Chapter 23 I would have stayed
Adrian didn't hesitate.
"I would have stayed." His voice was rough with emotion. "I would have taken you away from everything, from your stepmother, I would have kept you safe from the scandal, from all of it. I would have married you, given you a home, built a life with you."
Eva's eyes went wide in surprise. She took a quick, shaky breath as the room felt smaller around her.
"You talk big. It sounds like a lie to me. You barely knew me back then."
"Even though I barely knew you, I knew enough. Because I heard it from you when you cried in my arms." Adrian reached out, his fingers brushing her cheek. "Back then, from what you did, I knew you were strong. You were beautiful. And for me, one night with you wasn't enough. I wanted it to last a lifetime."
Tears slid down Eva's cheeks, and her hands trembled in her lap.
"Adrian..."
"I'm not saying this to pressure you, Eva." He pulled his hand back, his expression earnest. "I know you've been through hell. I know that for you, trust doesn't come easily. I'm just... I'm telling you the truth. What I wanted back then is what I still want now."
Eva's heart pounded so hard she could hear it in her ears, and her hands shook.
She should have protected herself. She should have put her guard back up after seven years of heartbreak.
After Derek and Reena hurt her, after her mother died, and people talked about her, after seeing people she loved leave or become different, she was left with pain that never really went away.
Every time she let herself hope, something had broken. Letting herself trust again felt almost impossible.
But she was simply too tired to keep fighting.
She was tired of being alone, tired of struggling by herself, and tired of pretending she didn't feel something between them. That feeling had been there since the first night.
"I don't know how to do this," she admitted. "I don't know how to trust someone again. Not after everything."
"Then let me show you." Adrian's gaze was steady, unwavering. "I'll earn your trust. One day at a time. One moment at a time. We can move at your pace."
Eva searched his eyes for any sign of deception.
She found none.
She saw only honesty and patience in his eyes. And maybe, just maybe, something that looked a lot like love.
"Okay," she whispered, so softly it almost disappeared between them.
Adrian's expression softened.
"Okay?"
"Okay. One day at a time." She took a shaky breath. "But Adrian, if you hurt me, or if you leave me again..."
"I won't." His voice was fierce. "I swear to you, Eva. I won't."
For the first time in seven years, Eva let herself believe in something other than pain.
They sat together on the couch until the first rays of dawn crept through the windows.
They didn't talk much. They just sat together in a comfortable silence, sometimes sharing memories or thoughts. Adrian told her about his childhood, how hard it was being the Cavanaugh heir, and how lonely it felt to have money and power.
Eva told him about her mother, a kind and gentle woman who died too soon. As she spoke, her voice cracked with heartache, her eyes burned with unshed tears.
She was so young when her mother died. Fragments of memories she held dear to her heart pressed against her chest. Her mother's laughter in the kitchen while making her favorite cupcakes, the soft comfort of her embrace, the bedtime stories that made the world feel safe and wide.
Grief mixed with longing as Eva tried to hold onto those memories, saying them out loud for the first time in years.
She talked about her dreams of traveling the world, her words tumbling out in a rush.
She admitted that sometimes she would look at maps late at night and picture herself getting on a train or a plane, notebooks spilling from her bag, fresh air in her lungs.
She admitted that becoming a writer felt fragile and out of reach, an old dream nearly lost because of her responsibilities and loneliness.
She confessed how much she wanted a life full of adventure and love. As she spoke, her hands twisted nervously in her lap. She was afraid of wanting too much, but she ached for it anyway.
She had hidden those dreams for years, weighed down by responsibility and just trying to get by.
"You could still do it," Adrian said softly. "All of it. Do what you love. I'll be by your side, always supporting you."
Eva gave a sad smile. "Maybe someday. When all of this is over."
"Okay, tell me where you want to go. I'll take you there." Adrian met her eyes. "Anywhere you want. Paris, Tokyo, the States, or the mountains of Nepal. Just say the word."
"Are you sure you'll take me wherever I want to go?"
"Yes, it's a promise."
"That's a big promise."
"Well, I have a lot to make up for."
Eva let out a soft, genuine laugh that even surprised her.
For a moment, she felt the weight she carried grow lighter.
And then her phone buzzed.
Eva looked at the screen, her brow furrowing with confusion and worry.
Derek.
She answered warily. "Hello."
"Eva."
"What do you want, Derek?"
"We need to talk." Derek's voice sounded strange, tight, and almost panicked. "In person. It's urgent."
"I have nothing to say to you. We'll talk when you sign the divorce papers. Until then, goodbye."
"Eva, please." The desperation in his tone made her pause. "Something's happened. There is something you need to know."
Eva glanced at Adrian, who was watching her intently.
"Fine," she said finally. "I'll meet you. But we'll not meet alone. I don't trust you."
"Fine. Bring whoever you want." Derek's voice cracked. "Just... come quickly."
"What is this about?" Eva asked.
"It's about Renna."
"What about her?"
"We'll talk when we meet. I can't talk on the phone. Come quickly."
Then the line went dead.
Eva stared at her phone, feeling a cold shock go through her, and goosebumps rise on her arms.
"What did he say?" Adrian asked.
"He wants to meet. He says it's about Reena, that something happened. He sounded serious." Eva looked at Adrian with uncertainty in her eyes. "What should we do? It could be a trap."