Who is Martin?

Adrian Cole POV

I leaned back slightly, giving my eyes the space to devour her features. She stared at me with tear-filled eyes, a look that unnerved me more than I expected.

I slowly lowered my head toward hers. Only a thin space separated our lips, my hot breath brushing against hers as my gaze flicked between her mouth and her eyes.

I couldn’t control myself. I kissed her fiercely, devouring her lips unconsciously—once sucking the lower, then biting the upper. But she didn’t respond. She was crying… silently, in a way that pierced me.

I felt my tongue urging to enter, but she refused. Without realizing, I gripped her waist tightly. She gasped in pain, opening her mouth, and I seized the moment. Our tongues tangled wildly, something inside me burning… lost.

I muttered harshly, "Kiss me back."

But she didn’t look at me. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling, her body surrendered, as if she wasn’t even here.

When I touched her femininity, her body trembled suddenly. I heard her say through tears, "Martin… please stop."

I froze. Fire ignited through my body. Had someone crossed the line with her?

Then she spoke again, her voice shaking, pleading, "Please stop… I won’t do it again."

I looked at her, confused. I didn’t understand. She grabbed my hand, begging, "Martin… please leave me… I swear I won’t…"

But she didn’t finish. I saw dizziness hit her, her body swaying in my hands. I caught her quickly, shaking her to keep her conscious, but her eyes closed. She passed out.

I stared at her sleeping face with real concern. What happened to her? Why did she end up like this? Who is Martin?

I pulled the blanket over her body and lay beside her, watching her calm features. My mind scattered between the serial killer case, my endless problems, and what had just happened. A flicker of regret stirred… but I ignored it.

I pulled her close carefully, not wanting to wake her. I buried my face in her neck, closed my eyes in exhaustion, wrapping my arms around her waist.

I woke to a sudden movement. Slowly, I opened my eyes to find her sitting up in a panic. I looked at her with feigned coldness, but she was scared… then she left me and ran out of the room.

I heard the door slam shut.

I sighed slowly. A short while later, I was sitting downstairs with Emilia. Everything seemed normal… on the surface.

Emilia said, "Good morning, Clara."

Clara replied coldly before heading to the door.

But Emilia stopped her, "Clara, Adrian will give you a ride."

I saw tension ripple through her body, so I got up and moved toward her.

She said quickly, "Thanks for the suggestion, Emilia, but I don’t need a ride."

I stood in front of her and said coldly, "It’s not a suggestion. Your father instructed me to."

She trembled. I could clearly see fear in her eyes. "I… I won’t go with you."

Before I could respond, she opened the door and rushed out.

I returned to my seat in front of Emilia, my thoughts a mess, yesterday’s memory pounding in my head.

I muttered suddenly, "Who is Martin?"

Emilia froze. "How do you know that name? Did Clara tell you?"

I shook my head, denying it.

She sighed and started to speak, "He’s Clara’s cousin. He harassed her… almost raped her, but her brother saved her at the last moment."

I gripped my coffee cup tightly.

She continued, deliberately cold, "She tried to commit suicide several times… but unfortunately, she failed."

I looked up at her. She saw the anger in my face and hesitated, then spoke in a softer voice, "That’s why we moved to New York."

I returned to scrolling my phone to distract myself, but her words kept replaying in my head.

I didn’t know why… but a surge of anger rose in me, its source unknown.

A heavy silence fell between Emilia and me.

I didn’t comment. I didn’t ask. Some truths, when spoken, need no answer… just time to sink in.

I got up, grabbed my keys, and left the house without a goodbye.

The morning air was cold, but it couldn’t extinguish the fire burning in my chest.

Her trembling face…

Her voice pleading…

The name she uttered instead of mine.

I didn’t understand when it happened.

When she slipped into my life that way.

I’m a man trapped in problems, in secrets, with files that never close, and a past that doesn’t forgive.

Yet…

I found myself thinking about a girl younger than me, fragile on the outside, stubborn on the inside, with eyes carrying a war that didn’t match her age.

I laughed at myself.

Me? Falling in love?

And the most ironic…

She hates Emilia.

Sees her as an enemy, not a sister.

As if fate decided to mock me until the end, making my heart lean toward someone standing opposite my family.

I gripped the steering wheel tightly as I drove, trying to convince myself it didn’t matter.

She’s not my responsibility.

That’s what I told myself.

My phone rang.

I glanced at the screen lazily… then froze.

An unknown number.

I answered coldly, "Hello?"

A formal, reserved female voice came, "Am I speaking to Mr. Adrian Cole?"

"Yes."

She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "We are calling from Clara James’ school administration."

I tightened my grip on the phone unconsciously. "What is it?"

She tried to keep her voice calm, "We need you to come to the school immediately. There’s… a serious problem involving Clara."

I stopped the car abruptly.

The car behind honked angrily, but I didn’t hear it.

"A problem?"

My voice came out rougher than I expected. "What kind of problem?"

A brief silence… long enough to fill my mind with the worst possibilities.

Finally, she said, "We prefer to explain in person, sir."

I slowly hung up.

The phone remained in my hand, the screen black, like a mirror to my thoughts.

I remembered her fear.

Her trembling.

The look in her eyes as she ran away from me.

"Did… something happen to her?"