Elena had always been good at pretending.
Pretending everything was fine.
Pretending she wasn't hurt.
Pretending she didn't notice the increasing tightness in her chest every time Adrian and Sienna walked into a room together.
But the morning after she saw them in that intimate moment, something inside her refused to behave the same. She woke up feeling hollow, as though her heart had left her body during the night and forgotten to return.
At breakfast, she kept her eyes down.
At lunch, she pretended she was full.
At dinner, she stayed in her room, claiming she had too much studying to do.
She avoided him—completely.
Adrian noticed.
Every time she entered a room and hurried out, he turned slightly, confusion pulling at his expression. Every time she chose the seat farthest from him, he frowned. When she didn't laugh at something funny he said, he looked genuinely surprised. When she kept her gaze fixed on her books or the floor instead of him, something in his eyes dimmed.
He wasn't used to being pushed away.
Especially not by her.
Especially when the connection between them had felt… warm.
Alive.
But Sienna noticed too.
And she tightened her grip.
She clung to Adrian more than usual—wrapping her arm around his whenever they were together, calling him "baby" loud enough for Elena to hear, sitting in his lap while everyone was in the living room, kissing his cheek with exaggerated sweetness, and leaning her head on his shoulder.
It was performative.
Possessive.
Almost territorial.
Elena tried to ignore it.
She tried to swallow every emotion that threatened to rise.
She tried desperately not to look at them—even though her heart tripped every time they passed by.
But she couldn't hide her pain from her friends.
That afternoon at university, her friends—Mia, Grace, Olivia, and Hannah—found her sitting alone beneath the old oak tree, staring blankly at her notes.
"Okay," Mia said, plopping beside her, "what's wrong? You look like someone stole your soul."
Elena forced a small smile. "I'm just tired."
"No," Olivia said, narrowing her eyes. "You're pale. And sad. And you're highlighting the same sentence over and over."
Grace gently squeezed Elena's arm. "Elena, talk to us."
Hannah tilted her head. "Is it… because of Adrian?"
Elena's breath hitched.
Her silence was all the answer they needed.
Mia sighed softly and wrapped an arm around her. "Oh, sweetheart…"
Grace shook her head. "He has no idea what he's doing to you, does he?"
Elena swallowed hard, blinking fast. "It's my fault. I shouldn't feel anything. I shouldn't care. He's with Sienna. And Sienna loves him. And he's happy."
Olivia scoffed. "He looks confused half the time and uncomfortable the other half."
Hannah nodded. "And you're breaking."
Elena closed her eyes. "I'll get over it."
Mia whispered, "You shouldn't have to."
But Elena pulled in a breath, forcing herself together again. "Let's just… study. Please."
They exchanged worried looks but let it go—for now.
Later that evening, when Elena arrived home, she tried to sneak upstairs to avoid everyone. But her father's voice stopped her from the living room.
"Elena? Come here, sweetheart."
She took a steadying breath and stepped inside. Her father sat on one armchair with a stack of papers spread across the table. Adrian sat across from him, sipping tea politely, listening with focus.
For a moment, she forgot how to breathe.
Her father smiled warmly. "I was just discussing Adrian's new business setup. He needs to sort out some financial documents and account details, and since you're excellent with numbers and organization, I told him you could help."
Elena froze. "Oh… I—"
Adrian stood a little straighter. "Only if you don't mind," he said gently. "I could really use the help. There's a file upstairs in my room… the account statements and contracts. Would you bring them? "
Her heart stumbled at the thought of entering his room.
But she nodded. "Sure."
Adrian offered a soft smile.
And that tiny smile—simple, innocent—almost broke her all over again.
She turned quickly before her emotions betrayed her and walked upstairs, heart thudding with each step.
His room was at the end of the hallway, beside Sienna's. She hesitated before touching the handle. She had seen enough last night. Being near his space again made her chest tighten.
But she pushed the door open.
The room was spotless—minimalistic, elegant, everything in its place. His cologne lingered in the air—a warm, subtle scent that made her pulse skip.
She walked toward the desk where a thin stack of folders lay neatly. As she reached for them, her gaze drifted toward the laptop on the bed, still open.
The wallpaper made her stop.
It was Adrian.
A younger version—maybe a few years younger. His hair was slightly longer, his smile brighter, and his eyes filled with a kind of carefree mischief she had never seen on him.
He looked… breathtaking.
Elena found herself smiling without meaning to.
Her chest tightened in that familiar, painful, beautiful way.
She whispered, "He looked happy…"
For a second, it felt like a tiny, stolen moment of joy—until a cold voice cut through the air like a knife.
"What are you doing? "
Elena jumped, turning quickly.
Sienna stood at the doorway, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
Elena opened her mouth, panic rushing through her. "I—I'm just—Adrian asked me to bring a file. He said it's in his room."
Sienna raised a brow. "And that gives you the right to snoop around?"
"I wasn't—I didn't—" Elena looked down, feeling ashamed although she had done nothing wrong. "I just saw the laptop open. I'm sorry."
Sienna walked in slowly, heels clicking softly against the floor. Her expression was unreadable—a blend of annoyance, suspicion, and something dark.
"Elena," she said coldly, "don't ever enter Adrian's room again. Even if someone asks you. This space is private. You're not allowed in here."
The words hit Elena like a slap.
Her throat tightened. "I… I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
"Just remember it."
Sienna stepped closer, her voice sharp. "Adrian is my boyfriend. What happens in his room is none of your concern."
Elena flinched.
She grabbed the file quickly and murmured, "I'll go give this to him," and headed for the door.
Before she reached it, Sienna added casually, "Actually… don't bother. We're going out."
Elena turned. "Out?"
Sienna's expression transformed instantly into a bright, sugary smile—the one she always used when she wanted something.
"Yes. Adrian and I are going to a club. I need some fun." She flipped her hair. "Tell Father we'll be late."
For a second, Elena forgot to breathe.
A club.
At night.
Together.
Her heart squeezed painfully, but she nodded quietly. "Okay."
Sienna gave one last satisfied smirk and disappeared down the hallway.
Elena stood there for a moment, alone in Adrian's silent room, holding the file he wouldn't even need tonight.
Her chest felt tight.
Empty.
Hollow.
Slowly, she turned and walked out, the door clicking softly behind her—
like a line closing,
like a boundary tightening,
like a world separating her from someone she had never truly been allowed to want.Elena held the file tightly against her chest as she walked down the stairs, replaying Adrian's request in her mind. His voice still lingered in her ears—calm, gentle, almost too warm for her fragile heart.
"The file is in my room. Could you bring it, Elena?"
She had gone, found the file, and accidentally wandered into a moment she never wanted to see.
And now, stepping into the living room, she composed herself, hiding the heaviness behind a polite smile.
Adrian was standing near her father, finishing up a conversation about accounts and upcoming projects. He looked tired but effortlessly handsome, sleeves rolled up, a faint shadow across his jaw.
She approached quietly. "Here… the file you asked for."
Adrian turned toward her, his expression softening. "Thank you."
But before he could take it from her, the heels clicking behind Elena made her shoulders stiffen.
Sienna.
She walked straight to Adrian, slid her hand over his arm possessively, and plucked the file right out of Elena's hands without even looking at her.
"We're going out," Sienna announced with a bright, sugary voice that didn't match the sharpness in her eyes. She waved the file casually before placing it down on the table. "Daddy, we're heading to a club tonight. Just the two of us."
Elena felt the air around them shift.
Her father nodded without concern. "Fine, just be safe."
Sienna grinned and tugged on Adrian's arm as if sealing the plan—but Adrian didn't move.
He kept his gaze on Elena, thoughtful, almost troubled.
"You should join us," he said suddenly.
The words dropped like a stone into a still lake.
Elena froze.
Sienna stiffened.
Her father blinked in surprise.
"Wha—?" Elena breathed, unable to hide her shock.
Sienna recovered first.
"She?" Sienna laughed sharply. "Adrian, sweetheart, she has never stepped foot inside a club. She's not that type of girl."
Her tone was laced with something Elena recognized—judgment disguised as sweetness.
Adrian didn't flinch. "I didn't ask if she was. I asked if she wanted to."
Elena shook her head immediately, overwhelmed. "N-no, it's okay. I— I'm fine."
Adrian's brows narrowed slightly, concern flickering in his eyes. But before he could say anything more, loud voices burst from the front hall.
"Elena!"
Her friends.
Mia, Olivia, Grace, and Hannah walked in with bright smiles and bags in their hands, the room instantly filling with youthful energy.
Mia spoke first, as if announcing a mission. "Uncle, we're here to steal Elena for dinner. She's been stressed with studies, and we promised we'd take her out tonight."
Her father smiled warmly. "Good idea. She needs a break."
Sienna immediately cut in. "Perfect! Then she can go with them." She tightened her grip on Adrian's arm. "Because Adrian and I are going out—just us."
But Adrian's next words made everyone pause.
"Why don't you all join us at the club instead?" he suggested calmly. "It'll be more fun with everyone."
Sienna spun toward him. "Adrian—no. I planned this for just you and me."
He simply smiled, unbothered. "Plans change. And clubs are more enjoyable with a group."
Sienna's face twitched, but she masked it quickly, trying to maintain her charming tone. "But I wanted—"
Grace cut in with a grin. "We'd love to join."
Olivia nodded. "Sounds fun."
Hannah flashed a thumbs up. "Count us in."
Mia looped her arm around Elena's shoulders. "And she's definitely coming."
Elena opened her mouth to protest, but Mia squeezed her shoulder gently—as if saying you need this.
Sienna's irritation boiled beneath her perfect smile. "Elena doesn't even like loud places."
Adrian glanced at Elena again. "Do you?"
She swallowed, her voice quiet but honest. "I don't know… I've never been."
His expression softened, almost encouraging. "Then you should try once."
Elena felt her pulse quicken.
She wanted to say yes.
She wanted to know what it felt like to be seen, included, invited—by him.
But she remained still, frozen between fear and desire.
Her friends didn't give her time to hesitate.
"We're getting her ready," Olivia announced.
"And she's coming," Mia added firmly.
"We'll meet you there," Grace finished confidently.
Before Elena could understand what had just happened, her friends were pulling her away toward the stairs, leaving Sienna fuming silently and Adrian watching Elena with a quiet, unreadable intensity.
As they led her to her room, Elena felt her heart pounding—not from fear of the club, but from something far more dangerous…
The growing, undeniable feeling that Adrian wanted her there