Chapter 3. (Buried feeling)

Adrian left his villa that night and headed to his office.

He had created a private space there that looked almost like a bedroom — a study corner, a sizable bed, a wardrobe, and even a small wine cellar. It was his safe space — the place he escaped to whenever his grandmother’s nagging became unbearable or when he was too tired to return home. Sometimes, he spent weeks there without setting foot in his house.

That night, he came straight here after leaving home on his wedding night. He felt deeply uncomfortable sharing the same space with Evelyn, his new wife — though he couldn’t quite explain why.

He remembered growing up with her, spending most of their childhood side by side. He had always protected Evelyn, almost like an older brother. At first, it was because his grandmother had asked him to look after Evelyn and Isabella. But over time, it became a habit — an instinct. His protectiveness grew so strong that people began to whisper he might be obsessed with her.

So, what went wrong?

It had started when Evelyn fell in love with him. She tried to keep her feelings secret — only Isabella knew — until she confided in her best friend, Clara. Not long after, rumors about Evelyn’s feelings began to spread around school.

Adrian heard the gossip and confronted her. She wanted to deny it desperately, but she couldn’t lie — not to him, not to herself. So she admitted it. From that day onward, Adrian avoided her like a plague.

That was exactly what Evelyn had feared. She’d known he would withdraw the moment he found out.

Evelyn later confronted Clara about leaking her secret, but Clara denied it, claiming Isabella must have told her friend Joyce. Furious, Isabella confronted Joyce, who insisted it was Isabella who had told her — and even had an audio recording to prove it.

Isabella was confused. She didn’t remember sending anything like that.

> “I didn’t do it, Evie. I promise you, I didn’t. Why would I ruin your chances with Adrian when I know how much you care about him?”

But Evelyn didn’t believe her.

> “Then how did your best friend get that audio, Isa? It’s clearly your voice! Isn’t it?”

Evelyn’s voice trembled with anger, disappointment, and betrayal.

Adrian had known about all of this. Ever since that incident, his relationship with Evelyn had become strained. They exchanged polite greetings when they met, but nothing more. It wasn’t hatred — it was distance.

Still, this new feeling inside him was different. It wasn’t hate, nor disgust. It was fear.

Fear of awakening something buried deep inside him — something he didn’t want to face.

Because deep down, he knew Evelyn mattered more to him than anyone else in the world. Apart from his grandmother, she was the only person who held a special place in his heart.

But he refused to accept it.

He couldn’t.

He wouldn’t.

He didn’t want to hold anyone close — especially not a woman.

He told himself staying away would keep his heart safe, that distance was the only way to silence the feelings she unknowingly stirred within him. Yet, every night he spent outside those walls, his thoughts wandered back to her — the gentle curve of her smile, the patience in her voice, the warmth he pretended not to crave. Adrian had built his life on control, on locking away the parts of him that could break. But with every breath, every heartbeat that whispered her name, he realized the cruel truth — every distance he created only drew him closer to her.