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Chapter15
Three days after being discharged, Adrian finally left the hospital.
His first stop was a specialty emerald shop.
During his hospital stay, he had already contacted a craftsman to recreate a piece nearly identical to the one Eveline had lost. He couldn’t bring himself to admit he’d let it go missing, and he certainly didn’t want to see sadness in her eyes again–even if he was the reason for it.
Taking a deep breath, Adrian parked the car and stepped into the old family estate, the newly carved emerald in his pocket.
Today was the monthly family gathering at the Whitmore estate. Martin would be there, and so would
Eveline.
He intended to return the emerald during the dinner. After this, he promised himself, he would never lie to her again.
Adrian repeated those words in his mind like a vow–until he saw her.
“You’re better?” she asked.
The voice was familiar, but the tone was distant. Not the warmth he used to know, but cool and
composed.
The ache in his chest deepened.
Seeing the room was empty, he nodded and pulled the emerald from his pocket, handing it to her. “Eveline,
the emerald…”
“It’s fake.”
She didn’t even glance at it before slicing through his lie with a quiet scoff.
His hand froze mid–air.
A long silence followed before his eyes turned red, his voice trembling. “Eveline… is this really it? Is this
how we end?”
“End?”
Before she could answer, a voice thundered from behind them.
Mr. Whitmore appeared, his expression dark as he slammed a folded newspaper on the table. His fury was
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unmistakable.
Adrian blinked, confused, until he saw the front page headline:
Heiress of Ashford Group Secretly Dated A Taken Man for Seven Years–Public Dubbed Her ‘Most
Powerful Mistress on Earth.‘
Below the headline: a smiling Maria, mid–interview.
Adrian stared in disbelief.
Before he could speak, his father’s palm struck his face–loud and sharp.
Mrs. Whitmore appeared behind her husband. She didn’t intervene. Instead, she looked to Eveline and said
gently, “Why don’t you and Han step outside for a bit? I’ll call you later.”
Eveline paused, then nodded.
As she walked past Mr. Whitmore, she couldn’t help but speak up. “Martin… it’s not all his fault. Maybe you
Mr. Whitmore cut her off with a shake of his head.
He wasn’t letting this go.
The moment he saw the headline, everything had clicked into place.
Now it made sense–why his son, who had once fought for that woman to the point of self–destruction,
had suddenly let go.
He’d had suspicions back then, but when he’d looked into it, all he’d found was Adrian’s hidden
relationship with Eveline.
And Eveline–sweet, strong–willed Eveline–had grown up under his watch. He hadn’t understood why they were keeping it quiet, but he’d decided to wait until they were ready.
Instead of a confession, he got an engagement between her and his brother.
Even after the wedding, he’d tried to probe gently, but both of them insisted it was mutual affection.
He had let it go.
Until today, when her name landed on the front page, linked to a sordid scandal.
Everything his son had done these past few days–every irrational move–now made sense.
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He blamed himself for not exposing the truth sooner. His silence had cost Eveline seven years.
And now, how was he supposed to face his old friend in the afterlife?
“…It’s my fault.”
Adrian finally came to, lowering his head in shame. He tried to take responsibility–but even now, he couldn’t help but defend Maria.
“It’s not Maria’s fault. I’m the one who messed everything up-”
“You ever wonder why I forced you two to break up back then?”
Mr. Whitmore’s voice was laced with disgust. He tossed a yellowed envelope onto the table.
“Fine. Look at this. And if you still love her after you’ve seen it, I’ll step aside.”
Frowning, Adrian picked it up and opened it.
His breath caught in his throat.
Inside were photos–of Maria and another man, completely entangled, limbs bare, skin against skin.
Under the camera flash, a diamond bracelet sparkled on her wrist.
He recognized it immediately.
He’d given it to her ten years ago.
All the doubts he had once buried now screamed for attention. Everything made sense.
He felt like a fool.
He had spent the last decade defending a woman who had betrayed him, who had lied to his face.
And in doing so, he had hurt the one person who had loved him, without asking for anything in return, for
seven whole years.
He clenched the edge of the table, knuckles white.
He really was the worst kind of man.
Chapter15
