Rhythm Of Deceit

Chapter 9: The Confrontation

The weight of the information Sofia had given me hung heavily in the air as I walked back to my dorm room. Rio’s past, the police report, his violent tendencies—it all painted a picture of someone far more dangerous than I had ever realized. For the first time, I understood why Adler had warned me to stay away from Rio. But even with that knowledge, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was still missing something, something important that could change everything.

As I opened the door to my room, I was greeted by silence, but a strange tension seemed to pulse through the air. I set my bag down and flopped onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling. My mind was in turmoil. Rio’s dark past was undeniable, but Adler’s mysterious warnings kept me on edge. Why hadn’t he told me everything? Why had he kept so much from me? And most of all, why had he tried to push me away from Rio so many times?

I ran a hand through my hair, frustration building inside me. I needed answers, but more than that, I needed to know who I could trust.

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My phone buzzed, pulling me from my thoughts. I quickly reached for it, almost afraid of who it might be. A message from Adler flashed on the screen.

**Adler:** *“We need to talk. Meet me at the back of the student center in 15 minutes.”*

I hesitated. His words felt urgent, but after everything that had happened, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What if he was hiding something else? What if Rio’s manipulation had affected him too?

But despite the doubts gnawing at me, I knew I had to go. There were too many unanswered questions, and I needed to hear it from Adler himself. So, I grabbed my jacket and headed out the door, determined to get to the bottom of it all.

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When I reached the back of the student center, I found Adler standing by the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. The usual warmth in his eyes had been replaced with a guarded intensity, and for the first time, I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

I swallowed hard as I approached him. “Adler… what’s going on? Why did you want to meet?”

He glanced around before meeting my eyes. His voice was low, almost too calm. “I didn’t want to do this, Aniya. But I think it’s time you knew the truth.”

I felt my heart rate quicken. The tension in the air was thick with anticipation, and I suddenly realized how much I had been dreading this moment. The truth—what truth?

“About what?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Adler sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before meeting my gaze again. “About everything. About Rio. About me. About why I’ve been keeping things from you.”

I stood there, frozen. The storm of emotions I had been carrying for days felt like it might crash down on me in that moment, but I forced myself to stay calm. If I was ever going to understand what was really going on, I had to listen, even if it hurt.

“I don’t understand,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier? Why didn’t you tell me about Rio’s past? Why did you keep pushing me away?”

Adler’s expression softened, but there was still a shadow in his eyes. “I didn’t want you to get caught up in this, Aniya. You have no idea what you’re dealing with. Rio’s obsession with control—it’s not just about games. He’s dangerous, and I didn’t want you to be dragged into it. I’ve been watching him for a long time, and I’ve seen how he operates.”

I took a step back, trying to process his words. “But why didn’t you warn me sooner? You knew how I felt about him, and you just… let me figure it out on my own?”

Adler winced, like my words were a punch to his gut. “I didn’t want to hurt you. I thought if I stayed out of it, you’d make your own decisions. But I was wrong. I should’ve been more direct. I should’ve told you everything from the start.”

I swallowed, feeling the weight of his words settle on me. Part of me wanted to believe him, wanted to trust that he had done what he thought was best. But another part of me, the part that had felt confused and betrayed by his silence, wasn’t so sure.

“Why now?” I asked, my voice trembling. “Why are you telling me this now, after everything?”

Adler stepped closer, his gaze steady but filled with something I couldn’t quite place. “Because you’re in danger, Aniya. Rio is manipulating you. He’s been targeting you from the beginning, and I’m afraid he’s not going to stop until he gets what he wants. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

I felt my heart race at his words. The feeling of being trapped in Rio’s twisted game, the feeling that something was off, suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks. Could Adler be right? Was Rio truly as dangerous as he said?

Before I could respond, Adler took a deep breath, as if gathering the courage to say something even harder. “There’s more, Aniya. Something I’ve been keeping from you. It’s about Rio’s hold over me—something from our past that you don’t know about.”

My pulse quickened. “What is it, Adler?”

Adler hesitated, clearly struggling with how to explain. “Rio… he doesn’t just manipulate people. He knows things. He knows about my family, my history. Things I’ve tried to keep hidden. If I cross him, if I expose him for who he really is, he’ll make sure that everything I’ve worked for, everything I’ve built, will come crashing down.”

I took a step back, trying to absorb what he was saying. “So, you’re telling me you’ve been letting him get away with this because you’re afraid of him?”

Adler’s expression hardened, and he clenched his fists at his sides. “It’s not just fear, Aniya. It’s survival. Rio is more dangerous than you realize. He’s capable of destroying everything—and he’s already started.”

I felt a cold chill spread through me. If what Adler was saying was true, then I was in way deeper than I had ever imagined. And Rio wasn’t just playing games anymore. He was trying to tear everything apart, and I was caught in the middle.

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I stood there, speechless, as the weight of his confession hung between us. Rio’s control over Adler, his manipulation—it all suddenly made sense. But it didn’t make the situation any easier to understand.

“What do we do now?” I whispered, barely able to get the words out.

Adler’s eyes softened, his voice barely audible. “We fight back. Together.”

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End of Chapter 9

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