I barely slept that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the half-open door to my father's study.
Someone had heard me.
Someone knew.
By morning, I had convinced myself that perhaps I had imagined it. Maybe the door had simply been left open.
I wanted to believe that.
I needed to.
At breakfast, my father sat at the head of the table reading his newspaper. I watched him carefully.
He looked completely normal.
Too normal.
"Good morning," I said.
He didn't look up.
"Morning."
I sat down.
My mother placed a cup of tea in front of me.
"The wedding preparations begin tomorrow."
I forced a smile.
"Already?"
"Your father doesn't like wasting time."
I glanced at him.
He turned a page.
"Neither does Daniel," my mother continued. "His family wants everything arranged properly."
I lowered my eyes.
My phone vibrated inside my pocket.
I secretly checked it.
Adrian: We need to talk.
My heart tightened.
I typed quickly.
Tonight. Same place.
I locked the phone.
"Who was that?"
I nearly dropped my cup.
My father was staring directly at me.
"Nobody."
He held my gaze.
"Nobody?"
"A friend."
"What friend?"
I swallowed.
"Sarah."
He continued staring.
Then he returned to his newspaper.
"Don't lie to me."
My fingers went cold.
"I wasn't."
He said nothing.
But I knew.
He didn't believe me.
That afternoon, I found Adrian waiting in his car.
The moment I got inside, he locked the doors.
"You shouldn't be here," I whispered.
"I know."
He looked exhausted.
"I found something out."
"What?"
He handed me a photograph.
My breath caught.
It was a picture of us.
At the café.
My hand was resting on Adrian's.
We were smiling.
Someone had taken it without us knowing.
"When did you get this?"
"Yesterday."
"Who sent it?"
"I don't know."
I stared at the photograph.
On the back was a handwritten message.
Tell her father before someone else does.
My hands began shaking.
"Adrian…"
"I think someone is trying to expose us."
I looked at him.
"We have to end this."
His face changed.
"No."
"Listen to me."
"No."
"My father is already suspicious."
"Then we'll tell him."
"You don't understand."
"I do understand."
He reached for my hand.
"I understand that I'm asking you to choose between fear and the person you love."
Tears filled my eyes.
"I don't want you to die because of me."
His expression softened.
"Don't talk like that."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
He squeezed my hand.
"I'd rather lose everything than lose you without fighting."
I looked at him, desperately wishing courage could erase consequences.
Then my phone rang.
My father's number.
We froze.
I stared at the screen.
It rang again.
And again.
I answered.
"Hello?"
My father's voice was frighteningly calm.
"Where are you?"
I looked at Adrian.
"I'm with Sarah."
There was a long silence.
Then my father said something that made my blood run cold.
"Come home."
I swallowed.
"Why?"
"I want to talk to you."
"About what?"
Another silence.
Then—
"About the man you're seeing."
The call ended.
I couldn't move.
Adrian stared at me.
"He knows."
I nodded slowly.
For months, I had protected our love with lies.
Now the truth had finally found its way to my father's door.
And I knew my father would never forgive me for falling in love with his enemy's son.