The laughter from downstairs drifted upward, muffled by the walls but still heavy in the air. Maya's house had always been full of voices, but tonight it seemed louder, brighter, more alive than ever. I slipped through the glass doors to the balcony, clutching Maya's half-empty champagne flute. The cool night air kissed my skin, and for the first time all evening, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
"Escaping already?"
I turned. Daniel leaned casually against the doorframe, hands tucked in his pockets, his smile soft but knowing.
"Not escaping," I said, setting the glass on the railing. "Just… needed some air."
He stepped closer, closing the door behind him. The hum of voices dulled instantly, leaving us in a cocoon of quiet broken only by the distant chirp of crickets.
"I thought so," he said gently. Then, without asking, he slid his jacket from his shoulders and draped it over mine. The weight of it settled around me, warm, smelling faintly of cedarwood and something that was undeniably him.
"Thank you," I murmured.
He didn't answer right away. His gaze lingered on me—steady, unguarded, the kind of look that made my chest tighten. Finally, he spoke, his voice lower, more fragile than I'd ever heard.
"Elena… there's something I've been holding back."
My pulse stuttered. "Daniel?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes flicking to the stars before finding mine again. "I don't want to complicate things for you. But if I keep this to myself any longer, I'll regret it."
The air thickened.
"I care about you," he said simply. "Not as a friend. Not as someone I just happen to see around. But as someone who… who makes me want to be better. Who makes me feel like I can breathe again."
The words hit me like a wave. Honest. Raw.
He took a slow step closer, careful, like he didn't want to frighten me. "You don't have to say anything right now. I just needed you to know. Because when I look at you, Elena…" His voice cracked just slightly, and it undid me. "…I can't pretend anymore."
I couldn't breathe. My throat tightened, my heart a wild drumbeat.
"Daniel…" I whispered, his name trembling on my lips.
He smiled, small and sad, as though he already understood the war inside me. Gently, he reached up, brushing a strand of hair from my face. His fingers lingered near my temple, warm and tender.
"You deserve someone who'll never stop choosing you," he said softly. "Even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard."
And then, as if giving me space to breathe again, he stepped back, his hand falling to his side.
The silence that followed was deafening, filled only with the hammering of my heart and the unspoken truth: Daniel had offered me comfort, safety, and love. The very things I thought I wanted.
So why, when I closed my eyes, was it still Adrian's burning gaze I felt on my skin?
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