The Questions Between Us

"...You've finally come back."

Adrian's voice was low and almost restrained, but Serena heard the accusation beneath every word and for a long moment, neither of them moved.

The years between them seemed to disappear, leaving only the silence that had once broken her heart.

Serena tightened her grip on the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white. She had imagined this moment countless times over the years and in every version, she had rehearsed what she would say if they ever met again but now none of those words came.

Adrian looked exactly as she remembered, only harder and the warmth that used to soften his sharp features had been replaced by an icy composure that made him seem untouchable.

His charcoal suit fit him perfectly, and the expensive watch on his wrist caught the afternoon sunlight, he had changed and so had she but the ache he left behind hadn't.

"I asked you a question," Adrian said, taking another step toward her. "Where have you been all these years?"

Serena let out a quiet laugh, one completely devoid of humor. "You don't get to ask me that."

His brows drew together. "I don't?"

"No."

She finally met his gaze, refusing to look away.

"You lost that right five years ago."

Something flickered across Adrian's face and it was confusion and disbelief then irritation, I whole lot was going through his mind because nothing Serena said made sense to him.

"I've spent five years trying to find you."

Her expression froze. "What?"

"I searched every city I thought you might have gone to and I even hired private investigators. I have checked every immigration records." His jaw tightened. "You disappeared without a trace and you dare talk shit to my face, did I ment nothing to you?"

Serena stared at him as though he'd spoken another language then she laughed again, louder this time.

It was bitter and painful, her heart was pounding greatly and when she thought it was about to burst, she found her voice again. "You've got some nerve."

Adrian expression darkened as each word came out from her mouth but she kept speaking.

"You blocked my number," she said, each word steady despite the storm raging inside her. "You vanished overnight and I couldn't reach you no matter how hard I tried."

Adrian frowned. "I never blocked you."

The certainty in his voice almost made her question her own memory but she definitely wasn't suffering amnesia. "Don't."

"I'm telling you the truth."

"The truth?" she echoed. "Is that what we're calling it now?"

She took a slow breath, forcing herself to remain calm.

"The apartment we shared..." Her voice trembled despite her efforts.

"I came back to find the locks changed and every single thing I owned had been thrown onto the street."

Adrian's eyes narrowed. "What are you even talking about?"

"Your family came to my apartment."

"My family?"

"They called me a gold digger."

His face remained blank. "They told me I'd never be accepted."

He said nothing. "They told me you had already moved on."

Still nothing.

"And then..." Serena swallowed hard. "A woman introduced herself as your fiancée."

Adrian's eyes widened. "My what?"

"She told me to leave the country if I knew what was good for me."

For the first time since he'd appeared, Adrian looked genuinely shaken.."I've never been engaged."

Serena searched his face because she wanted to believe him.

God, she wanted to but she couldn't not after everything she'd endured. "You expect me to believe that?"

"It's the truth."

She shook her head. "No, the truth is that you abandoned me."

"I didn't."

"You did."

"I never left you, Serena."

Her heart pounded painfully against her ribs.

"You left me before I even had the chance to ask why."

Adrian stepped closer. "I woke up one morning and you were gone."

Her breath caught. "What?"

"You packed your things."

"I never...."

"You left a letter."

Serena's eyes widened. "A letter saying you regretted ever meeting me and that you'd found someone who could give you the life you deserved."

The color drained from her face. "I never wrote any letter."

Their eyes locked and for the first time, uncertainty crept into both of their expressions.

Someone was lying or someone had made sure they would never know the truth, meither of them spoke and the silence stretched between them until Ethan finally rose from his seat. "I think that's enough."

Adrian's gaze shifted to him, instantly hardening. "And you are?"

"Ethan Carter."

"I wasn't asking your name."

Ethan didn't flinch. "I'm aware."

Adrian looked him up and down before asking the question that had been burning inside him since he walked into the restaurant. "Are you her husband?"

Before Serena could answer, Ethan calmly replied, "My relationship with Serena isn't any of your business."

Adrian's jaw tightened. "So that's a yes."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't deny it either."

Serena rubbed her temples. "This conversation is over, continue your life without me because I have moved on with mine."

She reached for her handbag. "We're leaving."

As she turned, her eyes instinctively searched the garden and the expression on  her face changed because he fountain was empty.

Her heartbeat stuttered as she called out her son's name. "Noah?"

She looked toward the flower beds and there was no sign of him, she looked to the other side and after calling his name again, got nothing. Now her breathing quickened as she called again. "Noah!"

Ethan immediately looked around. "He was just here."

Soon panic gripped Serena's chest as she hurried toward the fountain, scanning every corner of the garden.

"Noah!" she called again, louder this time but the little boy was nowhere in sight then a familiar childish laugh drifted across the garden and Serena spun toward the sound as her eyes widened in horror. "Noah... don't!"

Her scream echoed through the restaurant as Adrian instinctively turned toward the same direction as she.