“Our son’s in trouble,” she finally blurted, turning to Marcus. “Did you catch how he tensed up when that doctor’s name came up? Like someone flipped a switch.”
Marcus kept his eyes on the passing buildings, his silence saying more than words.
“He’s actually falling for her,” Sophia pressed, voice rising. This is a nightmare.”
She drummed her fingers against the window. “If she were just some random girl with no baggage, fine, whatever. But this woman?” She let out a huff. “Three kids, Marcus. She’s dragging three kids into this.”
The thought made her stomach knot. Her brilliant son–her perfect Adam–playing daddy to some other man’s children? The image felt wrong on every level.
“And what exactly do you plan to do?” Marcus finally asked, voice weary. “The Wright girl ticks all your boxes, yet Adam barely notices her.”
He shot his wife a sideways glance. “Face it, he’s not twenty anymore. We don’t get to pick who he dates.”
“So we just roll over?” Sophia’s eyes flashed. “While he ruins his life?
Marcus wisely closed his mouth, recognizing the storm brewing beside him.
“We need a different approach,” Sophia continued, her voice shifting from frustrated to calculating. Her eyes lit up as pieces clicked into place. “We introduce him to the right girls in casual settings. No pressure.” Her lips curved into a smile. “And we find another doctor–someone better qualified. Once his legs heal, he won’t need Dr. Sterling anymore.”
She straightened in her seat, energy buzzing through her. “This connection will fade naturally–problem solved.”
Marcus glanced at his wife’s suddenly animated face. “If that makes you happy.”
“It’ll make our son happy,” she corrected, already plotting her next move. “He just doesn’t know it yet.”
Later that evening, Irene glanced at her watch again, arranging her equipment for the third time. Adam was late–unusual for a man who treated punctuality like a religion.
When he finally wheeled through the door, she caught the shadows under his eyes, the tight line of his mouth.
“Sorry,” he said, the word clipped.
“No big.” She gathered her supplies and headed for the stairs. “Let’s get started.”
Upstairs, as she positioned electrodes along his leg, she noticed his attention drifting. His responses came delayed, his eyes fixed on some middle distance.
“Earth to Adam,” she said, tapping his knee. “Everything okay in there?”
His focus snapped back, eyes settling on her face. For a moment, something raw flickered in his expression before he masked it.
“Work stuff,” he said with practiced casualness. Some components went missing. We got them back.”
1/2
Chapter 239
“That’s it?” She adjusted an electrode, not buying his explanation. “You look like someone stole your lunch money.”
He almost smiled at that. “Just tired.”
Irene’s hands moved with practiced precision across his leg. “Well, dial it back. Stress screws with nerve regeneration.” She glanced up. “All this recovery work gets wasted if you’re running yourself into the ground.”
She caught his eyes lingering on her hands, her face. Something had shifted between them lately–something neither acknowledged out loud.
“I’ll try,” he said, voice softer than usual.
“You better,‘ she replied, focusing on the equipment readings. “I hate repeating myself.”
Adam watched her work, silently grateful she couldn’t see the thoughts racing through his mind–Victor’s thinly veiled threats, his own growing need to keep her separate from Haven’s darker corners.
Three days later, Adam found himself trapped in Luxury Vista’s most exclusive dining room, regretting every life choice that had led
to this moment.
His father’s “important client meeting” had materialized as an obvious setup the moment he arrived. The client’s daughter–perfectly polished, expertly trained in the art of high–society courtship–had claimed the seat beside him with practiced casualness.
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