Chương 9
Adrian wore jeans and a navy sweater.
She had rarely seen him without clothing chosen by someone who cared about photographs.
He carried two coffees.
Elena looked at them.
“I didn’t ask for one.”
“I know.”
“What is it?”
“Black. One sugar.”
She took it.
Then hated herself for taking it.
They walked.
For a while, they discussed nothing important.
A golden retriever dragged an elderly man toward a squirrel.
Adrian said, “That dog is going to kill him.”
Elena said, “The dog or the squirrel?”
“The squirrel is clearly management.”
She laughed.
The sound hurt.
Adrian looked at her.
“Don’t.”
“What?”
“Look relieved because I laughed.”
He looked away.
“Sorry.”
They reached a bench.
Elena remained standing.
“Did you marry me because your father wanted the wedding to happen?”
“No.”
“Would you have proposed when you did if Vanessa wasn’t pregnant?”
Adrian hesitated.
That hesitation mattered.
“I was going to propose that year.”
“That was not my question.”
“No.”
Elena nodded.
“Why then?”
“He wanted stability.”
“For himself?”
“For the family. The company. Everything.”
“And marrying me created stability.”
“That’s how he saw it.”
“How did you see it?”
Adrian stared at his coffee.
“I thought if I was going to marry you anyway, changing the timing didn’t change the meaning.”
Elena closed her eyes.
There it was.
Not a villain’s motive.
A coward’s arithmetic.
He continued quickly.
“I know how that sounds.”
“It sounds exactly like what you did.”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever think I had the right to choose whether I wanted to marry you while this was happening?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
He looked at her.
“Every day.”
“And?”
“Every day I decided tomorrow would be better.”
Elena’s throat tightened.
“Why?”
“Because you were happy.”
“That answer is disgusting.”
“I know.”
“No, I don’t think you do.”
She sat finally, because her knees felt weak.
“You saw me happy and treated it like a reason to keep me ignorant.”
“Yes.”
“You let me thank your father for paying for flowers.”
“I know.”
“You watched my mother cry during the rehearsal dinner.”
His face crumpled slightly.
“Elena.”
“No.”
She gripped the coffee cup.
“I need to say this without you making it easier. I loved you. I probably still love you in whatever useless biological way the body keeps doing things after the mind catches up. And you used that love as evidence that I shouldn’t be told something that might make me leave.”
Adrian’s eyes filled.
He nodded.
“I did.”
She looked at him.
No defense.
No speech.
It should have made her feel better.
It did not.
“Why didn’t you tell me after Vanessa threatened the wedding?”
“Because I was afraid you’d cancel it.”
“That was the point.”
“I know.”
“You were afraid I would make a choice you didn’t like, so you removed the choice.”
“Yes.”
Elena looked at the path.
A jogger passed them.
A woman pushed a stroller.
The ordinary morning continued.
“What did you think would happen after?”
“I thought you’d be furious.”
“Accurate.”
“I thought you’d leave for a while.”
“Also accurate.”
“I thought I could explain.”
“There.”
He looked at her.
“That’s the part you still don’t understand.”
“What?”
“You thought the problem would be how well you explained what you had done.”
Adrian stared.
Elena stood.
“The problem is that you did it.”
He nodded slowly.
“I understand.”
“Maybe.”
She began walking.
He followed at a distance.
At the parking lot, he said, “Are you going to help Vanessa?”
Elena turned.
“Why?”
“Dad thinks you are.”
“Does that scare you?”
“I don’t know.”
“That is becoming your favorite answer.”
He rubbed the side of his finger.
Migraine.
She hated knowing.
“Elena, there are things about Vanessa you don’t know.”
She gave a tired laugh.
“Do not start.”
“I’m not saying she’s lying about the baby.”
“Then what?”
“She copied internal files from the foundation.”
Elena paused.
“What files?”
“Donor correspondence. Travel records. Expense reports.”
“Why?”
“She says to protect herself.”
“Does it?”
“Some of it.”
Elena studied him.
“Why are you telling me?”
“Because if she asks you to help her release them, you should know some contain private information about people who had nothing to do with this.”
Elena said nothing.
That sounded plausible.
Which meant she could not dismiss it simply because Adrian had said it.
“Have you seen the files?”
“Yes.”
“Do they prove the relationship?”
“Some travel records support it.”
“Anything illegal?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did your father use foundation money for the affair?”
Adrian hesitated.
“I don’t know.”
“Different kind of don’t know?”
“Yes.”
Elena nodded.
“Thank you.”
His expression changed.
“For what?”
“For finally saying something before I had already acted.”
She left.
That afternoon, Vanessa called.
“I need your help.”
Elena almost laughed.
“Of course you do.”
Vanessa ignored the tone.
“Victor’s attorneys are threatening an action over files I retained.”
“Did you take files?”
Silence.
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
“Documents relevant to our travel and relationship.”
“Only those?”
Another silence.
“No.”
Elena closed her eyes.
“Vanessa.”
“I copied a folder.”
“An entire folder.”
“I was scared.”
“That is not magical permission.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Vanessa’s voice hardened.
“Do you think Victor follows rules when he is scared?”
“No.”
“Then why am I the only one expected to?”
“Because I am talking to you.”
Silence.
Elena took a breath.
“I’m not helping you dump private records.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“What do you want?”
“I need someone to look at them who isn’t his lawyer.”
“Get your own lawyer.”
“I have one.”
“Then use her.”
“She says some of the records may establish that Victor lied about when the relationship began.”
Elena frowned.
“Why does that matter?”
“Because he is now saying I manipulated him.”
Something in Vanessa’s voice changed.
Not anger.
Fear.
“He says you manipulated him how?”
“That I pursued him because of Adrian. That I wanted access to the family.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Did you ever ask Adrian for money?”
“No.”
“Victor?”
May you like
“Not until the pregnancy.”
Elena sat on the edge of her bed.
