Chapter 4 - The Man Adam Could Never Beat
Lena was waiting inside Adam’s suite.
Her suitcase stood beside the door.
That frightened him more than anger would have.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yes.”
“Because of Nora?”
Lena stared at him.
“No, Adam. Because of you.”
She placed a folder on the table.
“I came here this weekend because I thought we were celebrating.”
Adam frowned.
“Celebrating what?”
“Your partnership with Halcyon.”
His expression changed.
The Halcyon acquisition was confidential.
“How do you know about that?”
Lena gave him a tired smile.
“I work in corporate strategy. Did you really think I spent eight months listening to you talk about your deals without understanding them?”
Adam opened the folder.
His blood went cold.
Halcyon Industries was negotiating a massive acquisition.
Adam expected to become lead counsel after the deal.
But the documents showed something else.
Ross Global had quietly purchased controlling debt positions in Halcyon.
Caleb could kill the acquisition.
“You knew?”
“Since Wednesday.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was going to.”
Adam laughed without humor.
“Everyone apparently has things they were going to tell me.”
Lena’s face hardened.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Make yourself the victim again.”
He stopped.
She picked up her purse.
“Caleb didn’t come here for Nora.”
Adam looked up.
“He came for Halcyon.”
The jealousy in Adam’s chest immediately returned.
“And Nora?”
“I don’t know.”
Lena walked toward the door.
Adam caught her wrist, then immediately released it.
“Were you using me?”
She stared at him.
The question almost offended her.
Then she laughed.
“You really don't see people unless they're standing between you and something you want.”
“Answer me.”
“I loved you.”
The past tense hurt.
Lena continued.
“And I believed you.”
She glanced toward the terrace.
“You said Nora had emotionally abandoned your marriage years ago. You said she despised your ambition. You said she refused counseling.”
Adam looked away.
“She asked you for counseling, didn’t she?”
Silence answered.
Lena nodded slowly.
“Of course.”
She opened the door.
“Lena.”
She stopped.
“I’m sorry.”
Her shoulders lowered.
“For which woman?”
Adam had no answer.
“Exactly.”
She left.
By Saturday morning, Adam’s professional world was collapsing too.
Halcyon suspended negotiations.
His managing partner called.
Then two clients.
Then a journalist.
Someone had leaked information suggesting Adam’s firm failed to disclose a conflict involving Halcyon.
Adam knew enough to understand what that meant.
If true, his career could be destroyed.
His first instinct was to blame Caleb.
He found him near the marina.
Caleb was helping Nora onto a small resort boat.
“Ross!”
Nora closed her eyes.
Caleb turned.
Adam marched toward him.
“You leaked Halcyon.”
“No.”
“Bull.”
“Adam.”
Nora stepped between them.
“Not now.”
Adam pointed at Caleb.
“He’s trying to destroy me.”
Caleb’s expression barely changed.
“If I wanted to destroy you, Mercer, you wouldn’t need to guess.”
“Caleb.”
Nora’s warning was quiet.
Caleb exhaled.
Adam laughed.
“Nice. Very intimidating.”
Nora suddenly grabbed the railing.
Her face tightened.
Both men stopped.
“Nora?”
“I’m fine.”
Caleb was already beside her.
Adam reached her at the same time.
For one awkward second, both men extended their hands.
Nora took neither.
“I said I’m fine.”
Then she looked down.
A dark red stain appeared on the pale fabric near her knees.
Caleb went white.
Adam’s entire body froze.
“Nora.”
She looked at him.
Fear entered her eyes.
Not ordinary fear.
Memory.
January.
Blood.
Loss.
“No,” she whispered.
Caleb reacted first.
“Call 911.”
Adam already had his phone out.
Within minutes, the resort’s private serenity shattered.
Paramedics arrived.
Nora was placed on a stretcher.
Adam followed.
A paramedic blocked him.
“Family?”
“I’m her husband.”
Nora heard.
Her eyes closed.
Caleb stood behind him.
The paramedic looked toward Nora.
“Do you want him riding with you?”
Adam waited.
Everything suddenly depended on one word.
Nora looked at him.
Then Caleb.
“Adam.”
Caleb’s face remained neutral.
Adam’s heart stopped.
She wanted him.
He climbed into the ambulance.
For forty minutes, he sat beside Nora without touching her.
She stared at the ceiling.
“Is the baby moving?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He nodded.
Ten minutes later he asked again.
She almost smiled.
“Yes, Adam.”
At the hospital, monitors were attached.
Doctors came and went.
Finally, an obstetrician entered.
“The baby looks strong.”
Adam’s knees nearly gave out.
Nora began crying.
The doctor explained that the bleeding appeared related to a small placental issue requiring observation and strict rest.
Then she asked Nora a question.
“Would you like the father present for the ultrasound?”
Nora looked toward Adam.
He expected refusal.
Instead she whispered, “Stay.”
The room darkened.
The monitor flickered.
Then came a sound.
Fast.
Steady.
Alive.
Adam’s face changed.
He had argued before federal judges.
Negotiated deals worth billions.
Walked into boardrooms where hundreds of careers depended on his words.
Nothing had prepared him for that sound.
“That’s…”
“Your daughter,” Nora said.
Adam looked at her.
“Daughter?”
She nodded.
He stared at the monitor.
A little profile appeared.
Nose.
Hands.
Tiny feet.
His daughter.
His eyes filled.
Nora watched him quietly.
“Hi,” Adam whispered.
Nora turned away because something about hearing him say that hurt too much.
Later, after she fell asleep, Adam stepped into the hallway.
Caleb was there.
He had been waiting for three hours.
Adam approached him.
For once, there was no hostility.
“She's okay.”
Caleb exhaled.
“The baby?”
“Okay.”
Caleb closed his eyes briefly.
Then Adam asked the question that had been consuming him.
“Are you in love with my wife?”
Caleb looked through the window at Nora.
“Yes.”
The answer hurt.
Adam nodded.
“Does she love you?”
Caleb took longer.
“I don’t know.”
Adam looked at him.
Caleb continued.
“And unlike you, I’m not going to demand an answer before she’s ready to give one.”
Adam almost reacted.
Then stopped.
Because Caleb was right.
Again.
His phone rang.
His managing partner.
Adam answered.
“Mercer.”
“Adam, we have a serious problem.”
“What happened?”
“The Halcyon leak.”
Adam looked toward Caleb.
“It wasn’t Ross.”
“No.”
His partner hesitated.
“We traced the documents.”
Adam’s stomach tightened.
“Who?”
May you like
The answer changed everything.
“Lena Brooks.”
