Chapter 7 - The Woman Who Refused to Leave Him
The next months were brutal.
Adrian lost several businesses.
He sold his private jet.
He closed two mansions.
He downsized his security.
He even moved into a townhouse.
Rose complained.
“It has terrible curtains.”
Adrian laughed.
“We can replace them.”
“Good.”
For the first time, I saw him without the armor of wealth.
He worked sixteen hours a day rebuilding the legitimate side of the company.
He apologized to employees.
He paid vendors personally.
He reopened the foundation under independent oversight.
He funded programs under Rose's name.
And he never once asked me to stop working at Maison Greer.
One evening, I asked him why.
“Because you don't belong to me.”
He looked at me.
“You're right.”
“I meant it.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I'm trying to figure out whether you know how much I love you.”
I froze.
He had never said it before.
He continued.
“I fell for you at a birthday dinner.”
“When?”
“When you stood between my mother and a man who thought money made him better than her.”
I looked away.
“Adrian.”
“I know the timing is terrible.”
“There is no good timing.”
“Exactly.”
I smiled.
Then he took my hand.
“I don't need an answer.”
“You don't?”
“No.”
He kissed my forehead.
“I just needed you to know.”
Weeks later, Claire married someone she had met before disappearing.
Rose danced.
Adrian laughed.
I watched him from across the room.
Then Rose came toward me.
“You love him.”
I smiled.
“I think I do.”
“He needs someone who can tell him no.”
“I do that.”
Rose laughed.
“I know.”
She hugged me.
“You gave my son something I couldn't.”
“What?”
“Peace.”
I cried.
She wiped my cheek.
“Don't tell him.”
“Why?”
“He'll become unbearable.”
We both laughed.
That same night, Adrian took me outside.
Snow fell over the city.
He handed me a small box.
I stared.
“What is it?”
“Open it.”
Inside was not a diamond.
It was my father's old silver bird key.
Adrian had turned it into a pendant.
“I had it restored.”
My throat tightened.
“Adrian.”
“I know how much it means.”
I touched it.
“Thank you.”
Then he said:
“I'm not asking you to marry me tonight.”
I laughed.
“That's oddly specific.”
“I have a plan.”
“A plan?”
“Yes.”
“Should I worry?”
“Probably.”
I smiled.
He reached for my hand.
“Someday, when you are ready, I want to build a life with you.”
I squeezed his fingers.
“I think I'm ready.”
He looked at me.
“Really?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
He kissed me.
May you like
And for the first time in my life, I felt like the future wasn't something I had to fear.
It was something I could choose.
