Chapter 9: The Distance Between Us
472 Words
Rina sat in her apartment, staring at the empty spot on her couch where Ivory used to curl up. It had been days since Adam had woken up, and though they had talked, there was still an unspoken wall between them.
She hugged a cushion to her chest. She had always thought of Ivory as her quiet companion, someone she could talk to without fear of judgment. But now, knowing that Adam had been listening to everything her worries, her secrets, even the silly things she had whispered to himmade her feel exposed.
A knock on the door startled her.
When she opened it, Adam stood there, dressed in a black sweater and pants, looking far from the billionaire persona she had seen on the news.
“Hey,” he said softly.
She swallowed. “Hey.”
“Can I come in?”
She hesitated but stepped aside. He walked in, his eyes scanning the familiar space before landing on the couch. He let out a breath, his lips quirking up. “I spent a lot of time here.”
Rina sat down, motioning for him to do the same. “Yeah… you did.”
Silence settled between them before Adam finally spoke. “Rina, I know this is a lot. And I don’t expect you to be okay with everything overnight.”
She nodded, gripping the cushion tighter. “I just… I don’t know how to act around you now.”
Adam leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I get it. To you, I was just your cat. But to me, you were the person who saved me. Who gave me a home when I had nowhere else to go.”
Rina bit her lip. “But you knew who you were the whole time. You knew the truth, and I didn’t.”
Adam looked down, his fingers intertwining. “I didn’t want to lie to you, Rina. I couldn’t talk, couldn’t explain. And when I finally could, I was afraid.”
“Afraid of what?”
“Afraid that you’d hate me,” he admitted, his voice almost a whisper. “That you’d feel betrayed.”
Rina’s heart clenched. She did feel betrayed, but at the same time… hadn’t she also grown attached to him?
“I don’t hate you, Adam,” she said, softer this time. “I just… I don’t know what this means for us.”
Adam nodded, as if expecting that answer. “Then let’s take it slow. No expectations. Just… let me still be here.”
She searched his eyes, finding sincerity in them. After a moment, she sighed and gave him a small nod.
“Okay.”
A small smile tugged at his lips.
It wasn’t everything, but it was a start.
And maybe, just maybe, that was enough for now.
- Writer
