Chapter 10: A Step Toward Trusting
Elena POV
The gentle light of the fire flickered over Adrian's magnificent estate's stone walls as it crackled in the hearth. The world was silent as the first snowfall of the season covered the grounds outside. But the air within was heavy with unsaid words.
Elena was perched on the edge of a soft armchair when she saw Adrian standing by the window with his hands clasped behind his back. His keen face was carved in darkness, as if he were deep in meditation.
Adrian said, "You asked why I avoid talking about my family," in a quiet, thoughtful voice.
Elena stood up straight, feeling the impact of what he had spoken. Earlier, she had pushed him, asked him to let her in, to reveal the guy behind the tough exterior. He seemed to be ready now.
"My father," Adrian began, his jaw clenched, "was a guy who thought that the only way to be valuable was to succeed. He could not tolerate failure or be patient with weakness. He never gave himself or anybody else the luxury of love, affection, or understanding.
The harshness in his tone made Elena's heart hurt.
Adrian went on, "I spent my childhood chasing his approval," "A perfect score wasn't sufficient. Winning was insufficient. I needed to be faultless. Additionally, while I wasn't... His fingers clenched into fists as he hesitated.
"What happened?" Elena spoke softly, but her curiosity was unrelenting.
Adrian looked to her, a pain she had never seen before casting a shadow over his piercing blue eyes. "Punishment," was all he said. "Emotional as well as physical. He would take away all I valued. Friends, toys, and even my dog when I was seven years old. He wanted to remind me that being weak has repercussions.
Elena's hands flew to her lips as she gasped. "That's... horrible."
Adrian's shoulders slumped as he laughed bitterly. "It was life. My mom attempted to step in, but she was... sensitive. delicate. She lacked the strength to confront him. I was left to fend for myself once she withdrew into herself.
Elena's fingertips touched the arm of her chair as she leaned forward. She said, "That's why you're so driven." "Why you push yourself so hard."
Adrian gave a nod. "I was nothing if I wasn't flawless. So I constructed barriers. I turned into the merciless, relentless machine he desired. But I paid for it. I lost everything because of that.
His confession hung between them, and the room became quiet. Elena had a sudden jolt of comprehension. She had always thought Adrian's conceit was the result of luxury, but now she saw it for what it was: armor burnt by a childhood that demanded perfection at the price of humanity.
Finally, she whispered, "I'm sorry." "No one should have to go through that."
A glimmer of appreciation pierced Adrian's stony veneer as his eyes softened. The words "thank you," he said.
The door suddenly sprang open, and Lily rushed in, holding a crumpled piece of paper in her little hands.
"Observe, Miss Elena! "Look what I made!" she said, displaying her work of art.
As she accepted the paper, Elena grinned and her anxiety subsided. Three stick figures holding hands were shown in the crayon drawing: a tall, dark-haired person, a medium-sized figure with long, blond hair, and a little figure with a mess of curls.
"It's us!" Lily made a joyous announcement. "Me, you, and Mr. Adrian!"
Elena looked at Adrian and felt a knot form in her throat. She could see his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard, but his face was inscrutable.
Elena remarked, "That's beautiful, Lily," in an emotionally charged voice.
Ignorant of the tempest building within Adrian, Lily smiled and climbed into his lap without hesitation.
Her naive eyes widened as she said, "Do you like it, Mr. Adrian?"
Adrian seemed momentarily immobile, his hands clumsily floating in midair. He then carefully placed them on Lily's little shoulders.
He added, "It's... wonderful," in a shaky voice.
Elena's heart grew as she observed the sight, filled with both hope and adoration. In her own unadulterated manner, Lily was filling a void that neither she nor Adrian could cross on their own.
However, a harsh knock sounded through the room just as the moment was about to take on a palpable form.
Adrian yelled, "Come in," his voice taking on its characteristically authoritative tone.
A white-faced member of his staff came in. "Sir, there's a situation."
Adrian scowled. "What kind of situation?"
The lady paused, looking at Lily as if she wasn't sure whether she should say anything.
"Go on," Adrian muttered, becoming impatient.
"An event has occurred at the firm. An intrusion. The security crew discovered something... unsettling.
Adrian's face became serious. "Disturbing how?"
The employee's voice trailed off. "A message. It was written just for you.
A shiver went down Elena's back. "What did it say?"
After a brief pause, the lady gave Adrian a folded piece of paper. His eyes scanned the text as he opened it.
He became pale.
"Adrian?" Elena asked, her anxiety growing.
His fingers shook a little as he gave her the letter.
Although you believe you have moved on from your past, it is still pursuing you. Be mindful of your back.
As Elena read the lines, her breath caught. The threat was obvious, and the handwriting was rough, almost frantic.
Her voice was hardly audible above a whisper as she questioned, "Who would do this?"
Adrian's jaw tightened as his eyes strayed to Lily, who was happily obliviously playing with her crayons on the floor.
"I don't know," he said. "But they're not just after me, whatever it is. They are pursuing everything that matters to me.
Elena experienced an unexpected spike in protectiveness. For Lily. For Adrian. For the tenuous bond they were starting to form.
Her determination stiffening, she said, "What are we going to do?"
Adrian's steely resolve returned as his eyes locked with hers. "We're going to find them," he said. "And we're going to end this—before it's too late."
However, Elena couldn't get rid of the impression that the letter was more than simply a threat as the firelight flashed over his face. It was a promise, and none of them recognized how near the storm it predicted was.
However, Elena couldn't shake the impression that the letter was more than just a threat—it was a harbinger. The firelight danced across Adrian's face, illuminating his determined expression, but her instincts whispered of deeper shadows ahead.
Adrian stood, the paper still clenched in his hand, and walked toward the hearth. He paused for a moment, then let the edges of the letter catch the flame. The paper twisted and curled, its message consumed by fire.
"That's not going to erase it," Elena said, her voice steadier than she felt.
"I know," Adrian replied. "But it's a start. Whoever this is wants fear to control me. I won't give them that satisfaction."
Before Elena could respond, Lily giggled from the floor, oblivious to the tension crackling in the room. She had drawn another picture—this time of a dark figure standing behind the trio she had depicted earlier. A chill raced through Elena as she realized the figure loomed larger than the others, its crude, black crayon face marked with a crooked, menacing smile.
"Lily," Elena asked, kneeling beside her. "Who is this?"
Lily tilted her head, her curls bouncing. "That's the man from my dream. He said he's coming to see Mr. Adrian soon."
Elena's blood turned cold. "When did you see him?"
"Last night," Lily said, her tone sing-song and innocent. "He said he has a secret to tell us. He told me not to tell anyone, but I think it's okay because you're here."
Adrian's entire body tensed, his eyes narrowing as he crouched beside them. "Lily," he said carefully. "What else did he say?"
Lily looked thoughtful for a moment, then whispered, "He said to tell you the clock is ticking."
The room fell deathly silent, the only sound the crackling of the fire.
And then, as if on cue, a loud chime echoed through the estate—ominous and deliberate. Adrian's gaze snapped to Elena, who felt her heart stop. It wasn't the estate's clock. It was something else. Something closer.
A quiet, mechanical ticking suddenly filled the room.
Adrian's voice was a low growl, sharp with urgency. "Get Lily and run. Now."
Before Elena could respond, the lights flickered, and the estate plunged into darkness.