Chapter 11 — Margaret’s Son
The room seemed to tilt.
Lucas looked at his mother.
“What did you say?”
Margaret’s hands trembled.
“Adrian is my son.”
Emily quietly left the doorway.
Maria guided her upstairs.
Lucas waited until they were gone.
“Tell me everything.”
Margaret sat down.
“I was nineteen. His father was a married professor. When I became pregnant, my parents sent me away.”
“You gave him up.”
“I was told he died during childbirth.”
“But he didn’t.”
“No.”
She discovered the truth years later, after marrying Lucas’s father.
Adrian had been adopted by the Cross family.
“When I found him, he was fourteen,” she said. “I tried to help from a distance.”
“By paying his mother?”
“By paying for his education.”
“Then you brought him into my company.”
“I wanted him near me.”
Lucas laughed once, without humor.
“You placed a man filled with resentment beside me and never told either of us the truth.”
“I was afraid.”
“And Emily nearly died because of your fear.”
Margaret’s face crumpled.
“I never imagined—”
“That is what everyone keeps saying.”
Lucas turned away.
Margaret reached for him.
“He is still your brother.”
Lucas looked back.
“He called my daughter an obstacle.”
The next morning, Adrian requested a meeting from jail.
Lucas almost refused.
Then Detective Morris told him Adrian had information about a murder.
Daniel Vale’s death.
During the interview, Adrian admitted Richard had sabotaged Daniel’s car.
“Why tell me now?” Lucas asked.
“Because Richard will blame everything on me.”
“You deserve blame.”
“I know.”
Adrian looked older than he had two days earlier.
“But Sophia deserves more than prison.”
Lucas frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Adrian leaned closer.
“She kept a second plan.”
“What plan?”
“If the wedding failed, she intended to accuse you of abusing Emily.”
Lucas went still.
“She created videos. Edited recordings. Fake medical reports.”
“Where are they?”
“In a safe deposit box.”
“Under whose name?”
May you like
Adrian looked directly at him.
“Emily’s.”
