Rhythm Of Deceit

Chapter 20: Tides of Change

The days that followed felt like an endless blur of confusion. Rio’s words echoed in my mind, the weight of everything he had shared with me sinking in deeper with each passing hour. I had seen a side of him I never knew existed, and it made everything I thought I knew about him feel like a lie. Yet, as much as I tried to push it all away, there was something about his vulnerability that lingered in my thoughts.

I couldn't help but think about Adler, too. Adler, who had been there for me, who had warned me about Rio, and who had tried so hard to protect me. But now, with everything I had learned about Rio, my feelings were tangled in a way that felt almost impossible to untangle. I knew Adler was a good person, someone I trusted, but I couldn’t deny the way Rio’s confession had changed things. What if there was more to his story than I had realized? What if he really did care about me?

It was the following afternoon when I ran into Julian near the student center. He was talking animatedly to a group of students, but when he saw me, he excused himself and walked over with a concerned expression.

"Aniya," he said, his voice soft but insistent. "I know you’ve been through a lot, but we need to talk. I can’t stand seeing you like this."

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Julian had always been one of the people I could count on, but right now, I wasn’t sure if I could take another lecture about Rio. "Julian, I don’t want to talk about him right now," I said, my voice more strained than I intended.

Julian raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms in front of him. "It’s not just about Rio, Aniya. It’s about you. I’ve been watching you, and I know something’s off. You’re not yourself. I can see it. What happened between you and Rio? I can tell it’s eating you up inside."

The way Julian looked at me made my stomach twist. He was my best friend, someone who had always had my back. I owed him honesty, especially now. "I talked to him," I admitted quietly. "I talked to Rio, and he told me things—things about his family, about the life he’s trying to escape." I paused, trying to make sense of it all. "And now… I don’t know what to think. I don’t know who to trust anymore."

Julian’s face softened with sympathy, and he placed a hand on my shoulder. "Aniya, listen to me. I know you care about him, but you can’t ignore what’s been happening. You’ve seen how things have been with him. I’ve seen it too. And it’s not just his family—there’s something else. You have to be careful. You deserve better than all of this."

I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "I know. But what if I’m wrong? What if there’s more to Rio than I thought? What if everything he said was true?"

"Maybe some of it is," Julian replied carefully. "But you have to ask yourself: why now? Why would he suddenly come clean about everything? Think about it, Aniya. Does it feel like he’s really being honest, or does it feel like he’s trying to make you feel sorry for him?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat. Julian had a point. Why now? Why had Rio chosen this moment to open up? Was it because he felt guilty? Or was it something more—something he needed from me?

"I don’t know," I whispered, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me. "I don’t know what to believe anymore."

Julian gave me a sympathetic smile. "You don’t have to figure it all out right now, Aniya. Just take a step back. Don’t make any decisions while you’re feeling like this. You’re better than this—better than what Rio’s pulling you into."

I nodded slowly, grateful for his words but still uncertain of where I stood. "Thanks, Julian. I’ll try. I just… I don’t know how to move forward from here."

"One step at a time," he said gently. "And remember, you’ve got me. You’re not alone in this."

The comfort of Julian’s words stayed with me as I walked away, but my mind still raced with conflicting emotions. The weight of everything I had learned about Rio felt like it was constantly pressing on me, making it hard to breathe. But what about Adler? What about him? He had always been there for me, and yet… I couldn’t ignore the pull I still felt toward Rio.

By the time the evening arrived, I found myself at a crossroads. I had spent so many nights thinking about Adler, about Rio, and the truth about each of them that I could no longer avoid the choices that lay ahead. The world felt heavier than it ever had before, and the path forward was more uncertain than ever.

I didn’t know what the right decision was. I didn’t know if I could be the person who could bring Rio out of the darkness he claimed to be running from, or if Adler was right—that he was just trying to control me, to keep me tied to him. My feelings for both of them were tangled in a way that seemed impossible to resolve.

And then, as if the universe had decided that it was time for me to face the truth, I saw Adler walking toward me. His face was serious, his brow furrowed as if he had something important to say.

“Aniya,” he said, his voice low but steady. “We need to talk.”

I nodded, my heart racing. Maybe now, finally, I would get the clarity I so desperately needed. But even as Adler took a step closer, I couldn’t shake the feeling that everything—everything—was about to change.

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End of Chapter 20

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