Chapter 8: Too Close
256 Words
The moment they stepped into the mansion, Lena couldn’t hold it in anymore.
She grabbed Adrian’s arm.
“I’m not a weakness.”
He stopped walking immediately.
Turned.
His expression unreadable.
“You are if you don’t understand the situation.”
Her anger flared.
“I understand enough,” she snapped. “You dragged me into something you didn’t explain.”
“That was unavoidable.”
“No, it wasn’t—you chose this!”
Adrian stepped closer.
“And you accepted.”
Her breath caught.
“Because I didn’t have a choice.”
“You always have a choice.”
“Not one that saves my mother!”
The words came out louder than she intended.
But she didn’t take them back.
Couldn’t.
For a moment—
Silence.
And then—
Something shifted in Adrian’s expression.
Not cold.
Not distant.
Something softer.
“I kept my promise,” he said quietly.
Lena’s anger wavered.
“And I’m keeping mine.”
Their eyes locked.
The space between them felt too small.
Too charged.
“You need to stay away from Marcus,” Adrian added.
Lena let out a breath. “Like I have control over that?”
“You do,” he said.
“How?”
“Stay close to me.”
Her heart skipped.
Again.
“Why do you care?” she asked.
Adrian stepped even closer.
Now—
There was no space left.
“Because you’re mine.”
Her breath caught.
“This is fake.”
His voice dropped.
“Not to me.”
- Writer
