Rhythm Of Deceit

Chapter 23: Unraveling

The days following my conversation with Adler were a blur. The weight of his words lingered in my mind, like a constant hum in the background of everything I did. His concern for me was evident, and every time I saw him, I felt a deep sense of comfort. But it wasn’t enough. Not anymore.

Every time I closed my eyes, I could hear Rio’s voice, feel the intensity of his presence. It was like he was always just behind me, watching, waiting. And his words—the threats he had sent me—replayed in my mind, sending waves of fear through me. *“You don’t get to walk away that easily.”* Those words rang in my ears, over and over.

I couldn’t let Rio have that kind of control over me. I knew that. But the pull I felt toward him was undeniable. He had become a part of my life in a way I couldn’t explain, and the more I tried to resist him, the more it felt like I was drowning in his world.

And now, with everything unraveling so quickly, I was losing my grip.

It was late when I found myself sitting alone by the fountain again, the familiar spot where Adler and I had talked just days ago. The campus was quiet, almost eerily so, with only the sound of the breeze rustling the leaves above me. The moon hung low in the sky, casting pale light over the grounds. I had been avoiding this place, avoiding the thoughts that always seemed to follow me here, but tonight it felt like the only place where I could breathe.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out, already knowing who it would be. Rio.

*“Meet me at the usual spot. Tonight. Midnight.”*

I stared at the message, my stomach sinking. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to give in to whatever game Rio was playing, but part of me was still drawn to him. Still uncertain about where I stood with him, or where he stood with me. And that was the problem.

I couldn’t seem to make a decision. Not when every part of me was conflicted.

Before I could think too much about it, a voice broke through the silence.

“Aniya?”

I jumped, startled, and turned around to see Adler standing a few feet away. His expression was serious, eyes narrowed with concern. He had followed me here.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice shaking slightly, though I tried to mask it with a forced calmness.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Adler replied, walking toward me slowly. “I thought we agreed that you would stay away from Rio. And yet, here you are. Again.”

I didn’t know how to respond. The guilt hit me like a punch to the gut. Adler was right. I had agreed to listen to him, to let go of Rio, to protect myself. But somehow, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t let go.

“I don’t know what to do, Adler,” I whispered, feeling the weight of my words. “I don’t know if I can stay away from him.”

Adler’s jaw tightened. He stopped just short of where I was sitting, standing tall, his arms crossed in front of him like he was bracing for something he didn’t want to face.

“I get it, Aniya,” he said quietly. “I do. But you have to understand, Rio isn’t just some guy you can play around with. He’s dangerous. You saw how he’s been with you, how he’s been manipulating you, and now he’s sending you these messages.” He took a step closer, his voice gaining intensity. “You need to stop letting him control you.”

“I’m not letting him control me!” I snapped, standing up abruptly, the words bursting out before I could stop them. “I don’t even know what’s real anymore! I don’t know what I feel, Adler!”

I could see the hurt flash across his face, but he didn’t back down. “I’m not trying to control you, Aniya. I’m trying to protect you.”

“From what, Adler? From myself?” I laughed bitterly, shaking my head. “I can’t keep running away from this. I can’t keep pretending that I’m not torn, that I’m not confused. I know what you want me to do. You want me to walk away from Rio, to choose you. But it’s not that simple.”

“It is that simple,” Adler said firmly. “You don’t have to keep doing this to yourself. You don’t have to keep putting yourself in harm’s way for someone who doesn’t care about you the way I do.”

His words hit harder than I expected. The raw honesty in his voice, the vulnerability—he wasn’t hiding anything. And for the first time in days, I realized how much he meant to me. I had been so caught up in the chaos of my feelings for Rio that I had pushed Adler away, convinced myself I wasn’t worthy of his love, or his protection.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Adler,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “But I don’t know if I can walk away from Rio. He’s… he’s not who you think he is.”

Adler’s eyes softened for a moment, and he reached out to gently touch my arm. “I know you care about him. But you’re not seeing what I’m seeing. Rio is using you, Aniya. You need to believe me.”

I looked into his eyes, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze. Adler’s words were like a lifeline, pulling me toward something safer, something real. But in the pit of my stomach, a voice—soft but insistent—whispered that I couldn’t trust it. Not completely. Not yet.

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed again. I looked down at it, my heart racing as I saw another message from Rio.

*“I’m waiting. Don’t make me come find you.”*

Adler saw the message, his face hardening instantly. “No. You’re not going to see him. Not tonight. Not ever again.”

I felt a surge of panic rise in me. The choice was here. The moment I had been avoiding.

But I couldn’t bring myself to make it.

“I need to go,” I said, pulling away from Adler, my voice a mixture of fear and defiance. “I need to do this, Adler. I need to know the truth.”

I saw Adler’s face fall, his lips pressing into a thin line, but he didn’t try to stop me. Not physically. Instead, he stood there, watching me walk away.

“Aniya,” he called, his voice quieter now, full of something that broke me just a little. “Please. Be careful.”

But the words were already lost in the wind as I turned my back on him, and walked into the night.

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End of Chapter 23

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