Rhythm Of Deceit

Chapter 22: Fading Echoes

I spent the next few days in a haze, caught between the two men who had somehow become my whole world. Adler’s words replayed in my mind, his voice full of concern and protectiveness, urging me to stay away from Rio. But Rio’s confession lingered like a shadow, a dark echo of things I hadn’t yet fully understood. I had never been more torn in my life.

Classes were a blur. I went through the motions, nodding when I was supposed to, smiling when it was expected of me, but my mind was miles away. Every time I passed a window, I expected to see Adler or Rio. And when I did, my heart would lurch in my chest, a chaotic mix of emotions overwhelming me. Was I choosing the right side? Was I being fair to either of them?

I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat. My thoughts were consumed by what had been said, what had been revealed, and what had yet to come.

Lily had noticed. She always did. Her concerned eyes followed me as we sat in the café, her fingers tapping nervously against her coffee cup.

“Aniya, you need to talk to me,” she said quietly, her voice low enough that no one else could overhear. “You’ve been a wreck for days. What’s going on?”

I stared at my hands, twisting the straw in my drink. “I don’t know what to do anymore, Lil. I don’t know who to trust.”

She leaned forward, her brow furrowed. “Trust Adler, Aniya. He’s your friend, and he’s been there for you from the start. I know you’re confused, but Rio’s not who you think he is. I saw it when we were at that party last month. The way he looked at you—it wasn’t right. He’s using you.”

I shook my head, the words stinging more than I expected. “You don’t know him like I do, Lily. He’s not perfect, but he’s… he’s real. He told me things—things I never knew about him. His past, his family, the stuff he’s trying to escape from. I don’t think he’s the bad guy here.”

Lily’s eyes softened, but there was a firmness in her voice. “You don’t have to choose, Aniya. You don’t have to let yourself be caught in the middle of whatever game he’s playing. Adler isn’t asking you to make a choice between him and Rio. He just wants you to be safe. That’s all.”

I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Lily’s words pressing down on me. “I don’t know if I can do that,” I whispered, more to myself than to her.

Lily sighed, sitting back in her chair. “I get it. I do. But you can’t let him manipulate you. If Rio really cared about you, he wouldn’t be playing these games. He wouldn’t keep you guessing, Aniya. He wouldn’t be causing this much chaos in your life.”

I nodded, but deep inside, I wasn’t sure if I agreed. I didn’t want to believe the worst in Rio, but the longer I stayed around Adler, the more I realized I wasn’t getting a clear picture of who Rio really was.

Later that evening, I found myself walking around campus aimlessly, my thoughts swirling like a storm. The familiar paths of Southland College felt foreign under the weight of my indecision. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to find a message from an unknown number.

It was a single line of text.

*“I’m not done with you yet.”*

I froze. The message sent a chill down my spine, my pulse quickening as my fingers hovered over the screen. Who was it from? Was it Rio? Or someone else entirely?

I glanced around, feeling an eerie sense of being watched. The campus, which had always felt like home, now seemed like a labyrinth of shadows. I turned quickly, my heart racing, but saw no one. The message felt like a threat, but from whom?

Before I could even think of replying, another message came through, this time from Rio. My breath caught in my throat as I read his name at the top of the screen.

*“I told you I wouldn’t stop. You don’t get to walk away that easily.”*

The words were blunt, aggressive. There was no warmth, no trace of the person who had once seemed vulnerable to me. This was a different side of Rio—the side Adler had warned me about. My hands trembled as I set the phone back into my pocket.

What was happening?

My thoughts were interrupted by a soft voice calling my name.

“Aniya?”

I turned quickly, and there he was—Adler. His eyes searched mine, his concern evident as he closed the distance between us.

“Aniya, are you okay?” he asked, his voice low and urgent. “You’ve been on edge all week. What’s going on?”

I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak. How could I explain this to him without making everything worse?

“Adler, I…” I trailed off, unsure of what to say. How could I tell him about the messages I had received? And more importantly, how could I explain what they meant? Was Rio trying to intimidate me, or was there something deeper going on?

Adler’s gaze hardened as he saw the worry on my face. “What happened? Talk to me, Aniya. What’s going on with you and Rio?”

I hesitated, torn between my fear and the overwhelming desire to tell him everything. But when I looked into Adler’s eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Rio had always been a mystery, a puzzle I had never been able to solve. But now, the puzzle was unraveling before me, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for the truth.

“I… I can’t explain it, Adler,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. “I just don’t know what’s real anymore.”

Adler reached for my hand, his grip gentle but firm. “I know it’s hard, Aniya. But I’m here. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to trust that he was right, that Rio was the one causing the chaos. But with every word Adler spoke, something inside me fought back. Something inside me still wanted to believe in Rio, in the man I thought I knew.

“I’m scared, Adler,” I admitted, my voice breaking.

He pulled me into a hug, and for a moment, the world seemed to disappear. I leaned into him, letting his warmth wash over me, but the nagging feeling of uncertainty refused to let go.

I didn’t know how much longer I could stand at this crossroads. I didn’t know which way to turn. But as I stood there, with Adler’s arms around me, I realized that I couldn’t keep running away from the truth forever.

Something had to give.

---

End of Chapter 22

---