Run Into Your Arms

chapter 4

Eleanor's POV :

I was utterly confused. Adele was protecting

me as if I were someone important to her,

and that feeling was foreign to me. My

family had never been supportive, and I was

always used to standing on my own. Now,

this woman-someone I'd admired for years

-was treating me like I mattered, and I

wasn't sure how to process it.

After the gallery visit, she insisted on driving

me home. As we neared my apartment, I

finally broke the silence. "Thank you for the

ride and your support. But... please, don't put

yourself in trouble because of me," I said,

feeling the weight of her protectiveness on

my shoulders. I didn't want her to get hurt.

She glanced at me, her expression

unreadable. "Sun, you don't need to worry

about me. I'm far more powerful than you

realize. Right now, you need to focus on

yourself. Go inside, pack your things. We'll

get the rest tomorrow."

I blinked, startled by her directness. "Wait,

what? Pack my things for what?"

"You're coming with me," she said, her tone

firm, leaving no room for argument.

I shook my head. "I can't just leave. I have a

life here, a job. I-"

She cut me off, her voice sharp but not

unkind. "You may have a life here, but with

Diddy chasing after you, that life is going to

disappear very soon. He won't stop until he

gets what he wants."

My stomach churned with fear. She was

right-there was no future for me if Diddy

kept harassing me. But her plan still didn't

make sense. "What exactly are you

suggesting? That I just hide out with you

forever?"

Adele's eyes softened slightly as she

reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair

behind my ear. "He won't touch you if you're

with me-not just in my house, but with me.

He wouldn't dare step into my territory."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with

implications I wasn't quite ready to face. "I

still don't understand," I said quietly. "What

do you mean, with you?"

Adele took a step closer, her eyes locking

onto mine with an intensity that made me

hold my breath. "You'll stay with me, travel

with me. You'll be my... assistant, my

companion. Whatever title you want to call

it. He won't touch you if you're by my side."

I blinked at her, trying to process everything.

"Adele, I don't know if that's a good idea. You

have your own life, your career. You don't

need to-"

She cut me off again, her voice lowering. "I

don't take no for an answer when it comes

to the safety of someone I care about."

My heart skipped a beat. Care about? She

barely knew me, yet she was willing to go

this far? I opened my mouth to argue again,

but the look in her eyes stopped me. There

was something unshakeable in her gaze, a

determination that I couldn't fight against.

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" I

asked, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and

fear well up inside me.

Adele smiled, but it wasn't the light, carefree

smile from before. This one was edged with

seriousness. "No, love. I'm not."

I hesitated, my mind racing with a thousand

reasons why I should refuse. But deep down,

I knew that she was right. As long as Diddy

was after me, I wasn't safe. And as much as

I hated to admit it, being with Adele might be

the only way to keep him at bay.

With a heavy sigh, I nodded. "Okay... but this

doesn't mean I agree with everything."

Adele's smile softened as she reached out,

brushing her fingers against mine. "We'll

take it one step at a time. Now, go inside and

pack a bag. We'll figure the rest out later."

As I turned to go inside, I couldn't help but

wonder how I had ended up here-entangled

in something far more complicated than I

ever imagined.