The party had finally ended, and the Caruso mansion had grown quiet once more. Valeria sat in her room, her dress replaced with something more comfortable, her hair loosened as she sank into the velvet chair by her window. The night felt heavy, her father's words and Adrian's gaze still lingering in her mind.
She reached for her phone, scrolling through notifications, when her heart skipped—there was a missed call from Max.
Her brows furrowed. At this hour?
She immediately dialed him back. No answer.
She tried again, biting her lip, and this time the line connected.
"Max?" she said quickly.
There was silence, then his voice came through, shaky and unsteady. "Valeria…"
Her grip on the phone tightened. "What's wrong? Why did you call me?"
His breathing was uneven, almost like he was trying to keep his voice down. "C-can you… can you meet me? At the park. The one near school. Please."
Her heart raced. "At this time? Max, it's almost midnight. What happened?"
There was another pause, his voice trembling even more. "I can't… I can't explain on the phone. Just… please. I don't know who else to call."
Worry crashed over her, drowning her hesitation. She nodded to herself, even though he couldn't see it. "Alright. I'll be there."
When the call ended, Valeria stared at her phone for a moment, uncertainty gnawing at her. Something was wrong—terribly wrong. Still, she grabbed her hoodie, slipped on her shoes, and quietly left her room.
The night outside was cool and silent, the streets dimly lit as she made her way toward the park. Her pulse quickened with each step, her mind racing with questions. What happened to Max? Why does he sound so scared?
And yet, what she didn't know was that another pair of eyes had already noticed her leaving the mansion. Watching. Following.
The park was eerily quiet, the only sound coming from the faint trickle of water from the old stone fountain in the center. Dim streetlights cast long shadows, making the place feel emptier than ever.
Valeria's eyes searched the park anxiously, until she finally spotted him.
"Max!" she breathed, running forward.
He was standing near the fountain, shoulders hunched, looking like he could barely stand. His face came into view under the weak light, and her heart dropped. His right eye was swollen and bruised, turning a deep shade of blue. There were cuts on his lip, and his shirt was rumpled, smeared with dirt.
She rushed to him, panic written across her face. "Max! What happened to you?"
He flinched at her voice, then looked at her with wide, bloodshot eyes. "Valeria…" His voice was hoarse, trembling. "I—I didn't know where else to go."
Her hands hovered near his injuries, afraid to touch him and make it worse. "Who did this to you? Tell me, Max!"
He shook his head quickly, looking around as if someone might still be following him. "No… no, I can't… If I tell you, they'll come after you too."
Valeria's chest tightened, fear mixing with anger. "I don't care about that! Look at you—you're hurt! We need to get you out of here."
Max gripped her wrist suddenly, his hand cold and trembling. His voice dropped to a whisper. "They know… They know about you, Valeria. That's why—"
Before he could finish, a faint rustling echoed from the shadows of the trees behind them.
Valeria froze, her eyes darting to the darkness.
They weren't alone.
Valeria gripped Max's arm, desperation in her voice.
"Okay, you don't want to tell me, then don't… but at least let's go to the hospital. You can't stay like this."
For a moment, Max's expression softened, like he wanted to accept her help. But suddenly, his eyes shifted past her shoulder, and his entire face changed—fear replacing the faint hope.
Valeria frowned. "Max?"
His lips trembled as he whispered, "If he doesn't want to go… then leave him, Valeria."
The voice wasn't Max's.
A shiver ran down her spine. Slowly, she turned.
Adrian stood a few steps behind her, his presence sharp and commanding even in the dim park lights. His gaze wasn't on her—it was locked onto Max, dark and unreadable.
Valeria's eyes widened. "Adrian?"
Max instantly shrank back, his trembling worse than before. He didn't dare meet Adrian's eyes.
Adrian's tone was calm, almost too calm. "You shouldn't be here at this hour, Valeria. And you—" his gaze flicked to Max like a blade "—should know better than to drag her into your mess."
Valeria stepped slightly in front of Max, her protective instincts flaring. "Adrian, he's hurt! Can't you see? He needs help!"
Adrian tilted his head, lips curling into something between a smirk and a warning. "Help? Trust me, Valeria… the last thing he deserves is help."
Max's breathing quickened, his hand clutching her sleeve like she was the only shield he had left.
Perfect — this is turning into a very dark and tense psychological moment between Adrian and Valeria. Here's how I'll write that part, keeping the intensity and fear building:
---
Valeria's voice trembled with anger. "How could you say such things to a friend? He's hurt, Adrian! Don't you feel anything?"
Adrian's gaze hardened, but he didn't answer.
Without another word, Valeria pulled out her phone and called her driver. When the car arrived, she helped Max inside, ignoring Adrian's piercing eyes the whole time.
At the hospital, Valeria stayed until Max was treated. His right eye was swollen, bruises across his face and arms. Once the doctor left, Max finally spoke, his voice weak but trembling.
"There were some people… I don't know exactly who they were. But the one ordering them—it was Adrian. I heard his voice in the phone call. He told me to stay away from you or he'd kill me."
Valeria's eyes widened in shock, her stomach twisting. Max continued, breathing unevenly.
"I barely got out of there. I kicked one of them, threw dust in another's eyes, and ran… if I hadn't, I'd probably be dead right now."
Valeria felt her blood run cold. She sat silently, gripping the edge of her seat, her mind spinning. The image of Adrian's calm smile at school, his confidence, his cold words—it all started to feel terrifyingly real.
When Max's parents arrived in a rush, Valeria excused herself and left the hospital, her heart pounding.
On the way back home, her phone rang. She froze when she saw the unknown number, but something inside told her who it was. Slowly, she picked it up.
"You go running to Max when he calls you…" Adrian's voice was smooth, sharp, almost amused. "So I thought you could spare the same time for me."
Valeria's heart dropped. How did he get my number? She never gave it to him.
"Meet me at Sarno River," he ordered.
Despite the fear clawing inside her, Valeria went. The night air was cold, the river reflecting the pale moonlight. Adrian stood waiting, hands in his pockets, as though he knew she'd come.
"I thought you wouldn't show up," he said when she approached, his tone calm but edged with something darker. "And I'd have to force you."
Valeria swallowed hard, voice trembling. "Why did you beat Max?"
At the mention of Max, Adrian's calm façade cracked. His voice turned sharp, furious.
"Still him… Valeria, listen to me. I am capable of destroying every single friend you have. And if I use my father—then Marco Caruso as well."
Valeria's eyes widened in horror. Her father? Her brother? Nobody was safe.
"Why are you doing this?" she whispered, her voice breaking. "For what?"
Adrian stepped closer, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart stop.
---
Adrian's voice softened suddenly, though his eyes still burned.
"Please, Valeria… please don't play dumb. You know my feelings."
Valeria's lips trembled, her hands clutching the edge of her hoodie. Tears welled in her eyes until they spilled down her cheeks.
"I-I don't understand things easily like others," she stammered between sobs. "If you have problems with me… then just talk to me. Why do you have to hurt people? Why do you have to scare me?"
For a moment, Adrian's expression faltered. Seeing her cry, his anger dimmed into something else—a strange, dangerous tenderness. Slowly, he bent down, leveling his face closer to hers.
"Don't cry…" he whispered, almost pleading, brushing his thumb under her eye to catch a tear. "You don't know what it does to me when I see you like this."
Valeria flinched at his touch, every nerve screaming to run, yet her body froze in place. Adrian's presence was overwhelming, his tone both gentle and threatening, like a cage made of silk.
Adrian didn't say much more. Instead, he pulled Valeria suddenly into his arms, holding her against his chest so tightly that she gasped.
"Ok," he murmured, his voice low but commanding, "I won't hurt anyone… if you just agree with me. Do what I say, Valeria. Ok? Now stop crying."
His grip only tightened, almost suffocating, as though he feared she might vanish if he let go. Valeria trembled, struggling against his strength, but it was useless—he was holding her too firmly, his arms like iron around her.
Inside, Adrian was smiling. Having her this close, feeling her warmth, her tears soaking into his shirt—it was exactly what he craved. To him, it was proof that she belonged to him, even if she was crying because of fear.
Valeria, trapped in his embrace, could only weep silently. Her body shook as her mind raced with dread. Adrian's words weren't a comfort—they were a threat wrapped in a promise.