Chapter 1: The Return
756 Words
Elena had spent five years convincing herself that Adrian was dead to her.
Not literally.
Just dead to the part of her heart that had once loved him.
She had succeeded—until the night she saw him standing outside her office.
Rain fell heavily around them, but Elena barely noticed.
Adrian was staring at her from across the street.
For five years, she had imagined what she would say if they ever met again.
Now that moment had finally come, and she had nothing.
Adrian crossed the street.
“Elena.”
The sound of his voice made something inside her ache.
She immediately looked away.
“Don’t.”
He stopped.
“I need to talk to you.”
“You should have talked to me five years ago.”
“I wanted to.”
“But you left.”
His jaw tightened.
“I didn’t leave because I wanted to.”
Elena gave a bitter laugh.
“Then why did you disappear?”
Adrian looked at her for a moment.
“Because someone threatened you.”
Her smile disappeared.
“What?”
“Five years ago, I was told that if I stayed with you, you would pay the price.”
Elena stared at him.
“Who threatened you?”
“I never found out.”
“Then why should I believe you?”
Adrian reached into his coat.
“I knew you wouldn’t.”
He pulled out a small envelope.
Elena frowned.
“What is that?”
“Something your father left for you.”
Her expression changed instantly.
“My father?”
Adrian nodded.
“He told me to give it to you if I ever came back.”
Elena took the envelope with trembling fingers.
Her father’s handwriting was unmistakable.
She hadn’t seen it since the day he died.
Her eyes moved across the front.
For Elena. Only give this to her when Adrian returns.
Her heart began pounding.
“Why would my father give you this?”
Adrian looked away.
“Because he knew what was coming.”
“What was coming?”
Before he could answer, a black car stopped at the end of the street.
Adrian’s face immediately changed.
“Get inside your car.”
Elena looked at him.
“Why?”
“Now.”
The car remained still.
Someone was watching them.
Adrian grabbed Elena’s arm and pulled her behind him.
She quickly pulled away.
“Don’t touch me.”
“I’m trying to protect you.”
“I don’t need you to protect me!”
“You don’t understand!”
“Then explain!”
Adrian stared at her.
For a second, she saw the same pain in his eyes that she remembered from five years ago.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His face went pale.
Elena noticed.
“Who is it?”
Adrian didn’t answer.
The phone rang again.
This time, Elena saw the caller’s name.
Unknown Number.
Adrian finally answered.
Neither of them spoke.
A distorted voice came through the phone.
“She’s with you.”
Adrian’s eyes immediately moved toward Elena.
The voice continued.
“You were warned not to come back.”
The call ended.
Elena’s heart raced.
“Who was that?”
Adrian slowly lowered the phone.
“I don’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
“I wish I were.”
The black car suddenly drove away.
Adrian watched it disappear into the night.
Then he turned to Elena.
“You need to go home.”
“And what about this?”
She held up her father’s envelope.
Adrian’s expression became serious.
“Don’t open it here.”
“Why?”
“Because whatever is inside that envelope is the reason I lost you.”
Elena stared at him.
“Then maybe it’s time I finally knew the truth.”
She tore open the envelope.
There was only one sheet of paper inside.
She unfolded it.
Her eyes moved across the first sentence.
Then her entire body went still.
“Elena, if Adrian has returned, it means the person who separated you two has discovered that I left behind proof.”
She read the next line.
Her breathing stopped.
“And the person you trust most is the one you must fear.”
Elena slowly looked up.
Adrian was watching her.
But before she could ask what it meant, her phone began ringing.
She looked at the screen.
It was her father’s old number.
A number that had been disconnected three years ago.
Someone was calling from it.
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