Adrian's POVThe cold air bites at my skin as I step out of the café, the sharp wind cutting through my coat like a blade. I barely register the chill, too fixated on the way Sarah's figure disappears into the hazy glow of the streetlights. My breath fogs in the night air, my chest tight with something I don’t want to name. Guilt? Maybe. But it’s quickly drowned out by something darker, something more consuming—a grim sense of determination.I knew telling her about Alessandro would hurt her. I saw it in the way her lips parted in shock, how her fingers trembled slightly as she grasped the edge of the table, holding on as if I’d physically shaken her. But it had to be done. She deserves the truth, no matter how painful. I did what I had to do.Still, I can’t shake the echo of her voice, the hesitant way she whispered, "Are you sure?" as if she wanted—needed—me to be wrong. The doubt in her eyes was fleeting, but it was there. A seed planted. A fracture is forming. Exactly what I neede
Adrian POVThe cold air bites at my skin as I step out of the café, the sharp wind cutting through my coat like a blade. I barely register the chill, too fixated on the way Sarah's figure disappears into the hazy glow of the streetlights. My breath fogs in the night air, my chest tight with something I don’t want to name. Guilt? Maybe. But it’s quickly drowned out by something darker, something more consuming—a grim sense of determination.I knew telling her about Alessandro would hurt her. I saw it in the way her lips parted in shock, how her fingers trembled slightly as she grasped the edge of the table, holding on as if I’d physically shaken her. But it had to be done. She deserves the truth, no matter how painful. I did what I had to do.Still, I can’t shake the echo of her voice, the hesitant way she whispered, "Are you sure?" as if she wanted—needed—me to be wrong. The doubt in her eyes was fleeting, but it was there. A seed planted. A fracture forming. Exactly what I needed. Ex
Adrian POVAs I walk out into the street, I make a decision. I'm going to find out what Alessandro is hiding, no matter what it takes—for Sarah's sake and mine.And when I do, I'll make sure she knows the truth—about everything.The crisp evening air stings against my skin, but I barely register the cold. My mind is consumed by the conversation that just took place, the subtle nuances in Alessandro’s tone, the flickers of emotion he failed to completely mask. He didn't take the bait as easily as I'd hoped, and that bothers me more than I want to admit. His calm, almost detached demeanour, his vague allusions to something more—none of it sits right with me. But I also know that I've planted a seed one that I'm confident will grow, even if it takes time.Sarah's doubt is the key. I saw it in her eyes when I spoke to her earlier, the way her brow furrowed, the flicker of uncertainty that crossed her face. She didn't want to believe what I was saying, but the seed of suspicion was there n
Adrian POVThe city lights blur as I walk, my thoughts consumed by what comes next. Alessandro might be onto me, but that doesn’t matter. He can try to protect Sarah all he wants, but he can’t protect her from her mind. And once she starts questioning him, their relationship will begin to unravel.I have to be patient and play the long game. After all, love is a war, and I’m not about to lose this battle.As I head home, the weight of my actions settles in my chest, but I push it aside. This isn’t about right or wrong anymore. This is about survival, about holding on to the one thing in this world that still makes sense to me.I'll do whatever it takes to win her back even if it means destroying everything in my path.And when the dust settles, she’ll see that I’m the one who’s always been there for her, the one who truly understands her. She’ll come back to me. She has to.But until then, I’ll keep fanning the flames, waiting for the moment when everything comes crashing down around
Adrian POVI spend the rest of the evening attempting to drown out my thoughts with work and errands, but it’s futile. No matter what I do, my mind keeps circling back to Sarah. The way her brows furrowed when I spoke, the flicker of doubt in her eyes when I mentioned Alessandro—it replays in my head like a scene on repeat, and I wonder if she’s feeling the same way. Conflicted. Uncertain. Questioning everything she thought she knew.Later that night, just as I settle into bed, my phone vibrates against the nightstand. I reach for it, my pulse quickening when I see her name flashing on the screen.Message from Sarah:Hi Adrian, thanks for reaching out. I appreciate it. Maybe we could grab that coffee sometime this week? I could use a friend right now. I'll let you know when I'm free.A slow smile forms as I read her words. This is exactly what I wanted. She’s reaching out, confiding in me—choosing me. A small thrill of satisfaction courses through me. This is only the beginning, but i
Sarah POVThe warm sunlight filters through the café window, casting a soft glow on the wooden table where I sit, my hands wrapped around a cup of coffee that has long since gone cold. The hum of conversations around me is nothing more than a distant murmur, drowned out by the storm of thoughts swirling in my mind. The past few days have been an emotional whirlwind, ever since my last conversation with Adrian. His words, carefully chosen and deliberately placed, have been gnawing at the edges of my resolve. Doubts, the seeds he planted, have taken root, and I have been battling to keep them from growing wild.But I refuse to let them control me.I close my eyes briefly, inhaling the familiar scent of roasted coffee beans, letting the warmth of the café ground me. I have to focus focus on what truly matters. Alessandro. My relationship with him. I need to understand him better, to bridge the gap that has been steadily widening between us. If I let Adrian’s words cloud my judgment, I wo
Sarah POVAs I approach, I force a smile, pushing down the flutter of nerves in my stomach. “Hey.”He looks up, his tense expression softening slightly. He stands, offering me a small, appreciative smile before taking my hand. “Hey, Sarah. You look great.”“Thanks,” I say, squeezing his hand gently before slipping into my seat. “You do too.”We start with small talk how our days went, the usual pleasantries. Alessandro listens attentively, but I can tell he’s distracted. His eyes dart away every now and then, his fingers tapping lightly against the table, a sure sign that something is weighing on him.Determined to break through the surface-level conversation, I take a sip of water and lean in slightly. “So,” I begin, keeping my tone light, “how’s work been lately? You seem a bit off.”His jaw tightens, and for a moment, I think he’s going to brush it off. But then he sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. “It’s been busy. You know how it is.” He pauses, then adds, “But that’s n
Sarah POVThe warm sunlight filters through the café window, casting a soft glow on the wooden table where I sit, my hands wrapped around a cup of coffee that has long since gone cold. The hum of conversations around me is nothing more than a distant murmur, drowned out by the storm of thoughts swirling in my mind. The past few days have been an emotional whirlwind, ever since my last conversation with Adrian. His words, carefully chosen and deliberately placed, have been gnawing at the edges of my resolve. Doubts, the seeds he planted, have taken root, and I have been battling to keep them from growing wild.But I refuse to let them control me.I close my eyes briefly, inhaling the familiar scent of roasted coffee beans, letting the warmth of the café ground me. I have to focus—focus on what truly matters. Alessandro. My relationship with him. I need to understand him better, to bridge the gap that has been steadily widening between us. If I let Adrian’s words cloud my judgment, I wo
Sarah POVI knew that if I wanted to truly move forward with Alessandro, I had to draw a line—one that Adrian couldn’t cross.Taking a deep breath, I typed out a message.Message to Adrian:Adrian, I need to be clear with you. I've chosen to be with Alessandro, and that means we need to set boundaries. I care about you as you are involved with my son, but I can't have you interfering in my relationship.Please respect that.My thumb hovered over the send button. A part of me feared how he would react—if he would lash out, try to manipulate me, or make me doubt my decision. But another part of me felt a quiet sense of relief. This was necessary. This was the right thing to do.I hit send.Seconds felt like hours as I waited, my stomach twisting in knots. I half-expected him to ignore the message or respond with something cryptic, something that would make me second-guess everything.But his response came quicker than I anticipated.Message from Adrian:I understand, Sarah. I don't want
Sarah POVAlessandro’s gaze lingered on me, his deep brown eyes searching mine for any sign of hesitation. I could feel the weight of his emotions pressing between us uncertainty, longing, fear. His jaw was tense, as if he was holding back words he wasn’t sure he was ready to say."Alessandro, you're right to ask," I said, my voice steady, though my heart was pounding. "I don't care about Adrian, I care about you. What happened to him... it was a moment of confusion, a mistake. I've realized that my heart has always been with you. That's why I told him we needed distance. I want you to know that you're the only one I want to be with."He exhaled slowly, crossing his arms over his chest, his posture still guarded. I could almost see the battle playing out in his mind—the part of him that wanted to believe me and the part that still held onto the pain of the past."And Adrian?" he asked finally, his voice softer now but firm. "What happens if he doesn't stay away?"I shook my head, step
Sarah POVA lump formed in my throat at the tenderness in his tone. I rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.“Me too,” I whispered back. “I’m so glad we’ve been able to work through everything. I’m committed to us, Alessandro. I want you to know that.”His hold on me tightened slightly, and he pressed a lingering kiss to the top of my head.“I know,” he said. “And I’m committed to us too. Whatever comes our way, we’ll face it together.”As exhaustion pulled me into sleep, I felt a rare sense of peace settle over me. The doubts that had once gnawed at the edges of my mind were beginning to fade, replaced by the quiet certainty that Alessandro and I were on the right path.But even as I embraced that sense of calm, a small part of me couldn’t ignore the lingering weight of Adrian’s last message. His words echoed in my thoughts more often than I wanted to admit. There was something unresolved there, something that refused to fade into the backg
Sarah POVHis words carried an unmistakable edge of jealousy, laced with something deeper frustration, maybe even desperation. I could hear it in the way Adrian spoke, the way he hesitated just a fraction of a second before choosing his words. He wasn’t ready to let go, that much was obvious. But I had already made my decision.I wasn’t going to let the past interfere with the fragile, beautiful thing Alessandro and I were rebuilding.Instead of answering Adrian right away, I chose to ignore the message, setting my phone aside with a steadying breath. The temptation to respond, to offer him some kind of closure, gnawed at me, but I resisted. The best thing I could do for myself for my relationship was to keep my distance. Even if it hurt.So I threw myself into work that day, immersing myself in tasks, focusing on anything that kept my mind from drifting back to Adrian’s lingering words. But even as I busied myself with emails and meetings, I felt the weight of the unresolved tension
Sarah POVHis words settled deep within me, reassuring me in a way I hadn’t realized I needed. But there was still one more thing I had to say, a truth that needed to be voiced.“I wanted to let you know that I spoke to Adrian,” I admitted, watching his face carefully. “I told him we needed some space. I want you to know that you’re my priority, and I won’t let anything or anyone come between us.”For a moment, Alessandro didn’t say anything. His expression was unreadable, but then his shoulders dropped slightly, and he exhaled a breath he had probably been holding for too long. When he finally spoke, his voice was steady, appreciative. “Thank you for that, Sarah. I appreciate it. I’ve been worried about how much he’s been around, but I didn’t want to pressure you.”I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “I understand,” I murmured. “But you don’t need to worry. I’m committed to making this work. We’ve come too far to let anything get in the way now.”His thumb brushed over my knuckles,
Sarah POVSarah's POVAs the days passed after Adrian's unexpected visit, the tension between Alessandro and me began to ease. We had successfully navigated a difficult moment, but I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Adrian's presence was still a looming threat to our relationship. Even when things felt light and easy between Alessandro and me, a small, anxious voice in the back of my mind kept whispering reminders of the past—of Adrian’s influence, of the confusion he stirred within me. I knew I had to confront the situation head-on, not just for Alessandro's sake, but for my own peace of mind.It was a bright, clear afternoon when I finally decided to send a message to Adrian. The sun streamed in through the curtains, casting golden patterns on the floor, but despite the warmth of the day, I felt an unmistakable chill settle in my bones. The words didn’t come easily, but I knew they were necessary.Message to Adrian:Hi Adrian, I think we must maintain some distance for a whil
Sarah POVBeside me, Alessandro shifts. His voice is calm, firm, but there’s an unmistakable edge to it. “We’ve been trying to focus on our relationship and work through things together. I appreciate your concern, but I think it’s important for us to handle this on our own.”Adrian’s gaze flicks to Alessandro, and for a moment, the air crackles with unspoken tension. Then he looks back at me. “I get it. I just didn’t realize how deep things were between you two. I guess I’m still trying to understand where I fit into all of this.”A pang of something guilt, frustration, maybe both presses against my ribs. I take a deep breath, steadying myself. “Adrian, you have to understand that I’m trying to rebuild my relationship with Alessandro. I’ve made it clear that I need to focus on that, and your presence here complicates things.”For the first time since he arrived, something in Adrian’s expression shifts. His shoulders relax just slightly, and some of the steeliness in his eyes fades. Th
Sarah POVThe tension in the kitchen is thick enough to cut with a knife. The scent of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the rich aroma of butter sizzling in the pan, but none of it is enough to mask the growing unease settling over the room. Adrian takes a seat at the table without waiting for an invitation, his movements deliberate yet casual, as if trying to stake a claim on the moment. I sense Alessandro’s eyes on me, his concern pressing against my skin like a silent question. He doesn’t have to say anything—I already know he’s on high alert.I try to steady my nerves, pushing down the wave of anxiety clawing its way up my chest. This unexpected visit could be nothing more than an awkward inconvenience, a minor speed bump on the road Alessandro and I are rebuilding. Or it could be the kind of turning point that shifts the entire course of our relationship.I glance at Alessandro, searching for reassurance in the warm depths of his gaze. He gives me a small, firm nod—silent suppo
Sarah POVWe move in perfect harmony in the kitchen, our bodies falling into an effortless rhythm as we prepare breakfast together. The scent of sizzling butter and warm spices fills the air, mingling with the quiet hum of our laughter. It’s easy, natural like slipping into a well-worn routine.Alessandro reaches for the same cutting board as I do, his fingers grazing mine. The brief contact sends a spark through me, and I glance up at him, my breath hitching slightly. He notices. His lips curl into a knowing smile, and for a moment, the rest of the world fades away.“You’re distracted,” he murmured, his voice laced with amusement.I smirk, shaking my head. “You wish.”His laugh is low and warm, wrapping around me like a comforting embrace. As the food on the stove begins to sizzle, Alessandro gently nudges me with his hip, pulling me closer to him. His touch is light, almost teasing, but there’s something deeper in the way he looks at me.“Sarah,” he says, his voice dropping into a w