Chapter 6 - The House With No Witnesses
Adrian photographed every page.
Then he put the legal pad back exactly where he'd found it.
He left the office through the adjoining bathroom and entered the hallway from the bedroom side.
Corinne was coming upstairs.
She stopped when she saw him.
For half a second, neither moved.
Then she smiled.
"You're home."
"My daughter lives here."
"I know that."
"She's with Camille."
Corinne's smile weakened.
"I wanted to see her."
"No."
"Adrian—"
"No."
Corinne climbed the remaining stairs.
She looked exhausted.
Makeup couldn't hide it.
"I know what she said."
"Good."
"And I know what you think."
"You don't."
"I do. You think I'm some monster."
Adrian watched her.
Two days earlier he would have rushed to reassure her.
Now he let the silence sit.
Corinne hated silence.
He was learning that.
She stepped closer.
"Lila fell."
"Three people gave police three different versions."
"They were drinking."
"So were you."
"I had one glass."
"Did you disable the camera?"
"No."
"Did you know Victor Hale before we met?"
There.
Her pupils changed.
Tiny contraction.
Then control returned.
"I'd met him socially."
"You told me you hadn't."
"I didn't remember."
"You forgot the man who later offered me nine hundred million dollars?"
"Adrian, rich people meet each other."
He laughed once.
Corinne flinched.
"What's funny?"
"You."
Her face went still.
"Excuse me?"
"That sentence. That's not how you talk."
"What does that mean?"
"It means you're reaching."
Corinne's jaw tightened.
"You've already convicted me."
"No."
"You have."
"No, Corinne. I'm finally asking questions."
She stepped close enough that he could smell her perfume.
"Then ask one."
"Why did you marry me?"
Her expression broke.
Not dramatically.
Just a flicker.
Pain, anger or insult—he couldn't tell.
"Because I loved you."
"Loved?"
"Love."
"Then why did you wipe my kiss off like it burned you?"
Corinne said nothing.
Adrian's pulse pounded.
Lila had described it.
Brooke had apparently seen it.
And now Corinne's silence confirmed more than an answer would have.
"Did you call me disgusting?"
"No."
"Did you call Lila a bastard?"
"No."
"Did you shove her?"
"No."
"Did you raise your foot over her hands?"
Corinne's eyes widened.
Adrian saw it.
A mistake.
A genuine one.
He'd never told her Lila remembered the foot.
Police had kept that detail private.
Corinne recovered too late.
"She said that?"
Adrian stepped back.
"You didn't know she remembered."
"Adrian—"
"You didn't know."
"She's confused."
"You didn't know."
Corinne's voice dropped.
"You need to stop."
There it was again.
Not please.
Not listen.
Stop.
Adrian stared at her.
"Or what?"
She looked down the hallway.
For the first time, he noticed she was checking whether they were alone.
Something primal tightened in his chest.
Corinne said, "You're making decisions while you're emotional."
"My child almost died."
"And if you blow up your marriage, your company, your reputation—what then?"
"My reputation?"
"Think."
"No. You think."
He pointed toward the front door.
"Leave."
"This is my home."
"Leave."
"You can't throw me out."
"I'm not physically removing you. I'm asking you to leave. If you refuse, my lawyer can explain the next step."
Corinne stared at him.
Then smiled.
It was the same smile she had given cameras.
"I hope you're ready for what comes next."
"What does that mean?"
"You married me, Adrian."
"That much I remember."
"You told me everything."
His stomach tightened.
Corinne picked up her handbag.
"Your fears. Your board problems. Your debt covenants. Every ugly fight with Camille. Every argument with Simone's parents. Every mistake you've ever made."
She moved toward the stairs.
Then turned.
"You made me your wife."
Adrian's voice was quiet.
"I made you my wife."
He looked her directly in the eyes.
"I didn't make you honest."
The smile disappeared.
Corinne walked out.
Adrian waited until the front door shut.
Then he called Miriam.
"She knows too much about the company."
"How much?"
"Enough to hurt me."
"Then assume she already has."
That night, Nolan called.
"Adrian, we found something."
"What?"
"The Halcyon offer documents were accessed from your home network six separate times."
"By me?"
"No."
A pause.
"The first access was nine days after you married Corinne."
Adrian closed his eyes.
"From her laptop?"
"Yes."
"There anything else?"
Nolan hesitated.
"One file was copied to an external drive."
"Which file?"
"The board's confidential defensive strategy against a Halcyon takeover."
Adrian sat down slowly.
"She stole it."
"Looks that way."
His marriage had lasted fourteen months.
May you like
The theft had begun in the second week.
---
