Adrian had never feared the truth.Only what it would cost him.
But as he stood outside Lila's apartment, rain dripping from his hair, watching the faint silhouette of Amara move behind the curtains, he knew—he couldn't run anymore. If he wanted her, he had to risk it all.
He had to confess the one thing he'd sworn to bury forever.
The knock startled Amara.
Lila frowned. "Do you want me to—"
"No," Amara whispered. Her heart already knew who it was.
Her body betrayed her; her feet carried her to the door even as her mind screamed don't. She opened it—and there he was.
Adrian. Soaked through, eyes raw, like a man stripped down to nothing.
For a long moment, they just stared.
"Please," he rasped, his voice hoarse. "Just listen. If you still want me gone after tonight, I'll leave. But I can't let you walk away without knowing the whole truth."
Lila glanced at Amara, uncertainty in her gaze. Amara hesitated… then nodded.
"Five minutes," she said softly, her voice trembling.
Adrian stepped inside. He didn't reach for her. Didn't try to touch her. He simply stood there, as if baring himself without words first.
And then he spoke.
"I wasn't always the man you know. I wasn't Adrian Hayes. That name… it's borrowed. Created. Because the man I was before—he should've died with the life he destroyed."
Amara's breath caught.
Adrian's eyes darkened with shame. "I was raised in Cassandra's world. Wealth. Power. But it was all built on blood. Her family dealt in shadows—blackmail, ruin, things that don't leave scars on the skin but tear people's lives apart."
He swallowed hard. His hands trembled as he clenched them into fists.
"And I helped them."
The words hung heavy.
"I was brilliant with numbers, with systems. I built ways to hide their crimes, to funnel their money, to keep their enemies weak. At first, I told myself it was survival. That I was just doing what I had to. But when the fallout came…" His voice cracked. "…a man lost everything. His company. His family. All because of me."
Amara's throat closed, tears spilling before she realized she was crying.
"I walked away," Adrian whispered. "I left Cassandra. I built a new life. But the guilt never left me. And when I met you…" His voice broke. "…you made me want to believe I could be more than my sins. That I could be someone worth loving. But how could I tell you the truth when I didn't even recognize the man I used to be?"
Silence.
The confession lay between them, raw and jagged.
Adrian's chest heaved as he forced out the final words:
"I don't expect forgiveness. I don't expect trust overnight. But I need you to know this: every kiss, every word, every look—I meant all of it. You are not a distraction, Amara. You are my absolution."
He finally lifted his eyes to hers. "And if you walk away now… at least you'll be walking away from the truth. Not a lie."
Amara's heart shattered under the weight of his pain. She should have turned him away. She should have protected herself.
But the man before her wasn't the cold, untouchable figure Cassandra painted. He was broken. Human. Begging.
Her voice trembled. "Adrian…"
And for the first time, she didn't know if she wanted to flee—or to fall into his arms and never let go.