Chapter 29 The Aftermath
Eva blinked.
Daniel's expression softened. "Let us worry about you for once, little sister. You've been fighting alone for too long. Let us take care of you now."
Eva felt a lump in her throat. She wanted to argue, stubborn as always, but she was just too tired. The fight had taken all her strength; she was just so, so tired.
Tonight was different. All she wanted was to go home, sleep, and hug her kids. Letting her family care for her didn't seem so bad.
Actually, it sounded wonderful. A gentle ache grew in her chest, filling her with a small hope she hadn't felt in a long time.
"Fine," she conceded quietly. "But someone needs to call Dad and inform him about today's happenings. He's probably wearing a hole in his study floor waiting for us."
"I told you you should stop worrying and focus on yourself. Also, for your mental peace, I have already done it." Daniel squeezed her shoulder. "Father knows you're safe. He'll come to see you first thing in the morning."
Eva nodded, suddenly too tired for words.
After a little more fussing, Daniel left with the evidence. Eva was alone with Adrian in what was left of Reena's fancy apartment.
Adrian took her hand and helped her lean on him. "Come on." He held her left hand, his other hand warm and steady on her back as he guided her to the door. "Let's go home."
Home.
The word wrapped around Eva, comforting her.
She didn't know where home was anymore. The place she stayed with Derek had never been home.
Even now, memories of those days flashed in her mind: a cold apartment, Derek getting annoyed at every little mistake she made, the way she was always tense, never sure what mood he would be in.
She had tried to make it work, holding on to the hope that love could grow in such an empty place, but with every effort, she only felt more empty, more hungry for a place to call home.
She couldn't call her father's estate home, either. It was safe, a place to recover from everything she'd been through, but she didn't feel like she truly belonged there. Sooner or later, she would have to move on and find a place of her own.
For seven years, she went through life without a plan, always wishing for a place where she could just breathe and feel like she belonged.
But as Adrian led her toward the elevator, his hand steady on her back, Eva realized something.
Home, it wasn't just a place.
It was a feeling, a sense of belonging and love—something to call yours.
It can be a place, a feeling, or a person.
It can be anything that makes you feel like you're yourself; you can call it home.
And right now, walking beside this man who had fought for her, protected her, and believed in her when she couldn't believe in herself,
She felt like she might finally be on her way there.
To her real home.
The drive back to the Fransis estate was quiet.
Eva sat in the passenger seat of Adrian's car, watching the city lights blur past the window. Her mind felt strangely empty. It wasn't peaceful, but it was quiet, the kind of quiet that comes after a storm.
Adrian drove in silence, one hand on the wheel and the other resting on the center console between them. He was close enough to touch, but not quite touching her.
"You should sleep," he said finally. "You've been through a lot tonight. I'll wake you up when we arrive."
"I know." Eva's voice sounded distant. "But I don't think I can. Not yet. With all the energy still in my body, I don't think I can sleep tonight."
A small smile formed on Adrian's face. "What are you thinking about?"
Eva considered the question.
What was she thinking about? Everything that happened tonight? Almost dying? The anger in Reena's eyes? Or maybe the relief that came from finally standing up for herself? What should she say?
So much flooded her mind, she couldn't choose what to say. Silence stretched between them.
"I'm thinking about what she said," Eva admitted. "About how Helena won't let me off, how she won't stop. I just pulled my biggest fear out of my mind, but a new one's been planted."
Adrian's jaw tightened. "Don't worry. No one is above the law, and Helena Park is next on our list. She won't get away with it."
"I know. But..." Eva hesitated. "She's my stepmother, Adrian. She's been part of my family for almost a decade. I ate dinner with her. Celebrated holidays with her. I treated her like my mother, thought she cared about me."
"I know your feelings for her are true. But, people like Helena don't care about anyone except themselves."
"I know that too. Now." Eva turned to look at him, her eyes shining. "But it still hurts. Betrayal changes you in ways you don't expect. I keep wondering if I missed obvious signs or if I could have done something to make things different. It makes you question if you'll ever trust again."
Adrian was silent for a moment.
Then he pulled the car over to the side of the road.
Eva frowned. "What are you—"
"Look at me."
She turned.
Adrian's dark eyes met hers, so intense she forgot to breathe.
"You will learn to trust again," he said quietly. "Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But someday, you'll look around and realize there are people in your life—your father, Daniel, your children, and me—who you can trust. You'll see that we're not going anywhere. We're not lying to you. We're not using you."
Eva's eyes burned with unshed tears.
"How do you know?"
"Because I've been where you are." Adrian's voice turned rough. "After my father died, I didn't trust anyone. Everyone wanted something from me, like my money, my power, my position. I spent years alone, thinking being close to people was just another kind of weakness."
"Then did you learn to trust? What changed?"
Adrian's gaze softened.
"You."
Eva's heart stuttered.
"That night, seven years ago, you trusted me—a complete stranger. You let me hold you while you cried. You let me see you at your lowest." He reached out and gently wiped away a tear from her cheek. "I've spent every day since then trying to be worthy of that trust."
"Adrian..."
"I'm not going to hurt you, Eva. I'm not going to leave you. And I'm not going to use you." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I love you. I've loved you since that night. And I will spend the rest of my life proving it, if you'll let me."