Chapter 8 - THE TRUTH ADRIAN NEVER TOLD HER
Claire didn't sleep.
Not that night.
Not after meeting Victor.
Not after seeing Adrian Mercer look terrified.
The next morning, she found him in the kitchen.
Alone.
No assistants.
No security.
Just Adrian.
Making coffee.
It was the most normal thing she had ever seen him do.
And somehow...
that made him look more human.
"You should have told me."
Adrian didn't turn.
"I know."
Claire crossed her arms.
"You have a brother."
"Yes."
"A brother everyone thinks is dead."
"Yes."
"And you never mentioned him."
"No."
She stared.
"That's all you have to say?"
Adrian placed the coffee cup down.
"What do you want me to say?"
"The truth."
Silence.
Finally, Adrian looked at her.
"You want the truth?"
"Yes."
His expression changed.
"Victor and I grew up differently."
Claire waited.
"My father believed fear created strong men."
Adrian looked toward the window.
"Victor believed fear gave him power."
"And you?"
"I believed surviving was enough."
Claire's heart hurt hearing that.
Because she realized something.
Adrian Mercer wasn't born powerful.
He became powerful because he had no choice.
"What happened?"
Adrian was quiet for a long time.
Then:
"My father died."
Claire waited.
"And Victor blamed me."
"Why?"
"Because I inherited the company."
A pause.
"He thought I stole his future."
Claire frowned.
"Did you?"
Adrian looked at her.
"No."
His answer was immediate.
"My father chose."
Claire believed him.
She didn't know why.
But she did.
"Then why did Victor disappear?"
Adrian's face became darker.
"Because he tried to destroy everything."
"What does that mean?"
"He made a deal with people who wanted our family gone."
Claire froze.
"And you stopped him?"
"I had to."
The way he said it told her everything.
There were things Adrian Mercer had done that he would never say out loud.
"You think I'm dangerous."
Claire's eyes lifted.
The question surprised her.
"Do you?"
Adrian looked at her.
"Everyone does."
Claire stepped closer.
"Everyone sees what you did."
A pause.
"But nobody sees why you did it."
Adrian didn't speak.
Claire continued.
"You protected your company."
"Yes."
"You protected your family."
"Yes."
"You protected Lily."
His eyes softened.
"Yes."
She lowered her voice.
"That doesn't make you a monster."
For a moment...
Adrian looked like he wanted to believe her.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
"Talk."
His expression changed.
"What?"
A pause.
"No."
Another pause.
"Send me everything."
He ended the call.
Claire immediately knew.
"What's wrong?"
Adrian looked at her.
"Lily's medical records were accessed."
Her blood went cold.
"By who?"
"We don't know."
"Victor?"
Adrian didn't answer.
And that scared her more.
Because silence from Adrian Mercer was never empty.
It meant something.
Something dangerous.
Later that afternoon, Claire went upstairs to check on Lily.
The little girl was drawing.
"What are you making?"
Lily smiled.
"Us."
Claire looked at the picture.
Three people.
Lily.
Claire.
Adrian.
A family.
Claire swallowed.
"You know, families can look different."
Lily nodded.
"I know."
Then she pointed at the picture.
"But Daddy smiles more when you're here."
Claire froze.
Before she could answer...
her phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
One message.
A picture.
Claire opened it.
And her blood turned cold.
It was Lily.
Taken inside the mansion.
Sleeping.
The message below said:
I told Adrian I would find his weakness.
Claire dropped the phone.
Because someone had been inside.
May you like
Watching them.
All along.
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