π΄ CHAPTER 8 β The Husband Who Could Not Apologize Enough
After the agents left, the ballroom did not know what kind of room to become. A party? A crime scene? A family reunion with extremely poor catering timing?
The band quietly packed up. The cake leaned slightly to one side. Aunt Margaret, who had missed most of the evidence because she was arguing with the bartender about olives, asked whether the first dance would be repeated.
βNo, Aunt Margaret,β Nora said. βThe first dance is currently in federal custody.β
Evelyn sat in a private library off the ballroom, wrapped in Adrianβs jacket and a wool blanket. Her dress had been pinned closed by Nora, who swore at lace like it had personally betrayed her.
Adrian stood by the door. He had asked permission to enter twice and still looked ready to leave if Evelyn blinked wrong.
βYou can sit,β she said.
He sat on the edge of a chair, like a defendant waiting for sentencing.
βI donβt know how to apologize,β he said. βNot for this. βSorryβ feels insulting.β
βIt is a little small,β Evelyn admitted.
βI thought your father destroyed mine.β
βI know.β
βI thought if I hurt him, I would finally stop hurting.β
βDid it work?β
He looked down. βNo. It just made me very well dressed while being terrible.β
Despite herself, Evelyn made a tiny sound that almost became a laugh. It vanished quickly, but he heard it and looked both relieved and more ashamed.
She studied him. βDid you ever love me?β
Adrian closed his eyes. βYes. Thatβs the worst part. I loved you and still kept walking toward the knife.β
Evelynβs hands tightened around the blanket. βI knew you were lying. Not everything, but enough.β
His head snapped up. βThen why marry me?β
βBecause Maxwell would only come if he believed the night belonged to him. Because my father was dying under thirty years of blame. Because June deserved to remember. Because you deserved the truth even if you didnβt deserve me.β
There it was. The cleanest cut.
Adrian nodded, eyes wet. βIβll annul it. Iβll sign anything. Iβll confess everything.β
Evelyn looked toward the snow outside the library window. βGood.β
May you like
His face crumpled quietly.
Then she added, βAnd after that, you can spend the rest of your life proving whether I was wrong to save you too.β
