Semua Bab Fated In Darkness: Bab 51 - Bab 60

AdrianShe wasn’t supposed to be there.And yet—there she was. It explained a lot, actually. Why she was in Cainebrielle in the first place. Why things never added up the way they should have.I could’ve had her investigated from the moment I felt something shift between us. I had the means, the resources. A few calls and I would’ve known everything—where she came from, who raised her, what her bloodline whispered behind closed doors.But after living this long, I’d grown tired of knowing everything before it happened. I wanted something real. Something unscripted.I wanted to learn her the normal way.Maybe that was foolish.Especially now—after seeing the way Dimitri looked at her.That wasn’t curiosity. That wasn’t the idle interest he tossed at pretty girls. That was intent—calculated and cold. And I was certain of one thing: tonight was the first time he realized who she was.He’d been at the Cainebrielle Sponsorship Ball too. I remember catching him glancing her way once or twic

Adrian“This won’t be easy, son,” my father said, his voice low but heavy. “You know that.”He wasn’t just speaking as my father now—he was speaking as the former head of our family, as the man who had once made impossible choices to protect me. And now, he was asking me to make one of my own.“You lead this family now, so you understand the cost of interference. You know why we’ve always kept our distance, why we never meddle in Volodymir’s arrangements. And if she is the tribute her family owes... then you also know what that means.”I said nothing. I didn’t need him to explain—but he did anyway, laying out the old logic with cold clarity.“The debt skipped her father’s generation,” he continued. “Only two sons. No daughters to offer. But now the family has girls. And Natalie is the eldest. That means she goes first. If she fails the transformation... they’ll offer the next one. That’s how it works. That’s the price.”I clenched my jaw, the weight of inevitability pressing in on me.

NatalieI stepped into the booth and found Adrian already waiting, looking—of all things—apologetic.“A special space just for you?” I asked, lowering myself onto the couch beside him.The chairs were annoyingly singular, probably by design. He reached for me anyway, pulling mine closer until our knees nearly touched.“I’d ask you to sit on my lap,” he said, voice low, teasing, “but you’re mad at me.”“You bet I am,” I replied, and didn’t try to hide it.He studied me for a second, his expression sobering. “What did your uncle tell you about tonight?”“Nothing,” I said bluntly. “He didn’t tell me anything. He sent an invite to my mother. Said I better make myself available, then dragged me here like it was just another obligation. And, of course, let me know—again—that I’m not supposed to date anyone because my family practices arranged marriage.”I shrugged, but it wasn’t casual. It was a surrender. “That’s all I got.”I didn’t feel the need to censor myself. Not with him. Adrian was

NatalieSomething about Uncle Michael’s words lingered—like the aftertaste of something bitter. But I forced it down.Not tonight.He’d dragged me here to parade me like property, and yet, somehow, I’d managed to wrest a sliver of power back. A small victory, maybe. But it was mine.And I planned to celebrate it—with Adrian.Not with fear.When I returned to the booth, Adrian stood as soon as he saw me.“Want to get out of here?” he asked, his tone soft, but certain.I smiled. “I’d like that.”We walked out together, the buzz of the hall fading behind us. On our way, I spotted Carson near the edge of the room. His eyes met mine, full of tension, of words he hadn’t found the courage—or maybe the timing—to say.Michelle was beside him, grinning like she’d just won something. There was amusement in her face, maybe even satisfaction. She was the kind of girl who enjoyed watching people fall, even if she wasn’t the one to push them.I scanned the room once more, trying to find Lisa.Nothin

NatalieWe lingered in the park a little longer before Adrian finally drove me to my mother’s house. The night had cooled, but something about his presence kept the warmth intact.At the door, he walked me up the steps, his hand brushing mine lightly.“I’m willing to help with your mother’s treatment,” he said, his voice steady. “If that’s the leverage your uncle has over you—consider it gone.”It was a generous offer. A lifeline. But I knew it wasn’t that simple.“Thank you, Adrian,” I said, pausing to meet his eyes. “But I’ll have to talk to her. My mom... she’s not the type to accept help easily. Ever since my father died, something in her dimmed. The fight left her.”He nodded, no pressure in his expression, just quiet understanding.“I’ll pick you up after your lectures tomorrow,” he said. “Be ready.”Then his eyes lit with mischief.“No need to pack,” he added, leaning in. “You won’t need the clothes.”He kissed me—slow, deep, lingering like he wanted to imprint the moment.When