Chapter 4 - Grace Packs a Suitcase
Adrian expected Grace to be angry.
He was not prepared for her to leave.
At nine that evening, after Dr. Greene confirmed Leo was safe, Adrian walked into the bedroom and found an open suitcase on the bed.
Grace folded a sweater and placed it inside.
Adrian stopped.
“What are you doing?”
Grace did not look at him.
“Packing.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Yes.”
“Because of Vivian?”
Grace finally turned.
“No.”
The answer hit him harder than he expected.
“Because of me.”
Adrian moved closer.
“Grace.”
“You believed her.”
“For seconds.”
“That was all it took.”
“I corrected it.”
“The camera corrected it.”
Adrian had no defense.
Grace zipped one side of the suitcase.
“What would have happened if that camera had actually been turned off?”
Adrian stared at her.
She continued.
“Would you have called the police?”
He said nothing.
“Would you have told everyone I tried to hurt Leo?”
“Grace, I don’t know.”
“That’s the problem.”
Adrian ran a hand over his face.
“I saw my child dripping wet.”
“So did I.”
“I was terrified.”
“So was I.”
“I made a mistake.”
“You made dozens.”
His eyes lifted.
Grace opened a drawer.
“You believed Vivian when she said I misplaced Elena’s bracelet.”
“I didn’t exactly believe her.”
“You searched my closet.”
Adrian flinched.
“You believed her when she said I forgot Leo’s allergy medication.”
“The bottle was missing.”
“And then it appeared in Vivian’s purse.”
“That could have been an accident.”
Grace laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“You believed her when she said I had asked the gardener to remove Elena’s roses.”
“I asked you about it.”
“You accused me.”
“I was trying to understand.”
“You always tried to understand Vivian.”
Grace closed the drawer.
“You expected me to prove myself.”
Adrian slowly sat on the edge of the bed.
For months he had told himself he was balancing two grieving women.
One grieving Elena.
One struggling to build a life in Elena’s shadow.
Now he understood that Grace had never asked him to choose between them.
Vivian had.
Again and again.
And Adrian had mistaken neutrality for fairness.
Grace lifted the suitcase.
“I’m staying at the apartment downtown.”
“What about Leo?”
Her expression broke.
That was the only moment her strength faltered.
“I want to take him with me.”
Adrian looked toward the hallway.
He wanted to say yes immediately.
But legal guardianship was complicated.
Grace had started adoption proceedings six months earlier.
The paperwork had not been completed.
Leo was legally Adrian’s child alone.
Grace understood his hesitation.
It hurt anyway.
“I won’t fight you tonight,” she said.
“Grace.”
“But if you think I’m walking away from him, you don’t know me at all.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
That question again.
Adrian stood.
“I’m going to make this right.”
“You can’t make this right with flowers.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“Or an apology.”
“I know.”
Grace carried the suitcase toward the door.
Adrian stepped aside.
He wanted to stop her.
He knew he had no right.
At the doorway she paused.
“There’s something else you need to know.”
Adrian waited.
“Three weeks ago, Vivian asked me what would happen to Leo’s trust if you died.”
Adrian’s blood went cold.
“What?”
“I assumed she was being morbid.”
“What exactly did she ask?”
Grace looked at him.
“She wanted to know whether I would control the money.”
Adrian stopped breathing.
Leo had inherited thirty-eight million dollars from Elena’s family.
The trust was not accessible until he turned twenty-five.
Unless Adrian died.
In that event, control passed to Leo’s legal guardian.
And Grace’s adoption petition was scheduled for final review in nineteen days.
May you like
Adrian looked toward the hallway where Vivian had lived for nearly four years.
Suddenly the pool incident seemed even darker.
