Chapter 4 - The Woman Adrien Was Supposed to MarryClaire woke to thirty-seven missed calls.
Her first thought was that someone had died.
Her second was that the restaurant had burned down.
Then she opened the first message.
It contained a photograph.
Adrien kissing her.
Claire sat upright.
“Oh, no.”
The image was everywhere.
Within hours, news sites had turned one private moment into a public declaration.
BILLIONAIRE ADRIEN BLACKWOOD KISSES RESTAURANT OWNER CLAIRE BENNETT
FROM $47 TO ROMANCE: BLACKWOOD’S MYSTERY WOMAN CONFIRMED
And the worst:
THE MOST EXPENSIVE DINNER DATE IN AMERICA?
Claire dropped the phone onto her bed.
Her father knocked.
“Sweetheart?”
“Come in.”
He entered carrying coffee.
One look at her expression told him everything.
“You saw it.”
“You saw it?”
“I have a smartphone, Claire. I’m old, not dead.”
Despite herself, she laughed.
Her father sat on the edge of the chair.
“So.”
“Please don’t.”
“He kissed you.”
“Dad.”
“You kissed him back.”
“Dad.”
“I’m simply establishing facts.”
Claire covered her face.
Her father smiled.
“Do you like him?”
Claire lowered her hands.
The question was simple.
The answer was not.
“Yes.”
“Because he gave you the restaurant?”
“No.”
“Because he’s rich?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then why?”
Claire thought about Adrien sitting alone after closing.
The copy of the receipt.
His confession.
Because you’re here.
“He listens.”
Her father nodded.
“He doesn’t always understand me. Sometimes he tries to solve everything when I just want him to listen. But he’s trying.”
“That matters.”
“He’s lonely.”
Her father studied her.
“Be careful with that.”
Claire frowned.
“Why?”
“Never fall in love with someone because you want to rescue them.”
“I don’t.”
“Good.”
He handed her the coffee.
“Love them because you respect who they are when they don’t need rescuing.”
Claire carried those words with her.
By ten, she arrived at the restaurant through the back entrance.
Adrien was waiting.
“I’m sorry.”
Claire sighed.
“We talked about this.”
“I know.”
“You didn’t take the photograph.”
“No.”
“You didn’t publish it.”
“No.”
“Then stop apologizing.”
Adrien almost smiled.
“Are you angry?”
“At the photographer.”
“Not me?”
“I’m considering it.”
“Why?”
“You’re an easy target.”
He smiled fully.
Then Marcus entered.
“Enjoy the happiness while it lasts.”
Claire looked at him.
“What now?”
Marcus placed a folder on the table.
“A reporter has identified Adrien’s former fiancée.”
Claire turned toward Adrien.
“Former what?”
Adrien closed his eyes briefly.
Marcus suddenly looked interested in the ceiling.
Claire stared.
“You were engaged?”
“Seven years ago.”
“You never mentioned that.”
“You never asked.”
“That is the worst possible answer.”
“I realized that immediately after saying it.”
Marcus quietly stepped backward.
Claire pointed at him.
“Don’t leave.”
“I have meetings.”
“You’re enjoying this.”
“Enormously.”
“Marcus.”
Adrien’s tone sent him out.
Claire folded her arms.
“Tell me.”
Adrien exhaled.
“Her name is Victoria Ashford.”
Claire recognized the surname.
“Ashford Hotels?”
“Yes.”
“So billionaire marries billionaire?”
“Almost.”
“What happened?”
“I ended it.”
“Why?”
Adrien hesitated.
“That answer requires context.”
“I have coffee.”
He sat down.
“Our families had known each other for years. Victoria and I understood each other. We moved in the same circles. Same schools, same events, same expectations.”
“That sounds romantic.”
“It wasn’t.”
“Did you love her?”
“No.”
“Did she love you?”
“I don’t know.”
Claire blinked.
“You were going to marry someone and you don’t know if she loved you?”
“That should tell you something about who I was.”
He looked away.
“I treated relationships like mergers. Compatible families. Compatible reputations. Compatible goals.”
“What changed?”
“My mother died.”
Claire’s expression softened.
Adrien rarely spoke about family.
“She was sick for eight months. Victoria visited twice.”
Claire said nothing.
“After the funeral, I realized I was about to spend my life with someone who knew everything about my portfolio and almost nothing about me.”
“So you ended it.”
“Yes.”
“And she?”
“Did not appreciate the decision.”
The front door opened.
A woman entered.
Tall.
Elegant.
Perfectly composed.
Cream-colored coat.
Dark hair.
The kind of confidence that came from never wondering whether she belonged in a room.
Claire knew before Adrien spoke.
“Victoria.”
The woman smiled.
“Adrien.”
Then her eyes moved to Claire.
“So this is her.”
Claire stood.
“Claire Bennett.”
“Victoria Ashford.”
“I figured.”
Victoria glanced around.
“This place is charming.”
Claire recognized the insult hidden inside the compliment.
“Thank you.”
“I’ve heard quite a lot about it.”
“I’m sure.”
Victoria looked at Adrien.
“You could have returned my calls.”
“There was nothing to discuss.”
“There is now.”
Her eyes returned to Claire.
“I’m sorry your privacy has become collateral damage.”
Claire immediately disliked how sincere she sounded.
“Thank you.”
Victoria turned to Adrien.
“Our families have business together. Your board is concerned.”
Adrien’s expression hardened.
“My board does not control my personal life.”
“No. But shareholders care when their CEO becomes front-page entertainment.”
Claire felt the words like a slap.
Adrien stepped closer.
“Careful.”
Victoria looked at him.
“I’m not attacking her.”
“You are.”
“I’m stating reality.”
Claire interrupted.
“Then state it to me.”
Victoria seemed surprised.
Claire continued.
“You think I’m bad for his reputation.”
“I think the situation is complicated.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Victoria studied her.
“No. I don’t think you are bad for Adrien.”
That surprised everyone.
“I think Adrien is bad at understanding what happens to ordinary people when they enter his world.”
Adrien stiffened.
Victoria continued.
“He can survive headlines. You may not.”
Claire hated that part of her agreed.
Victoria placed an envelope on the table.
“This arrived at my office this morning.”
Adrien opened it.
His face changed.
“What?”
Claire stepped closer.
Inside were photographs.
Claire leaving her father’s house.
Claire grocery shopping.
Claire walking alone behind the restaurant.
And one photograph of her father sitting outside a pharmacy.
Claire’s blood went cold.
“Who took these?”
Victoria answered.
“I don’t know.”
Adrien immediately pulled out his phone.
“Marcus.”
Claire grabbed his wrist.
“Wait.”
“Someone has been following you.”
“I know.”
“That changes everything.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Security.”
“No.”
“Claire.”
“No.”
“Someone photographed your father.”
Her fear turned into anger.
“Then we call the police.”
“We will.”
“And we let them investigate.”
“Yes.”
“But I’m not moving into some fortress.”
“I wasn’t going to—”
“You were thinking it.”
He did not deny it.
Victoria watched them.
Something like recognition appeared in her expression.
Claire looked at the photographs again.
One image had writing on the back.
Adrien turned it over.
Four words.
She doesn’t belong here.
Adrien’s face became terrifyingly calm.
Claire had seen him irritated.
She had seen him protective.
This was different.
“Adrien.”
He looked at her.
“Promise me something.”
“What?”
“You don’t make decisions for me because you’re afraid.”
He stared at her.
“I can promise I’ll try.”
“That isn’t enough.”
“Claire, someone is following you.”
“And I’m scared too.”
That stopped him.
She stepped closer.
“But if fear makes every decision for us, whoever sent those pictures already wins.”
Adrien looked at her for a long moment.
Then nodded.
“Together.”
“What?”
“We make the decisions together.”
Claire extended her hand.
“Deal.”
He took it.
Victoria watched them quietly.
Later, after Claire left to speak with police, Victoria remained behind.
Adrien looked at her.
“Why did you really come?”
Victoria’s expression changed.
“The photographs.”
“What about them?”
“I recognize the style.”
Adrien became still.
“From where?”
“Your father.”
Silence.
Adrien’s father, Richard Blackwood, had been dead for four years.
Victoria continued.
“When our engagement was being negotiated, your father had private investigators follow me.”
Adrien stared at her.
“You never told me.”
“I assumed you knew.”
“I didn’t.”
“He believed anyone close to you needed to be investigated.”
Victoria looked toward the door Claire had walked through.
“Someone inside Blackwood Holdings is using the same firm.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
But Adrien did know one thing.
The threat was not coming from strangers on the internet.
May you like
It was coming from inside his own world.
And Claire had just become the target.
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