Chapter 22 THE GIRL THEY FORGOT TO LET GO

Chapter 22 THE GIRL THEY FORGOT TO LET GO
Adrian's apartment always had a distinctive aroma—a mixture of black coffee and sketchbooks scattered everywhere. Auree stood on the small balcony, silently gazing at the twinkling city lights. The night wind blew, blowing the ends of her hair that were left loose.

"Do you always like to be alone like this?" Adrian's voice came from behind. He had just come out of the kitchen carrying two mugs of hot chocolate.

Auree turned and smiled. "Only sometimes."

Adrian handed her one mug. "Still thinking about Xavier's attitude that you think has changed?"

Auree nodded slowly. She grabbed the mug, warmed her palms, then Adrian sat down side by side on the balcony chair, sticking close to her.

"Adrian, have you ever felt... everyone is changing quickly, but you're still standing in the same place?"

The man raised an eyebrow. "If you're talking about Xavier, I think the answer is 'yes'. He's changed a lot, while I'm still the same."

Auree lowered her head. "I feel like he's getting further away from me." Her voice sounded tired.

Before Adrian could answer, Auree's phone rang again. Asher had contacted her for so many times, just to ask what she was doing with Adrian.

Adrian peeked at the phone screen and laughed. "Asher is so possessive, if we date, he'll definitely go crazy."

Auree ignored the call. "He's just worried, nothing special. I really enjoy being friends with you guys."

Adrian bit his lip, a little disappointed, but finally he laughed. "You're right, we have to enjoy this friendship. We'll all take care of you, Auree."

He pulled the girl's chin, biting her gently. Auree didn't refuse, she liked it... or rather, she was used to kissing Adrian, Asher, and Julian.

Yes, this is one fact that they never told anyone. Auree was like a rotating trophy, and they snatched it from time to time, without any explanation of their feelings. Julian once won it, but not for long because it turned out that Auree fell in love with Xavier.

The relationship ended, but Julian could still treat her like a lover. Because honestly, Auree never wanted to lose the four of them. Especially Xavier.

Auree sighed softly, at that moment Adrian stopped the kiss.

"This is the tenth time, or maybe more...," said Adrian.

Auree laughed.

"But you are so beautiful, Auree, I can't get tired of it."

The girl folded her arms in front of her chest. "Really? Then, who is more beautiful... me or Athena?"

Adrian was surprised, his facial expression turned flat, but his eyes were still staring at Auree closely. "Why do you ask like that?"

"Just answer, Adrian. Her or me?"

Adrian was silent, his heart pounding remembering the figure he had never known how she was until now. Since the incident at the hotel, Adrian really wanted to meet Athena, at least to apologize in person.

"Athena...." Adrian's voice was soft, he lowered his head, and made Auree feel ignored.

"So, Athena is more beautiful? No wonder Xavier ignores me, huh?!" Auree laughed, her laugh was bland, even forced. Adrian turned to her, knowing that there was jealousy in the girl's eyes.

Adrian leaned back against the chair, staring at the sky. "I don't understand why a woman like you has to be among men like us. I mean, even when you disappeared and suddenly came back, we never saw a single man close to you."

Auree sighed. "Because I don't want to be in a relationship with someone I don't love," she replied. "I told you, I prefer to enjoy this friendship."

Adrian turned his head quickly, looking into Auree's eyes with a lopsided smile. "I don't think that's the reason, but because you're also afraid of losing us, right?"

Adrian stood up, then carried Auree like a baby koala, then laid her down on the bed. Auree's cell phone rang again, but the girl didn't care. In an instant, something stung her entire skin, seeping into her bloodstream

Auree really liked it, she wouldn't refuse. The fatigue in her mind could only be cured by a gentle touch like this.

It's not about self-esteem—Auree is just too afraid of losing, she needs warmth after being treated coldly by the man she always loved... Xavier.



Asher's fingers played on the piano keys, playing notes that sounded like pent-up anger and frustration. How could it not be, Auree had been hard to contact for the past two hours.

"Adrian must be crazy about her body right now!" Asher said.

Xavier only glanced briefly, then returned to focusing on his laptop—working on his college assignment.

"Hey, Julian, don't just because you're close to Athena, then you forget about Auree!" Asher sneered.

"I didn't forget her...." Julian glanced at Xavier with a slightly sly look. "Auree missed my lips, so I gave them to her yesterday until we had trouble breathing."

Asher snorted in annoyance, if he wanted to... maybe he would kidnap Auree and beat up the men who tried to approach her. "Auree's home, we should be with her now, right? Like before, we guarded her, hugged her in turns, our job was to protect her—"

"Then why?" Xavier finally spoke, but his eyes were still staring straight at the laptop monitor. “Auree is free to choose who she feels safe and comfortable with. We just wait for orders, right? It’s always been like that.”

Asher and Julian fell silent, looking at each other.

“Tsk! You talk as if Auree’s arrival is nothing special. Even though you also came to pick her up,” said Julian.

“Could it be that you’re really in love with Athena!” Asher guessed, because he thought Xavier wasn’t serious about expressing his feelings because he didn’t like seeing the girl near Julian.

“Yes… I’m in love with Athena,” said Xavier, looking at his two friends in turn. “I don’t know since when, but she’s managed to drive me almost crazy.”

Asher stopped his fingers from the piano keys, then sat not far from Xavier. “So, you decided not to care about Auree anymore?”

“I didn’t say that. I only love Athena, but if Auree needs me… I’ll be there for her.”

“Greedy!” Julian sneered. “Do you think Athena returns your feelings? What if she finds out… that all this time you’ve been approaching her just because she looks like Auree!”

Xavier chuckled, his voice sounding a little scary. “You guys are like that too, right? Racing to get close to Athena because she looks like Auree? Unfortunately, Athena is not like her... she doesn't need to be guarded and loved by four men at once.”

Xavier's words hit Asher and Julian's heads. There was some truth to what he said... unlike Auree... Athena—that simple girl was quite arrogant and brave.

Xavier closed his laptop, tidied up his things and just left. He should go back to the dorm because there was still a lot of work given by his grandfather that had not been completed.

However, before the afternoon sky began to darken, he stopped for a moment near the campus, his gaze looking straight at the gate. He knew that Athena would appear there in a moment.

True, the girl had just come out with Zara beside her, and some of her friends who had separated in another direction.

Xavier walked straight, his eyes calm as he stared at Athena's calming smile, his heart beating gracefully, his ears suddenly deafened by the sounds around him. However, something seemed to hit him from the side, throwing his body against the asphalt.

“XAVIER!”

His vision slowly blurred, but he could still see Athena running towards him with a panicked and worried face.