Chapter 18 - THE MAN WHO KEPT CHOOSING WRONG
I met Adrian at a diner.
Not Blackthorn.
Not a hotel.
A diner with sticky menus and coffee that tasted burned.
He looked different.
Less polished.
Good.
“I owe you an apology.”
“You’ve given me several.”
“I know.”
“Are you collecting them?”
He smiled.
Then stopped.
“I was a coward.”
I waited.
“I kept thinking avoiding conflict made me kind.”
He looked at his hands.
“It made me useful to cruel people.”
That was better.
Not perfect.
Better.
He told me he had sold his interest in a luxury development.
Used part of the money to reimburse Blackthorn staff for unpaid overtime his family had missed.
Not as charity.
As debt.
He had started therapy.
He said it awkwardly.
Like the word embarrassed him.
I appreciated that more than a polished speech.
Then he said.
“I like you.”
I laughed.
“Terrible timing.”
“I know.”
“Historically terrible.”
“I know.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“I know.”
That one hurt him.
He nodded anyway.
“I’m not asking you to.”
Good answer.
We drank bad coffee.
Nothing happened.
No kiss.
No dramatic promise.
When I left, he held the door.
Then immediately said.
“Sorry.”
“For what?”
“I don’t know.”
I laughed all the way to my car.
Dad was waiting at home.
“Dinner?”
“I ate.”
“With Adrian?”
I stared.
He looked innocent.
“Your security detail talks.”
“Fire them.”
“No.”
Then his expression softened.
“You don’t owe anyone forgiveness because they improved.”
“I know.”
“And improvement doesn’t erase damage.”
“I know.”
“And—”
“Dad.”
He stopped.
“What?”
“You’re doing the thing.”
“What thing?”
“The speech.”
He looked offended.
“I do not speech.”
I kissed his forehead.
He complained.
That night, a package arrived.
No return address.
Inside was the ruined gold dress.
Cleaned.
Folded.
And a note from Celeste.
YOU THINK YOU WON.
Dad read it.
Then turned the paper over.
Nothing.
He looked at me.
“She mailed you a dress from prison?”
“Yes.”
“That feels inefficient.”
I laughed.
Then the security chief called.
The package had not come from prison.
It had been mailed locally.
May you like
That meant someone outside was still working for her.
