Chapter 18

Adrian’s POV

Two years had passed since everything had settled between us. Life was calmer, happier, but still busy in the way that comes with building something meaningful. Ethan had grown so much in his career as a photographer. His eye for detail, his creativity, and the way he captured emotions in every frame had made him highly sought after. I watched him work on shoots for our label’s artists, adjusting lights, framing shots, and directing models—and I felt proud in a way I couldn’t explain.

I had grown tired of letting other people control my career, my choices, and my life. So I decided to start my own record label—and this time, I wanted Ethan to co-join me. Not just as my partner, but as a professional partner whose creativity would shape the company’s identity.

“Are you sure about this?” Daniel asked one afternoon as we sat in his office, signing contracts. “Starting a label is a huge responsibility.”

“I’m sure,” I said, glancing at Ethan, who leaned casually against the doorway with a camera in hand, a small smirk on his face. “And it’s not just my label—it’s ours. I want us to do this together.”

Ethan grinned. “Okay, but that means I get a say in everything from artists to album covers and don’t think you can veto me.”

I laughed, walking over to him and ruffling his hair. “Fair enough, but don’t make me regret this.”

With Daniel’s guidance handling the legal and financial side, we set up E&AD Records quickly. Ethan was in charge of photography for the label, album covers, promotional shoots, social media visuals. Everything he touched carried his signature style, giving our brand a unique identity. The first few releases were a hit, and people started recognizing our work for both music and visuals.

One evening, Ethan and I sat on our rooftop, the city stretching below us as the sun dipped into the horizon. He rested his head against my chest, tired but smiling.

“You know,” he murmured, “I never thought I’d get this far. Not just in photography, but… life.”

“You mean with me?” I teased, running a hand through his hair.

He chuckled softly. “Yeah, that too. I couldn’t have done any of this without you, Adrian.”

I pressed a kiss to his forehead. “And you never will. We’re in this together—always.”

Looking at him, I realized that all the work, the stress, the endless meetings—it was worth it. Because with Ethan, we weren’t just building a label or a career; we were building a life, and I knew that together, we could face anything the world threw at us.

Ethan’s POV

Life had finally found a rhythm I never thought I’d have. Adrian’s label, E&AD Records, was thriving, and I was finally getting recognition for my photography—album covers, promotional shoots, and social media campaigns people actually cared about. But more than that, I had Adrian. And somehow, that mattered more than everything else put together.

Our days had become simple in the best possible way. Mornings meant coffee and quiet teasing, afternoons meant work that didn’t really feel like work, and evenings meant collapsing somewhere together—usually the couch—like we had earned the right to rest.

One quiet Saturday afternoon, Adrian was stretched across the couch with his head resting on my lap, eyes half-closed while I ran my fingers slowly through his hair. He let out a soft breath, completely relaxed, one hand lazily draped over my leg like he needed to make sure I was still there.

“You know,” I murmured, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead, “I still can’t believe this is real. Us. Everything.”

Adrian opened one eye and smirked. “Believe it. You’ve got me—messy hair, lazy hands, and all.”

I grinned. “That’s exactly what I like about you.”

Then, without thinking too much about it, I nudged him gently with my knee. “I think it’s time for a little… payback.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow, trying to look innocent. “Payback for what?”

“For all those times you teased me,” I said, reaching for the nearest pillow.

He laughed instantly, and a second later the living room turned into complete chaos. Pillows flew everywhere, laughter bounced off the walls, and we kept missing on purpose just so it would last longer. Adrian tried to grab my wrist, I dodged, he tackled me anyway, and suddenly we were both on the floor in a tangled mess of limbs and breathless laughter.

“Okay, okay—you win!” he gasped, laughing so hard he couldn’t even sit up.

I crawled closer and poked his side just to make him squeal again. “You’re not getting away that easily.”

Finally, we collapsed next to each other, still laughing, still breathless. I rested my head against his chest and listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It felt calm, certain, like nothing could take this away from us.

Adrian pressed a soft kiss to the top of my head, his fingers sliding gently through my hair. “You’re impossible,” he murmured, his voice quiet but warm.

I looked up at him and smiled. “And you love it.”

His eyes softened instantly. He leaned down and kissed me slowly, the kind of kiss that didn’t rush anywhere. My fingers slipped into his shirt, holding onto him without even thinking about it, and he smiled against my lips before kissing me again—longer this time, softer, like he was trying to say everything without words.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” I said, barely louder than a breath. “More than anything.”

We stayed like that for what felt like hours, tangled together on the floor, laughing every now and then for no reason at all. The city hummed quietly outside the windows, but inside everything felt still, warm, and safe.

Nothing felt uncertain. It was just us, exactly where we were supposed to be.

And in that moment, I understood something I hadn’t fully realized before.

Home wasn’t a place.

It was him.