(Emily's POV)
I stumbled into the guest room, my head spinning from too much wine. The penthouse was dark, quiet except for the hum of the city outside. Maria's words, He's Victoria's secret child. And she's coming back with him, looped in my mind, tangled with the photo of Julian, that little boy with big blue eyes. I kicked off my shoes, the navy gala gown from last night crumpled in a corner. My phone buzzed, Sophia, again. I ignored it, tossing it on the bed. No more lectures tonight.
I grabbed a bottle of red from the kitchen earlier, half-empty now, and took another swig straight from it. Bad idea, but it dulled the ache. Adrian hadn't come home since his meeting. Probably avoiding me. Or planning how to undo this fake marriage. The filed certificate sat heavy in my chest, like a stone. I flopped onto the bed, the room tilting. Julian. Victoria. 'My son will know his father's name.' Sleep pulled me under before I could think.
Morning light stung my eyes. My mouth tasted like regret, and my head throbbed. I groaned, rolling over, and froze. Adrian was beside me, sprawled across the guest bed, his shirt unbuttoned, his breathing soft. My heart stopped. When did he get here? How?
I sat up, my hands flying to my clothes. Sweater, jeans, still on. No signs of… anything. Relief hit, then embarrassment. Had I dragged him in here, drunk? Or had he just… stayed? I stared at him, his dark hair messy, his face relaxed in a way I'd never seen. He looked human, not the cold CEO.
His eyes fluttered open, catching mine. For a second, neither of us moved. Then his hand reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my face. His touch was soft, his gaze warm. "Morning," he said, his voice low, almost gentle.
"Morning," I whispered, my heart racing. Was this real? His guard was down, no walls, no distance.
"You okay?" he asked, sitting up slowly. "You were… out of it last night."
My face burned. "Yeah. Too much wine. Sorry. How'd you… end up here?"
He rubbed his neck, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Came to check on you. You were passed out, mumbling about letters. Didn't want to leave you alone."
"Oh," I said, my cheeks hotter. "Thanks."
He nodded, his hand lingering near mine on the bed. My breath caught, hope flaring. Maybe he cared. Maybe...
His phone buzzed on the nightstand, the screen lighting up. Urgent, Victoria's alive and wants to talk. My stomach dropped. He grabbed it, his face hardening as he read the message. The warmth in his eyes vanished.
"What is it?" I asked, my voice small.
He didn't answer, just stood, pacing to the window. "I need to take this."
"Adrian, " I started, but he was already dialing, his back to me.
I slipped into the bathroom, splashing water on my face to clear the fog. My reflection looked wrecked, pale, eyes red. That moment with Adrian, his touch, felt like a dream stolen by that text. Victoria. Alive. Wanting to talk. I gripped the sink, Maria's warning echoing. She's coming back for him. For Julian? Or Adrian?
I needed coffee. I headed to the kitchen, starting the machine, my hands shaky. My phone buzzed, Nathaniel. I answered, keeping my voice low.
"Em, you okay?" he asked, sounding tense. "I got your text about the photo. That kid, Julian?"
"Yeah," I said, glancing at the hall. "Nate, Maria said Victoria's coming back for him. And now Adrian got a message. She's alive."
"Damn," he said. "I found something. Victoria was tied to a guy named James Harlow. Big shot, married, runs a hedge fund. Could be your 'J.'"
My heart skipped. "James? The letter was to J."
"Exactly," he said. "I'm digging deeper, but Em, you gotta tell Adrian about the photo. The letter. All of it."
"I can't," I said, my throat tight. "Not yet. He's… distracted."
"Distracted?" Nate's voice hardened. "He's playing you, Em. Get out."
"I'm trying," I snapped, then softened. "Just… keep digging. Please."
"Fine," he said. "But be careful."
I hung up, pouring coffee as Adrian's voice drifted from the guest room. Low, urgent. I couldn't hear words, but the tone twisted my gut. I grabbed my mug and headed to the living room, needing space. The yacht photo of Adrian and Victoria was still face-down. I left it that way.
I was answering PR emails on my tablet when Daniel texted: Coffee? Need to talk. I sighed, typing back: Not now. Busy. He replied instantly: You're dodging me. I'm coming over.
Great. I didn't need another lecture, but before I could respond, the elevator dinged. Daniel strolled in, his smirk faint, a coffee cup in hand. "Brought you this," he said, setting it on the table. "You look like you need it."
"Thanks," I said, taking it. "What's so urgent?"
He sat across from me, his eyes serious. "I heard Victoria's back. Or at least, she's reaching out. You okay?"
My grip tightened on the cup. "How'd you know?"
"Gossip travels," he said, leaning forward. "Em, this is bad. She's trouble. Always was."
"I know," I said, my voice low. "I found a photo. Her with a kid. Julian."
His eyes widened. "A kid? Hers?"
I nodded. "Her maid gave it to me. Said Victoria's coming back for him."
"Damn," he said, rubbing his jaw. "Does Adrian know?"
"Not yet," I said, looking away. "I don't know how to tell him."
"Don't," he said, sharp. "Not until you know more. Victoria's a liar. She'll use this to hurt him. And you."
I nodded, my throat tight. "I just… I don't know what to do."
"Walk away," he said, softer. "You're too good for this mess."
I didn't answer, just sipped the coffee, its bitterness matching my mood. Daniel stood, squeezing my shoulder. "Call me if you need me."
He left, and I buried myself in emails, trying to drown out the chaos. But Victoria's shadow loomed, her son's face in that photo haunting me.
Adrian came downstairs an hour later, his face a mask. He grabbed a coffee, avoiding my eyes. "I've got meetings all day," he said, his voice flat. "You good here?"
"Yeah," I said, forcing a smile. "PR's handled. I'll keep the narrative going."
He nodded, then paused. "Thanks, Emily. For… everything."
The words were small, but they hit hard. "Sure," I said, my heart twisting.
He left, and I sank onto the couch, my head pounding. I needed to see that letter again. I slipped into the study, grabbing the paperclip. The drawer clicked open, and I pulled out the letter to "J." My hands shook as I skimmed it again, looking for clues. Nothing new. Just that line about the son.
My phone buzzed, Sophia. "Em, you alive?" she asked when I answered.
"Barely," I said, closing the drawer. "Victoria's back. Or at least, she's calling Adrian."
"What?" she gasped. "Em, you gotta get out. This is crazy."
"I know," I said, my voice breaking. "But I… I can't. Not yet."
"Why?" she demanded. "Because you love him? He's not worth it."
I didn't answer, just hung up, my eyes stinging. I tucked the letter away, my mind racing. Julian. James Harlow. Victoria. It was too much.
I was back in the living room, drafting a press release, when Adrian's phone rang from the guest room. He'd left it behind. I hesitated, then grabbed it, the screen flashing: Unknown Caller. My gut screamed to answer. I did.
"Adrian?" Victoria's voice, trembling, filled the line. "I need you… and he does, too."