Paige staggered back two steps like she’d been struck by lightning.”
-NO..
that’s impossible“]
Adrian wearily rubbed his temples. “Palge, you’ve changed… Stop being so stubborn. Let’s both just calm down. ”
Paige suddenly screamed hysterically, grabbing a vate and hurling it at the wall. “I changed? You’re the one who changed That bitch has you completely brainwashed
“Shut up!!” Amid the crash of shattering porcelain. Adrian Jest control and grabbed her jaw, looking at her twisted face with disgust. “Isn’t let you talk about Stella like that..]
When had the gentle, understanding girl from his memories become this? Or maybe… she’d always been this way, and he’d just never seen it.||
ing for the door. The next second, Paige hanged forward, wrapping her arms
His eyes were filled with darkness, but he gradually calmed down, releasing ber and heading tightly around his wait[]
“Don’t you dare leave! I won’t let you go to her!”
Fury blazed in Adrian’s chest. He pried her fingers away one by one and broke free, walking away without looking back. Behind him come the sounds of Paige’s hysterical screaming and things being smashed, but he didn’t turn around. This time, he finally understood his own heart.||
In the late–night bar, music still pounded deadeningly. Adrian hung up his phone–even though Stella had promised to answer his calls to confirm her safety, she hadn’t picked up once
He scrolled through the photos his security team had sent him, one by one. In every single one, she was selling so happly. At least.. happier than she’d ever been by his
He downed one shot after another, the alcohol burning his throat but unable to extinguish the pain churning in his chest
“Another
.” His voice was hoarse as he tapped his knuckles on the bar.
“Adrian, that’s enough.” A few of his friends sat beside him, grabbing his wrist with a frown.
Adrian let out a bitter laugh, shaking off their grip. “IfI don’t drink what the hell else,
posed to do! ||
They fell spent for a moment before one of them suddenly asked. “Have you ever thought about why Stella gave up on you?”
Adrian’s fingers clenched tight, the glass making an ominous creaking sound in his grip.
she did way more for you than you’ll ever know, but you never gave a danu. “The guy continued, “When you were is that car accident, both Paige and Stella had the same blood type, but only stella stepped up. [
Even when the doctors and they couldn’t take any more blood or she’d go into shock, she paid you needed it–take as much as possible. She passed out from blood loss… but you believed whatever Paige told you and didn’t even bother to check on her.
Adrian’s pupils contracted sharply.
“And
when they both fell in the lake, you only saved Paige. You remember that, right? ||
Adrian nodded blankly at this
“Paige was the one who asked Stella to meet her at the lake, teling her to give up on you and let you two be together. Then she pushed Stella into the water hell before jumping in, just to prove to her that you didn’t love her! ||
if I hadn’t been testing my druhe on the other side and called the park af for help, Stella wouldve diedir]]
The glass biddendy crashed to i floor, shards scattering everywhere. Adrian’s whole body shook as he pictured stella’s pale, weak face after nearly drowning. Su joining the peacekeeping force wasn’t a sudden decision- was desperation aber having her heart crushed over and over again||
His shoulders collapsed as overwhelnang grief consumed ham, ake a blade piercing through his chest Tears barred his vision as he collapsed unto the bar, crying out in aguny
He’d realized too late. It was all too late–nothing could ever make up for what he’d doove.
In the early morning hours, Adrian sat alone in his office, his eyes bloodshot as he went through des from his private investigator🙂)
Paige Cooper’s recent call logs Multiple contacts with Middle Eastern numbers|||
Bank records: $2 million tranferred to peers a
Encrypted chat screenshots: I want Stella to never come back
kidnapping had hern Paige’s doing all along!
The last fe was surveillance footage from the lakeside villa. In the video, Paige silently shoved Sto the lake, then jumped in herself with a bed undle.
Five minutes later. Adrian scrived and dove in to save Palge, who was pretending to be unconscious. Meanwhile, In the middle of the like, Stella struggled as she sank–the mage stabbed into Adrian’s heart like ke
He slammed the laptop shut and collapard over his desk, dry heaving violently as I trying to purge his inde
What the hell had he done to stella..]
