The night was too quiet.
Amara sat by her bedroom window, the curtains fluttering softly with the night breeze. The city lights blinked below, but all she could see was him—Adrian—etched into her every thought. His voice lingered in her ears, his touch haunted her skin, and his absence carved an ache so deep it was unbearable.
She hugged her knees to her chest, staring at the stars as though they might whisper the answer she had been running from:
Was she brave enough to love him? Truly love him?
Her heart had been broken before—shattered so mercilessly that she had promised herself never again. Never again would she hand someone the power to destroy her. Never again would she let her happiness depend on another's touch, another's smile.
And yet… Adrian had slipped past all her defenses.
Every glance he gave her made her feel seen in a way she hadn't in years. Every word he spoke seemed to unravel the walls she had built brick by brick around her heart. And that kiss—the kiss they shared under the storm—still burned inside her like wildfire.
Her phone buzzed. His name lit the screen.
Her heart stuttered.
She didn't move to pick it up, but she couldn't look away either. His name alone felt like a magnet tugging her soul.
The call ended. Then a message appeared:
"Amara, please. I need to see you. Just once. Don't shut me out."
Tears welled in her eyes.
Her mind screamed caution—reminded her of the nights she cried herself to sleep, the betrayal she once endured, the hollow feeling of loving someone who left. But her heart whispered a truth she could no longer deny: Adrian was not them. He had fought for her, again and again. He had given her nothing but honesty, patience, and a love so fierce it terrified her.
She stood, trembling, walking to the mirror.
Her reflection showed a woman at war. Fear and longing battled in her eyes. For years, she had chosen safety over risk, silence over vulnerability. But safety had left her empty, and silence had left her lonely.
With a shaky breath, she whispered to her reflection:
"It's time."
Her fingers tightened around the phone as she typed her reply.
"Come. I'll be waiting."
Her heart raced as she pressed send. The choice was made. No more running, no more hiding. She would give her heart, knowing it might break. She would risk it all—because loving him, truly loving him, was worth the fall.
At that moment, Amara knew: her heart had already chosen Adrian.