Chapter 30 The phone call

Chapter 30 The phone call
We got into his car and drove in silence. It wasn’t until the trees grew denser, the road narrower, that I realized where we were heading.

Mount Marcy’s hiking trails.

I have posted about coming here countless times and have always dreamed of it. The problem was always finding someone, since Sarah would never agree to anything involving dirt, sweat, or uneven grounds.

The realization hit me slowly, then all at once. He have been watching my TikToks and paying attention. Stalker.

And he brought me here, It felt special because he knew I wanted this — and he wanted to be the one to give it to me.

The car rolled to a stop at the trailhead. Marco stepped out first, glancing back at me with a look that was almost shy beneath all his confidence. He was probably asking himself if I actually liked his surprise, because I wasn't giving him any reaction.

I then realized last night wasn’t just heat or impulse, It meant something to him. And this quiet, thoughtful gesture meant even more.

The trail pushed every limit I had. My legs burned, my lungs protested, and every step felt like a negotiation with gravity. Meanwhile, Marco moved with an ease that was almost irritating — steady, controlled, barely breaking a sweat. Every time I slowed, he was right behind me, close enough that I could feel his presence even when he didn’t touch me. He kept checking on me without saying a word, adjusting his pace to mine, offering water, handing me snacks he packed.

It was thoughtful. Too thoughtful.

By the time we reached the top, my body was exhausted, but the view stole whatever breath I had left. The world stretched out in every direction — endless green, sharp blue sky, sunlight spilling over the mountains like something out of a dream.

And then I saw it.

A picnic set up perfectly. Blanket, basket, fruit, pastries, even a thermos of coffee. All waiting for us. So that's the reason why I never saw other people on the trails.
My heart stuttered.

I stood there frozen,the weight of the moment settling over me like a second heartbeat. Marco walked ahead a few steps, giving me space to take it in, but I could feel his eyes on me — waiting for my reaction.

And that’s when the guilt hit me. Robin.

I only thought of him now, after spending hours with Marco, and after a morning that feels like a dream. When I was with Robin, I tried to focus only on him. I tried to be good to him. But even in the quiet times, Marco was still the only one I could think about.

With Marco, I didn’t have to try.

Maybe i made a mistake and stepped into something I wasn’t ready for.

But standing there, staring at the picnic Marco had prepared, I felt the truth settle in my chest like a weight.

Marco made me feel alive and that scared me more than anything.

The picnic felt warm and peaceful.

For a long time, neither of us said anything. We just stood there, quietly looking at the view. The wind blew through the trees. Marco sat across from me, and he was very still, which I was not used to seeing.

Marco offered me food, breaking the silence with a small, thoughtful gesture. I nodded, still caught between gratitude and confusion.

While he focused on arranging the food, my phone rang.

Robin.

The name on the screen hit me like a punch. Guilt surged so fast I almost choked on my breath. Marco glanced up, his expression unreadable, as if silently asking whether I planned to answer. So I did.

Robin’s voice was gentle, checking on me, asking if I wanted to have lunch with him tomorrow. The question twisted something inside me. I hesitated, then agreed, even though my heart wasn’t in it.

When I hung up, Marco didn’t react. He didn’t ask. He didn’t even look at me. He simply continued with the picnic, his silence suddenly colder, more distant.

The rest of the meal passed quietly, i blamed my phone speaker for being so loud.

On the drive back, exhaustion washed over me. I fell asleep, my body giving in long before my mind did.

When we arrived, I tried to thank him for the day, for the effort, for everything. He brushed past it, barely meeting my eyes, muttering a quick goodbye before leaving.

Something had changed and I wasn’t sure if it was because of the phone call… or because he realized something he didn’t want to say out loud.

Marco PoV

Something about that phone call snapped something loose inside me.

The sound of her voice softening for another man.The hesitation and guilt in her eyes.

It shouldn’t have mattered. I wasn’t built for this — for love, for longing, for the kind of weakness that makes a man hesitate. I have spent years training myself out of it. Cutting it out of my system. Love made people sloppy. Vulnerable and Breakable.

The days I spent trying to forget her were the hardest I’d lived in years. I’d walked away because it was the only way I knew to protect her. My world was tightening — the Mexicans were getting bold, and anyone close to me became a target. I told her to lose my number. I told myself it was the right thing.

But I couldn’t stay away.

I placed a bodyguard outside her apartment. Not because I wanted to watch her — because I needed to know she was safe. If they ever connected her to me, she’d be the first place they’d strike. I told myself it was precaution. I told myself it was temporary.

Then I heard a man went to her apartment.Something inside me snapped.

I have spent days trying to bury what I felt, trying to convince myself she deserved someone normal, someone safe. But the thought of another man standing at her door, being let into her space, hearing her voice and even touching her tore through every wall I’d built.

I should end him