The strange pull

Adrain's pov

The music and laughter faded behind as Adrian walked down the long corridor. The sound of his shoes echoed softly against the floor, mixing with the distant hum of the party.

His phone kept buzzing in his hand again and again, making him furious.

Seeing the caller ID written as Tracy made his jaw tighten. Tracy had been his girlfriend back when he was overseas, until she cheated on him. That betrayal was what ended everything between them.

After staring at the phone for a few seconds, he stopped walking, finally swiped the screen, and placed the phone to his ear.

“Tracy, what do you want?” he said in a firm, unreadable voice.

There was a small pause, then Tracy’s voice came through, smooth and teasing. “Adrian… how have you been? Don’t you wanna talk to me ever again?”

Adrian said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

“I know I messed up, okay?” she said softly. “And ever since you left, I just can’t help but miss you so bad. Guess what? I’m now in the city, staying with my aunt. I thought I should let you know… because I really wish to see you.”

Adrian leaned against the wall, rubbing the back of his neck slowly. Then he muttered, “Tracy, good luck with everything you want to do in your life. But let me tell you clearly, stop disturbing me with calls....I don’t appreciate it.”

“Adrian, please stop sounding so cold,” Tracy said with a light laugh in her tone. “Relax, I’m not going to bite. Remember, you never used to talk to me like that.”

“That was a long time ago,” Adrian said flatly.

Tracy’s voice dropped lower, almost a whisper. “You can’t pretend like you don’t miss me, Adrian. I still remember the way you looked at me. Don’t tell me another woman has taken my place already.”

With that, Adrian closed his eyes for a moment, his jaw tightening as he muttered in a harsh voice, “You should stop, Tracy.”

“Oh, come on,” Tracy said, her voice dripping with charm. “I just came back to the city… and I want us to meet and talk about us... is that too much to request for?”

“There is no us,” Adrian cut in sharply. “Not anymore.”

Before Tracy could say another word, he ended the call.

For a few seconds, he just stood there, staring at the dark screen of his phone. His reflection looked back at him calm and distant, but with a hint of something deeper in his eyes. Memories of Tracy flashed through his mind, the night he caught her cheating with another man.

Then he slipped the phone back into his pocket. He wasn’t going down that road again.

Turning around, he started walking back toward the hall. The music inside was softer now. People were beginning to leave, and laughter had turned into quiet chatter.

When he entered, the warm lights hit his face, and the sound of clinking glasses filled the room. Cathy was at the center of it all, surrounded by guests. Some were handing her gift boxes, others giving her hugs before they left. Her laughter was light and sweet, and for some reason, Adrian found himself staring.

Cathy’s smile looked genuine now, not forced like before. It was the kind of smile that drew people in without trying. Then Adrian found himself staring longer than he meant to.

Just then, he thought to himself that maybe he should have brought her something too… a gift, or anything. But what could he possibly do when he hadn’t even known it was her birthday until he got to the house.

Before he could think further, a familiar cheerful voice echoed across the room.

“Hey! Everyone!”

Immediately, he turned and saw Isabella standing on the stage, holding a glass of champagne in one hand and raising the other high. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the wine, and her grin was playful.

“Before the night ends,” she said, giggling, “I think someone still owes us a speech.”

With that, some guests turned to look at her curiously. Then Cathy’s smile faded immediately, with confusion flickering across her face as she watched Isabella, wondering what she was up to.

“Adrian!” Isabella called out, pointing at him. “Come on! You can’t just hide all evening. Say something about our dear Cathy before the guests leave!”

Cathy’s eyes widened instantly. She whispered, “Isabella, stop it,” hoping she would hear and stop the drama.

But Isabella, catching her eye, only winked and said louder, “He’s Cathy’s cousin! He should say something nice about her, right everyone?”

At that moment, some guests laughed and clapped, joining in on the teasing.

Adrian stood frozen for a moment.All eyes were suddenly on him. For a man who usually liked to stay quiet, this kind of attention wasn’t his thing. But saying nothing now would only make things worse.

He sighed softly, slid his hands into his pockets, and started walking toward the stage. The crowd made space for him as he stepped up and took the microphone from Isabella.

At that moment, the room went silent. Even the music faded slightly. Cathy stared at him, her heartbeat quickening. She wasn’t sure what he was going to say, or how she even felt seeing him there like that. What did he even know about her?

For a few seconds, Adrian looked around the hall, then let his eyes rest on Cathy before turning back to the crowd who were waiting for him to speak.

“I wasn’t expecting to speak tonight,” he began calmly, his deep voice echoing gently through the hall. “But… since I was called up, I guess I’ll say this.”

He paused for a moment before continuing.

“Cathy doesn’t really need an introduction. I guess anyone who’s been around her tonight has seen how kind she is, and how she lights up a room when she smiles.”

As the words left his mouth, he felt strange. What was he even saying? He barely knew her. Maybe it was the way everyone was staring, or maybe something about her smile just slipped under his guard. Either way, it didn’t make sense, and he didn’t like that it didn’t.

At that, Cathy froze where she stood, her heart suddenly racing. She didn’t know if it was the words or the way he said them. Was he really just saying it for formality’s sake… or did he mean it?

Then Adrian continued, his voice quieter now. “I may not know her well yet, but I can tell that her warmth isn’t something you see every day. And for that, I think we can all agree, she deserves more than just gifts.”

Afterward, there was a short silence before soft applause filled the room. Isabella clapped the loudest, smiling from ear to ear.

“Bravo, cousin!” she said with a laugh, then winked at Cathy, who could only shake her head.

Adrian smiled faintly, set the microphone back on its stand, and stepped down from the stage. His calm footsteps echoed lightly as he walked past the crowd.

For a moment, Cathy’s eyes followed him. She didn’t know what to think, or why his words kept replaying in her head.

As he passed by her, she caught a faint trace of his colognea, and her breath hitched.

Before she could look away, Isabella walked toward her, leaned closer, and whispered, “Wow, your cousin made a good speech about you.”

At that, she turned slightly but didn’t reply. She just walked away, feeling frustrated.

But only did she know that Adrian’s words were just the first ripple in a storm she couldn’t yet see coming.