Evelyn sat in her car, gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. The weight of Adrian's revelations bore down on her, a suffocating blend of disbelief, betrayal, and confusion. She couldn't process it alone. Her thoughts turned to the one person who had always been her rock—Renee.
Without hesitation, she started the car and drove to Renee's house. The city lights blurred as tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away, focusing on the road. Within minutes, she arrived, parking haphazardly before rushing to the door.
Renee opened it almost immediately, her expression shifting from surprise to concern. "Evelyn? What's wrong?"
Evelyn pushed past her into the house, collapsing onto the couch. "I don't even know where to start," she said, her voice trembling.
Renee closed the door and sat beside her. "Take your time. What happened?"
Evelyn took a deep breath and began recounting everything Adrian had told her—about his parents' murder, his vendetta against her father, the secret mafia syndicate he'd built, and his role in sabotaging her deal. Renee listened intently, her brow furrowing deeper with every word.
When Evelyn finished, her voice cracked with emotion. "I don't know what to believe anymore, Renee. He says he did it to protect me, but how can I trust someone who's lied to me from the beginning?"
Renee leaned back, processing everything. "Evelyn, I know this is hard, but… I think Adrian's telling the truth."
Evelyn's head snapped up. "What? How can you say that after everything he's done?"
Renee placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Look, I've done some digging into Adrian myself. He's always been two steps ahead of everyone, including the Black Sun Syndicate. If he wanted to destroy you, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to keep you safe. Think about it—he risked everything to make Castellano believe he's on his side. That kind of risk only makes sense if he's playing a long game to protect you."
Evelyn shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. "But he didn't tell me the truth until now. How can I trust someone who hides so much?"
"Because he didn't have a choice," Renee said firmly. "You've seen how dangerous Castellano and Victor Hart are. If they even suspected Adrian was working against them, you'd both be dead. Adrian's playing a game of life and death, Evelyn. He's walking a razor's edge to keep you and himself alive."
Evelyn stared at her, the words sinking in but not erasing the pain. "I don't know if I can do this, Renee. I don't know if I'm strong enough."
Renee smiled softly. "You're stronger than you think. And you don't have to do this alone. Adrian's still on your side, whether you believe it or not. But if you need to take a step back to figure things out, that's okay too."
Meanwhile, Adrian sat in his dimly lit office, the glow of his desk lamp casting shadows across his face. He leaned back in his chair, phone pressed to his ear. On the other end, Nicholas's voice was steady but laced with concern.
"She knows everything now?" Nicholas asked.
"Almost everything," Adrian replied. "Enough to hate me. Enough to doubt everything I've done."
Nicholas sighed. "This was always going to be the hardest part, Adrian. But Evelyn's smart. She'll figure out the truth eventually."
Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't want her to have to figure it out. I want her to trust me. But every move I make drives a bigger wedge between us."
"Because you're playing a dangerous game," Nicholas said. "Castellano isn't stupid. He'll sniff out any weakness. If Evelyn shows even a hint of trust in you, he'll know something's up."
"I know," Adrian muttered. "That's why we have to move quickly. Castellano's watching my every move, but we need to stay one step ahead. Have you made contact with our allies?"
Nicholas's tone hardened. "I have. They're ready when we are, but we need to be strategic. One wrong move, and everything we've built falls apart."
Adrian's jaw tightened. "Then we don't make any wrong moves. Castellano thinks he has the upper hand, but he's about to learn how wrong he is."
Nicholas chuckled darkly. "That's the spirit. Just make sure you don't lose sight of the bigger picture—or Evelyn."
Adrian's grip on the phone tightened. "I never lose sight of her. She's the reason I'm doing all of this."
Back at Renee's house, Evelyn sat in silence, her mind racing. She knew Renee was right—Adrian's actions, as twisted as they seemed, had always been about protecting her. But that didn't make the betrayal hurt any less.
As the night wore on, Evelyn made a decision. She wouldn't let her emotions cloud her judgment. If Adrian was truly on her side, she would find out. And if he wasn't… she would make sure Castellano and Victor Hart paid for every ounce of pain they had caused her.
Evelyn stood, her resolve hardening. "Thank you, Renee. I needed this."
Renee smiled. "Anytime. Just remember, you're not alone in this."
Evelyn nodded, but as she left Renee's house, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was about to step into a battle that would test her in ways she'd never imagined.