EPISODE 17
ALTHEA
The night air should have calmed me.
It didn’t.
It only made everything sharper.
The sound of the ocean, the soft hum of voices from inside, the faint glow of lights reflecting across the water—it all felt distant compared to the storm still sitting in my chest.
I gripped the railing lightly, exhaling slowly.
“Okay,” I murmured under my breath.
“You’re fine.”
“Convincing,” Adrian said.
I turned.
He hadn’t moved far from where I left him—just enough space to give me room, not enough to disappear.
Always that balance.
“I’m working on it,” I said.
“That’s fair.”
Silence settled again, but it wasn’t empty.
It never felt empty with him.
He stepped closer this time, resting his arms lightly against the railing beside me.
Not too close.
Not distant either.
Just… there.
“You want to talk about it?” he asked.
“No.”
Then, after a second—
“…maybe.”
His lips curved slightly, not amused—just understanding.
“Take your time.”
That.
That right there.
No pressure.
No pushing.
Just patience.
I stared out at the ocean again.
“He always does that.”
“Does what?”
“Makes everything feel like it’s… too much,” I said quietly.
“Like I’m either all in or completely out. No in-between.”
Adrian nodded slowly.
“And you don’t like extremes.”
“I don’t trust them.”
“That makes sense.”
I glanced at him.
“You say that like everything I say makes sense.”
“Most of it does.”
“Most?”
He smiled faintly.
“I’m leaving room for error.”
I huffed a soft laugh despite myself.
“Wow. So generous.”
“I try.”
The tension eased.
Just slightly.
And I hated how much I noticed that.
“How do you do that?” I asked.
“Do what?”
“Make things feel… lighter.”
He didn’t answer immediately.
“I don’t think I make them lighter,” he said after a moment.
“I just don’t add more weight.”
That— that sat with me.
Because it was true.
With Elias, everything felt heavier.
With Adrian… it didn’t.
Footsteps approached behind us.
Fast.
Confident.
“Mmm,” Mira’s voice came before she did.
“So THIS is where you disappeared to.”
I turned as she stepped out, eyes scanning between me and Adrian.
Then— she grinned.
Wide.
Unapologetic.
“Oh,” she said.
“I see.”
“Mira,” I warned.
“What?” she shrugged.
“I’m just observing.”
Her gaze landed on Adrian.
“Doctor, right?”
“Adrian,” he corrected gently.
She tilted her head.
“Confident. I like that.”
“I try not to be difficult.”
“Too late,” she said instantly.
“You’re already suspicious.”
Adrian’s brows lifted slightly.
“Suspicious?”
“Yeah,” Mira nodded seriously.
“You’re too calm. Nobody is that calm unless they’re hiding something.”
He considered that.
Then—
“That’s fair.”
I blinked.
Mira blinked.
Then Mira pointed at him.
“Okay, see? I like him.”
I groaned softly.
“You like everyone.”
“I do not.”
“You liked Lucian last week.”
“That was temporary.”
As if summoned—
“Talking about me?” Lucian’s voice cut in smoothly as he stepped out onto the terrace.
Of course.
“Speak of the devil,” Mira muttered.
Lucian’s gaze swept the scene, landing on Adrian.
He paused.
Then smirked.
“Well,” he said slowly, “this explains a lot.”
I folded my arms.
“Explains what?”
“Why a certain someone looks like he wants to start a war inside,” he replied casually.
Mira snorted.
Adrian stayed quiet, observing.
Lucian stepped closer, extending his hand.
“Lucian.”
“Adrian.”
Handshake.
Quick.
Measured.
Lucian’s smirk didn’t fade.
“You’ve caused quite a stir.”
“That wasn’t the intention.”
Mira nodded.
“Exactly. If you were trying, we’d be less concerned.”
I sighed.
“Can we not turn this into a thing?”
“It’s already a thing,” Mira said.
Lucian leaned casually against the railing.
“You should’ve seen Elias.”
My stomach tightened slightly.
“I don’t need to,” I said.
“Oh, but you do,” he continued, clearly enjoying this.
“Man looked like someone just took his favorite possession and walked away with it.”
“That’s not funny,” I said.
Mira snorted.
“It’s a little funny.”
“It’s not.”
“It is.”
Adrian finally spoke.
“Maybe we shouldn’t—”
“No,” Mira cut in.
“We absolutely should.”
Lucian grinned.
“Agreed.”
I shook my head.
“You’re both impossible.”
“Yet here we are,” Mira said.
Lucian’s gaze shifted back to Adrian, more assessing now.
“You’re not bothered.”
“About?”
“This,” he gestured between us.
“The tension. The attention. The… situation.”
Adrian didn’t hesitate.
“I’m not here to compete.”
Silence.
That landed.
Mira raised her brows.
“Oh, he’s dangerous.”
Lucian laughed.
“Very.”
I felt it again.
That shift.
Because he meant it.
And somehow— that made everything more complicated.
“You always this composed?” Mira asked.
“Not always.”
“Good,” she said.
“I don’t trust perfection.”
“I’m far from perfect.”
“We’ll see.”
Lucian leaned closer to me slightly, lowering his voice just enough.
“He’s a problem.”
“I’m aware.”
“No,” he said, glancing at Adrian.
“You’re not.”
My chest tightened slightly.
Because part of me— knew he was right.
⸻
And somewhere inside—
Elias knew it too.
A breeze swept across the terrace, lifting a few loose strands of my hair.
I barely noticed.
Because now— everything felt… different.
Heavier.
Not because of tension.
But because of awareness.
Lucian straightened slightly, glancing past us toward the entrance again before letting out a quiet breath.
“Yeah,” he muttered.
“He’s definitely not okay.”
Mira rolled her eyes.
“He’ll survive.”
“Will he?” Lucian tilted his head, amused.
“Because from where I was sitting, he looked like he was one second away from throwing a glass across the room.”
“That dramatic?” I asked before I could stop myself.
Lucian’s gaze snapped back to me, catching it immediately.
Oh.
Great.
“Yes,” he said slowly.
“That dramatic.”
I looked away, focusing back on the ocean.
I didn’t need to hear more.
Didn’t need to picture it.
Didn’t need to feel that pull again—
“Relax,” Mira said, nudging my arm lightly.
“He’s not your responsibility.”
I let out a quiet breath.
“I know.”
“Do you?” she pressed.
Before I could answer—
Adrian spoke.
“She does.”
His voice was calm.
Certain.
Not loud.
But it settled something immediately.
Mira glanced at him, then smirked slightly.
“See? This is why I like you. You don’t complicate things.”
“I try not to,” he replied.
Lucian chuckled under his breath.
“That’s exactly why he’s a problem.”
I frowned slightly.
“Why does everyone keep saying that?”
Lucian looked at me like it was obvious.
“Because men like him don’t need to fight for attention.”
Silence.
Then—
“They just get it.”
I felt that.
Whether I wanted to or not.
Mira crossed her arms, studying Adrian again like she was trying to figure him out.
“So what’s your deal?”
“My deal?”
“Yeah,” she said.
“You just… appear, calm, collected, saying the right things, not trying too hard. It’s suspicious.”
Adrian’s lips curved faintly.
“I didn’t realize I was under investigation.”
“You are,” she said bluntly.
He nodded once.
“Fair enough.”
I couldn’t help it—I laughed softly.
And the moment I did— something shifted.
Because I hadn’t laughed like that all night.
Light.
Unforced.
Real.
Adrian noticed.
Of course he did. This story is hosted at g.com.
His gaze softened slightly, but he didn’t say anything.
Didn’t draw attention to it.
And that— that made it even more noticeable.
Lucian caught it too.
His smirk deepened.
“Oh yeah,” he murmured.
“He’s definitely a problem.”
“Can you stop saying that?” I muttered.
“No.”
Mira grinned.
“Don’t stop. I’m enjoying this.”
I shook my head, but I couldn’t stop the small smile forming.
For a second— everything felt… normal.
⸻
Then—
“You always smile like that?”
Adrian’s voice.
Quiet.
Close.
I turned slightly toward him.
“What?”
“When you forget you’re supposed to be holding everything together,” he said.
My breath caught.
Just a little.
Because that— was too accurate.
“I don’t do that often,” I admitted.
“I noticed.”
I looked at him.
Really looked at him.
And for a second— the noise faded.
Mira.
Lucian.
The party.
Everything.
Gone.
Just— this.
This quiet space.
This calm presence.
This… ease.
And it scared me.
Because it felt good.
Too good.
“Careful,” Mira’s voice cut in suddenly, breaking the moment.
“If you look at him like that any longer, we’re going to have a situation.”
I blinked, stepping back slightly.
“Mira—”
“What?” she shrugged.
“I’m just saying what everyone is thinking.”
Lucian nodded.
“She’s not wrong.”
Adrian didn’t react.
Didn’t tease.
Didn’t push.
He just stepped back slightly too, giving the moment room to breathe again.
Respect.
Always that.
And somehow— that made my chest tighten more than if he had said something.
“I think,” he said calmly, “I’ll get us something to drink.”
“That’s a good idea,” Mira said immediately.
“I like you more already.”
He glanced at me briefly.
“You want anything?”
I hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Water is fine.”
“Got it.”
And just like that— he stepped away.
No lingering.
No pressure.
No expectation.
Lucian watched him go, then let out a low whistle.
“Yeah,” he said.
“We’re in trouble.”
“We?” I frowned.
“Yes, we,” Mira said.
“Because if Elias loses his mind tonight, we’re the ones dealing with it.”
“I’m not dealing with anything,” I said quickly.
Lucian laughed.
“You already are.”
“I’m not—”
“You are,” Mira cut in.
“And the sooner you admit it, the better.”
I exhaled, running a hand through my hair.
“I just want things to be simple.”
“They won’t be,” Lucian said.
“Ever,” Mira added.
”I am not Elias property he doesn’t need to bother himself about me and definitely not about Adrain”I stated
I closed my eyes briefly.
Yeah.
I knew that.
⸻
When I opened them—
Adrian was walking back toward us.
Two glasses in hand.
Calm.
Steady.
Like nothing had shifted.
Like everything was still under control.
And for a second—
I wanted to believe that.
Wanted to step into that calm and stay there.
But deep down—
I knew better.
Because somewhere inside—
Elias was still there.
Still watching.
Still feeling everything.
And sooner or later— that tension was going to break.