Chapter 16 Sixteen

Chapter 16 Sixteen
I woke the next morning feeling the weight of yesterday’s conversation still pressing against me. The truth about the marriage contract kept replaying in my mind, and so did Adrian’s last words. He had been steady, controlled, but there was something else in his voice I could not ignore.

He wanted another chance.

He wanted me back.

Not as a formality. Not because of obligation. He wanted something real.

That realization had filled me with a mix of fear and something warmer that I refused to name.

I forced myself to go through the motions. I prepared breakfast. I helped Lily into her clothes. I kissed her cheek as she laughed about her new drawing idea. Everything looked the same, but inside, I felt different.

After dropping her off, I sat in my car for several minutes, gripping the steering wheel. I was not ready to face Adrian today. I needed more time. More space. But work did not wait.

I walked into the building with a steady pace, refusing to look toward the café. I took the elevator up and went straight to my office, hoping to hide in my work long enough for my heartbeat to settle.

When I logged into my computer, I saw an email waiting.

From: Adrian Knight

Subject: Meeting at 10, if you are comfortable

My stomach tightened.

He added only one line:

If not, I understand. I will adjust.

I stared at the screen for a long moment, then typed back:

I will come.

It took me almost an hour to prepare myself mentally. When ten approached, I stood and walked down the hall toward his office. My heart beat a little too fast. I hated that he could still affect me this strongly.

I knocked lightly and opened the door.

Adrian stood near the window again, though this time he looked tense in a way he rarely allowed anyone to see.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Good morning.”

He motioned toward the small sitting area. I sat cautiously. He took the seat across from me, leaving a respectful distance but giving me his full attention.

“I want to talk about what I said yesterday,” he began.

I took a breath. “I thought you might.”

“I did not say it expecting anything from you,” he said. “I said it because I needed you to know the truth.”

My throat tightened. “What truth.”

“That I want you back,” he said plainly.

The words landed heavily between us. My pulse jumped. I stared at him, trying to process the bluntness in his voice.

He continued, “Not because of the old contract. Not because of the past. And not because of obligation. I want you back because I am not the same man I was. And because I care about you. Deeply.”

I looked away, gripping my hands together. “Adrian, you cannot say things like that so easily.”

“It is not easy,” he said. “Nothing about this is easy.”

I swallowed. “You should have told me about the contract sooner.”

“Yes,” he said. “I should have. And I regret not doing it. But that does not change how I feel.”

I met his gaze again. It was steady. Clear. Not demanding. Not manipulative. Just honest.

“You left me once,” I said quietly. “Or rather, you let me leave.”

His eyes tightened. “You disappeared without telling me why. I searched for you, Amelia.”

I blinked. “You searched for me.”

“Yes.” His voice grew softer. “For months. I thought something had happened. When your father finally admitted the truth, I respected your choice to stay hidden. But I never stopped wondering if there was something more I should have done.”

My breath stuttered. “I did not know that.”

“I did not tell you,” he said. “Because I did not want to reopen old wounds. But I am telling you now because you deserve transparency.”

I looked down. My emotions twisted painfully.

He leaned forward slightly. “I am not asking you to take me back now. I am asking for the chance to show you that I am capable of being the partner you deserved years ago.”

My voice felt tight. “What if I cannot give you that chance.”

“Then I will respect that,” he said. “But I need you to know my intentions.”

I looked away again. “Adrian, we share a child now. There is more at stake. I cannot risk letting anyone back into my life who might hurt her, even unintentionally.”

“I know,” he said. “Which is why I will not rush anything with her either. I want to earn both of your trust.”

His voice was quiet but firm. There was no desperation in it, just resolve. And sincerity.

The room felt warm, charged with something unspoken. I tried to steady myself.

I finally said, “I need time.”

He nodded once. “You will have it.”

I stood to leave, but he remained seated, allowing me the space.

“Before you go,” he said gently. “There is one more thing.”

I paused.

“You do not have to decide anything now,” he said. “But please understand that I am not pretending. I care about you. I always did, even when I did not know how to show it.”

His honesty struck something deep inside me. I turned away quickly, afraid to let him see how shaken I was.

“I will see you later,” I managed to say.

“Of course,” he replied.

I walked out of the office with my heart pounding, unsure how to make sense of the moment.

The rest of the day passed in fragments. Work became background noise. I answered emails without reading them twice. I sat in meetings without absorbing half of what was said. Every quiet moment returned me to his words.

I want you back.

Not demanded. Not forced. Simply spoken.

I did not know how to hold that.

By the time I went to pick up Lily, my nerves were raw. But her bright smile calmed me instantly.

“Mama, look at the moon picture I made today,” she said, waving a drawing with bold blue lines.

“It is beautiful,” I told her, and meant it.

At home, her routine helped settle me. Dinner. Bath. A story. Her small hand resting on my arm as she drifted to sleep.

When I finally went to my room, I sat on the bed with my phone.

There were no new messages from Adrian.

Something inside me tightened. Not relief. Not disappointment. Something in between.

I typed:

Tomorrow. Coffee again. Same time.

I almost deleted it. I almost put the phone down. But I hit send before I could change my mind.

His reply came seconds later.

I will be there. Thank you.

I lay back against the pillows. My emotions were tangled, uncertain, but no longer running from the truth.

He wanted me back.

And for the first time, I did not feel angry.

I felt hesitant.

Cautious.

But also curious.

And curiosity, I realized, was the beginning of everything I had been trying to avoid.