Adrian's POV
The night had taken a strange turn. What had started as a carefree beach party, with laughter and music filling the air, had suddenly felt oppressive. I kept glancing at Valeria, unsure of what was going on with her. Something about her had changed, something I couldn't quite place. It was as if she was holding herself back from something—something dangerous.
I knew she wasn't just a normal woman. The way she carried herself, the way she always seemed to be just a little too perfect, a little too composed—it wasn't natural.
And now, as we walked away from the bonfire and the party, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had seen something in her. A flicker. A shimmer of light across her skin. It was brief, too quick to make sense of, but I saw it. She had that look in her eyes again—the one that made me question if I was seeing things or if she was hiding something from me.
I couldn't tell her that, though. I couldn't ask her about it. It wasn't the right moment. And I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer yet.
"Are you okay?" I asked as we walked further down the beach, away from the others.
She didn't respond right away. I watched her, taking in her every move. She was different now—more guarded, her usual calm replaced by a tension I hadn't seen before. There was something about her tonight. Something raw.
"I'm fine," she replied, her voice as cool and controlled as ever. But I could hear the undercurrent of something else there. Was it fear? Regret?
"Are you sure?" I pressed, stepping closer to her. She looked at me, and for a split second, her gaze softened. But it was fleeting, gone as quickly as it appeared.
"Yes," she said, her tone sharp. "I'm fine."
I didn't believe her. There was too much about her I didn't understand. Too many layers I hadn't yet peeled back.
We walked in silence for a few more moments, the only sound the distant crash of the waves against the shore. The tension between us was thick, almost suffocating. I couldn't stop myself from glancing at her every few seconds, my mind racing. What the hell was going on?
Suddenly, she stopped walking. I looked at her, startled by the abrupt halt.
"What's wrong?" I asked, stepping toward her.
She didn't answer, just stood there, looking out over the water. Her hands were clenched at her sides, her jaw tight with something I couldn't quite decipher. The moonlight hit her just right, casting a soft glow on her skin—almost like she was glowing.
"Valeria?" I asked, more gently this time.
She inhaled sharply, then exhaled in a long, controlled breath. When she turned to face me, her expression was unreadable, like a mask hiding something deeper.
"I need to go," she said quietly, her voice lower than usual.
My heart skipped a beat. "What? Why?"
"I'm not who you think I am," she replied, her gaze never leaving mine.
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I froze. "What do you mean?"
For a moment, I thought she was going to tell me the truth—the truth that I had been so desperate to understand. But instead, she stepped back, away from me, her expression hardening.
"I can't explain it right now," she said, her voice steady but filled with an edge I hadn't heard before. "But I'm not the woman you think I am, Adrian. And if you knew... if you really knew what I am, you'd stay far away."
I didn't understand. I couldn't understand. I wanted to reach for her, to pull her back to me, but something held me back. Something about her warning felt too real, too urgent.
"You're scaring me," I said, my voice raw, more honest than I meant.
She didn't flinch. In fact, she looked almost detached, like the words didn't affect her at all. But I saw the slight tremor in her hands, the tightness around her eyes that betrayed her calm facade.
"Good," she said simply. "You should be."
And then, without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, speechless, the sound of the waves crashing louder than ever.
---
Valeria's POV
I couldn't stay. Not now. Not when everything felt like it was unraveling around me.
The moment Adrian had stepped into my world, I had known I would have to make a choice. Either I would let him in—or I would push him away. But tonight, as I stood there, watching him trying to read me, I realized the truth. I couldn't let him in. Not when he was too close to the truth. Not when I could feel the power within me threatening to break free.
I had tried to ignore it. I had tried to live a life that wasn't filled with lies, but the truth was—my life had always been built on lies. And if Adrian knew what I truly was, if he knew the darkness that swirled inside me, there would be no going back.
I didn't want to hurt him, but I knew that if I stayed, I would.
I could feel my power stirring beneath the surface, the energy rising within me like a storm ready to burst. My skin felt too tight, too hot, like it was trying to contain something explosive. I had to leave before it was too late.
Adrian didn't follow me, and that was a relief. But it didn't stop the gnawing feeling in my chest, the part of me that longed to stay, to be with him. But I couldn't. Not like this.
---
Adrian's POV
I stood there for a long time, watching her disappear into the distance. Every part of me wanted to run after her, to demand the truth, but something held me back. There was a darkness around her, a shadow that I couldn't quite touch, and every time I tried to reach for it, she pulled away.
I didn't know what to think anymore. I didn't know if I could trust her—or if I was just chasing something that wasn't real.
I couldn't let her go. Not without understanding. Not without knowing what was hidden beneath that cold exterior.
A part of me knew that whatever she was hiding was more dangerous than I could ever imagine.