can’t. I’m late for work,” she lied, her words tumbling over each other. She could see the confusion in his eyes, the way his brows furrowed as though she had just slipped away from him all over again.

“Elena,” his voice softened, “it’s been years. Don’t you think we should talk?”

Talk. The word sliced her open. Talk about what? That she had walked away carrying his child? That every time Lily laughed, it was like hearing his echo? No. She wasn’t ready, not now—not when her carefully built walls were still holding.

She forced another smile, brittle and weak. “Another time, maybe.”

Before he could protest, she turned on her heel and hurried out of the café, Mia scrambling after her. The air outside felt colder than it had moments ago, biting against her skin as if the city itself wanted to remind her of the truth she was running from.

Mia caught up, her heels clicking on the pavement. “Elena, you can’t keep dodging him forever. You saw his face—he’s not going to let this go.”

“I have to,” Elena whispered, her throat tight. “If he finds out about Lily… everything will crumble.”

The name of her daughter hung in the air like a fragile secret. She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly chilled despite the sun overhead.

But Mia wasn’t wrong. Adrian had always been persistent. If he had seen her today, truly seen her, then this was only the beginning.

And Elena knew, deep down, that the more she tried to dodge him, the harder he would chase.

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✨ End of chapter three