Chapter 8: The Husband Who Came Back Begging
Adrian returned two days later.
Not with anger.
Not with threats.
With flowers.
That almost made me laugh.
The same man who had destroyed me in front of hundreds of people now stood outside my office holding a bouquet of white roses.
The symbolism was almost insulting.
White roses.
Apology flowers.
A classic move from someone who wanted forgiveness without responsibility.
My assistant looked uncomfortable.
"Ms. Ashcroft, Mr. Vale is here.""
I looked up from my computer.
"Tell him I am busy.""
She hesitated.
"He says it is urgent.""
I almost smiled.
Everything was urgent after losing power.
"Send him in.""
A moment later, Adrian entered.
He looked tired.
Not broken.
Never broken.
Just uncomfortable.
His expensive suit was replaced by something simpler.
His confidence was quieter.
But his eyes were the same.
Calculating.
"Eleanor.""
I continued reading the report in front of me.
"Adrian.""
He looked around my office.
The office he had never imagined existed.
The office belonging to the woman he underestimated.
"I never knew.""
I looked up.
"That is usually what happens when people don't ask questions.""
His jaw tightened.
"I made mistakes.""
There it was.
The sentence everyone used when they wanted forgiveness.
Mistakes.
Not choices.
Not betrayals.
Mistakes.
As if hurting someone was accidental.
I closed the file.
"What do you want?""
He stepped closer.
"I want to fix this.""
I stared at him.
"You want to fix your reputation.""
"No.""
"Your company?""
He went quiet.
That silence answered everything.
I leaned back.
"Exactly.""
His expression changed.
"Eleanor, I know I hurt you.""
"No.""
I interrupted.
"You know you embarrassed yourself.""
He looked wounded.
Good.
For once, he needed to feel the consequences.
"You think I don't regret it?""
"I think you regret losing.""
He looked away.
For a moment, he seemed like the man I married.
The man who used to hold my hand.
The man who promised we would build something together.
Then I remembered the ballroom.
His champagne glass.
Vanessa beside him.
His smile when people laughed at me.
And the memory disappeared.
"Victor Sterling is using you.""
The change in his expression was immediate.
Tiny.
Almost invisible.
But I noticed.
"Who told you that?""
I smiled.
"Interesting response.""
He realized his mistake.
Too late.
"You knew.""
Adrian didn't answer.
"How long?""
Silence.
"How long have you been working with him?""
He looked angry now.
"You have been investigating me.""
"No.""
I stood.
"I have been discovering who my husband really was.""
That hit him.
Because despite everything, he still wanted to believe I was the problem.
"Eleanor, Victor promised me control.""
There it was.
The truth.
I waited.
"He said I could build something bigger than Vale Meridian.""
"You already had everything.""
"No.""
His voice became bitter.
"I had your shadow.""
I stared at him.
"My shadow?""
"Everyone respected the company because of Ashcroft money.""
He stepped closer.
"Do you know what it feels like knowing people only think you succeeded because of your wife?""
For the first time, I understood.
Not because I agreed.
Because I finally saw the sickness inside him.
Adrian didn't hate me because I failed him.
He hated me because my existence reminded him of the truth.
He wanted to be admired.
More than he wanted to be loved.
"You destroyed the one person who believed in you because you were embarrassed by needing her.""
His silence was enough.
I continued.
"That wasn't my weakness, Adrian.""
I pointed toward the door.
"It was yours.""
He looked at me.
Then his expression changed.
Fear.
"Eleanor.""
I stopped.
"Victor isn't just trying to take your company.""
I turned.
"He is trying to destroy Ashcroft.""
I said nothing.
Because I already knew.
"He hates your family.""
"Why?""
Adrian looked down.
And for the first time, he looked genuinely afraid.
"Because your father ruined him.""
I stared.
"What did my father do?""
Adrian hesitated.
Then said:
"Your father took something from him.""
"What?""
His voice lowered.
"Everything.""
I stepped closer.
"Tell me.""
But Adrian shook his head.
"I don't know all of it.""
"You know enough.""
"I know Victor believes Ashcroft stole his future.""
I looked at him.
"And you helped him.""
His silence was confirmation.
I walked toward the door.
"Leave.""
"Eleanor—"
"No.""
I opened the door.
"You don't get to come back because someone worse appeared.""
His face changed.
Because he realized something.
I wasn't choosing between two enemies.
I was done choosing Adrian at all.
He left.
But before the elevator doors closed, he looked back.
And I saw something I had never seen before.
Not arrogance.
Not confidence.
Regret.
May you like
But regret was not enough.
Not anymore.
