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Eva’s heart skipped a beat as Adrian’s strong arms encircled her waist. She hadn’t expected him to be so abrupt. His grip was firm, his expression unwavering, like a man determined to have his way.
“Adrian, put me down!” Eva’s voice was sharp, but there was an underlying tension in her words. She felt the rush of emotions from their argument the previous day stir once again—anger, frustration, and confusion. Why was he acting this way?
But Adrian, seemingly unmoved by her protests, began walking toward the stairs with purposeful strides. The entire room felt thick with the weight of their unspoken words, the tension suffocating. Eva couldn’t help but feel like she was being treated like a child, and that only made her resistance grow stronger.
She crossed her arms, trying to avoid making eye contact. Her mind raced with thoughts of how ridiculous the situation had become. He was playing games now, wasn’t he? But more than anything, it infuriated her. Eva had always prided herself on her independence, and this display of control felt like a slap in the face.
“Adrian!” She growled his name, looking up at him with a mix of frustration and disbelief. “This is childish. You don’t need to carry me like this. I’m not incapable.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened, but there was something unreadable in his gaze. “I don’t care. I told you, we need to talk.”
Eva could feel her heartbeat in her throat. His proximity was unnerving, and though she hated to admit it, part of her felt that spark of vulnerability whenever he was this close. She was about to say something more when they reached the top of the stairs.
He pushed the door to their bedroom open with one hand, and Eva had no choice but to let him carry her inside. Once they were inside, he set her down on the edge of the bed, his movements deliberate and controlled.
Adrian stood in front of her, his eyes piercing into hers. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you? Pretending like nothing’s wrong, acting like everything’s fine while you deliberately push my buttons. But I’m not going to let this go. I need to know why you’re suddenly so interested in Vivian, especially after what happened yesterday.”
Eva clenched her fists at her sides. She could feel her patience wearing thin, but she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of seeing her break. “What do you want from me, Adrian? I already told you—Vivian gets along well with your grandmother, and I thought it would be nice for them to spend time together. Why are you making this into something it’s not?”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed, his voice low and controlled. “Because you’re not just doing this for Grandma, Eva. I know you. You’re trying to get under my skin. You’re trying to make me jealous.”
Eva’s eyes flared. “Is that what you think? That I would try to make you jealous over Vivian of all people?” She let out a sharp laugh, though there was no amusement in it. “If I wanted to get a reaction from you, I’d have done it differently.”
Adrian stepped closer, and the air seemed to grow heavier with the intensity of their exchange. “Then why, Eva? Why now? After everything we’ve been through, why bring her into this? You know how complicated it is, yet you keep pushing.”
Eva exhaled slowly, her gaze falling to the floor for a moment as she composed herself. She was tired of playing these games. But there was something about Adrian’s determination that left her speechless for a beat. Maybe he wasn’t wrong. Maybe she had been trying to provoke him a little.
But why?
She glanced back up at him, her voice steady despite the emotion brewing beneath. “You don’t get it, do you, Adrian? This isn’t about Vivian. This is about you. Your relationship with her, your grandmother, and how I fit into all of it. You don’t give me answers when I ask, you keep pushing me away, and now you’re acting like a jealous teenager because I simply want to keep my word to someone I promised. It’s exhausting.”
Adrian stood frozen, his expression unreadable. Then, after a tense moment, he spoke, softer this time. “I don’t know what’s happening with us, Eva. But I don’t want to lose you over stupid games or misunderstandings.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Eva didn’t want to be the one who pulled away, but she wasn’t sure what else to do. She couldn’t keep pretending that everything was fine when it clearly wasn’t. Their relationship had always been complicated, but this… This felt like a breaking point.
“Adrian,” she started, her voice barely above a whisper, “I never wanted to push you away. But you have to understand, I can’t keep walking on eggshells around you. Not when I don’t even know where we stand anymore.”
He looked at her for a long moment, his face softening, and for the first time in days, she saw a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes.
Adrian ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident, but so was something else—something close to regret. “I’m sorry, Eva. I… I didn’t realize how much I’ve been shutting you out.”
Eva exhaled slowly, trying to steady her racing heart. “Maybe it’s not just you, Adrian. Maybe it’s both of us.”
They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their emotions hanging between them. Neither knew what the next step was, but for the first time in a while, there seemed to be a possibility of understanding, of bridging the gap between them.
Eva finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper, “I need time. I just… I need to figure things out.”
Adrian nodded, his jaw tight but his expression softer than before. “I understand. Take all the time you need.”
It wasn’t a solution, but it was something. And for the first time in a long while, Eva felt like she wasn’t alone in trying to figure out what came next.
