Run Into Your Arms

chapter 1

Adele's POV :

It was a fantastic night. The Grammy

Awards were always a whirlwind of glamour,

but tonight felt different. I had just won the

coveted Album of the Year, and for the first

time in my career, I felt truly liberated. No

longer shackled by fear or the judgment of

others, particularly Diddy and his crew, I

walked the red carpet with my head held

high. The flashing lights and adoring fans

were intoxicating, but beneath the surface, I

was hyper-aware of the lingering shadows

of my past.

As I posed for photos, I spotted Diddy

across the room, his presence as

commanding as ever. He was leaning in

close to a young girl who couldn't have been

more than twenty-five. She wore a

photographer's suit, and despite the glamour

surrounding us, she looked visibly scared.

My heart raced as I watched him lean in,

whispering something into her ear that

made her flinch. I felt a familiar anger rising

within me-a protective instinct that I

thought I had buried long ago.

"Hey!" I shouted, my voice cutting through

the noise. The cameras turned, capturing the

moment as I called for a cameraman,

locking eyes with the girl. "Come here!"

She hesitated for a split second, but the

urgency in my voice seemed to pull her away

from Diddy's grip. She rushed towards me,

her camera swinging nervously at her side.

As she got closer, I noticed the pallor of her

skin and the trembling in her hands. "Thank

you," she gasped, her voice a shaky whisper.

"I didn't know what to do."

"It's okay, dear. You're safe now," I reassured

her, kneeling beside her as she sank to the

floor. I could feel the tension radiating off

her, a palpable fear that mirrored the feelings

I had once harbored myself. "Just breathe.

Diddy can't hurt you here."

She nodded, but her eyes were wide with

fear. "I don't know how to thank you," she

said, looking up at me with a mix of gratitude

and terror.

"Do you have a way to get home?" I asked,

concern replacing my anger.

"Yeah, I parked a few streets away, but it's

late, and I don't want to-"

"Three streets? That's too far, especially with

him lurking around. Come with me; I'll drive

you," I insisted, my voice firm. I couldn't let

her face that alone. The girl hesitated again,

glancing back at Diddy, who was now

watching us with an expression I couldn't

quite read.

"Really, I can't trouble you. I'll be fine," she

said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No way," I replied, my resolve hardening.

"Grab your things, and let's go." I could feel a

fierce protectiveness igniting within me. I

wasn't just doing this for her; I was

reclaiming a part of myself that had been

silenced for too long.

She grabbed her camera and followed me,

her footsteps shaky but determined. As we

moved away from the chaos of the event, I

could feel my heart pounding-not from fear

but from a surge of adrenaline. I was ready

to confront my past, and in doing so, I was

helping someone else escape theirs.

Once we were far enough away from the

noise, I turned to her. "What's your name?"

"Lila," she replied, her voice steadier now.

"I'm a freelance photographer. I thought this

night would be a dream, but I had no idea he

would be here."

"I know what you mean," I said, trying to

ease her nerves. "I was terrified of him when

I first started in the industry. It's hard when

they think they can intimidate you."

Lila looked up at me, her eyes searching

mine for understanding. "How did you get

through it?"

"By realizing that I'm stronger than I ever

gave myself credit for," I said, my own voice

gaining confidence. "And by finding my own

voice."

We walked in silence for a moment, and I

could see the relief washing over her as we

approached my car. I opened the door for

her, and she slid into the passenger seat.

"You're a hero, you know that?" she said, a

faint smile breaking through her earlier fear.

I chuckled softly. "I'm no hero. I just couldn't

stand by and watch."

As I drove her toward her car, I felt a sense

of purpose surging within me. This night

wasn't just about the awards or the

accolades; it was about standing up for what

was right, for others and for myself. And for

the first time in a long time, I felt powerful.