The house was quieter than usual that night, wrapped in a stillness that felt deliberate, as though even the walls were holding their breath. Outside, the city glowed faintly through the tall windows, streetlights casting long reflections across the polished floor. Zara stood by the window in the living room, arms folded loosely over her chest, watching the slow movement of cars below without really seeing them.
The day had ended hours ago, yet her mind refused to settle. Every moment replayed itself in fragments—Adrian's voice in the car, the way his eyes lingered too long, the weight of his words when he said he needed her. Not for the arrangement. Not for appearances. Her.
She exhaled slowly, pressing her forehead lightly against the cool glass. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. The rules had been clear from the beginning. Pretend. Perform. Leave emotions out of it.
But emotions, she was learning, never asked for permission.
Behind her, she heard footsteps. Familiar. Measured. She didn't turn immediately, but her body reacted anyway—shoulders tightening, heart stuttering in her chest.
"Couldn't sleep?" Adrian asked quietly.
She shook her head. "Too much on my mind."
He hummed in understanding and moved closer, stopping a careful distance away. Close enough that she could feel his presence, the subtle warmth of him, but far enough to pretend there was still space between them.
"The event tomorrow," he said after a moment. "We don't have to stay long."
Zara turned then, resting her back against the window. "That's not what's keeping me awake."
His gaze sharpened slightly, something shifting behind his eyes. "No?"
"No." She hesitated, fingers twisting together unconsciously. "This… us. It's getting complicated."
A muscle in his jaw tightened. "It was always complicated."
She let out a soft, humorless laugh. "Not like this."
The silence that followed was thick, stretching between them like a fragile thread. Adrian ran a hand through his hair, a habit she'd noticed he only had when he was unsettled.
"You're right," he said finally. "It's not."
He stepped closer, closing the distance she'd pretended still existed. Zara's breath caught, her pulse loud in her ears. She could smell him now—clean, familiar, grounding.
"We've been lying," he continued, voice low. "To everyone else… and to ourselves."
Her throat tightened. "We had to."
"At first." His eyes searched hers, unguarded in a way that made her chest ache. "But somewhere along the line, it stopped feeling like a lie."
She swallowed hard. "Adrian…"
"I know," he said quickly, as if afraid she'd stop him. "This isn't smart. It's not part of the deal. And God knows it puts everything at risk." He paused, exhaling slowly. "But pretending I don't feel this is becoming harder than dealing with the consequences."
Her heart felt like it might break free from her ribcage. "Feel what?"
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached out, stopping just short of touching her, as though giving her the chance to pull away. When she didn't, his fingers brushed her wrist, tentative and warm.
"This," he said quietly. "Whatever this is that keeps me awake at night. That makes me look for you in every room. That makes the idea of losing you feel… unbearable."
Zara's eyes burned, emotion rising too fast, too intense. She had spent weeks convincing herself she was imagining things, that this pull was one-sided, dangerous, foolish.
"You don't get to say things like that," she whispered, voice trembling. "Not when I've been trying so hard not to feel them."
His brows drew together. "You feel them too."
It wasn't a question.
She laughed softly, the sound breaking. "I've felt them for a while. I just thought… if I ignored it long enough, it would fade."
"And did it?" he asked gently.
She shook her head, tears blurring her vision. "It only got worse."
Without thinking, she stepped forward, resting her forehead against his chest. He froze for half a second before his arms came around her, careful at first, then firm—like he'd been holding himself back for too long.
Zara breathed him in, her hands curling into his shirt. This was dangerous. Reckless. But it felt real in a way nothing else had.
"I'm scared," she admitted softly.
"So am I," he replied, his chin resting lightly against her hair. "But I don't want to keep pretending with you. Not tonight."
She pulled back just enough to look at him. His eyes were dark, earnest, stripped of their usual control.
"What happens after this?" she asked. "After we admit it?"
He gave a small, honest shrug. "I don't know. We'll still have to face the world. The contract. The expectations." His thumb brushed her cheek, wiping away a tear. "But at least we won't be lying to each other anymore."
Her heart ached at the tenderness in his touch. "That might be the scariest part."
"Or the best," he said quietly.
They stood there for a long moment, the world narrowed down to shared breaths and unspoken promises. Somewhere in the distance, a car horn sounded, life continuing on as if nothing monumental had just shifted.
Adrian leaned down, resting his forehead against hers. "Zara… I care about you. More than I should. More than I planned."
Her lips parted slightly as she met his gaze. "I care about you too."
The admission felt like stepping off a ledge—terrifying, freeing, irreversible.
He smiled then, a soft, genuine smile she rarely saw. "Then maybe we stop fighting it."
"Just a little," she whispered.
He nodded. "Just a little."
They didn't rush. There was no urgency, no need to prove anything. Just the quiet understanding between two people who had finally said what had been hovering between them for far too long.
Later that night, Zara lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, but this time the restlessness was different. Adrian's words echoed in her mind, warm and frightening all at once.
In the next room, Adrian stood by his own window, hands in his pockets, watching the city lights flicker. For the first time in a long while, the weight on his chest felt lighter—heavier too—but honest.
They had crossed a line.
And neither of them wanted to go back.
✨ Will admitting their feelings strengthen their bond—or expose them to a danger they can't escape?
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Author's Note 💙
Thank you so much for reading! Chapter 28 is a turning point for Zara and Adrian, and your comments and encouragement mean everything to me. Please don't forget to vote, comment, and add the book to your library—it truly helps more than you know.
With love,
Amanda Ahamefule Ugosinachi