Chapter 4 - The Woman Who Controlled My Past
The name at the bottom of the letter made Adrian forget how to breathe.
Rebecca Hale.
His assistant.
The woman who had worked beside him for twelve years.
The woman who knew every meeting, every secret, every weakness.
The woman who had convinced him that Claire was destroying his life.
Adrian stared at the paper.
"No."
The word came out quietly.
Claire watched him.
"You know her."
It wasn't a question.
Adrian slowly lowered the letter.
"She has worked for me since I started Cross Enterprises."
Claire looked away.
"Then you already know how close she was to you."
Adrian remembered.
Rebecca was always there.
When he built his first company.
When investors doubted him.
When his schedule became impossible.
When his marriage began falling apart.
She was the person who answered his calls.
The person who handled his private affairs.
The person who knew everything about his life.
But he never once considered that she could be the reason his life changed.
"Why would Rebecca do this?"
Claire's expression was cold.
"That is the question you should have asked seven years ago."
Adrian looked at her.
"What happened?"
Claire sat down slowly.
For the first time since he arrived, she looked tired.
Not angry.
Not hurt.
Just tired.
"After I found out I was pregnant, I tried to tell you."
Adrian listened carefully.
"I called your office because I couldn't reach you."
She looked at him.
"Rebecca answered."
Adrian felt his stomach tighten.
"What did she say?"
Claire looked at the floor.
"She told me you were in a meeting."
"That was normal."
"No."
Claire shook her head.
"She knew I was pregnant."
Adrian froze.
"How?"
"Because I told her."
The room became silent.
Claire continued.
"I thought she cared about you. I thought she was someone you trusted. I thought she would help me reach you."
Adrian remembered how much Claire trusted the people around him.
She had always believed the best in everyone.
Unlike him.
He had built a world where everyone was useful.
Everyone had a purpose.
Everyone had a role.
But Claire had believed people had hearts.
"And then?"
Claire looked at the old photograph.
"Then she told me something."
Adrian waited.
"She said you were planning to leave me."
His face changed.
"What?"
"She said you had already made your choice."
Adrian said nothing.
Because it was true.
He had chosen another woman.
But hearing it from Claire's perspective made it feel different.
"She told me you didn't want a family anymore."
Claire's voice became quieter.
"She told me if I really loved you, I should stop making your life harder."
Adrian closed his eyes.
Those words sounded exactly like Rebecca.
Professional.
Calm.
Logical.
The kind of words someone used when they wanted to make cruelty sound reasonable.
"What did you do?"
Claire looked toward Emma's room.
"I left."
Adrian looked at her.
"Without telling me?"
"I tried to tell you."
Her voice sharpened.
"But every door was closed."
She stood.
"Every message disappeared."
"Every call was blocked."
"Every attempt to see you failed."
Adrian felt a painful pressure in his chest.
Because suddenly, his entire memory of that year began changing.
He remembered Claire becoming distant.
He remembered thinking she was giving up.
He remembered Rebecca telling him:
"She doesn't want to fight for this marriage anymore."
He believed her.
Because believing her was easier than admitting he was the one who destroyed it.
"Why didn't you contact me after Emma was born?"
Claire looked at him.
"Because Rebecca came to the hospital."
Adrian's face changed.
"She did?"
Claire nodded.
"She came alone."
The room felt colder.
"What did she say?"
Claire looked at the envelope.
"She told me if I contacted you, I would ruin your life."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"That's impossible."
"No."
Claire looked directly at him.
"That was the moment I realized she wasn't protecting you."
A pause.
"She was protecting herself."
Adrian looked at Emma's room.
The little girl who had grown up without him.
The little girl whose existence had been hidden.
"Why would she care?"
Claire hesitated.
And that hesitation frightened him.
"Claire."
She walked to the window.
"Because Rebecca wasn't just your assistant."
Adrian waited.
"She was in love with you."
The words hit harder than he expected.
He almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it sounded impossible.
"Rebecca?"
Claire nodded.
"She believed she belonged beside you."
Adrian thought back.
The late nights.
The private meetings.
The way Rebecca always knew where he was.
The way she always appeared whenever he had problems with Claire.
At the time, he saw loyalty.
Now he wondered if it was something else.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Claire smiled sadly.
"Would you have believed me?"
Adrian didn't answer.
Because he knew.
Seven years ago, he wouldn't have.
He would have defended Rebecca.
He would have accused Claire of being jealous.
He would have chosen the easier story.
A knock suddenly came from the apartment door.
Everyone froze.
Claire's expression changed immediately.
Not confusion.
Fear.
Adrian noticed.
"Who is that?"
She didn't answer.
Another knock.
This time louder.
Emma walked out from the hallway.
"Mommy?"
Claire quickly moved toward her.
"Emma, go to your room."
The girl's face changed.
She had never seen her mother react like this.
Adrian stood still.
His instincts, the same instincts that helped him build his empire, suddenly returned.
Something was wrong.
Someone was outside.
And Claire was afraid.
The knock came again.
Three slow knocks.
Like whoever was outside knew exactly who was inside.
Adrian looked at Claire.
"Who is it?"
Claire whispered.
"I don't know."
But he knew she was lying.
Because her hands were shaking.
The door handle moved slightly.
Adrian stepped forward.
Claire grabbed his arm.
"Don't."
He looked at her.
"Why?"
Her eyes filled with fear.
"Because if she is here..."
A pause.
"She knows you found Emma."
Adrian looked toward the door.
His mind raced.
Rebecca.
The letter.
The hidden past.
The missing messages.
Everything connected.
The person who had spent years controlling his life was now standing outside.
The handle moved again.
Slowly.
Someone was trying to open the door.
Claire pulled Emma behind her.
Adrian moved closer.
Then the lock clicked.
The door began opening.
May you like
And a familiar voice whispered from the other side...
"Adrian, you were never supposed to find her."
