"Alright, Charles... I have to go now. I'll call you after work."
"Alright, catch you later."
The line went dead. Adrian lowered the phone, the brutal truth crashing down on him. Matteo wasn't just ignoring his calls. He was actively, deliberately ignoring him. He was perfectly capable of picking up the phone to speak to his twin brother, but he had entirely cut Adrian out of his life.
The rejection stung so deeply that his eyes blurred with tears again. Knowing his vision would fail if he stayed, Adrian gathered his things, left his office, and rushed home before his eyes could fail him.
Back inside his house, Adrian curled up as night fell. He cried for hours in the silence. The loneliness scared him. For the first time in a year, the walls that used to make him feel safe now felt like a prison. He was terrified of being completely alone again.
