Adam walked toward the wine cellar slowly, each step measured and deliberate. Though his heart hammered at the thought of seeing Saira again, he forced himself to remain wary. In the past, he had learned the hard way that rushing in without thinking could cost him everything. He wouldn't make that mistake again. Especially when the bait Robert Collins used was the samel
He stopped just short of touching the heavy wooden door of the wine cellar, tilting his head slightly as he tried to listen for any movement from inside... But the only sounde he could here were the distant laughter and chatter from the front of the mansion.
Still, he wasn't about to let his guard down.
Stepping in, his gaze swept across the dimly lit space. He'd half expected the room to be empty or have his grandfather inside, ready to put up his pretense of being here for him. But, it was neither. There, in the middle of the room, with her back to him, stood Saira, her head tilted slightly upward as she studied the endless rows of floor-to-ceiling wine bottles lining the walls.
Adam felt a familiar tension grip his chest, something between relief and wariness.
Saira.
For a brief moment, he simply watched her, wanting to make sure that she is real and not some figment of his imagination. His hand clenched on the door handle but then he slowly relaxed himself and walked inside, closing the door behind him. He watched her stiffen, and knew that she had only now realized that he was already in the room. But she did not turn around.
Finally, he cleared his throat and when there was only a little distance left between them, he said, "If you're looking for something expensive to steal, I'd recommend the 1875 Bordeaux on the top shelf."
She turned around then and Adam smiled at her. Even now, in this dim lighting, with the yellow lights against the backdrop, she looked so innocent. He raised an eyebrow, ready to question her, but in the next second, it was as if a dam had broken within her.
Tears filled her eyes and before he could process what was happening, she closed the distance between them in a desperate rush. Her arms wrapped tightly around his torso as a sob tore from her lips, muffled against his shirt.
Adam stiffened, his hands instinctively lifted but he was careful not to hold her. His arms remained slightly away from his and her body, hovering in the air as if uncertain where to place them. He wasn't sure if it was shock, anger, or the sheer weight of the moment that made him freeze.
She was here. In his arms. And yet, he didn't dare to hold her, in case this was a trap too.
She cried quite desperately, and it took every inch of self-control in Adam to nt hold her and paccify her or ask her what was wrong. He could already guess the answer to that.
After a moment, she pulled away, her hands lingering against his shirt as if reluctant to let go. Then, with a shuddering breath, she stepped back—and before he could stop her, she lowered herself onto her knees before him.
Adam stepped back in shock as he asked her," What are you doing? Get up."
I'm sorry." Her voice cracked, raw and heavy with emotion. "I—I know I don't deserve forgiveness. I know I don't deserve to even be standing in front of you, but please, Adam, I need you to know... I never wanted to hurt you."
His jaw tightened.
She looked up at him, eyes swimming with guilt and desperation. "What I did—what I let happen—it wasn't by choice. It was a mistake that cost me everything as well. And I have paid for it every single day since."
"Not a single day has gone by when I have not regretted listening to your grandfather's arrangements! He'd told me..." Then Saira shook her head.
There was no point in discussing these things.
"For five years,"she whispered, "I've been trapped. A pawn. A prisoner." She inhaled sharply. "Robert Collins made sure I could never escape him after that night. After what I did to you. They say heaven has eyes and those who betray are always punished."
"When I turned my back on you, the one thing I told myself was that it would be over quickly. That after that night, I'd finally be free. I knew you might not forgive me but I convinced myself that everything would be okay. But that was the biggest lie of all, wasn't it?"
She let out a sharp, broken laugh, shaking her head as she placed her hands on her thighs, looking down, "That was the night my real punishment began. The night I stopped being a person and became a pawn. I thought I was buying my freedom with one betrayal. Instead, I sold myself into a prison far worse than I ever imagined. And lost the love of my life."
Her gaze locked onto his, and she gave him a bitter smile," I was in a prison of my own making and could not even come out." She swallowed hard and her shoulders shook. "I was a fool, Adam. A naive, selfish fool who thought she had control over her fate." Tears spilled down her cheeks. "But I lost everything. My freedom, my choices, my dignity... And you."
Her fingers reached for the hem of his jacket, trembling as she clutched it. "And now I'm here, kneeling in front of the only man I ever—" She stopped herself, looking away as a fresh wave of tears spilled down her face. "The only man who ever truly saw me. And I know I have no right to ask this, Adam, I know I don't deserve it, but..."
She bowed her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please. Please help me."
Her grip on his jacket tightened. "I can't do this anymore. I can't survive another day under Robert Collins' control. If I don't get out now, he will make sure there's nothing left of me. I—" Her breath shuddered. "I won't make it."
Slowly, she raised her face to his, her expression a mix of desperation and something deeper, something dangerously close to hope. "I know you have every reason to hate me. I know you should turn around and walk away. But if there's even the smallest part of you that remembers what we used to be, please... save me."