"My advice?" Charles continued. "Wait for him. Listen only to the words that come out of his mouth and trust what you see with your own eyes. If you start listening to every rumor and anonymous text, this relationship will break before it even starts. Trust him until he gives you a real reason not to."
Adrian looked down at the screen of his phone, the cruel words of the message still burning in his mind. He took a shaky breath, trying to let Charles's words sink in.
"I'm trying, Charles," Adrian murmured, dragging a hand over his face. "It's just… tomorrow—my birthday. I can't shake this feeling that something's off. It doesn't feel right, like something's waiting in the shadows."
Charles turned to him, offering a small, reassuring smile. "You're overthinking it, Adrian. You've been through a lot, so your mind keeps expecting the worst. But look around, you're safe here."
