Part 139
The invitation arrived in an elegant cream envelope, the kind that carried importance before it was even opened. His manager placed it gently on the table during rehearsal, as though afraid to wrinkle the seal.
"It's from the Presidential Office," the manager said carefully. "Miss Liana herself requested your presence at a private charity dinner next week."
Adrian barely looked up from tuning his guitar. "Tell them I'm unavailable."
The manager blinked. "You… you want to decline?"
"Yes." His voice was calm, almost indifferent.
"But it's the President's daughter," the manager pressed. "You can't just—"
"I can," Adrian interrupted, his tone firm but even. "And I just did."
The manager hesitated, torn between respect and fear. "At least tell me why."
Adrian set his guitar down, leaning back slightly. "Because I've already lived through being someone's obsession. I'm not going through that again."
That silenced the room.
He picked up the invitation, glancing at the looping gold letters of her name before folding it back into its envelope and sliding it aside. "Please send my apology. Say I'm focusing on my music."
When the manager left, Adrian sat there for a long while, staring at the floor.
Liana had been kind, polite even — but he'd seen that look before. That hungry curiosity dressed up as admiration. It was different from Alex's intensity, yes, but it came from the same place: the desire to possess something untouchable.
He wasn't going to let himself be possessed again.
He took a slow breath, letting the air settle in his lungs. The lights above him reflected off the studio glass, and for a moment, he caught his own reflection — composed, successful, yet faintly haunted.
Then, somewhere deep inside, he thought he heard a whisper.
A familiar voice, soft and distant.
You'll never be alone again…
He shook his head, forcing the thought away.