EPISODE 7
1913 Words
The Broken Truth
Adrian was about to push the door open when voices drifted out from the men’s room.
He froze.
He knew those voices — Noah and Chen.
His heart thudded in his chest. He leaned closer, careful not to make a sound.
---
Noah: “Fancy seeing you here,” he said flatly, drying his hands.
Chen: “Hello to you too, Noah,” Chen replied, his tone calm but unreadable.
Noah leaned against the sink, eyes narrowing.
“I wish he had never met you, Chen. Because if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be suffering.”
Chen straightened, his expression tightening.
“You don’t know anything, so it’s best if you keep out of it.”
Noah let out a sharp laugh.
“You have the nerve to tell me that? Nevertheless, I hope you don’t cross the line anymore. I’ll help him heal.”
Chen’s gaze sharpened.
“Are you in love with Liang?”
Noah’s eyes flickered, his voice low but firm.
“Yes, I am. I’ve been in love with him since high school. But because of you, I couldn’t voice it out. And at the end, what did it lead to? You breaking his heart.”
Chen’s tone hardened.
“What about Adrian?”
Noah turned to him with a mocking smile.
“Oh, so you know?”
Chen: “Of course I do, dimwit.”
Noah’s brows furrowed, disbelief flashing in his eyes.
“You mean—you know your lover is having an affair with me, and you feel nothing? Like, I actually had s*x with your lover, Chen!”
Chen blinked, confusion evident.
“Wait… wait, wait. Let me get this straight. Who’s my lover?”
Noah: “Adrian, of course!”
The realization hit Chen like a shockwave.
He stared at Noah, his voice rising slightly.
“Wait, let me get this right. Am I the reason you were interested in Adrian? You asked Adrian out because you thought he was my lover?”
Noah: “Yes. I wanted you to taste how it feels to be heartbroken. I wanted you to feel a bit of what Liang’s been feeling all these years.”
---
That was the moment Adrian pushed the door open.
Both men froze.
He stood there — eyes red, his face pale, his whole body trembling as he held back tears.
The sound of the door closing echoed painfully through the room.
Chen’s expression changed instantly.
“Adrian…” he called softly, his heart ache for his beloved cousin from the look on Adrian's face, it's evidence that he has heard everything.
Noah turned too, panic flickering in his eyes.
Adrian’s voice came out weak but sharp enough to pierce the air.
“So… all this time, I’ve been nothing but a revenge tool for you.”
Noah opened his mouth, trying to explain, but no words came out.
Adrian let out a shaky breath, his voice breaking.
“I trusted you, Noah… I believed you. I thought what we had was real. Tell me was there anything real about us, anything?"
Adrian ask desperate to know that at least something was real between them but Noah couldn't say a word
He then turned away, refusing to let the tears fall in front of them. Without waiting for a response, he walked out — every step heavier than the last.
The door slammed shut behind him.
---
Chen: “You fool,” he muttered, his jaw clenching before his fist connected with Noah’s face.
The punch landed hard, the sound echoing through the tiled walls.
Noah stumbled back, his lip bleeding.
Chen’s eyes burned with fury.
“Adrian is my cousin! My aunt's son, you dimwit!” he spat.
Noah’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Chen didn’t stop. His voice shook with rage and disgust.
“You piece of s**t. You better stay away from my cousin — or you won’t believe what I’ll do to you.”
With that, Chen stormed out, rushing after Adrian.
Noah stood there, frozen, breath unsteady.
His reflection in the mirror stared back at him — a man who didn’t even recognize himself anymore.
He had gone too far.
His chest ached with something unfamiliar — guilt, regret, and an ache he couldn’t name.
He slammed his fist against the counter, his voice breaking.
“Damn it!”
Then, without another thought, he rushed out of the men’s room, desperate to fix what was already shattered.
---
Fractured Hearts
Adrian walked back into the ballroom, the soft hum of laughter and clinking glasses around him feeling like distant noise. He kept his composure, his face calm, his stride measured. But beneath that façade, his chest was tightening. The lights, the people, the music—it all blurred together into something suffocating.
He found his secretary, Shina Cheng, standing near the refreshments table.
“Shina,” he said quietly, his voice steady but cold, “I’m not feeling too well. Could you please let the CEO know I’m leaving early?”
Shina looked up at him, concern flashing in her eyes. “Of course, sir. Don’t worry about anything. I’ve got this covered.”
“Thank you,” Adrian muttered, giving her a small nod before turning away.
He made his way out of the ballroom, every step feeling heavier than the last. The hallways were quieter, but his thoughts were loud—cruelly loud. How could I have been so stupid? he thought bitterly as he descended the stairs to the underground parking lot.
The sharp echo of his footsteps filled the air as he approached his car. But then—he froze.
There, leaning against the side of his sleek black sedan, was Noah Reid.
The sight alone made his heart skip before slamming painfully back into rhythm. He wanted to turn away. He wanted to vanish. But Noah’s eyes found him instantly—filled with regret, sorrow, and something that used to make Adrian’s chest ache in the best of ways.
Adrian’s jaw tightened. “What is it you want, Mr. Reid?”
Noah took a hesitant step forward, his voice trembling. “Please, Adrian. Can you… just hear me out?”
Adrian gave a short, bitter laugh, one that sounded nothing like the man he used to be. “Hear you out? About what? The fact that I was just a tool in your little revenge scheme against Chen?”
Noah flinched as though struck.
“I can’t believe I trusted you,” Adrian continued, voice rising slightly but still calm—too calm. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul about how ugly you are on the inside. But all I ask—” his voice cracked, though he fought to keep it steady— “is that we never see each other again.”
He opened the car door, slid inside, and drove off before Noah could speak again.
Noah stood frozen under the harsh fluorescent lights, his reflection shimmering faintly on the polished cars around him. His throat burned. His hands trembled. But he knew—he knew he had no one to blame but himself.
---
Noah couldn’t bear to return to the event. He pulled out his phone and called Liang.
“Hey… I’m not feeling too good. I’m heading home. The van’s still at the venue—you can use it.”
Before Liang could respond, Noah ended the call. He left the parking lot, hailed a taxi, and let the city blur past his window, his chest heavy with regret.
---
Meanwhile, Adrian’s apartment was silent when he got home. He went straight to his bedroom, locked the door, and finally let the mask fall. The tears came fast, unstoppable—hot trails of frustration and heartbreak.
He sank onto the bed, his breath shaking. Why does it hurt this much? Why did I let him in?
Time slipped away as exhaustion eventually pulled him into a restless sleep.
When he woke, the room was dark. He forced himself to freshen up, avoiding his reflection in the mirror, then went back to bed.
Later, Chen came home. He stood quietly at Adrian’s door, sensing the sadness that lingered on the other side. He didn’t knock. Tomorrow, he told himself. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.
---
Morning came with pale sunlight filtering through the curtains. Adrian followed his usual routine mechanically—shower, suit, coffee. He came downstairs to find Chen setting the table for breakfast.
“You’re up,” Chen said softly.
“Yeah,” Adrian replied, his tone light but distant.
“Come, let’s have breakfast.”
They sat in silence for a while, the clinking of cutlery filling the air until Chen finally spoke.
“I’m sorry, cous.”
Adrian looked up, brow furrowing. “Why are you apologizing?”
“Because you’re hurting,” Chen said quietly, “and it’s because of me.”
Adrian sighed, setting his cup down. “It’s not your fault, Chen. Yes, I’m hurting—but it has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with Mr. Reid.”
Chen frowned. “How are you holding up?”
Adrian forced a small smile. “I’ll get used to it. Trust me, I’ll be fine.”
But even as he said it, he knew it was a lie.
---
At work, Adrian buried himself in paperwork, trying to distract his mind. He called Shina Cheng to his office.
“If anyone comes looking for me—anyone who isn’t from this company—tell them I’m not available,” he instructed.
Shina hesitated but nodded. “Understood, sir.”
Throughout the day, his phone buzzed relentlessly. Calls. Messages. Each one the same name: Noah Reid. He didn’t read a single one.
By the end of the day, he felt drained. He packed up, left his office, and drove home under a sky painted in bruised shades of blue.
But as he turned into his driveway, his heart sank. Noah was there—standing right by the gate, waiting.
Adrian parked and stepped out, his expression unreadable.
Noah rushed toward him, desperation in his eyes. “Why haven’t you answered my calls or replied to my messages?”
“I thought I was clear,” Adrian said sharply. “I told you I don’t want us to see each other again.”
“Please, Adrian, just listen to me,” Noah pleaded. “I know I messed up. I know I approached you for revenge—but my feelings for you weren’t fake! I swear it. Somewhere along the line, I fell in love with you. I just didn’t know how to admit it to myself.”
Adrian’s eyes hardened. “But I don’t love you, Noah.”
“I don’t believe you!” Noah’s voice broke. “Please—just give me another chance. I’ll prove it to you.”
“But I don’t trust you anymore,” Adrian spat, his anger finally breaking through his composure. “So please, get the hell out of my life.”
He brushed past Noah, unlocking his front door and stepping inside without another word. The door slammed shut behind him, leaving Noah standing motionless in the fading light.
Tears slipped down Noah’s face as silence fell around him. For a long moment, he just stood there, letting the ache sink deep into his bones. Then, quietly, he turned and walked back to his car.
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- Writer
