Chapter 2 - The Man Who Suddenly Became Afraid of Losing Me
Paige did not go home.
She went to her mother's apartment instead.
Her mother opened the door wearing a robe and holding a half-finished cup of tea.
“It's Tuesday.”
“I know.”
“You look terrible.”
“Thank you.”
“You're welcome.”
Paige smiled weakly.
Her mother frowned.
“What happened?”
Paige stood in the doorway.
“Mom, I need to tell you something.”
Her mother immediately stepped aside.
“Then come in.”
That was how Helen Mercer handled serious conversations.
No panic.
No interrogation.
Just a room at the table.
Paige sat.
Her mother placed tea in front of her.
“I’m pregnant.”
Helen's hand stopped halfway to her cup.
“Oh.”
“I know.”
“No, honey, I mean—oh.”
She sat down.
“Are you happy?”
Paige swallowed.
“Yes.”
Helen smiled.
“Then I'm happy.”
“It’s Adrian's.”
The smile disappeared.
Not because of Adrian.
Because Helen knew exactly who he was.
She had spent years warning Paige about powerful men who confused protection with possession.
“Does he know?”
“Yes.”
“How did he react?”
“He asked who else knew.”
Helen's eyes sharpened.
“That isn't what I asked.”
“I know.”
“Paige.”
“He was scared.”
“Of the baby?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Paige looked down.
“He said someone had accessed the hotel records.”
Helen went silent.
Then she stood.
“Go get your passport.”
Paige blinked.
“What?”
“Your passport.”
“Mom.”
“Now.”
“Why?”
“Because the last time someone was interested in the Mercer family, your father disappeared.”
Paige stared.
“My father left us.”
Helen's face changed.
“That is what I told you.”
The words chilled Paige.
“You told me?”
“I told you what I thought would keep you safe.”
Paige stood.
“What are you saying?”
Helen walked to a cabinet.
She unlocked it.
Inside was a stack of documents.
Old photographs.
Letters.
A small black notebook.
She placed the notebook on the table.
“Your father didn't abandon us.”
Paige felt dizzy.
“What?”
“He was working for someone.”
“Who?”
“Adrian's father.”
Silence.
Paige sat down.
“My father knew the Vales?”
“Your father worked with Jonathan Vale for four years.”
“Doing what?”
“Financial investigations.”
Helen took a photograph from the drawer.
Paige saw three men.
Her father.
Jonathan Vale.
And a young Adrian standing behind them.
She recognized the face instantly.
He was about twenty-four.
Paige touched the photograph.
“Adrian knew him.”
“Yes.”
“Did he know me?”
“No.”
“Then why—”
“Your father died trying to expose Jonathan.”
Paige looked up.
“Died?”
Helen nodded.
“He wasn't missing.”
“Mom.”
“I couldn't tell you when you were younger.”
“You lied to me.”
“I protected you.”
Paige almost laughed.
Everyone kept using that word.
Protected.
As though secrecy was automatically love.
She opened the notebook.
There were pages of numbers.
Account codes.
Companies.
Dates.
And one name repeated throughout.
Vale Hart.
The company Adrian had built from his father's old consulting firm.
Paige's hands started shaking.
“Why was Dad investigating Adrian's company?”
“He wasn't investigating Adrian.”
“Then who?”
“His father.”
Helen looked at the final page.
“But Adrian inherited the files.”
Paige's heart raced.
She understood.
The strange questions.
The fear.
The hotel records.
Maybe Adrian wasn't afraid of a scandal.
Maybe he was afraid someone would connect Paige to her father.
She left her mother's apartment at sunset.
There were two missed calls from Adrian.
She ignored both.
Then a third.
This time she answered.
“Where are you?”
“At my mother's.”
“Are you alone?”
“No.”
“Who is with you?”
“My mother.”
He exhaled.
“Good.”
“What happened?”
“Your office was searched.”
Paige froze.
“What?”
“Someone accessed my private floor.”
“What did they take?”
“Nothing.”
“You're lying.”
Silence.
“Adrian.”
He spoke softly.
“They opened your personnel file.”
Her stomach dropped.
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“Did they see the pregnancy test?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Because I moved it.”
“You moved it?”
“Yes.”
Paige looked toward the street.
“Before you knew.”
“No.”
“What aren't you telling me?”
Adrian was silent for several seconds.
Then he said,
“Your father's name appeared in a security report.”
Her breath caught.
“My father?”
“Someone used an old access code associated with him.”
“That is impossible.”
“I know.”
“Is he alive?”
“No.”
“How can his access code have been used?”
“I don't know.”
“Then find out.”
“I am.”
She could hear tension in his breathing.
“Paige, I need you to do something.”
“What?”
“Don't go back to your apartment.”
“Why?”
“Because someone has been there.”
Her body went cold.
“What?”
“Your door was opened.”
“Did they steal anything?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“They left something.”
“What?”
Adrian's voice became very quiet.
“A photograph.”
“Of what?”
“You.”
Paige couldn't speak.
“Where are you?” he asked.
She gave him the address.
“Stay inside.”
“Adrian.”
“What?”
“Come here.”
There was no hesitation.
“I’m already on my way.”
He arrived twenty-three minutes later.
No driver.
No security.
Just Adrian.
He entered the apartment and immediately checked every room.
Paige watched.
“You think someone is following me.”
“Yes.”
“Because of my father.”
“Yes.”
“Because of you.”
He looked at her.
“Yes.”
She folded her arms.
“Then tell me everything.”
“I can't.”
“You can.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because once you know, you can't unknow it.”
“I'm already pregnant with your child. I think we're beyond that line.”
He went still.
She stepped closer.
“I am done being treated like a piece of glass.”
Adrian looked at her for a long moment.
Then he said,
“Your father stole something from my father.”
“What?”
“A ledger.”
“What's in it?”
“Payments.”
“To whom?”
“Judges. Regulators. Competitors. Politicians.”
Paige stared.
“And your father was involved?”
“Initially.”
“But he changed.”
“Yes.”
“And mine?”
“Your father found out.”
She took a breath.
“Was he killed because of it?”
Adrian's eyes dropped.
“Yes.”
Paige felt tears sting.
“Did your father kill him?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
“I don't know.”
“You've spent your entire life trying to find out.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Adrian looked directly at her.
“Because your father was the first person who ever told me my father was wrong.”
Paige could not speak.
He continued.
“And because before he died, your father made me promise something.”
“What?”
“To keep his daughter safe.”
She stared at him.
“You knew me.”
“No.”
“Then how did you know my name?”
“Your father gave me a photograph.”
He reached into his coat.
It was Paige at age fourteen.
Standing beside Helen.
Adrian had kept it for fifteen years.
Her voice shook.
“You had this the whole time?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I promised.”
She looked at him.
“And the marriage?”
He frowned.
“What marriage?”
She realized what he meant.
Her mother had been preparing to tell her something else.
A hidden agreement.
A secret promise.
Adrian took a step closer.
“Paige, there is something your father arranged before he died.”
“What?”
“He put your inheritance into a trust.”
“How much?”
“It isn't about money.”
“Then what?”
“You cannot access it unless you are married to me.”
Paige stared at him.
The room seemed to tilt.
“Why would my father do that?”
Adrian's expression was grim.
“Because he knew one day someone would come looking.”
“For what?”
“The ledger.”
She stared at him.
“You think I have it.”
“I think your father hid it where only you could reach it.”
Paige placed both hands over her stomach.
The baby was suddenly the least complicated part of her life.
Adrian looked at her.
“I will protect you.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“What?”
“Don't protect me.”
She stepped closer.
“Tell me the truth.”
His expression softened.
“All of it?”
“Yes.”
May you like
He nodded.
“Then we start with the night your father disappeared.”
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