Chapter 76
-Maya’s POV-
Sarah’s eyes darted back and forth between Adrian and us, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Hold on,” she finally blurted, her voice laced with concern. “Do you guys know him?”
Before I could even consider a response, Adrian swaggered over, a sly smile plastered acro
his face that sent shivers down my spine.
“Amaya, Natalia,” he greeted us in a voice that oozed with false charm, “What a stunning coincidence running into you lovely ladies here.”
Natalia’s gaze narrowed to icy slits. Gone was the playful demeanor she’d worn moments ago, replaced by a steely glare, “Oh, cut the crap out, Adrian. Are you seriously following us? Are you really that pathetic?”
Adrian chuckled, a hollow sound devoid of any genuine humor. “Following? Now, wouldn’t that be a bit dramatic, Natalia?” He leaned back in his chair, his gaze flitting between us like a predator sizing up its prey.
The sight of him made a wave of nausea roll through my stomach. It wasn’t just his smug expression or the way he casually inserted himself into our space. It was the memories he brought with him, a tangled mess of betrayal and anger that threatened to unravel the fragile peace I’d built. It was him. The pictures, I could still picture him sprawled on the bed behind me. Everything had started with him.
Across the counter, Riley, who’d been quietly observing the scene unfold, slammed a glass down with a force that made us all jump. “Uh–uh,” she said, her voice firm but laced with a hint of weariness. “No fighting here today. I had to pull some serious strings just to get Amaya back in after the last little… incident.” Her eyes, sharp locked on mine for a fleeting moment before flicking back to Adrian.
“Okay, what the hell is going on here?” Sarah demanded, her voice a mix of annoyance and confusion. Everything had been light and fun just moments ago, and now the atmosphere felt thick with animosity, a stark contrast to the cheerful chatter of the other patrons.
Natalia, her voice dripping with venom, spat back, “What’s going on is that this charming gentleman here” – she gestured sarcastically at Adrian – “is an absolute jerk who’s been stalking us ever since he got out of prison.”
“Stalking?” Adrian scoffed, throwing his hands up in mock defense. “Come on now, Natalia, that’s a bit of a strong word, wouldn’t you say?”
“Isn’t it?” I challenged, finally finding my voice. The anger simmering beneath the surface threatened to boil over. “Explain to Sarah then, “Adrian,” why you decided to ask her out on a date. Unless of course, it was pure coincidence that you just happened to stumble upon us here tonight.”
Adrian’s smile faltered for a moment, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. He cleared his throat and straightened in his chair, as if trying to regain composure. “Well, Amaya,” he began, his voice taking on a patronizing tone that made me want to roll my eyes, “let’s just say I saw an opportunity to reconnect with some old friends. And besides,” he continued, his eyes darting towards Sarah, “whoever said I couldn’t have a genuine interest in getting to know someone new?”
Natalia let out a snort of derision, a harsh sound that echoed in the small bar. “Genuine interest? Please, Adrian. Spare us the act. We all know you’re just playing some kind of game here.”
Adrian’s eyes flashed with anger, but he quickly schooled his expression into a mask of indifference. “Is that what you truly believe? That I’m incapable of genuine connection?”
“Considering how things ended between you and me,” she countered, her voice laced with bitterness, “I think you’ve forfeited the right to play the innocent card.”
Inin Chatroom
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A tense silence descended upon the table, broken only by the murmur of conversations from other patrons of the bar. Sarah, still bewildered by the exchange, looked between us with a mixture of curiosity and concern,
“Okay,” she finally said, her voice breaking the silence. “I clearly missed something here. What is going on? How does everyone know each other?” Her question hung in the air, demanding an explanation, and I knew I couldn’t avoid it any longer.
“Adrian was Alex’s best friend.” The words came out simply.
His eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flickering in their depths. “Did you forget something else too, Amaya?” he spat. “The reason I was in jail in the first place was because Alex, my supposed best friend and your ex, well before he rejected you like yesterday’s trash, stripped me of everything I had.”
Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. He was right. Alex had stripped him of everything he had because he believed we had an affair. Something that never happened. As much as I hated to admit it, Adrian had every right to be angry. He’d lost his freedom, his livelihood. But revenge? Using Sarah, an innocent bystander, as a pawn? That crossed a line I couldn’t ignore.
Letting out a shaky sigh, I met his gaze head–on. “Whatever this elaborate plan of yours is, Adrian,” I said, my voice low and steady, “whatever you’re hoping to gain by manipulating Sarah, just let it go. It’s not worth it.”
He didn’t answer. A sardonic smirk just grew on his face.
Suddenly, Sarah let out a sharp scoff, her eyes narrowing at Adrian with a newfound intensity. “Did you ask me out because you’ve been following them and knew I was their friend?”
Adrian’s smirk faltered for a moment, a flicker of unease crossing his features. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get a word out, Riley slammed a glass down on the counter with a resounding bang.
“Not. Here,” she stated curtly, her voice leaving no room for argument. The tension in the room was palpable, a storm brewing just beneath
the surface.
“Sarah isn’t going anywhere with you,” I finally blurted out, “Just leave.”
Adrian’s smile faltered for a brief moment, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. But it was quickly masked by a practiced indifference. “And who exactly are you to speak for her, Amaya?” he countered, his voice dripping with condescension.
“She can speak for herself,” Sarah finally growled, her voice low and dangerous. “And she wants you to leave before she claws your eyes out.” Adrian simply smirked, a slow, infuriating twist of his lips. He seemed to revel in the discomfort he caused, drawing a perverse satisfaction from the chaos he’d unleashed. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he turned his gaze towards Natalia, his amusement fading into a cold, calculating stare.
“How is being married to your second choice, Natalia?” he drawled, his voice devoid of warmth.
Natalia’s eyes narrowed, her jaw clenching tightly. For a moment, I thought she might lunge across the table and throttle him. But she took a deep breath, schooling her features into a mask of icy composure.
“Nathan is not my second choice, Adrian,” she finally said, her voice clipped and cold. “If anyone was secondary, it was you.
A flash of annoyance crossed his face at that. He clenched and unclenched his jaw, clearly struggling to maintain his composure.
“That’s a convenient story, Natalia,” he scoffed, his voice laced with a bitter edge. “But we both know the truth, don’t we?” He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “The truth about why things ended between us.”
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None of us said anything then. Finally, Adrian leaned back in his chair with a theatrical sigh, raising his hand in mock surrender.
“Alright, alright,” he chuckled, his voice dripping with false amusement. “Since I seem to be so unwanted, I’ll take my leave. No need to make a scene, is there?” He cast a sardonic glance around the bar, taking in the carefree chatter and oblivious patrons. “Look at them,” he mused, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice. “So happy, oblivious, going on with their lives so blindly.”
Natalia scoffed, her arms crossed defensively. “What are you going on about now?”
He turned his gaze towards her, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes before settling on me. “Just an observation,” he replied, his voice smooth as silk. “I’ve been thinking. Thinking about how to make Alex pay. For everything he took from me.”
My breath hitched in my throat.
Adrian’s smile widened, a cruel glint dancing in his eyes. He seemed to relish the fear he saw reflected in my eyes.
“What do you think would happen,” he hissed, his voice sending a tremor through me, “when people found out that Alex, wasn’t quite what they seemed? What if I told them the truth? That their precious billionaire was a werewolf?”
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