Chapter 11

Vivian stared at her phone long after the call with Adrian ended, her fingers still lingering on the screen as if reluctant to let go of the moment. Only a few seconds ago, her lips had been curved in a radiant smile, her laughter spilling freely as Adrian told her he misses her too over the phone. His voice had been warm, casual, and filled with that gentle charm that always made her heart skip a beat. But now, as the line went dead, her smile melted into something unreadable, an emotion carefully hidden beneath layers of practiced composure.

There was sadness in her eyes, faint but undeniable, lurking beneath the surface like a shadow that refused to be ignored. She hated this feeling. The bittersweet tug in her chest each time she remembered that Adrian wasn’t hers, not completely, not openly.

As if on impulse, her hand twitched, and she tapped her phone on again. The screen lit up, bathing her face in a pale glow. She went straight to her gallery, scrolling through w