Obsess

Chapter 4 - The Truth He Did

The greenhouse felt too small with him standing so close.The storm outside had swallowed the world, leaving only the sound of rain against broken glass and the uneven rhythm of my breathing.Adrian was watching me again.

Not like he had in the café.Not like a stranger hiding in the shadows.

This was different.This was the way someone looked at a memory they thought they had lost forever.And somehow, that was more terrifying.

"You're angry," he said quietly.

I folded my arms."You think?"

A faint smile touched his lips.

"There she is."I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

He stepped closer.

"The stubborn part of you. The part that never backed down."I should have been annoyed.Instead, my heart betrayed me.Because the way he said it wasn't mocking.It was admiration.

"You don't get to act like you know me," I whispered.His expression softened."I don't act like it."

A pause."I do."

The confidence in his voice made my breath catch."You've spent years following me,keeping secrets, leaving messages, and you expect me to just trust you?""No."His answer surprised me."I expect you to question me."

He moved closer, slowly enough that I could have walked away.I didn't.

"I expect you to be angry."Another step."I expect you to hate me for keeping things from you."His eyes searched mine."But I will never lie to you again."The honesty stole my response."You already lied.""I protected you."That's not the same thing."

"No."His voice lowered."It isn't."

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out the necklace.My necklace.

The one from the photograph."You really kept it all this time?"His fingers closed around it."I kept everything."

The way he said it sent a strange warmth through me."Why?"

His eyes met mine.

"Because forgetting me didn't mean I forgot you."The room went silent.

I hated how much those words affected me.

I hated that the man who had frightened me was also the only person who made me feel understood.

"You always do that," I whispered.

"Do what?""Say things that make me forget I'm supposed to be scared of you."A small, almost sad smile appeared."Maybe because some part of you was never scared of me."

My pulse quickened."You're very sure of yourself.""No."He looked at me carefully."I'm sure of you."

That was worse.Much worse.I looked away, trying to regain control.

"You need to stop looking at me like that.""Like what?" "Like you already know what I'm thinking."His voice dropped.

"I don't know what you're thinking."

A pause."But I know when you're pretending."I looked back at him."And what am I pretending now?"His eyes moved over my face."That you don't remember."My breath caught.

"Adrian..."He stepped closer, his voice gentler."Look at me."I did."Good girl."

The words were quiet.

Not a command.Not a demand.

Just a soft reminder that he knew exactly how much courage it took for me to face him.And somehow, that was enough to make my heartbeat stumble."You have no idea what you do to me," I whispered.His expression changed.

Like he was fighting something.

"I do."How?"

"Because I've spent years trying not feel it."The honesty between us felt dangerous.I looked at his hand.

At the necklace.At the person standing in front of me who somehow felt like a stranger and a home I couldn't remember.

"What happened that night?" I asked.

The softness disappeared from his face.The walls returned.

"The night you lost your memories?"

I nodded.His jaw tightened.

"Someone wanted you to forget."

"Who?"Adrian looked toward the darkness outside."The same person who is still looking for you."

A chill moved through me.

"You mean the person outside?"

"No."His voice became colder.

"That was only a warning."

Before I could ask another question, a sound came from beyond the greenhouse.A slow clap.

Adrian immediately moved in front of me.But this time, I grabbed his arm.

Not because I was afraid.

Because I didn't want him facing danger alone.He looked down at my hand.

Something in his expression softened.

"You still do that."

"Do what?"

"Choose me."

My fingers loosened slightly."I don't even remember you."

His eyes held mine."Maybe your heart does."The figure outside laughed.

"You really are going to make her fall for you all over again?"Adrian went still.

My stomach dropped.

"Fall for you?"The silence that followed answered me.

A thousand questions appeared at once.Adrian looked at me.

And for the first time, I saw something I had never seen before.

Fear.Not fear of the person outside.

Fear of losing me."I loved you before," he whispered.

The words hit harder than I expected.

"And I spent years believing I would never get the chance to tell you."

The storm raged around us.

The past was coming back.

The secrets were unraveling.

And standing there with Adrian Vale, I realized the most dangerous thing wasn't the person hunting me.

It wasn't the memories waiting to return.It wasn't the mystery.

It was the fact that even without remembering our past...

I was starting to fall for him again.