Chapter 35 Adrian's Confession
They walked into Richard's study. Shelves of books and old memories covered the walls. The quiet environment made it the perfect place to share secrets or have heartfelt conversations.
Eva curled up in a leather armchair. She watched quietly as Adrian paced by the window, running his good hand through his hair as he tried to gather his thoughts.
She didn't rush him, waiting with gentle patience as the silence stretched between them, sensing the weight of his turmoil.
When Adrian finally calmed down, he stopped pacing. "Do you know anything about the succession battle?" he asked.
Eva shook her head.
"Okay, so, when my father died, there were... different factions within the family who believed I wasn't fit to lead the family. My uncle, in particular, thought the family head position should pass to him."
Eva nodded. She'd heard pieces of this before.
"That's just what we let people know. But you don't know how far my uncle was willing to go to get that position." Adrian's voice grew hard.
"He hired professionals. Their job was to make sure I didn't survive to take my father's place."
Eva's blood chilled. "Assassins."
"Yes." Adrian turned to face her, looking serious. "For two years, I stayed hidden with a target on my back. I couldn't go out in public or trust anyone. Not family, friends, or business partners. I never knew who might have sided with my uncle for money. Everyone felt dangerous."
"Was that the reason why you were hiding that night. That night when you found me."
"Yeah, that day I was supposed to be at a business dinner to close a deal. But my source told me someone in the restaurant was watching me, waiting to kill me. So I left and went to a hotel, hoping for a few hours of peace." He gave a faint smile. "Instead, I found you."
Eva remembered that night in pieces: the terror as she escaped and ran, the confusion clouding her mind, and finally, the safety and warmth in Adrian's arms. The way he looked at her made her feel important.
"I see, what happened to your uncle?" she asked quietly.
Adrian's expression shuttered. "He's dead."
"Did you—"
"No. No, of course not. It wasn't me, but I guess I was still the cause of it." He started pacing again, each step tense and restless.
"I found out what he was planning. I confronted him, but he didn't stop. So, I collected proof against him and made it public. My uncle was arrested when the evidence was submitted to the court. He was found guilty and was sentenced to jail, but he died in prison three years later."
"That doesn't sound like something to feel guilty about."
Adrian's body tensed, his shoulders stiff as he fought with his feelings. "It's not what I feel guilty about." His voice was barely a whisper. "What I feel guilty about is my cousin, Marcus. He was my uncle's son, and he was my best friend when we were kids. We were like brothers."
A heavy ache settled in Eva's chest as dread curled inside her. She braced herself for the inevitable.
"When my uncle's crimes came out, Marcus couldn't accept it. He thought his father was innocent, that I made up the evidence to trap him." Adrian's voice trembled. "He came to confront me with a gun. We fought, and it went off."
"Adrian—"
"My security team stepped in to protect me." Pain showed in Adrian's eyes as he looked at her. "Marcus was shot. He died in my arms, and I could feel his life leaving with every breath."
A heavy silence filled the room, thick with the weight of Adrian's confession and Eva's compassion.
Eva got up and walked over to Adrian, who stood frozen by the window. She didn't say anything. Instead, she just wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face to his chest.
Adrian stood stiff, silent, holding his breath like he feared that releasing it would release the pain trapped inside him.
Slowly, he put his good arm around her and pulled her close. His body shook slightly, showing years of hidden sorrow.
"It wasn't your fault, Adrian," she whispered.
"It was my choice. My actions that led to this ending."
"You were just protecting yourself from people who wanted to kill you. Your cousin chose to believe his father and to confront you with a weapon. That's not your fault."
"I could have—"
"No." Eva pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "I spent seven years blaming myself for things I couldn't control. For trusting Reena, who was supposed to be my closest friend but betrayed me when I needed her most. For marrying Derek, who made me feel worthless and trapped me in a cycle I was too scared to escape, for not being strong enough to leave. And you know what? It almost broke me." She held his face in her hands.
"You survived something terrible. You lost someone you loved. But you didn't kill him. Holding onto that guilt doesn't honor his memory. It only hurts you."
Adrian stared at her.
"When did you become so wise?"
"Around the time I decided to stop being a victim." She smiled softly. "It's a work in progress."
Adrian's expression softened; guilt lingered, but now it mingled with a fragile hope breaking through his anguish.
"This is the secret Helena threatened to expose," he said. "To use my cousin Marcus's death to destroy my reputation. To take you and the children away from me."
"Let her try." Eva's voice hardened. "The truth can't be used against us if we're not hiding from it. We'll get ahead of it. We'll release a statement, explain what happened, and control the narrative."
"You'd do that? Stand beside me while the press tears into my past?"
"Adrian." Eva took his hands in hers. "You took a knife for me. You spent seven years watching over me from the shadows. You've fought for my freedom, my children, my future." She squeezed his fingers. "Standing beside you through some bad press is the least I can do."
For the first time since his confession began, a wary smile fought its way onto Adrian's lips, hesitant but honest.
It was small, fragile, but the relief in it was unmistakable, as if a burden had briefly lifted.
"What did I do to deserve you?"