All Chapters of Chasing my Bestfriend × Lover: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

DAMIEN'S POVA painful but familiar throbbing in my head brought me back to consciousness. I cracked my eyes open, but the light stabbed at me, and I squeezed them shut again, letting myself adjust. As I slowly regained control of my senses, I realized the heavy weight on me wasn't a blanket. It was warm, naked...human. My ears registered the sound of someone's heartbeat as I felt someone's breath on my neck, realizing with a jolt that I, too, was completely naked. My nose picked up a familiar scent from the body on me, but I couldn't quite place it, my brain still foggy.I groaned softly as the throbbing in my head escalated. Finally, I managed to flicker my eyes open, the bright light still assaulting me until they somewhat got used to it. Slowly, the familiar furniture of my guest room began to come into focus. The first thing I did after regaining control over my sight was focus my gaze on the body plastered against me in curiosity.That mob of light, silky blond hai

ADRIAN'S POVThe words hung in the air, thick and toxic. "Damien, I really didn't do it," I choked out, the plea raw and desperate. My voice cracked with each syllable, a symphony of anguish echoing in the sterile silence of the penthouse. "I never planned anything. Please believe me. What happened last night… I know you don't remember it… but we both agreed to it. At least, I thought we did." My voice cracked, failing me as the tears streamed faster.Damien stood before me, a statue carved from ice. He hadn't said a word since waking up, hadn't acknowledged me beyond a glare that could freeze hell over. Now, his silence broke, erupting in a wave of accusations. His eyes, usually warm and inviting, were now glacial, reflecting a profound sense of betrayal that pierced me deeper than any blade. He shook his head, a slow, deliberate motion that amplified the chasm forming between us. "Did you ever see me sleep with a man before?" he spat, the words laced with disgust. "I never did any

ADRIAN'S POVMy eyes widened, disbelief flooding my senses. The river, a moment ago a tranquil ribbon of silver reflecting the afternoon sun, was now a churning monster. A wall of brown water, thick with debris... logs, branches, even jagged rocks – surged towards me with terrifying speed."Fuck". The word escaped my lips as I scrambled back on the rock, trying to gauge the distance to the bank. Just moments ago, I was enjoying the solitude, the quiet gurgle of the water, a rare pocket of peace. Now, survival was the only thing that mattered. I jumped, desperate to reach the riverside, the momentum sending my phone tumbling from my pocket and disappearing into the muddy depths.I was almost there, fingers outstretched, when the leading edge of the surge slammed into me."No, no, no, not this time again…" the words were a desperate plea, a mantra against the rising tide of panic. Instantly, the memory assaulted me: the chaotic scene of the rafting trip, the screams, the feeling of bein

DAMIEN'S POV One week had passed. The Monday morning sun did little to warm the icy dread that had settled in my gut. Sleep had been a luxury I couldn’t afford, my mind a relentless battlefield of regret and anger. The silence of the penthouse, once a sanctuary, now felt like a suffocating tomb. I missed him. God, I missed him. Missing the sound of Adrian’s infuriatingly optimistic humming, the comforting weight of his presence, even the faint, lingering scent of his expensive cologne. I was adrift in this vast space, a ship without a rudder. Was this what he felt like when I was buried in work, lost in the labyrinth of my clients’ desires and anxieties? Was this the echo of my own neglect? Then, a fresh wave of anger would crash over me. No. I couldn't let myself soften. What he did was unforgivable. The betrayal, the violation… it clawed at my sanity. He’d shattered something fundamental between us, something I wasn’t sure could ever be pieced back together. Where was he even sta

DAMIEN'S POVOfficer Morris sighed, the sound heavy, laden with the weight of the news he was about to deliver. "Mr. Dickins, I understand that this is a very difficult time for you. Perhaps it's best if I just tell you what we know about the incident. Mr. Raines' water clogged body was found tangled in water lilies in the river downstream. Based on the death certificate, drowning is his primary cause of death... he probably died five days before his body was recovered."I just stared, my gaze fixed on some distant point in the air, seeing nothing. Five days. Five days since I'd last seen him, since I'd last spoken to him. Five days of Adrian being…gone. I couldn't imagine what he'd been through those last hours, the fear, the cold, the fight against the relentless current.Officer Morris continued, his voice a monotone drone against the roaring in my ears. "He also sustained multiple bruises and cuts. Probably because he might have hit some rocks as the water current wa