HIS POSSESSION a mafia bl romance

THE FOURTH NAME 😌🥰

HIS POSSESSION

Chapter 37; The FOURTH NAME

The photograph sat between them.

No one touched it.

For several seconds, Ethan simply stared.

Three people.

His father.

Adrian’s father.

And a woman he had never seen before.

But there was something about the photograph that made his stomach twist.

Not the people.

The date.

Ethan leaned closer.

“That’s impossible.”

Adrian looked at him.

“What?”

Ethan pointed.

“Look.”

Adrian picked up the photograph.

His eyes narrowed.

The date printed in the corner was twenty-eight years old.

Ethan’s voice was quiet.

“I wasn’t even born.”

Adrian’s gaze moved to him.

“Your father was already involved with my family before you were born.”

Ethan swallowed.

“And my mother knew.”

“Apparently.”

Ethan stared at the woman.

“Who is she?”

Isabella stood across from them.

“I don’t know.”

Ethan looked at her.

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Yes.”

“You knew my father.”

“Briefly.”

“You knew my mother.”

“Yes.”

“You know about the archive.”

“Yes.”

“And you don’t know who this woman is?”

Isabella shook her head.

“I’ve never seen her before.”

Adrian turned the photograph over.

The words were still there.

THE FOUR NEVER FORGOT.

His expression darkened.

“What does that mean?”

Isabella approached.

She studied the photograph.

Then the writing.

Her face changed.

Ethan noticed immediately.

“You recognize it.”

“No.”

“Isabella.”

She hesitated.

“I recognize the phrase.”

Adrian’s eyes sharpened.

“From where?”

“Your father’s old records.”

Ethan leaned forward.

“What did it mean?”

Isabella looked at him.

“It referred to four people.”

Adrian frowned.

“My father.”

“Yes.”

“My father was one.”

“Yes.”

“Your father.”

“Yes.”

Ethan pointed at the woman.

“Her.”

Isabella nodded.

“And the fourth?”

Silence.

Ethan’s heart began beating faster.

Isabella looked at Adrian.

Adrian looked at Ethan.

Then Isabella said:

“Your mother.”

Ethan froze.

“No.”

“She was involved.”

“My mother wasn’t involved with criminals.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Then what are you saying?”

Isabella’s expression softened.

“Your mother was trying to stop them.”

Ethan stared at her.

“What were they doing?”

Isabella looked away.

“We don’t know.”

Adrian’s voice hardened.

“That’s not good enough.”

“I know.”

“Then find out.”

“I’ve been trying for twenty years.”

Ethan stepped between them.

“Stop.”

They both looked at him.

He picked up the photograph.

“If my mother was one of these four people, then she knew about the archive.”

“Yes.”

“She knew about Adrian’s father.”

“Yes.”

“And she knew my father.”

“Yes.”

Ethan’s fingers tightened around the photograph.

“Then why did she keep all of this from me?”

Isabella’s voice softened.

“Because she wanted you to survive.”

Ethan laughed bitterly.

“Everyone keeps saying that.”

His voice broke slightly.

“Everyone keeps telling me people lied to me to protect me.”

He looked at Adrian.

“But nobody thought I deserved the truth.”

Adrian’s expression tightened.

“Ethan.”

“No.”

Ethan shook his head.

“Don’t.”

He turned away.

Adrian watched him.

For once, he didn’t follow.

He knew Ethan needed the space.

But when Ethan walked out of the room, Adrian’s eyes hardened.

Isabella noticed.

“Give him time.”

Adrian looked at her.

“I’ve given him enough.”

“Adrian.”

“He deserves answers.”

“So do you.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

“Don’t change the subject.”

“I’m not.”

Isabella stepped closer.

“You’re beginning to care about him.”

Adrian’s expression went cold.

“That’s obvious.”

She blinked.

Adrian rarely admitted anything.

Especially something like that.

He looked toward the doorway Ethan had disappeared through.

“I care about him.”

Isabella studied him.

“Then be careful.”

Adrian looked at her.

“Why?”

“Because your father cared about people too.”

Adrian’s expression hardened.

“Don’t compare me to him.”

“I’m warning you.”

“Then warn me properly.”

Isabella sighed.

“Love made your father careless.”

Adrian went silent.

Isabella continued.

“And when the people he loved became weaknesses, he destroyed anyone who threatened them.”

Adrian’s gaze darkened.

“I am not him.”

“I know.”

“Then stop treating me like I am.”

“I need to know that you know it too.”

Adrian didn’t answer.

Because somewhere deep inside, he knew exactly what frightened Isabella.

If someone threatened Ethan

He didn’t know what he would become.

Ethan stood outside.

The night air was cool against his face.

He needed space.

Just a few minutes without someone telling him what his life meant.

He heard footsteps behind him.

He didn’t turn.

“Go away.”

The footsteps stopped.

Adrian’s voice came softly.

“Okay.”

Ethan frowned.

He turned.

Adrian was standing several feet away.

Not approaching.

Not ordering him back inside.

Just standing there.

Ethan stared.

“You’re actually listening?”

“Sometimes.”

Ethan almost smiled.

Almost.

Adrian looked toward him.

“You don’t have to talk.”

Ethan looked away.

“Good.”

Adrian remained silent.

A minute passed.

Then another.

Ethan finally spoke.

“I hate this.”

Adrian didn’t respond.

“I hate that everyone seems to know something about my family except me.”

“I know.”

“I hate that my mother lied.”

“I know.”

“I hate that I’m scared.”

Adrian’s eyes moved toward him.

Ethan swallowed.

“And I hate that every time something happens, you’re the person I want to find.”

Silence.

Ethan immediately regretted saying it.

Adrian stepped closer.

Slowly.

“Why?”

Ethan looked at him.

“You know why.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

Ethan stared.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“Probably.”

Ethan sighed.

Then looked at him.

“Because I trust you.”

Adrian went completely still.

Ethan continued.

“Which is terrifying.”

Adrian’s expression softened.

“I know.”

“No, you don’t.”

Ethan stepped closer.

“You don’t understand what it’s like to realize the person you probably shouldn’t trust is the only person you actually do.”

Adrian’s eyes held his.

“Then don’t trust me.”

Ethan frowned.

“What?”

“If trusting me scares you, don’t.”

Ethan stared.

Adrian continued.

“I don’t want you trusting me because you’re trapped here.”

Ethan’s heart tightened.

“Adrian”

“I want you to choose.”

Ethan went quiet.

Adrian looked directly at him.

“If you stay, I want it to be because you want to.”

Ethan swallowed.

“And if I leave?”

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

But his answer came immediately.

“Then I’ll make sure you get home safely.”

Ethan stared at him.

That was the moment.

The moment Ethan finally understood.

Adrian could control almost everything around him.

The security.

The house.

The people.

The danger.

But he wasn’t trying to control Ethan.

Not anymore.

Ethan stepped closer.

Adrian didn’t move.

Ethan reached for his hand.

Adrian’s fingers closed around his.

“Then I choose to stay.”

Adrian’s eyes changed.

“Ethan.”

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Something almost like relief crossed Adrian’s face.

Ethan smiled faintly.

“There.”

Adrian frowned.

“What?”

“That look.”

“What look?”

“The one you get when you’re happy.”

“I’m not happy.”

Ethan laughed.

“You’re terrible at this.”

“At what?”

“Being human.”

Adrian’s mouth curved.

Ethan stared at him.

Then his smile slowly disappeared.

The moment became quiet.

Adrian’s thumb brushed over Ethan’s knuckles.

Neither looked away.

Ethan remembered the night before.

The almost-kiss.

His heartbeat increased.

Adrian noticed.

He always noticed.

“Still scared?”

Ethan’s voice was soft.

“A little.”

Adrian nodded.

“Then I’ll wait.”

Ethan looked at him.

“You’re really going to keep doing that?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Adrian’s gaze dropped to their hands.

“Because I want your first kiss with me to be something you choose.”

Ethan’s heart nearly stopped.

He looked at Adrian.

“You’ve thought about it.”

Adrian’s eyes lifted.

“More than I should.”

Ethan’s cheeks warmed.

He looked away.

“You’re impossible.”

“And yet you stayed.”

Ethan smiled.

“Unfortunately.”

Adrian leaned slightly closer.

Ethan didn’t retreat.

Their hands remained joined.

Their shoulders almost touched.

And for the first time, Ethan wondered what it would feel like to stop fighting the attraction between them.

Then

A phone rang.

Adrian’s expression changed.

He answered.

“Yes?”

Silence.

Ethan watched his face.

Whatever he heard wasn’t good.

“Where?”

A pause.

“Don’t touch anything.”

Adrian hung up.

Ethan immediately knew.

“What happened?”

Adrian looked at him.

“Someone broke into the archive room.”

Ethan’s heart sank.

“The one beneath the chapel?”

“No.”

Adrian’s expression became grim.

“Here.”

Ethan stared at him.

“Your house?”

Adrian nodded.

“They didn’t take anything.”

“Then what did they do?”

Adrian’s eyes remained on Ethan.

“They left something.”

“What?”

Adrian reached into his pocket and pulled out a small photograph.

Ethan’s stomach dropped.

It was a picture of him.

Taken earlier that day.

Ethan looked at Adrian.

“When was this taken?”

“An hour ago.”

Ethan’s blood ran cold.

Adrian turned the photograph over.

There was writing on the back.

YOU’RE LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE.

Below it was another line.

ASK YOUR MOTHER’S BEST FRIEND.

Ethan frowned.

“My mother’s best friend?”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

“Who was she?”

Ethan stared at the photograph.

Then slowly shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

A beat.

“My mother never had friends.”

Adrian looked at him.

Ethan’s voice dropped.

“Not that I remember.”

And somewhere in the house, a door quietly closed.

End of chapter 37 🖤