Chapter 49: Chapter 49: The Confession That Broke Everything
A private path stretched ahead, lined with soft lights, leading down to the sand. At the end of it stood a beautifully arranged canopy, decorated with flowers and candles, with a table set for two facing the ocean.
The sound of the waves filled the air, steady and calm.
It was perfect intimate, intentional... like sothing more than just a celebration.
Adrian stood still for a mont. "Matteo... you did all this?"
"I told you I had a plan," Matteo replied.
Adrian looked at the lanterns, his heart swelling. "You didn’t have to go through all this trouble."
Matteo stepped closer, the warmth of his presence closing the space between them. "I’m not doing this just to make you stay," he said quietly. "I’m doing it because I don’t want to live another day without you knowing exactly how important you are to ."
"It’s beautiful," Adrian said, looking at the canopy. He glanced back at Matteo, a teasing smile forming. "How did you even co up with this? I didn’t know you had a romantic bone in your body."
Matteo offered a rare, genuine smile. "You beco romantic when you’re with the right person, Rian."
"Can we sit down?" Adrian asked, pointing toward the chair under the canopy.
"Not yet," Matteo said, tapping his phone. A mont later, the night sky ca alive, fireworks blooming above them in bursts of light and color.
Streaks of gold and violet spread across the sky, reflecting softly on the surface of the ocean. Adrian tilted his head up, his eyes wide with quiet wonder as the colors moved above them.
Not far away, Mark, Charles, and Frank stood at a distance, watching in silence. Small smiles lingered on their faces as the light from the fireworks frad the two of them by the shore.
"Rian," Matteo said softly
Adrian turned back, his eyes still lit with wonder from the display, only to find Matteo holding a breathtaking bouquet of deep red roses.
"These are for you," Matteo said quietly.
Adrian took them slowly, the scent surrounding him.
"They’re beautiful... everything is so beautiful," he said quietly.
He couldn’t contain the joy anymore; a radiant smile broke across his face. Everyone was watching, the air thick with anticipation.
"Rian," Matteo said again, his expression turning serious. "Tonight, I want to do three things."
Adrian looked at him, his pulse quickening. "Three things?"
"Yes... three things."
Adrian frowned slightly, confused but curious.
"First, I want to wish you a happy birthday," Matteo said. "Second, I want to ask you to be mine. And third... I have a confession to make."
He paused, holding Adrian’s gaze.
"Which one do you want
to do first?"
Adrian’s brow furrowed. "A confession? What kind of confession?"
Matteo exhaled softly, his thumb brushing over Adrian’s hand. "Don’t be scared. Just tell
how you want
to proceed."
Adrian took a steadying breath, clutching the flowers to his chest. "Okay... fine. Just do it the way you planned. I don’t want to ruin it. Go ahead the way you intended."
Matteo nodded. "Alright. We’ll start with the birthday wish—"
Adrian cut in gently. "Can we skip that? You already wished
in the room."
Matteo let out a small breath. "Alright... then I’ll move to the second."
"The second thing..." he began, then paused for a second like he was choosing his words carefully.
"From the mont I t you, sothing changed for . I didn’t plan it, I didn’t expect it... but you stayed in my mind. Every ti. And before I knew it, it wasn’t just interest anymore. It was you. The way you talk, the way you look at , even the way you try to act like you don’t care... I noticed everything."
He swallowed lightly. "I’m not good with words. You know that. I don’t know how to say things the right way, or make them sound perfect... But what I feel for you is real. And it ans more to
than anything I’ve ever had."
A brief pause.
"I don’t just want monts with you anymore. I want sothing real. I want to be the person you co to... the one you stay with."
He looked straight into Adrian’s eyes.
"I want you to be mine. I want you to be my boyfriend. But before you give
your answer," Matteo said quietly, "I need to tell you sothing first. After I say it... You can decide if you want to be with a man like ."
Adrian looked at him, confused. "What is it you want to say?" he asked. "Why are you looking at
like that?"
"Adrian," Matteo began, his voice cracking, a sound so raw it didn’t seem to belong to a man of his stature. "Before I say anything else... I need to say I’m sorry. I am so deeply, hauntingly sorry."
Adrian tilted his head, searching Matteo’s face. "You’re sorry? For what? Matteo, you’ve given
everything. You brought
here, you celebrated ... you’ve done nothing wrong to . Why are you apologizing?"
Matteo stepped closer, his hands trembling as he reached out to touch Adrian’s shoulders, his eyes glassing over with unshed tears.
"I’m sorry for the weight you’ve had to carry," Matteo whispered, his words tumbling out with a desperate, aching sincerity. "I’m sorry for every night you spent in the dark, feeling alone. From the mont I t you, I’ve wished I could go back in ti. I’ve wished I could change the stars, change the paths we walked, and stop a tragedy that should never have happened. If I could give my own life to undo the pain you’ve suffered, I would do it without a second thought. I regret it every single second of every single day."
"Matteo, you’re scaring ," Adrian said. "What are you apologizing for? You didn’t cause my pain."
Matteo let out a heavy breath and looked away. He stepped back slightly, gesturing toward the center of the canopy where a small, silk-covered display stood.
"Please, Adrian... just listen to . Walk under the canopy," Matteo said softly, his voice heavy with guilt. "There’s sothing there I need you to see. And once you see it... I’ll start talking."
Adrian hesitated, his heart beating faster than it should.
"Please," Matteo pleaded. "Until I’m finished speaking, do not turn around. Do not look back at . I have never felt this much guilt in my entire life, and if I see your face... I don’t think I’ll be able to finish. Just keep your back to
until I’m done with everything I have to say."
In the distance, the silence of the beach settled heavily around them, broken only by low whispers from the group watching behind. Frank leaned closer to Charles.
"What is he doing?" Frank whispered. "What could Matteo possibly have to say that has him looking like this?"
Charles kept his eyes on Matteo. "I don’t know," he admitted quietly. "But whatever it is... It’s serious. Just watch."
Frank nodded. "Alright."
They fell silent again, along with everyone else, all eyes fixed on Adrian.
Adrian slowly walked toward the canopy.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
When he reached out with a shaking hand and pulled away the silk cloth covering the small display on the table.
His breath vanished.
There, resting in the center of the table, was a small, pink diary.
His wife’s diary.
The one from that night.
Adrian’s world tilted. A sharp wave of shock ran through him, his knees threatening to give way. He instinctively started to turn, his mouth parting to speak, but Matteo’s voice cut through the silence.
"Please!"
The desperation in it stopped him instantly.
"Don’t turn back," Matteo said, his voice strained. "Adrian... please. I’m begging you. Just stay where you are and listen to
first."
Adrian froze, his hand hovering over the pink cover of the diary. His vision blurred as tears rose, mories crashing in all at once.
Behind him, Matteo’s voice ca again, quieter now, but heavier than before.
"Four years ago... you had an accident with your family," he said. "You never knew how it happened. You never knew why that truck lost control."
A pause.
"I’ll tell you."
Adrian’s breath hitched.
"Because that night... the person who caused that accident was ."
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