Chapter 4 Walls of Ice

Lena sat at the breakfast table, staring at the untouched plate of food before her. Adrian entered the dining room, his eyes cold, his movements deliberate as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

He didn't say a word to her, didn't even glance her way as he settled in his chair, sipping from his cup like she didn't exist.

"Good morning, Adrian," Lena said, her voice soft but hopeful.

He didn't respond. The clink of his spoon against the porcelain cup was the only sound that filled the room. Lena bit her lip, glancing down at her hands, which were clasped tightly in her lap. The tension was unbearable, the silence suffocating.

She tried again, her heart hammering in her chest. "I was thinking... Maybe we could take a walk later? Around the gardens, perhaps?"

This time, Adrian did look at her, but the look he gave her was one of pure disdain. "A walk? With you?" His tone was icy, his eyes narrowing. "Why on earth would I waste my time on that?"

Lena flinched, her stomach twisting with the sting of his words. She had expected coldness, but each time he lashed out, it still managed to cut deep. She drew in a shaky breath, trying to steady herself.

"I just thought..." she began, but Adrian cut her off with a sharp, dismissive wave of his hand.

"Don't," he snapped, setting his cup down with a loud clatter. "Don't pretend like we're ever going to be anything more than this."

He stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor as he turned his back to her. Lena's heart sank as she watched him walk away, the weight of his hatred pressing down on her chest.

Every day, she hoped for a crack in his armor, for some sign that the man she had once known was still in there. But every day, Adrian made it painfully clear that those hopes were futile.

Lena found herself wandering around the mansion, her footsteps resonating down the long, deserted hallways.

She stopped outside Adrian's study, her hand just barely resting on the doorknob. She hesitated for a brief moment.

She was aware that he didn't want her in this situation or anywhere close to him. But she was too weak to live this way, smothered by his hate and her own impotence.

She inhaled deeply, turned the handle, and entered. Adrian sat behind his desk, staring at the documents in front of him. As she came in, he didn't raise an eyebrow.

"I think... we need to talk," Lena said, her voice trembling slightly.

Adrian didn't respond right away. His pen scratched across the paper, and for a moment, Lena thought he was going to ignore her completely. But then he set the pen down and leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable as he finally looked at her.

"What is it?" he asked, his tone flat, devoid of emotion.

Lena took a step forward, her hands nervously twisting together in front of her. "We can't keep living like this, Adrian. I know you're angry at me, but-"

"Angry?" Adrian interrupted, his eyes flashing with something dark and dangerous. He stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor as he strode toward her. "You think this is just anger, Lena?"

He stopped in front of her, towering over her with his jaw clenched and his hands balled into fists at his sides. Lena instinctively took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest. The intensity of his hatred was palpable, like a storm about to break.

"My sweet wife, this is more than anger," he hissed, his voice low and mocking. "This is resentment. This is disgust. Every time I look at you, I'm reminded of what you've done-what you've taken from me."

Lena felt her throat tighten as tears burned at the corners of her eyes. "I didn't do anything, Adrian."

His expression twisted into something cruel, his lips curling into a sneer. "Of course, you don't," he said mockingly.

"Please," Lena whispered, her voice cracking. "You need to listen to me."

"I don't have to do anything," Adrian shot back, his eyes narrowing. "You're nothing to me, Lena. Nothing. And the sooner you realize that, the better."

What wounded her than any physical blow were his comments. Lena's hands trembled as she took a step back, her heart breaking again.

Adrian studied her for a few moments, then looked away and went back to his work, his demeanor steady. He sat down with his back to her, picked up his pen, and like she hadn't even been there.

Lena was frozen in place, breathing in faint, erratic breaths. She felt as though the walls were closing in around her, the words pressing hard against her chest and making breathing impossible. She turned and cautiously left the room.

That night, as she lay in the cold, empty bed of the guest room, memories of their past played through Lena's mind-memories of a time when Adrian didn't look at her with such hatred, when they were still friends, still close.

She remembered the first time they had met as kids, back when her brother James had introduced her to Adrian and Victoria. They had all been so carefree, so vibrant, so full of joy.

Back then, Adrian had been someone else entirely-kind, watchful, and endowed with a cheeky smile that never failed to make her day.

***

Lena stood by the water's edge, tossing another stone into the lake, her heart beat faster every time Adrian looked her way. It wasn't just the easy camaraderie between them that made her stomach flutter.

She had harbored a crush on Adrian for as long as she could remember. He was more than her best friend; he was the boy who had always been there, who protected her, made her laugh, and sometimes-like now-made her pulse quicken with the smallest of gestures.

The way his dark hair curled at the nape of his neck, the sharpness of his jawline as he concentrated on the next rock he was about to throw-it was hard not to notice how much he had changed over the years. He wasn't the boy she used to chase around the woods anymore; he had grown into a teenager who was impossibly handsome.

"You're staring," Victoria whispered teasingly in Lena's ear, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Lena's cheeks flushed, and she quickly turned her attention back to the water. "No, I'm not," she murmured, hoping her friend didn't catch the way her heart stuttered when Adrian laughed.

"Oh, please, Lena. I've seen the way you look at him," Victoria teased with a knowing smile. "You've had a thing for my brother for ages."

Lena's face burned hotter, but she didn't deny it. How could she? It was true. Ever since they were kids, Adrian had been the boy she admired from afar, too afraid to ruin their friendship by admitting how she felt. But Victoria knew everything, even the things Lena couldn't say out loud.

"I just... He's Adrian," Lena muttered, feeling foolish for even trying to explain. How could she sum up the feelings she'd carried for years?

The way her heart ached when she saw him, the way her stomach flipped when he smiled at her. She hadn't wanted it to happen, but somewhere along the way, she'd fallen for him.

"And Adrian's always had a soft spot for you," Victoria added softly, her eyes glinting mischievously as she glanced at her brother.

Lena's head shot up, her heart skipping a beat. "What? No, he doesn't," she said quickly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Victoria raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You don't notice it, but I do. He's always different when you're around. Kinder, more relaxed. He's always been protective of you."

Lena glanced toward Adrian, who was kneeling by the lake, carefully selecting another stone to skip. He looked over his shoulder at her just then, his eyes lingering on her a little longer than usual. For a second, something unreadable passed between them-something deeper than friendship, but still hidden beneath the surface.

Adrian stood, brushing dirt from his hands, and walked toward them. "What are you two whispering about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Victoria smiled sweetly. "Oh, nothing. Just girl talk."

Lena tried to smile, but her heart was pounding too loudly in her chest. She could feel Adrian's gaze on her, more intense than usual, and it made her skin tingle. She wondered if what Victoria said could be true. Could Adrian, the boy she had always admired, feel the same way about her?

"Alright," Adrian said, forcing a grin. "How about a challenge, Lena? First one to get five skips wins."

Lena blinked, her heart racing again as his challenge brought her back to the present. "Five skips? That's impossible."

"Not for me," Adrian teased, flashing that grin again, the one that always made her knees feel weak. He handed her a stone, his fingers brushing hers for the briefest moment. Lena swallowed hard, trying to ignore the warmth that spread from her hand to the rest of her body.

Victoria watched them, rolling her eyes playfully but smiling nonetheless. "You two are hopeless," she muttered under her breath.

Victoria's infectious laughter rang out again as Adrian skipped another rock across the water, this time managing five bounces. "You're getting better, Adrian!" she teased, nudging him playfully with her elbow.

He flashed his signature grin, the one that made Lena's heart race even back then. "Well, someone has to impress you both, right?"

His dark hair was tousled from the wind, his skin tanned from hours spent outside. He looked carefree, his usual serious demeanor softened in the company of the two girls.

Victoria rolled her eyes but smiled brightly, her blonde hair catching the sunlight, making her look almost ethereal. "Oh, please, you've been trying to impress us since we were kids."

Lena chuckled softly, her fingers running through the soft blades of grass beside her. She remembered how, even back then, Adrian always found ways to compete, always trying to outdo everyone else-especially her.

But it had never felt like real competition. It was all in good fun, and back then, they had shared an easy camaraderie that made every moment feel like an adventure.

"I bet Lena could beat you, Adrian," Victoria added with a sly smile, turning her sparkling blue eyes toward Lena. "She's always been good at things like this."

Lena raised an eyebrow, tilting her head. "Oh? I didn't realize we were keeping score." She smiled, enjoying the lighthearted banter between the three of them. Back then, it felt like nothing could ever come between them.

Adrian turned toward her, narrowing his eyes playfully. "You think you can beat me?"

She bit back a grin, rising to her feet. "Maybe I can," she said with mock confidence, picking up a smooth stone from the pile they had gathered.

She stepped closer to the water's edge, her mind focused on the rhythm she'd need to get the stone to skip across the surface just right.

"Go on, Lena," Victoria encouraged, clapping her hands together with excitement. "Show him what you've got."

Lena squared her shoulders, squinting slightly at the rippling surface of the lake before flicking her wrist and sending the stone flying. It bounced once, twice, three times, and on the fourth bounce, it sank into the water. Not enough to beat Adrian, but close.

Victoria laughed, clapping her hands together. "That was amazing! You almost had him!"

Adrian gave her an approving nod, but there was a glint of competitiveness in his eyes. "Not bad, Lena, not bad. But you'll have to do better if you want to win."

She rolled her eyes at him, unable to stop the smile on her face. "Oh, come on, Calloway. You're just afraid that next time I'll win."

"Maybe," he teased, the challenge in his voice softened by the playful grin tugging at his lips.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," Victoria had said quietly, her voice soft, as though she were afraid to break the spell of the moment. She leaned back on her elbows, gazing at the sun-dappled lake. "Just the three of us, together. No worries. No responsibilities."

Adrian's smile faded for just a moment, his gaze distant as he stared out at the horizon. "Yeah, me too."

Lena had glanced between them, feeling a flicker of something unspoken pass between the siblings. There was always a weight to Adrian's words, an edge that hinted at something deeper, something unresolved beneath the surface. But she had pushed the feeling aside, not wanting to dampen the mood.

"Who knows," Lena had said, trying to keep things light. "Maybe we will stay like this forever."

Victoria had laughed, the sound bright and carefree. "That would be amazing." She glanced over at Adrian, her smile faltering slightly. "You'll always look out for me, right?"

Adrian had met his sister's gaze, his expression softening with something that looked almost like a promise. "Always," he'd said, his voice steady and sure. "I'll always be there for you both."

"Ewww! Gross! Too much emotions, brother," Victoria's infectious laughter rang out, playfully mocking the two people who meant the world to her. She loved them too.

She had always felt safe with them, like the three of them were inseparable-Adrian, Victoria, and herself. The bond they had shared seemed unbreakable, built on years of friendship and trust.

It had been the kind of summer day she never wanted to end, a day filled with laughter, teasing, and dreams for the future.

But then, everything changed because nothing good last forever.