Finally, she said, “I carried my sister.”
“You carried Grace.”
“He turned my mother’s child into a weapon.”
“But she is not his weapon now.”
Emma looked out at the passing houses.
“No. She is my daughter.”
That afternoon, Adrian arrived at the mansion.
The locks had been changed, but Margaret allowed him into the library.
Emma was waiting beside the fireplace.
He looked exhausted. His expensive suit was wrinkled, and stubble darkened his jaw.
“You spoke to Dr. Ward,” he said.
“Yes.”
He poured himself a drink without asking.
“You think I am a monster.”
“I think monster is a word people use when the truth is too ugly to describe plainly.”
“I gave you the child you wanted.”
“You assaulted me through a doctor.”
“I gave you Grace.”
“You created her to steal a company.”
Adrian swallowed the drink.
“The trust should have been mine. I built Calloway Global.”
“You built it with my money.”
“I multiplied your money.”
“And decided that entitled you to my body?”
He turned away.
“For years, I lived under your father’s shadow. Every room we entered, people knew whose daughter you were. Every success was credited to the Calloway name.”
“So you punished me for loving you.”
“I refused to remain dependent.”
“You were never dependent. You were my partner until you decided partnership was humiliation.”
Adrian faced her.
“Vanessa understood.”
“Vanessa admired your power.”
“She admired me.”
“No, Adrian. She admired what she thought you owned.”
His mouth tightened.
“You still need me. The company is already losing value.”
“It will recover.”
“You don’t know how to run it anymore.”
“I knew enough to build the foundation beneath your feet.”
He stepped closer.
“We can still solve this. Withdraw the charges. Reinstate me. We raise Grace together.”
Emma stared at him.
“You want custody.”
