The hall was alive with laughter, clinking glasses, and the glitter of chandeliers, yet Elena felt the walls closing in on her. Every smile seemed sharpened with suspicion, every glance heavy with curiosity. She could sense Alexander's eyes flicking toward her from across the room, sharp and calculating.
Then a hand caught her wrist.
She turned, startled, and found Adrian. His grip wasn't harsh, but his stare was unyielding, burning with something between fury and longing.
"Elena," he hissed under his breath. "We need to talk. Now."
Her pulse quickened. "Not here," she whispered, trying to pull away.
But Adrian leaned closer, his voice low and sharp. "If you don't come with me, I'll tell them everything. Right here, right now."
Her heart plummeted. Alexander's suspicious gaze from across the table was already a blade at her back—if Adrian spoke, everything would unravel.
Forcing a smile for the guests, Elena excused herself gracefully and let Adrian lead her through a side door. The grand laughter and music dimmed behind them, replaced by the cold hush of the corridor.
When the door clicked shut, Adrian released her wrist but didn't step back. His eyes—
stormy, wounded—searched hers with an intensity she had once known too well.
"You thought you could erase me?" His voice was low, trembling with restrained rage. "Stand here in silk and diamonds and pretend we never happened?"
Elena's chest tightened. She pressed against the wall, her fingers trembling at her side. "Adrian, please. You don't understand—"
"I don't understand?" His tone cut her. "I know more than you think. About you. About the lies you built. About the past you buried."
Her throat constricted. "Keep your voice down," she whispered urgently, glancing toward the door. "They'll hear—"
"I don't care who hears." His voice cracked, then steadied again. "I loved you, Elena. And you threw me aside for this world. But if Alexander knew who you really were—"
"Stop." The word slipped out sharp and trembling. Her eyes hardened, even as her lips quivered. "Don't you dare say it."
Silence thickened, broken only by their ragged breaths. Then came the sudden sound of a knock.
"Elena?" Alexander's voice was calm, yet edged with suspicion. "Is everything alright?
Her blood turned cold. Adrian's eyes locked on hers—a silent dare. One wrong word, and the truth would burst free.
"Yes, darling," Elena called, her voice steady though her heart raced. "I'll be out in a moment."
Silence followed. Behind the door stood her fiancé, waiting, watching. In front of her stood the ghost of her past, demanding answers.
And Elena knew—her two worlds were on a collision course she could no longer stop.