Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. "It's not… recent. Or current. It's just… complicated."
"Then uncomplicate it," Emerald said flatly.
He took a breath. "We grew up together. She was… my best friend. My brother was the heir at the time, and Seraphina adored him. She had a crush on him for as long as I could remember."
Emerald raised a brow. "And you?"
"I liked her," Adrien said honestly. "At first, it wasn't in the same way, but she was always around. She was loyal and fearless… she's the type of girl who would climb rooftops and challenge guys to duels."
She arched a brow. "Charming."
"It was. And then… when we turned eighteen, the bond snapped into place." His voice dropped. "It was like everything shifted overnight. Suddenly, I was all she could see. And I won't lie, I was happy… really happy."
Emerald crossed her arms, watching him closely. "I'm sensing a but coming up."
