“Adrian?” My voice wavered, fragile and raw. Just saying his name felt like opening a floodgate of memories I’d tried to lock away.
“How… how have you been?”
“I’m fine, Eliza.” A pause, just long enough to make me shiver. “But you… you don’t sound fine. Are you okay?”
My chest tightened. Even after all these years, he could still read me perfectly. “I’m…” The lie fell apart mid-word. “No. I’m not okay.”
“What’s happened?”
I clutched the phone tighter, my knuckles pressing into the leather of the cab seat. Outside, the city lights streaked past, blurred and cold. “Life here… it’s nothing like I imagined. I tried to make it work, but—” A tear slid down my cheek. “I need to come back, Adrian.”
“Come home.” His voice was calm, unwavering, carrying all the weight of comfort in those two simple words. “I’ll send you the address. Wait there until we figure out the next steps.”
Two hours later, I perched on the edge of a crisp, immaculately made hotel bed. My hands twisted nervously in my lap as soft footsteps approached from the hallway.
The knock made my heart leap into my throat. Every part of me tensed, expecting—dreading—Nathaniel to be on the other side.
But when I opened the door, I was met with a stranger. Tall, dark-haired, striking green eyes that seemed to pierce right through me. A leather jacket clung to his broad shoulders, and the faint shadow of stubble added a rough edge to his strong jaw.
“Eliza?” His voice was low, tinged with a quiet roughness. “I’m Sebastian. Adrian sent me to check on you.”
I hesitated, scrutinizing him. There was an effortless confidence in the way he moved, but it wasn’t threatening. His gaze was firm, yet kind.
“May I come in?”
I stepped aside, letting him enter. Immediately, the room felt smaller, charged, as though his presence filled it. Yet he moved with a natural ease that never seemed imposing.
“How are you holding up?” His eyes flicked to my hastily packed bag.
“I’m… okay.” I crossed my arms, trying to stop the nervous flutter in my fingers. “Just… trying to process everything.”
“Completely understandable.” He leaned casually against the wall, hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket.
“So… how long have you known my brother?”
A faint smile curved his lips. “Some time now.”
“That’s vague.”
“I tend to be vague.” His tone hinted at humor, though it revealed nothing more.
I pressed further. “What exactly do you do?”
“I work with Adrian.” He glanced at his watch. “The limo will be here in ten minutes. We’ll swing by your place first to grab what you need, then head straight to the airport.”
“A limo?” I blinked. “Isn’t that… a little much?”
“Standard procedure.”
“For what?” The words slipped out before I could stop them.
He merely smiled, enigmatic, half-hidden, saying nothing. “Your brother likes to handle things properly.”
The casual mention of a limo, the upscale hotel room, this man who looked like he belonged in a movie—none of it matched the Adrian I remembered. He had always been driven, ambitious even, but this level of luxury? Who had he become in these nine years?
“You look surprised,” Sebastian remarked.
“I… didn’t expect all of this. The hotel, the limo…” I waved vaguely. “Who are you, really, Sebastian?”
“Just someone your brother trusts.” He straightened, checking his phone. “The limo’s early. Ready to go?”
I slid into the plush leather seat, running my fingers along the smooth upholstery. The car smelled faintly of new leather and polished wood.
“This is…” I shook my head, letting out a breath. “I didn’t expect this.”
Sebastian sat down beside me, filling the space with quiet assurance. “Not what you imagined?”
“No. Nathaniel’s rich, yes, but this…” I gestured around the opulent interior. “It’s different. Refined. Expensive… I don’t even know how to describe it.”
“Different in what way?”
“More… sophisticated? Luxurious?” I traced the stitching on the seat. “I can’t explain it.”
The drive to my apartment blurred past in streaks of city light. Questions whirled in my mind, unspoken. Sebastian remained calm, watching me with quiet, careful attention.
The limo stopped at my building. “I’ll wait here,” Sebastian said. “Grab what you need, and we’ll go.”
I nodded, fingers shaking as I clutched my keys. The elevator ride seemed endless. Each floor stretched out, carrying the weight of what I was about to leave behind.
The apartment door opened silently. I stepped inside—and my world fractured all over again.
