I could see the moon over Pete''s head and a very bright star beside it, but he couldn''t see them.


    In a voice filled with disappointment, he asked, "In your heart, he... we always been just two separate individuals? Have you never thought about relying on me?"


    I felt a bit angry. Pete was speaking to me in a passive aggressive tone, which was unusual for him.


    "If you have something to say, just say it."


    Being with Pete was supposed to be when I felt the most rxed and at ease, but now he was making me feel exhausted.


    "I don''t see anything wrong with being independent. I''m not a teenage girl anymore. I want to be capable of standing on my own."


    "But why wouldn''t you tell me when you''re hurt?"


    Instinctively, I reached up to touch my neck. The scarf was tied securely- how did he know? I couldn''t see Pete''s face, only hear his voice through the white smoke rising steadily into the sky.


    ''I''m fine. Just turn the camera around. This has nothing to do with you. It''s not your fault."


    "How can it have nothing to do with me? You''re Ariana, the woman I''ve loved for so many years!


    "Ariana, that''s exactly what''s bothering me. Don''t you understand? I wish you''d tell me things first so that we can share your joy and your pain. I want you to stand behind me and let me support you. I''m trying to earn my father''s approval so you can livefortably in my family, but if they treat you like this, how can I bring you home? We can live our lives on our own-we don''t need their blessing. "I refuse to believe I can''t make a name for myself. Do I really have to inherit


    gepared to you. They really don''t


    quity for mot taking care of you


    Pete let out a bimerugh. "It was Nichs who told me about this


    nomic is that? Hearing it from anyone else would''ve been better than hearing thom him. But he''s right-this is something I need to handle


    I


    was taken aback didn''t tell him. What did he say to you?**


    ''t doesn''t matter. I make sure you getthe exnation you deserve. Screw the damn mission, I''m done with it Once I sort this out, I''lle find your


    His voice was hoarse. "When this is al over, let''s be together."


    His sudden confession caught meN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    off guard, but it wasn''t entirely unexpected. Over the years, whether jokingly or seriously, I had heard him say it many times.


    1 don''t want you to have too many conflicts with your family because of me If you''re feeling down juste see me. I''m on a business trip too- consider it a break."


    Pete sneered. "From the moment Marcus hurt you, they were no longer my


    This was not the oue I wanted to see, but I didn''t know how to talk him out of it. We remained silent.


    He seemed oblivious to the disapproval in my eyes and simply smiled at


    1. e. "Go back inside, it''s cold out there


    I could only nod. But for some reason, an uneasy feeling settled in my heart. It felt as if this was thest time I would ever see him


    I gazed intently at Pete on the screen. Unaware of my thoughts, he simply smiled and said, "You hang up first."


    Those simple words suppressed all my unease.


    Jused to think that the "who hangs


    up first games couples yed weren''t for me and him. But after today''s conversation, I realized that some of our unspoken promises weren''t much different from those of a couple. I couldn''t


    let him down again.


    After a few rounds of


    back-and-forth, I frally hung up


    first. The thought of seeing hi


    in a


    few days filled me with anticipation, even though i med to deny it


    I thought for a moment before sending Nichs a message. Pere and are together now. Let''s not see each other anymore. It wouldn''t be fair to mm.