Chapter Nineteen Adriana
Ipulled away from Tristan, my heart beating hard in my chest. I knew I needed to break up with him…but I had no idea how.
“You’re angry,” he said.
“Yes, well, this is fucking insane,” I replied, crossing my arms over my chest.
The cold Boston air nipped at my skin, but it was nothing compared to the ice in Tristan’s voice. “You think I wanted this chaos?” he spat, arms crossed as if bracing against my words rather than the chill.
“Chaos seems to be your signature move, Tristan.” My tone matched his, each word sharp enough to cut through the tension hanging between us. Our relationship had been a battleground lately, and now, with twins on the way, we were both raw nerves and frayed edges.
“Adriana, let’s just—“
“Save it,” I cut him off, stepping back. The distance felt like a lifeline, even as the space between us crackled with unsaid fears about our future and these unborn lives caught in the crossfire.
Footsteps approached, and then there was Kieran, Tristan’s brother’s presence filling the sidewalk. He stopped, his gaze taking in the scene — two people who should have been preparing for a life together now at an impasse.
“Everything alright here?” His voice was steady despite the storm swirling around us.
I caught him trying to slip away, a silent shadow against the morning light. But when our eyes met, something unspoken passed between us. A flicker of understanding? Maybe pity? I couldn’t tell, and it gnawed at me.
“Kieran,” I acknowledged with a nod, not missing the way Tristan tensed further at his brother’s name.
“Ade.” Kieran’s reply was curt, his eyes never leaving mine as if he was trying to decipher the turmoil he’d walked into.
Tristan shifted beside me, a silent signal that he wanted no witnesses to our unraveling. But I stood firm on the sidewalk outside our hideaway townhouse, refusing to let this moment pass without consequence.
“Tristan doesn’t want to marry me,” I blurted out, the words laced with a bitterness that surprised even me. “And now, as you know, I’m pregnant. With twins.” My voice cracked, but I powered through. “Did you know? Was this part of his plan to baby trap me?”
Kieran’s eyes widened slightly, the only break in his otherwise impassive facade. He glanced at Tristan, who was staring at me, his face a mask of concealed emotions.
“I didn’t—“ Kieran started, but couldn’t seem to find the right words.
“Adriana, that’s not fair and you know it,” Tristan interjected, trying to reach for me, but I stepped back, out of his grasp.
“Oh, it isn’t?” I challenged, my heart pounding fiercely against my ribs.
Kieran cleared his throat. “Listen, why don’t we just–”
“Shut the fuck up, Kieran,” Tristan snapped, turning to his brother, whose presence seemed to amplify the tension between us.
“Actually, I don’t even know if Tristan wanted children,” Kieran said quietly, but his words hit like a hammer, making me feel worse, more isolated.
“Jesus Christ, Kieran, shut up,“ Tristan said.
I shook my head, trying to ignore the tears stinging my eyes.
“Just, look, everything will be okay,” Tristan insisted, stepping closer again. His voice was filled with pleading, an odd mix of reassurance and desperation. His blue eyes locked onto mine, searching for a sign of forgiveness or understanding.
I shook my head, unable to accept his words as truth. The morning air felt colder now, and I wrapped my arms around myself, both for warmth and to hold together the fragments of my composure.
“Tristan, I can’t do this—not now,” I said, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. My voice was steadier than I felt.
“We need to talk about this,” he insisted, his tone firm yet laced with an underlying concern that only served to tighten the knot in my stomach.
“Talk?” I scoffed. “We’re way past talking. I’m getting my own lawyer.”
The words hung heavy between us, a declaration of war in a battle I never wanted to fight. But it was no longer just about me; it was about the two lives growing inside me and the future of Tristan’s son and daughter. I’d do whatever it took to protect them, even if it meant going against the man who, until recently, I thought I could trust with my life.
“Adriana, don’t be like this,” Tristan pleaded, his hands outstretched as if he could bridge the chasm with his bare palms.
“Like what? Rational? Protective?” I countered, my voice rising despite my attempts to keep calm.
“Okay, I’ll leave you two to it,” Kieran interjected, sensing the depth of our conflict. He started to turn away, giving us space for a private conversation.
“Kieran, wait in the car,” Tristan ordered, his voice cold and commanding.
“I’m just going to…”
Kieran hesitated, glancing at me with a look that conveyed both apology and support before nodding slowly and walking away to stand a few feet from the door, his back turned to give us some semblance of privacy.
“Tristan, this isn’t about you or me. It’s about doing what’s right for these kids,” I said, forcing myself to meet his gaze. It was important that he understood this wasn’t a personal attack but a move borne out of necessity.
“Let’s just sit down inside and figure this out together,” he suggested, his voice softening, but I could see the muscle working in his jaw, betraying his frustration.
“Figure it out? Tristan, your world doesn’t exactly scream stability. This isn’t a game. I need legal assurances, and I won’t apologize for that.” The morning air carried the faint sounds of the city stirring to life, but all I could focus on was the man in front of me and the churning turmoil within me.
“Adriana, please—“ he began again, but I cut him off.
“No, Tristan. I’ve made up my mind. We’ll talk later.” With that, I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving him standing there, a mix of anger and helplessness written across his face.
“Ade, wait.” Kieran’s voice sliced through the cool Boston air, halting my determined stride. I paused but didn’t turn to face him, my hand resting on the cold metal of the townhouse gate.
“Please, just hear me out,” he pleaded from behind me. His presence was a constant reminder of the complex threads that wove our lives together, threads I was tempted yet terrified to pull.
“Kieran, this isn’t your fight,” I said, my voice tinged with an edge of defiance that surprised even me.
“Maybe not, but it affects me, doesn’t it?” He was close now; I could feel the warmth radiating from his body despite the chill surrounding us.
“Look,” he continued, his voice low, “I saw a police car parked down the street. They’re watching us.”
“Let them watch,” I replied sharply, turning to finally meet his gaze. The thought of the cops lurking around didn’t scare me; it was Kieran’s proximity that set my nerves on edge.
“Adriana, think about what you’re doing,” Kieran urged, his dark hair tousled by the breeze, eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that threatened to unravel me.
“Tristan needs to understand the consequences,” I insisted, though Kieran’s concern was making it difficult to maintain my resolve. “He can’t just sweep this under the rug.”
“I get it, but…there are reasons my brother is doing what he’s doing.”
“And there are reasons I’m doing what I’m doing,” I said.
“Fine,” he conceded, stepping back as if to give me room to breathe. “But don’t let your pride lead to recklessness.”
“Since when did you become the voice of reason?” I managed a half-smile, trying to mask the anxiety bubbling inside me.
“Since someone had to be,” Kieran shot back with a smirk that didn’t entirely reach his eyes. He knew as well as I did that the gravity of our situation left little room for levity.
“Stay out of this, Kieran,” I warned, although part of me wanted him to defy my words.
“Fine, alright,” he agreed, nodding slowly. “But we’re not done here. We’ll talk later, after things have cooled down.”
“Later then,” I conceded, my heart pounding as I turned away from him and stepped out onto the bustling sidewalk.
“You know,” he said, calling after me. “Maybe you two can stop talking about your relationship for a bit and actually work on a project? I think the box might have a lot more information than you realize.”