Of course, Adrian noticed. His hostility toward me grew with each visit. Unable to confront Tristan directly, he aimed all his anger at me.
"Aliyah, what are you trying to do with Tristan?" he once asked, his voice dripping with venom. "You know he’s going to marry Maddy, don’t you?"
That was the moment I learned Tristan and Maddy were engaged. At first, I had only seen him as a friend, but over time, I had fallen for him—the only person who made me feel seen. And now, I felt ashamed, like a thief, for harboring feelings for someone who wasn’t mine to love.
I tried to distance myself, but Tristan found me in the library a few days later. That was when he told me the truth—the engagement had been arranged, but not specifically for Maddy. It was just an understanding between the families, and now, with my return, everything had changed.
As Tristan’s call with Adrian ended abruptly, I heard Madilyn’s soft, tearful voice in the background. “Tristan, I don’t feel well. Can you come see me?”
“Maddy, calm down,” Adrian murmured, his voice full of the same gentle coaxing he always used with her.