Two days later, we were finally here.
The board meeting.
Adrian hadn't spoken to me since that night. Not a word, not a glance and that silence worried me far more than his anger ever could.
We were back in New York, inside one of the most prestigious business councils in the city a cold, towering structure filled with layered glass walls, polished floors, and powerful men who carried authority like a second skin. Business owners. Strategists. Decision makers who shaped industries with signatures and silence.
I wore loose, shapeless clothes, deliberately choosing to blend into the background. I wanted as little attention as possible to exist without being seen.
Adrian and his men escorted me through the corridor and into an isolated office. The door hadn't fully closed when I noticed movement outside voices, shadows. Then the door cracked open.
Ezel walked in first. My heart gasped seeing him after eternity
Behind him were Lucus, Lia, and his man.
Before I could even process it, Ezel rushed toward me, his arms wrapping around me tightly, almost desperately. I barely had time to react before he leaned down and pressed a kiss against my lips brief, confident, intentional.
The room froze.
Lucus gasped audibly.
But the face worth watching the one that burned itself into my memory was Adrian's. His expression darkened instantly, jealousy flashing so violently across his face that for a moment it felt as if he truly wanted to kill Ezel. His jaw tightened, his fists clenched, and his eyes hardened with something dangerously close to rage.
For a second, I thought he might actually lose control.
Then one of Adrian's counsellors leaned in and whispered something into his ear. Slowly, very slowly, Adrian exhaled. The tension didn't disappear, but it restrained itself, buried beneath his calm exterior.
"Ezel," an elderly lawyer finally spoke, breaking the silence. His voice was sharp, authoritative. "We kept our promise. Now it's your turn. Sign the papers and complete the contract."
Ezel nodded without hesitation.
Everyone moved toward the conference room, their footsteps echoing down the corridor Adrian included leaving me behind.
Only Lia stayed.
Lia pulled me into her arms without saying a word. I hugged her back just as tightly, my fingers gripping the fabric of her coat as if letting go would make everything collapse again.
"I missed you so much," I whispered, my voice cracking.
"Me too," Lia replied softly, her arms tightening around me. Then she pulled back just enough to look at my face. "You have no idea what the situation was like here without you."
My chest felt heavy. "Tell me everything," I said.
She shook her head immediately. "No, Erica. You need to tell me everything first." Her eyes scanned my face anxiously, as if searching for bruises I couldn't hide. "You were captured. God, I was terrified. Hopefully he didn't torture you or something.
The concern in her voice made my throat tighten.
Even though a part of me wasn't fully ready to trust Lia not completely, I knew I didn't have a choice. The weight of everything I'd been holding inside was suffocating me.
So I told her.
Between broken sentences and sobs, I explained everything: Adrian, the control, the manipulation, the moments that blurred the line between protection and possession. The silence he used like a weapon. The way he made me feel trapped without ever locking a door.
When I finally stopped, my body was trembling.
"Oh my goodness," Lia breathed, her expression shifting from shock to anger in seconds. "This is insane." Her voice rose despite herself. "Are you crazy, Erica? Adrian is obviously using you."
Her words cut deep, even though I already knew they were true.
"Please," I whispered desperately, grabbing her hand. "Don't tell Ezel."
She hesitated, her jaw tightening. "I won't," she said finally. "But now it's high time you do exactly what I tell you to." Her eyes glistened as she struggled to hold back tears. "Otherwise, everything will be ruined."