Chapter 5
Rian left school early and drove straight to the airport to pick up Vanessa. As soon as she spotted him, she ran forward, throwing herself into his arms.
"My baby! I've missed you!" she exclaimed.
"Missed you too," Rian replied, smiling tiredly. She set her luggage in the car, and he drove toward the hotel she was staying at.
"You shouldn't be staying in a hotel," he said, glancing at her.
"What? Would you have me come to your house?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well… it wouldn't be—"
"No, thank you," she interrupted firmly. "I can't live under the same roof as Adrian."
Rian gave a tired smile and shook his head. They reached the hotel, and Vanessa went to the reception to collect her keys. Once inside the room, Rian flopped onto the bed, exhaustion written all over him.
"So… you want to tell me about what you said yesterday? About seeing Alex?" Vanessa asked, perching on the edge of the bed.
Rian sighed and explained everything—the Adrian family dinner, how Alex turned out to be Adrian's older brother, and the story of their parents' divorce. "Apparently, he used his mother's name in high school, not his father's," Rian added.
Vanessa blinked. "Well… that's some crazy coincidence. Did he try talking to you?"
"No," Rian said. "I told Adrian I was sick, and we left immediately."
Vanessa got up and sat beside him, resting her hands on his shoulders. "It's okay. I'm here. Everything will be fine."
Rian looked at her, grateful, but she wasn't done. "Honestly… you should stay away from both brothers." She took his hands in hers. "You and I both know Adrian isn't good for you. Put yourself first. You deserve better."
"He's trying…" Rian defended weakly.
"Oh, please," Vanessa scoffed. "Rian, that man is sick in the head. When are you going to see it? You always make the same mistake—believing too easily, letting people bounce you up and down. Put yourself first!" She crouched in front of him, staring into his eyes.
"I… I can't just… there was a time he was good to me. He helped me get out of my trauma," he admitted.
"Yeah," Vanessa said softly, "and then put you in a new one."
Before he could respond, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen—Adrian.
"Speak of the devil," Vanessa muttered, standing before sitting in front of him again.
"Where are you?" Adrian asked, a hint of frustration in his voice.
"Why, what wrong?," Rian said cautiously.
"Well, I'm at the school. And you're not here," Adrian said.
"I—why are you there?" Rian asked, swallowing.
"I bought you some strawberry cake. Your favorite. But you apparently left school early, according to the principal."
Rian looked at Vanessa, who was already watching him intently. "I… I went to pick Vanessa. She was coming to town today," he admitted.
"Are you at the airport?" Adrian asked.
"No, I'm at the hotel with her," Rian said.
"Send me the address. I'm coming," Adrian insisted.
"No, there's no need for that," Rian replied.
Vanessa scoffed. Silence followed, broken only by the faint sound of Adrian running a hand through his hair—a gesture Rian knew meant frustration.
"Alright… I'll wait for you at the house. Love you," Adrian said finally.
"Love you too," Rian whispered, and the call ended.
The room was quiet. Vanessa was standing, unzipping her luggage. "I hope it's not too late before you realize you need to stay away from both brothers," she said firmly.
---
Alex sat in his office, the city sprawling beneath the glass walls. On his desk, a framed photo of his mother caught his eye, her smile calm and warm. He reached out, brushing a fingertip over the frame.
His phone buzzed on the desk. Unlocking it, he stared at the screen—there they were: Rian and Adrian, caught in a candid moment from years ago. He sighed, setting the phone down and leaning back in his chair. Memories surged unbidden.
Rian…
He saw him younger, blood trickling down his temple, his uniform soaked. Alex had stood frozen as the ambulance pulled up, paramedics rushing to place Rian on a stretcher. The panic, the helplessness—it had etched itself into him, and even now, years later, it tightened his chest.
A knock at the door pulled him back.
"They're here, sir," his secretary said.
Alex straightened, a calm mask sliding over the storm inside. "Alright," he replied, fingers lingering briefly on the edge of the desk before he stood and walked out, leaving the memories behind for the moment.
---
Rian stayed with Vanessa until the sky had darkened, the city lights twinkling outside the hotel window. Vanessa refused to let him leave, insisting he stay just a little longer.
Finally, they had to say goodbye. She wrapped him in a tight hug, holding him as if she could keep him safe with her arms alone.
"I love you. You know that, right?" she whispered.
Rian chuckled softly. "Yeah… I know."
"Okay, and call me if anything happens. From either brother," she added, her tone firm and serious.
Rian laughed, a little tired but amused. "Okay, I will."
Vanessa smiled, releasing him reluctantly, and walked him to the car. Once he was seated behind the wheel, she waved him off, still watching him with concern.
Rian started the engine and drove off into the night, the streets glowing with reflections of the city lights. His mind was heavy, but her words lingered, grounding him just enough to face what was coming.
---
Just as Rian was driving , his phone buzzed. An unknown number.
He frowned, pulling out his earbuds and tapping the screen. "Hello? Who is this?"
Silence.
"Hello? Is this some kind of prank call?" he asked, his voice sharper now. Still, no answer.
With a shrug, he hung up, shaking his head. Weird, he thought, sliding the phone back into his pocket.
He pressed on the accelerator, the car cutting through the night, trying to push the strange feeling out of his mind.