Episode 5

That night, although the weather promised clear skies, a storm lashed the city with fury. Adrien remained on the floor, watching the lightning in the distance as the rain beat against the building's windows, lending the place an even more somber air.

After midnight, Adrien got up and walked to the makeshift office. He turned on the desktop computer and reviewed the files stored in the cloud. After finding what he was looking for, he set about creating a new contract, perhaps something he would use in the near future.

The wall clock read 5:30 a.m., and the sun was beginning to rise. However, Adrien's eyes had not yet closed. After finishing the contract, he sat for three hours. His gaze reflected fatigue, and his eyes seemed lifeless.

Is this really the end for us?

Adrien leaned back in his chair and covered his eyes with one hand. For four and a half years, he had clung to Carlo. In all that time, he hadn't met anyone who could take him away from his side. Or so he thought, until Carlo, as soon as he left, found solace in the arms of another woman.

In the eyes of Carlo Mancini, Adrien felt like a suffocating being who was robbing him of the opportunity to be happy. But how could he give him up? How could he let him go after holding on so tightly? Yet, he was the only one who experienced love.

It was like standing in the darkness, holding his heart in his hands. Carlo's arrival had been like a ray of light in his life. He did not fear or judge him for the rumors; he thought he could be just his friend, but he fell in love and wanted to go further.

Finally, Adrien realized that Carlo didn't even have the slightest idea of his existence. He couldn't hate or feel repulsed, but it was four years of waiting, and in less than half a year, Carlo had erased any kind of relationship with him.

A mocking laugh escaped Adrien's lips. He was making fun of himself, his feelings, and his emotions. He had looked stupid chasing after Carlo like a lapdog. But the memories of the kisses in the office, in the elevator, in his apartment, and even in the pool clung to his mind, feeling much more intimate than at first. Or was it his own desire that distorted those situations? Sadness and confusion mingled within him as he faced the reality of his unrequited love.

In that moment of introspection, Adrien found himself trapped between the harsh reality and the reluctance to let Carlo go. The echo of the mocking laugh still resonated in his mind as his heart beat to the rhythm of a melancholic melody. The tears he had held back for so long threatened to spill over, but Adrien struggled to maintain his composure.

The images of the moments shared with Carlo continued to dance in his memory, like scenes from a fading past. He remembered the stolen kisses in the office, the complicity in the elevator, the intimacy in his apartment, and the shared passion in the pool. Every memory, every caress, resonated within him, and the irony of the situation became more painful.

The dilemma between the need to break free and the reluctance to let Carlo go intensified. How could he abandon what had been his constant longing for so many years? Although the truth hurt, accepting it meant facing an insurmountable loss.

Adrien, still with the photograph of Carlo and that woman present in his mind, wondered if it was really possible to move on. Should he let Carlo go so that he could find happiness with someone else? The thought caused him a sharp pain, as if a fundamental part of his being was being ripped away.

Between ragged breaths, Adrien wondered if the time had come to accept that his unrequited love had come to an end. However, the very idea of walking away from Carlo, of closing that chapter of his life, caused him an anguish that took his breath away.

In a gesture of resistance, Adrien clenched his fists, as if he could hold in them the fragments of a crumbling love. The sun was beginning to illuminate the city, but the dawn's light could not dispel the darkness that hung over his heart.

Despite the emotional storm, Adrien clung to hope, like a flickering flame in the midst of adversity. The decision to let Carlo go remained an unbearable weight on his chest, but he was also beginning to glimpse the possibility of healing, of finding a new light in his life.

As the day wore on, Adrien was torn between the need to break free and the fear of losing what he considered his everything. The dilemma persisted, and his heart, caught between resignation and rebellion, sought balance amid the whirlwind of emotions that threatened to consume him completely.

After the fury of the night's storm, nature sighed, releasing its tensions in drops of rain that danced toward the earth. The clouds, still heavy with moisture, began to disperse slowly, revealing a magical scene as dusk fell. The sun, now descending on the horizon, spread its rays between the slits of the scattered clouds. The sky became a canvas impregnated with warm and soft hues, while the clouds took on golden and pink shades.

The atmosphere, still cool after the rain, vibrated with a serenity that contrasted with the intensity of the storm. The light caressed each drop of water suspended in the air, creating ephemeral sparkles that adorned the landscape. The horizon was tinged with tones ranging from vibrant orange to serene purple, while the silhouette of trees and hills stood out against the transforming sky.

It was as if nature, after releasing its fury, surrendered to calmness, offering a celestial spectacle that narrated the poetry of reconciliation between heaven and earth.

But, among all that natural beauty, Adrien could not find anything beautiful, much less romantic, as in movies or books. Instead, his face was completely dull and his eyes dark as night, without any brightness. Sitting on the roof of his building, he let the humid wind hit his face and the warm afternoon sun envelop him, although his body was still cold.

"Adrien," he heard himself being called, but he didn't even make the effort to turn his gaze. He heard footsteps behind him and, after a few seconds, a person sat down next to him.

They both sat in silence watching the sun set, as if the sea were swallowing it up. Cedric was aware of what was happening with Adrien and that person, which irritated him, but he was not going to ask him or pressure him to tell him something he did not want to tell.

The silence became a palpable presence, laden with the unspoken emotions between the two friends. As nature reconciled with its own fury, Adrien was immersed in a sunset that reflected more his inner torment than the surrounding beauty. The breeze whispered secrets, and the sun, as it descended, seemed to take with it some of Adrien's hope.

When the sun completely disappeared and the two were embraced by darkness, the sky cleared, revealing some bright stars. With the crescent moon as his witness, Adrien made a promise.

"I'll forget him. I'll let Carlo be happy on his own and I... I don't matter."

A pain-filled smile formed on his face, and his gaze was completely extinguished. Letting go of the person he had clung to for so many years was truly painful. The weight of the decision resonated in each word, as if uttering that promise were an act of renouncing his own happiness.

Cedric, at his side, remained silent, respecting Adrien's internal mourning. The night, now witness to that painful declaration, seemed to sigh in tune with the broken heart of the man on the rooftop.

The night wind gently caressed their faces, as if trying to comfort Adrien in his difficult decision. Darkness enveloped them, but it also offered a refuge where tears could fall without judgment.

"I'm sorry, Adrien," Cedric finally murmured, breaking the silence. There were no magic words that could lighten the burden his friend carried, but Cedric wanted to convey his support in that dark time.

Adrien nodded heavily, as if accepting not only his friend's condolences, but also the reality of the promise he had just made. As the stars shone in the sky, Adrien, heartbroken but determined, sank into the night, carrying with him the promise to forget, although deep down, he knew that task would be much more difficult than his words let on.

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