Sophia’s POV

I take another step back, my heart hammering against my ribs. “You’re insane.”

Adrian doesn’t move. He just watches me with that same intense look, like he’s expecting me to understand something I clearly don’t.

“You don’t believe me,” he says. It’s not a question.

I let out a short, nervous laugh. “Of course, I don’t. Do you even hear yourself? You’re standing here, talking like—like this is some kind of fate thing.” I shake my head. “People don’t just belong to each other like that.”

His jaw clenches. “It’s not that simple, Sophia.”

I cross my arms over my chest, forcing myself to hold his gaze. “Then explain it to me. Because from where I’m standing, it sounds like you think I have no choice in this.”

A muscle ticks in his jaw. “I didn’t say that.”

“Then what are you saying?”

He exhales sharply and runs a hand through his dark hair. “I don’t expect you to understand. Hell, I don’t even understand it myself. But I know what I felt.” His eyes darken slightly. “And I know you felt it too.”

I swallow hard. The memory of his touch is still fresh—too fresh. The heat, the strange pull, the way my body reacted before my mind could catch up. But I can’t admit that.

I lift my chin. “What I felt was fear. Because you dragged me away from a party and started talking like some obsessed lunatic.”

His lips press into a thin line. “You really think that’s all it was?”

I don’t answer. Because I honestly don’t know.

A heavy silence stretches between us, thick with tension. Then Adrian sighs and shakes his head. “Look, you don’t trust me. I get that.”

I let out a dry laugh. “That’s an understatement.”

“But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re in danger.”

My amusement fades. “Because of you?”

His gaze sharpens. “Because of what you’re looking into.”

I stiffen.

“You think I don’t know why you came here?” he continues. “You’ve been digging into things that don’t concern you. And now, the wrong people are paying attention.”

I scoff, trying to hide the chill that runs down my spine. “Nice scare tactic, but I’m not buying it.”

Adrian steps closer, and instinctively, I take a step back. He stops, tilting his head slightly. “Do you always run when someone gets too close?”

I force myself to hold my ground. “Only when that someone is trying to intimidate me.”

He lets out a low chuckle, but there’s no humor in it. “If I wanted to intimidate you, Sophia, you’d know it.”

I hate the way my stomach tightens at the way he says my name. I hate the way my pulse races when his eyes lock onto mine, like he can see straight through me.

“I’m trying to help you,” he says. “Whether you believe it or not.”

I shake my head. “Help me how? By dragging me away from the one place I was actually getting answers?”

He narrows his eyes. “Answers? You think you were getting answers in there?”

“I was getting close,” I say stubbornly.

“You were being watched.”

I freeze.

Adrian takes another step forward, his voice quieter now. “The man you were talking to? He wasn’t just making conversation. He was testing you. Trying to figure out who you are and why you’re here.”

I swallow hard. “And how do you know that?”

His jaw tightens. “Because I know the kind of men who come to these events. I know what they look for. And I know when someone’s about to get in over their head.”

I cross my arms. “And I suppose you’re not one of those men?”

Something flickers across his face—something I can’t quite place.

“I’m not a good man, Sophia,” he says finally. “But I’m not your enemy.”

I don’t know what to say to that.

For a long moment, we just stare at each other. Then, Adrian sighs and rubs a hand over his jaw. “Come with me.”

I take a step back. “Excuse me?”

“I want to show you something.”

I let out a short laugh. “You think I’m just going to follow you somewhere after all this?”

“If you want the truth,” he says, “yes.”

I hesitate. Every instinct in me is screaming to say no, to turn around and walk away. But another part of me—the part that’s been chasing this story for months—knows I can’t.

Because if Adrian Wolfe really has the answers I’m looking for, I can’t afford to walk away now.

I take a deep breath. “Fine.”

His lips twitch slightly, like he wasn’t expecting me to agree so easily. “Smart choice.”

“I doubt that.”

He doesn’t respond, just turns and starts walking. And before I can think better of it, I follow.

---

The hallway is quiet as we move through it, our footsteps the only sound. I keep my guard up, half-expecting Adrian to pull some trick, but he just walks ahead, leading me through a door at the end of the corridor.

The moment I step inside, I realize we’re in his office. It’s massive, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. The walls are lined with shelves filled with books and expensive-looking decor, and in the center of the room, there’s a sleek black desk that probably costs more than my apartment.

Adrian walks to a cabinet against the wall and opens it, pulling out a folder. He turns back to me and holds it out.

I hesitate before taking it.

“Look inside,” he says.

I flip it open. My breath catches.

Photos. Documents. Copies of missing persons reports. And all of them are connected to the same case I’ve been working on.

I look up at him. “Why do you have these?”

His expression is unreadable. “Because you’re not the only one looking for answers.”

I flip through the pages, my pulse quickening. Some of these reports I’ve seen before. Others I haven’t. Some of them are police reports, but others—

I freeze.

There’s a photo of one of the missing women, taken after she disappeared. She looks terrified. Bruised. She’s sitting in a dark room, her hands tied in front of her.

My stomach turns. “Where did you get this?”

Adrian doesn’t answer right away. Then, he says, “You need to stop looking into this, Sophia.”

I snap my head up. “Excuse me?”

“This isn’t just some mystery you can solve with a few articles and a good headline,” he says, his voice firm. “This is bigger than you realize.”

I slam the folder shut. “Then tell me what it is.”

A muscle in his jaw twitches. “I can’t.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Of course you can’t.”

He steps closer, his eyes dark. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“By keeping me in the dark?”

“By keeping you alive.”

His words hit me harder than I expect.

I swallow, gripping the folder tighter. “I can’t just walk away from this.”

His gaze holds mine. “I know.”

There’s something in his voice—something almost resigned. Like he knows nothing he says will change my mind.

I exhale shakily and glance back down at the folder. My fingers tighten around the edges.

This is it. This is the proof I need.

But if Adrian’s right… if I keep digging, I might be in more danger than I ever imagined.

And for the first time since I started this investigation, I don’t know if I’m ready for what comes next.