Chapter 9 - THE MAN WHO CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD
The voice came through the speakers again.
"Hello, Selene."
My entire body went cold.
No.
That wasn't possible.
It couldn't be.
I looked at Stellan.
He wasn't angry.
He wasn't confused.
He looked broken.
Like he had been waiting for this nightmare to return.
"Stellan..."
My voice shook.
"Who is that?"
He didn't answer.
Because he didn't need to.
I already knew.
My heart knew before my mind accepted it.
Adrian.
The man I loved.
The man who disappeared.
The man I cried for every night after Fern was born.
The man I believed abandoned us.
He was alive.
"Open the gate, Stellan."
The voice sounded calm.
Almost gentle.
"Or I start removing pieces of your empire."
Stellan raised his hand.
Everyone stopped moving.
"Nobody shoots."
His guards looked shocked.
"Boss?"
"Nobody."
He walked toward the speaker.
"Adrian."
The mansion went silent.
Then a laugh came through.
A sad laugh.
"Still using my name when nobody is listening?"
My breath caught.
Because that was exactly how he used to speak.
Like every word carried a secret.
Like he was always saying something only I could understand.
I stepped forward.
"Adrian?"
Stellan immediately looked at me.
"Selene, no."
But I didn't listen.
For two years, I had questions.
Two years of anger.
Two years of pain.
And now the person who caused it was standing somewhere outside.
"Adrian!"
The speaker was silent.
Then:
"I missed hearing your voice."
My eyes filled with tears.
I hated him.
I loved him.
I didn't know which feeling was stronger.
"Why?"
My voice cracked.
"Why did you leave?"
A long silence.
Then he answered.
"Because I thought leaving was the only way to keep you alive."
I almost laughed.
Everyone had the same excuse.
Everyone thought they knew what was best for me.
"You don't get to say that."
My voice became stronger.
"You don't get to disappear and decide you saved me."
Silence.
Then Adrian said:
"I know."
That answer hurt more than an argument.
Because he sounded tired.
Not cruel.
Not guilty.
Just tired.
Stellan moved closer.
"Where are you?"
The speaker laughed.
"You really think I would tell you?"
"You came here."
"Because I wanted to see her."
My stomach dropped.
"Her?"
A pause.
Then:
"Fern."
I held my daughter tighter.
"No."
Stellan stepped in front of us.
"You're not touching her."
Adrian's voice changed.
For the first time, there was anger.
"You don't get to play father now."
The words hit Stellan.
And I saw it.
The pain.
Because somewhere inside, Stellan knew he deserved it.
Then Adrian continued.
"Two years ago, I begged you to help me."
The room became silent.
I looked at Stellan.
"What is he talking about?"
Stellan didn't answer.
My chest tightened.
"Stellan."
His eyes closed.
Just for a second.
Then he whispered:
"I failed him."
"What?"
The speaker crackled.
"Tell her."
Stellan looked at me.
The fear in his eyes was worse than anything.
"Tell her what happened that night."
I waited.
"Tell her why you let them take me."
My blood turned cold.
I looked at Stellan.
"You let them?"
He looked away.
And that was enough.
My heart broke.
Not because Adrian was innocent.
Not because Stellan was guilty.
Because once again...
everyone had been lying to me.
"Selene..."
I stepped back.
"No."
The room blurred.
"You knew."
Stellan reached toward me.
"I was trying to—"
"No."
My voice broke.
"You knew he was alive."
Silence.
"You knew."
Finally, he said the truth.
"Yes."
The word destroyed everything.
I grabbed Fern.
I needed air.
I needed space.
I needed someone to stop deciding my life for me.
Then Adrian spoke again.
"Selene."
I looked at the speaker.
"Come outside."
Stellan immediately said:
"No."
Adrian continued:
"Because if you don't..."
A pause.
"You'll never learn what really happened to your daughter."
My blood froze.
"What?"
Stellan's face changed.
"He's lying."
But Adrian answered:
"Am I?"
Silence.
Then Adrian said the words that shattered me.
"Ask Stellan why Fern's first blood test said she wasn't his."
I looked at Stellan.
And I knew.
I knew before he spoke.
Because his silence was the answer.
"Stellan..."
His eyes met mine.
May you like
And for the first time...
the most powerful man in Chicago looked afraid of me.
