## Chapter 6: Adrian’s Secret
Adrian was waiting in the library.
Emma had never seen him look nervous.
He stood when Victoria entered.
“We need to talk.”
Victoria kept walking.
“Later.”
“Now.”
She stopped.
Emma started toward the stairs.
Adrian looked at her.
“You should stay.”
Emma frowned.
“This is between you two.”
“No.”
His face told her something worse was coming.
Victoria folded her arms.
“What else?”
Adrian took a breath.
“I knew Emma was Grace’s donor before the DNA test.”
The room went silent.
Victoria stared at him.
Emma felt the floor disappear beneath her.
“What?”
Adrian walked toward the desk.
“Not before Grace was born.”
“That is not making this better,” Victoria said.
He opened a drawer and removed a file.
“Three months after Grace’s birth, Northbridge sent me a billing correction.”
Emma watched.
“Attached to it was a donor reference number. I recognized the format from our old records.”
Victoria’s voice dropped.
“And?”
“I searched the number.”
Emma felt sick.
“You found my name.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
Emma took a step backward.
She had started working for them four months ago.
Victoria understood first.
“You hired her knowing?”
“No.”
Adrian shook his head.
“I swear. The agency hired Emma before I found out.”
“But you kept her.”
“Yes.”
Emma stared at him.
“Why?”
Adrian’s answer came quietly.
“Because Grace loved you.”
Emma could hardly believe what she was hearing.
“You had no right.”
“I know.”
“You watched me hold her every day knowing what I didn’t know.”
“Yes.”
“You let me become attached.”
“Yes.”
Victoria’s eyes flashed.
“And you let me trust both of you while carrying this alone.”
“I was afraid.”
Victoria laughed once.
It was sharp.
“You keep saying that as though fear is a permission slip.”
Adrian looked down.
Emma had never seen him small before.
Money created a strange illusion around some people.
Drivers.
Assistants.
Tailored suits.
People waiting when they entered rooms.
But guilt stripped all of that away.
He was simply a man who had made several terrible choices because he could not tolerate uncertainty.
“I thought if Emma left,” he said, “Grace would suffer.”
Emma’s anger rose.
“So you made the decision for everyone.”
“Yes.”
“You could have told me.”
“I should have.”
“You could have told Victoria.”
“I should have.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“What were you waiting for?”
Adrian struggled to answer.
“A perfect time.”
Victoria shook her head.
“There is no perfect time for a painful truth.”
She took the file.
Then she noticed something.
“What is this?”
Adrian’s face changed.
Victoria pulled out a handwritten note.
Emma recognized the Northbridge letterhead.
Victoria read aloud.
Mr. Hale, I strongly recommend immediate disclosure to your wife. Continued concealment may cause greater harm.
Signed:
Evelyn Hart.
Victoria looked up.
“She told you.”
“Yes.”
“And you ignored her.”
“Yes.”
Victoria placed the paper down.
Emma expected shouting.
Instead Victoria became strangely calm.
“Leave.”
Adrian looked at her.
“This is my house too.”
“I don’t care.”
“Victoria.”
“I need you somewhere I cannot see you.”
He swallowed.
Then nodded.
“I’ll stay at the Langford.”
He walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he stopped beside Emma.
“I’m sorry.”
Emma did not answer.
After he left, Victoria sat on the sofa.
For several minutes, she stared at nothing.
Emma sat across from her.
“I didn’t know.”
“I know.”
“I swear.”
“I know.”
Victoria looked exhausted.
“Do you?”
“What?”
“Wish you had never taken this job?”
Emma considered lying.
Then did not.
“Part of me.”
Victoria nodded.
“Me too.”
They sat in silence.
From upstairs came Grace’s cry.
Both women stood at exactly the same moment.
They stopped.
Victoria looked at Emma.
Emma looked at Victoria.
Then Victoria gave a tired smile.
“You go.”
Emma shook her head.
“She wants her mother.”
Victoria’s face broke slightly.
“Come with me.”
They went upstairs together.
Grace stood gripping the bars of her crib, furious at the universe.
Victoria lifted her.
Emma found the pacifier beneath the blanket.
Grace grabbed it.
Peace returned instantly.
Victoria laughed.
“Her greatest crisis solved.”
“For the next forty seconds.”
They stood beside the crib.
One holding Grace.
One holding a pacifier.
Neither woman knew what their relationship would become.
But they knew one thing.
Adrian’s secrecy had nearly turned them into enemies.
Truth, however painful, was beginning to do the opposite.Adrian was waiting in the library.
Emma had never seen him look nervous.
He stood when Victoria entered.
“We need to talk.”
Victoria kept walking.
“Later.”
“Now.”
She stopped.
Emma started toward the stairs.
Adrian looked at her.
“You should stay.”
Emma frowned.
“This is between you two.”
“No.”
His face told her something worse was coming.
Victoria folded her arms.
“What else?”
Adrian took a breath.
“I knew Emma was Grace’s donor before the DNA test.”
The room went silent.
Victoria stared at him.
Emma felt the floor disappear beneath her.
“What?”
Adrian walked toward the desk.
“Not before Grace was born.”
“That is not making this better,” Victoria said.
He opened a drawer and removed a file.
“Three months after Grace’s birth, Northbridge sent me a billing correction.”
Emma watched.
“Attached to it was a donor reference number. I recognized the format from our old records.”
Victoria’s voice dropped.
“And?”
“I searched the number.”
Emma felt sick.
“You found my name.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
Emma took a step backward.
She had started working for them four months ago.
Victoria understood first.
“You hired her knowing?”
“No.”
Adrian shook his head.
“I swear. The agency hired Emma before I found out.”
“But you kept her.”
“Yes.”
Emma stared at him.
“Why?”
Adrian’s answer came quietly.
“Because Grace loved you.”
Emma could hardly believe what she was hearing.
“You had no right.”
“I know.”
“You watched me hold her every day knowing what I didn’t know.”
“Yes.”
“You let me become attached.”
“Yes.”
Victoria’s eyes flashed.
“And you let me trust both of you while carrying this alone.”
“I was afraid.”
Victoria laughed once.
It was sharp.
“You keep saying that as though fear is a permission slip.”
Adrian looked down.
Emma had never seen him small before.
Money created a strange illusion around some people.
Drivers.
Assistants.
Tailored suits.
People waiting when they entered rooms.
But guilt stripped all of that away.
He was simply a man who had made several terrible choices because he could not tolerate uncertainty.
“I thought if Emma left,” he said, “Grace would suffer.”
Emma’s anger rose.
“So you made the decision for everyone.”
“Yes.”
“You could have told me.”
“I should have.”
“You could have told Victoria.”
“I should have.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“What were you waiting for?”
Adrian struggled to answer.
“A perfect time.”
Victoria shook her head.
“There is no perfect time for a painful truth.”
She took the file.
Then she noticed something.
“What is this?”
Adrian’s face changed.
Victoria pulled out a handwritten note.
Emma recognized the Northbridge letterhead.
Victoria read aloud.
Mr. Hale, I strongly recommend immediate disclosure to your wife. Continued concealment may cause greater harm.
Signed:
Evelyn Hart.
Victoria looked up.
“She told you.”
“Yes.”
“And you ignored her.”
“Yes.”
Victoria placed the paper down.
Emma expected shouting.
Instead Victoria became strangely calm.
“Leave.”
Adrian looked at her.
“This is my house too.”
“I don’t care.”
“Victoria.”
“I need you somewhere I cannot see you.”
He swallowed.
Then nodded.
“I’ll stay at the Langford.”
He walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he stopped beside Emma.
“I’m sorry.”
Emma did not answer.
After he left, Victoria sat on the sofa.
For several minutes, she stared at nothing.
Emma sat across from her.
“I didn’t know.”
“I know.”
“I swear.”
“I know.”
Victoria looked exhausted.
“Do you?”
“What?”
“Wish you had never taken this job?”
Emma considered lying.
Then did not.
“Part of me.”
Victoria nodded.
“Me too.”
They sat in silence.
From upstairs came Grace’s cry.
Both women stood at exactly the same moment.
They stopped.
Victoria looked at Emma.
Emma looked at Victoria.
Then Victoria gave a tired smile.
“You go.”
Emma shook her head.
“She wants her mother.”
Victoria’s face broke slightly.
“Come with me.”
They went upstairs together.
Grace stood gripping the bars of her crib, furious at the universe.
Victoria lifted her.
Emma found the pacifier beneath the blanket.
Grace grabbed it.
Peace returned instantly.
Victoria laughed.
“Her greatest crisis solved.”
“For the next forty seconds.”
They stood beside the crib.
One holding Grace.
One holding a pacifier.
Neither woman knew what their relationship would become.
But they knew one thing.
Adrian’s secrecy had nearly turned them into enemies.
Truth, however painful, was beginning to do the opposite.Adrian was waiting in the library.
Emma had never seen him look nervous.
He stood when Victoria entered.
“We need to talk.”
Victoria kept walking.
“Later.”
“Now.”
She stopped.
Emma started toward the stairs.
Adrian looked at her.
“You should stay.”
Emma frowned.
“This is between you two.”
“No.”
His face told her something worse was coming.
Victoria folded her arms.
“What else?”
Adrian took a breath.
“I knew Emma was Grace’s donor before the DNA test.”
The room went silent.
Victoria stared at him.
Emma felt the floor disappear beneath her.
“What?”
Adrian walked toward the desk.
“Not before Grace was born.”
“That is not making this better,” Victoria said.
He opened a drawer and removed a file.
“Three months after Grace’s birth, Northbridge sent me a billing correction.”
Emma watched.
“Attached to it was a donor reference number. I recognized the format from our old records.”
Victoria’s voice dropped.
“And?”
“I searched the number.”
Emma felt sick.
“You found my name.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
Emma took a step backward.
She had started working for them four months ago.
Victoria understood first.
“You hired her knowing?”
“No.”
Adrian shook his head.
“I swear. The agency hired Emma before I found out.”
“But you kept her.”
“Yes.”
Emma stared at him.
“Why?”
Adrian’s answer came quietly.
“Because Grace loved you.”
Emma could hardly believe what she was hearing.
“You had no right.”
“I know.”
“You watched me hold her every day knowing what I didn’t know.”
“Yes.”
“You let me become attached.”
“Yes.”
Victoria’s eyes flashed.
“And you let me trust both of you while carrying this alone.”
“I was afraid.”
Victoria laughed once.
It was sharp.
“You keep saying that as though fear is a permission slip.”
Adrian looked down.
Emma had never seen him small before.
Money created a strange illusion around some people.
Drivers.
Assistants.
Tailored suits.
People waiting when they entered rooms.
But guilt stripped all of that away.
He was simply a man who had made several terrible choices because he could not tolerate uncertainty.
“I thought if Emma left,” he said, “Grace would suffer.”
Emma’s anger rose.
“So you made the decision for everyone.”
“Yes.”
“You could have told me.”
“I should have.”
“You could have told Victoria.”
“I should have.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“What were you waiting for?”
Adrian struggled to answer.
“A perfect time.”
Victoria shook her head.
“There is no perfect time for a painful truth.”
She took the file.
Then she noticed something.
“What is this?”
Adrian’s face changed.
Victoria pulled out a handwritten note.
Emma recognized the Northbridge letterhead.
Victoria read aloud.
Mr. Hale, I strongly recommend immediate disclosure to your wife. Continued concealment may cause greater harm.
Signed:
Evelyn Hart.
Victoria looked up.
“She told you.”
“Yes.”
“And you ignored her.”
“Yes.”
Victoria placed the paper down.
Emma expected shouting.
Instead Victoria became strangely calm.
“Leave.”
Adrian looked at her.
“This is my house too.”
“I don’t care.”
“Victoria.”
“I need you somewhere I cannot see you.”
He swallowed.
Then nodded.
“I’ll stay at the Langford.”
He walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he stopped beside Emma.
“I’m sorry.”
Emma did not answer.
After he left, Victoria sat on the sofa.
For several minutes, she stared at nothing.
Emma sat across from her.
“I didn’t know.”
“I know.”
“I swear.”
“I know.”
Victoria looked exhausted.
“Do you?”
“What?”
“Wish you had never taken this job?”
Emma considered lying.
Then did not.
“Part of me.”
Victoria nodded.
“Me too.”
They sat in silence.
From upstairs came Grace’s cry.
Both women stood at exactly the same moment.
They stopped.
Victoria looked at Emma.
Emma looked at Victoria.
Then Victoria gave a tired smile.
“You go.”
Emma shook her head.
“She wants her mother.”
Victoria’s face broke slightly.
“Come with me.”
They went upstairs together.
Grace stood gripping the bars of her crib, furious at the universe.
Victoria lifted her.
Emma found the pacifier beneath the blanket.
Grace grabbed it.
Peace returned instantly.
Victoria laughed.
“Her greatest crisis solved.”
“For the next forty seconds.”
They stood beside the crib.
One holding Grace.
One holding a pacifier.
Neither woman knew what their relationship would become.
But they knew one thing.
Adrian’s secrecy had nearly turned them into enemies.
Truth, however painful, was beginning to do the opposite.Adrian was waiting in the library.
Emma had never seen him look nervous.
He stood when Victoria entered.
“We need to talk.”
Victoria kept walking.
“Later.”
“Now.”
She stopped.
Emma started toward the stairs.
Adrian looked at her.
“You should stay.”
Emma frowned.
“This is between you two.”
“No.”
His face told her something worse was coming.
Victoria folded her arms.
“What else?”
Adrian took a breath.
“I knew Emma was Grace’s donor before the DNA test.”
The room went silent.
Victoria stared at him.
Emma felt the floor disappear beneath her.
“What?”
Adrian walked toward the desk.
“Not before Grace was born.”
“That is not making this better,” Victoria said.
He opened a drawer and removed a file.
“Three months after Grace’s birth, Northbridge sent me a billing correction.”
Emma watched.
“Attached to it was a donor reference number. I recognized the format from our old records.”
Victoria’s voice dropped.
“And?”
“I searched the number.”
Emma felt sick.
“You found my name.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
Emma took a step backward.
She had started working for them four months ago.
Victoria understood first.
“You hired her knowing?”
“No.”
Adrian shook his head.
“I swear. The agency hired Emma before I found out.”
“But you kept her.”
“Yes.”
Emma stared at him.
“Why?”
Adrian’s answer came quietly.
“Because Grace loved you.”
Emma could hardly believe what she was hearing.
“You had no right.”
“I know.”
“You watched me hold her every day knowing what I didn’t know.”
“Yes.”
“You let me become attached.”
“Yes.”
Victoria’s eyes flashed.
“And you let me trust both of you while carrying this alone.”
“I was afraid.”
Victoria laughed once.
It was sharp.
“You keep saying that as though fear is a permission slip.”
Adrian looked down.
Emma had never seen him small before.
Money created a strange illusion around some people.
Drivers.
Assistants.
Tailored suits.
People waiting when they entered rooms.
But guilt stripped all of that away.
He was simply a man who had made several terrible choices because he could not tolerate uncertainty.
“I thought if Emma left,” he said, “Grace would suffer.”
Emma’s anger rose.
“So you made the decision for everyone.”
“Yes.”
“You could have told me.”
“I should have.”
“You could have told Victoria.”
“I should have.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“What were you waiting for?”
Adrian struggled to answer.
“A perfect time.”
Victoria shook her head.
“There is no perfect time for a painful truth.”
She took the file.
Then she noticed something.
“What is this?”
Adrian’s face changed.
Victoria pulled out a handwritten note.
Emma recognized the Northbridge letterhead.
Victoria read aloud.
Mr. Hale, I strongly recommend immediate disclosure to your wife. Continued concealment may cause greater harm.
Signed:
Evelyn Hart.
Victoria looked up.
“She told you.”
“Yes.”
“And you ignored her.”
“Yes.”
Victoria placed the paper down.
Emma expected shouting.
Instead Victoria became strangely calm.
“Leave.”
Adrian looked at her.
“This is my house too.”
“I don’t care.”
“Victoria.”
“I need you somewhere I cannot see you.”
He swallowed.
Then nodded.
“I’ll stay at the Langford.”
He walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he stopped beside Emma.
“I’m sorry.”
Emma did not answer.
After he left, Victoria sat on the sofa.
For several minutes, she stared at nothing.
Emma sat across from her.
“I didn’t know.”
“I know.”
“I swear.”
“I know.”
Victoria looked exhausted.
“Do you?”
“What?”
“Wish you had never taken this job?”
Emma considered lying.
Then did not.
“Part of me.”
Victoria nodded.
“Me too.”
They sat in silence.
From upstairs came Grace’s cry.
Both women stood at exactly the same moment.
They stopped.
Victoria looked at Emma.
Emma looked at Victoria.
Then Victoria gave a tired smile.
“You go.”
Emma shook her head.
“She wants her mother.”
Victoria’s face broke slightly.
“Come with me.”
They went upstairs together.
Grace stood gripping the bars of her crib, furious at the universe.
Victoria lifted her.
Emma found the pacifier beneath the blanket.
Grace grabbed it.
Peace returned instantly.
Victoria laughed.
“Her greatest crisis solved.”
“For the next forty seconds.”
They stood beside the crib.
One holding Grace.
One holding a pacifier.
Neither woman knew what their relationship would become.
But they knew one thing.
May you like
Adrian’s secrecy had nearly turned them into enemies.
Truth, however painful, was beginning to do the opposite.
