ADRIAN’S POV


    The front doors opened wide with a creak that echoed through the living room. For a second, I just stood there, leaning heavily on James’s arm as he helped me across the floor. My chest rose and fell with every careful step. The scent of my living room and even the familiar hum of the chandelier above, it all hit me in waves. My house. My sanctuary. I hadn’t realized how much I had missed it until that very moment.


    James guided me toward the couch. The cushions dipped as I lowered myself down, and I let out a long exhale, relief settling into my bones. I was home. But it wasn’t just the house I had missed, it was the sense of belonging. The feeling that this ce was mine, that despite everything taken from me, this was still my ground.


    Then I noticed them. My staff. Slowly, almost timidly, they began to file into the room. One after another, their shoes clicked softly against the floor, and they lined up in a straight row before me. Heads bowed, hands sped neatly in front of them. It was almost military in precision. My brows lifted in surprise. I hadn’t expected this.


    Then, in perfect unison, their voices rang out: “Wee back, sir. We are all happy to see that you’re okay, and we wish you a speedy recovery. We will all do our best to make sure that you recover fast.”


    The words hung in the air. They must have rehearsed it – of course, they had. But even so, hearing it stirred something deep inside me. For days, I’d been surrounded by pain. To stand here and hear genuine concern, loyalty spoken aloud… it almost broke through the armor I kept around my heart.


    A lump formed in my throat. I straightened, forcing my voice to remain steady.


    “Thank you. I really do appreciate this.”


    They bowed again in unison. For a moment, no one moved, and then one by one, they turned and left the room, walking back–to–back in perfect order, their footsteps fading into silence.


    I let out a small breath, my lips curling faintly at the corners.


    “That was… unexpected,” I muttered.


    James chuckled as he dropped onto the seat beside me.


    “Talk about a performance. I didn’t expect that from your staff either.”


    “Yeah,” I admitted, leaning back into the couch. “Neither did I. But seeing it… It made me feel slightly better. I’m d they did it.”


    James tilted his head, studying me with that serious look of his. “Good. Because now we need to talk about the fact that you nearly got yourself killed trying to save someone else. What the hell was wrong with you?”


    My head snapped toward him. Even as weak as I was, my re carried weight. James stiffened immediately, his hand raising in a quick, apologetic gesture. He knew better than to cross certain lines with me.


    “Alright, alright,” he backpedaled. “I didn’t mean it like that. But you can’t me me for saying it. This is your


    11:48 <b>Tue</b>, <b>Sep </b><b>16 </b>


    life we’re talking about here, Adrian. You could have died. There’s no second chance after that. And you risked it all for someone you haven’t seen in years. Someone who, frankly, wouldn’t have done the same for <b>you</b><b>? </b>


    His words stung because they carried truth. But how could I exin to him what even I didn’t fully understand? That day… my body had moved on its own. There hadn’t been time to think. No calction. Just instinct. A part of me I couldn’t silence.


    I rubbed my temple and let out a slow sigh.


    “Look. I might have risked my life to save hers, but it was for a good cause. I don’t regret it. I’m just d no one was killed that day.”


    James leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his tone softening. “And now she’s confirmed that the boy, Charlie, is your son. Are you sure you don’t want to do a DNA test? You know how many women pin pregnancies on men who aren’t even the father. Happens all the time.”


    I gave a short, humorlessugh. “Those women usually have motives. They want security, money, a future built off the man’s back. But money isn’t her problem anymore – you saw that yourself. She wouldn’t need to lie for that.”


    James frowned but didn’t interrupt as I continued.


    “And it all adds up. That kid should be about five years old, judging by his size and the way he carries himself. Around the same time she left. She sounded genuine when she said it. And she said it in front of Dora. So yes, I believe her.”


    James tapped his fingers on his thigh, eyes narrowed. He wasn’t fully convinced, but he respected my judgment enough not to press harder. Finally, he asked the question I knew wasing.


    “Okay. But do you n on getting back together with her? I mean… since she has a son for you.”


    I paused. My gaze drifted toward the window, where sunlight filtered in, casting long shadows across the floor. The thought had crossed my mind, of course it had. But rtionships… That word carried weight I wasn’t sure I could bear anymore.


    “Rtionship?” I said slowly. “I’m not sure about that. But I do want to know more about her. I realize now that I barely scratched the surface of who she really is, even when we were married. But before I can do that, before I can even think about it, I need to make sure she catches this mastermind. Otherwise, nothing I try will matter because her attention will always be elsewhere.”


    James leaned back, whistling low. “Wow. One hell of a month. With almost everything I’ve heard, I don’t know if we should celebrate or cry.”


    A faint smile tugged at my lips. “It does sound nice to celebrate. I survived. I have a son now. But the real celebrationes when we catch this mastermind… and shut down Marcus.”


    <b>11:48 Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>16 </b>