Chapter 7 - MALCOLM COMES TO THE DOOR
At 1:17 a.m., someone knocked on the bridal-suite door.
Three slow taps.
Evelyn went white.
Adrian looked at her.
“Who?”
She whispered:
“My father.”
Malcolm Bennett’s voice came through the door.
“Claire?”
Adrian’s hands closed into fists.
Evelyn shook her head violently.
Do not.
Adrian understood.
They still did not know where Claire was.
He opened the door two inches.
Malcolm smiled.
“Everything all right?”
Adrian forced himself to smile back.
“Perfect.”
Malcolm looked past him.
Evelyn stood near the bed.
For one horrible second, Adrian wondered whether Malcolm would notice the necklace.
He did.
His eyes dropped.
Then rose.
The smile remained.
But something behind it changed.
Malcolm knew.
Adrian saw it.
So did Evelyn.
Malcolm said:
“You should get some rest. Big day tomorrow.”
“What happens tomorrow?” Adrian asked.
“Board ratification.”
Malcolm looked at Evelyn.
Then back at Adrian.
“We become family in every way that matters.”
He left.
The instant the hallway went quiet, Adrian locked the door.
Evelyn whispered:
“He knows.”
“Yes.”
“What do we do?”
Adrian took out his phone.
May you like
“Now we stop pretending I’m only the groom.”
He called Mara Chen.
