ENEMIES THEN LOVER

CHAPTER 6

THE SECRET IN HIS PHONE

Elena stared at the man standing in front of her, struggling to understand why her heart suddenly felt so heavy.

Adrian had always looked at her with eyes that made her believe she was special. He remembered the little things she said, noticed when she was upset, and somehow knew how to make her smile even on her worst days.

But tonight, something about him felt different.

"Adrian, is there something you're not telling me?" she asked quietly.

He looked up from his phone. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. You've been acting strange lately."

He sighed and reached for her hand. "Elena, you're overthinking. Nothing is wrong."

She wanted to believe him.

God, she wanted to believe him.

Then his phone vibrated.

Adrian glanced at the screen, and the expression on his face changed instantly.

Elena noticed.

"Who is that?"

"Nobody important."

"Then why do you look worried?"

He locked his phone and slipped it into his pocket.

"Can we please not do this tonight?"

Elena pulled her hand away.

"Do what, Adrian? Ask you a simple question?"

He stared at her for a moment before rubbing his forehead.

"I have things to deal with, Elena. Not everything is about us."

The words hurt more than she expected.

She nodded slowly, fighting back the disappointment rising inside her.

"Okay. I understand."

But she didn't.

Not anymore.

---

Later that evening, Adrian left his jacket on the couch while he went into the kitchen to answer a call.

Elena wasn't the type to invade someone's privacy, but when his phone lit up with another message, the name on the screen caught her attention.

Nora.

Her stomach tightened.

She had heard Adrian mention Nora before, but he had always described her as someone from his past.

The message preview appeared beneath the name.

We can't keep hiding this from Elena forever. She deserves to know what happened.

Elena froze.

What happened?

And why was Nora talking about her?

Before she could think twice, Adrian returned to the sitting room.

His eyes went straight to the phone.

Then to Elena.

"Did you read that?" he asked.

She looked at him, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Who is Nora, Adrian?"

He said nothing.

"Adrian, I'm asking you a question."

He reached for his phone, but Elena stepped back.

"Don't tell me she's just another friend. I saw the message."

His jaw tightened.

For the first time since she'd known him, he looked genuinely afraid.

"Elena, please. Just let me explain."

She laughed bitterly, though her eyes were beginning to sting.

"Explain what? That you've been lying to me?"

"I haven't lied about everything."

The moment he said it, silence filled the room.

Elena stared at him.

"Everything?"

Adrian closed his eyes briefly, as if he wished he could take the words back.

She shook her head.

"No. Don't do that. Don't stand there and make me feel like a fool for trusting you."

"You're not a fool."

"Then stop treating me like one!"

Her voice cracked.

Adrian took a step toward her, but she raised her hand.

"Please don't."

He stopped.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Adrian finally looked at her.

"There's something about my past you need to know. Something I should have told you from the beginning."

Elena's heart pounded.

"What is it?"

He swallowed hard.

"Before I met you, Nora and I—"

His phone rang.

Nora's name flashed across the screen again.

Adrian ignored it.

Elena looked from the phone to his face.

"Finish your sentence."

He hesitated.

And in that moment, Elena understood that whatever he was about to tell her would change everything.

"Adrian," she whispered. "What happened between you and Nora?"

He opened his mouth.

But before he could answer, someone knocked on the front door.

Three sharp knocks.

Adrian went completely still.

Elena frowned.

"Are you expecting someone?"

He didn't answer.

The knocking came again.

This time, a woman's voice called from outside.

"Adrian? I know you're in there. We need to talk about Elena."

Elena's heart began to race.

She turned toward the door, then slowly looked back at Adrian.

He looked as though he had just seen a ghost.

And suddenly, she was no longer sure she wanted to hear the truth.

Because whatever was waiting behind that door…

It had something to do with her.

TO BE CONTINUED…