Adonis's POV
I still can't believe Maya Alva slapped me.
Hard. So hard that my cheek stung long after I turned away and walked off.
I didn't even get far. I just needed to hide. Needed to breathe. Needed to understand why her words felt like they were carved into my skin.
It wasn't just the slap. It was what she said.
The truth—unfiltered, furious, and brutal—hit harder than her palm ever could.
Every word she hurled at me landed like a strike to the chest, tearing through the arrogance I wore like armor. Her voice still echoed in my mind like a curse I couldn't shake.
This morning, I realized something I never wanted to admit out loud:
I care about her.
Too much.
I knew it from the moment I kissed her last year. And yes—I did enjoy that kiss. More than I wanted to. More than I should have.
It wasn't just a kiss. It was a turning point.
And I've been lying to myself ever since.
