Into Your World

8. The Turbulence of the Past

Liza's POV

"Out of everything I thought, this was not what I expected," I said, slamming the door behind me. My mind was racing as I turned to see Adrian, casually licking his fingers, savoring the last remnants of the pasta. "You kissed her?" I couldn't believe that.

He stopped mid-lick and looked at me as if I'd offended him to some level, "First of all, I didn't kiss her, she kissed me and I don't blame her," He smirked, "I'm tempting and irresistible," I threw him a tight smile which seemed to amuse him more.

Despite my facade, there was no denying the truth-he was indeed tempting.

"So, that wasn't your plan?"

"Nope. Kissing her was never my plan. But she got carried away. So weak."

I sighed, "They have been in a relationship since high school. I didn't think she would drift away that easily."

"Your path was always clear, dear. You just never noticed."

I frowned, "What do you mean?"

He placed the bowl on the table with deliberate care and turned to face me fully, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made it impossible to look away. "This isn't just about a kiss. It's about revealing the cracks in their so-called perfect relationship. Norah kissed me, which means she wasn't as committed to Nate as you thought. And Nate, well, he didn't even care enough to notice what was going on under his nose," He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing. "My original plan was just to create a misunderstanding in their relationship. You know, a small rift, something that would make them argue and break up. But as I watched them, it became clear that neither of them is truly loyal or in love. They're just going through the motions, holding onto a history that doesn't mean anything anymore."

"So, you're saying that was all fake?" I asked, crossing my arms against my chest.

"You could say that. You see... when a woman is in love, she wouldn't spare you a glance, but with her, I didn't have to do much. I offered what she's been craving; attention, validation, something more than what Nate has been giving her." He shrugged, a smug smile playing on his lips. "And then, she fell head over heels for me. And it's not her fault, really. She's just a victim of my undeniable charm." he winked.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Right."

"And Nate likes you."

I blinked, taken aback. "What?" He nodded, his focus on his pasta, "And how can you say that?" I demanded.

He looks at me, "Have you ever paid attention to how he looks at you? The way his eyes light up when you walk into the room? Or how his voice softens and he listens more intently when he's talking to you? And come on, did you really not notice his expression when he found out I'm your boyfriend? Jealousy was written all over his face."

I thought back, replaying moments in my mind. Adrian's words started to align with things I had brushed off before. Nate's lingering glances, the way he'd always find excuses to be near me, his sudden mood shifts when Adrian was around. It all started to make a disturbing kind of sense.

"Nate's been harboring feelings for you for a long time," he reiterated, his tone grave yet earnest. "He's been trapped in this relationship with Norah, going through the motions out of habit rather than genuine love. That's why he didn't put up a fight when he found Norah with me. And Norah... well, now, she has a chance to find real happiness, because she was not at all happy with him."

"Nate likes me?" I repeated to myself, the words felt foreign on my lips as I struggled to process this revelation.

"Yes, dear Liza. Nate likes you," He affirmed, his voice gentle yet confident. "If he still had feelings for Norah, he would have punched me or put up a fight. But instead, he walked away. He's happy that Norah made such a move because now he has a valid reason to end things with her. Trust me, a day later or two, he will ask you out!" He winked at last.