Chapter 5 - Truth in the Hospital
1456 Words
Nadia's POV
"You never filed them?" I stared at Adrian as the elevator descended. "But you signed-"
"I signed them, yes. But I never sent them to my lawyer." He wouldn't look at me. "I was going to, but then your father's accident happened."
"That was yesterday, Adrian. You had all morning to file them."
The elevator opened to the parking garage. He walked to his car without answering. I followed, anger building with each step.
"Were you ever going to tell me?"
"Does it matter?" He opened my door. "You're safe.
That's what's important."
"Don't." I didn't get in the car. "Don't act like this was about protecting me. You kept those papers because you didn't want the divorce."
"You're right." He finally looked at me. "I didn't want it."
"Why? You don't love me. You made that very clear."
"Get in the car, Nadia. Your father's waiting." The ride to the hospital was silent. I watched the city wake up-joggers on sidewalks, coffee shops opening, normal people living normal lives. Not being held at gunpoint by family friends or married to men who couldn't love them.
My father was sitting up in bed when we arrived, looking better than yesterday but still pale.
"Baby girl." He smiled when he saw me.
"Come here."
I hugged him carefully, mindful of his injuries. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit by a car." He tried to laugh but winced.
"Where's David? He was supposed to visit." Adrian and I exchanged looks.
"Dad... David's been arrested."
"What? Why?"
I told him everything. His face went from confused to shocked to devastated.
"David? No, that's impossible. We've been partners for twenty years."
"I'm sorry, Dad."
He was quiet for a long moment. Then: "I knew he was unhappy about his shares. I offered to buy him out so many times, give him a fresh start. He always refused." He shook his head. "Pride. It makes fools of us all."
A nurse came in to check his vitals. While she worked, my father studied Adrian and me.
"You two look exhausted."
"Long night," Adrian said.
"Together?"
"Dad-"
"I may be injured, but I'm not blind. Something's different between you two." He waited until the nurse left. "Are you still getting divorced.”
"Yes," I said at the same time Adrian said, "No."
My father actually smiled. "I see."
"It's complicated," I muttered.
"Love usually is."
"There's no love—" I started.
"Nadia." My father's voice was serious now. "I owe you an apology. The arranged marriage—I shouldn't have forced it on you."
"You were trying to protect me."
"No, I was trying to control you. Just like I controlled David, kept him in a smaller role because I thought I knew better." He reached for my hand. "I pushed David away with my pride, and I almost lost you the same way."
"Dad-"
"If you want the divorce, I support you. Your safety, your happiness—that's what matters."
"But Willaimss-"
"Is in Tokyo, apparently." He squeezed my hand.
"And even if he wasn't, we'd figure it out. You don't need to stay in a loveless marriage for protection."
I felt Adrian stiffen beside me.
"I should go," Adrian said. "Let you two talk."
He was gone before I could stop him. I found him later in the hospital cafeteria, staring at a cup of coffee like it held answers.
"My father didn't mean-"
"Yes, he did." Adrian looked up. "He's right. You don't need me anymore."
"I never needed you. I was forced to marry you."
"I know."
"Then why are you acting hurt?"
"I'm not hurt." But his knuckles were white around the coffee cup. "I'm just tired."
I sat across from him. "Talk to me. Really talk to me.
Not as business partners or whatever we've been.
Just... talk."
He was quiet for so long I thought he wouldn't answer. Then: "My parents' marriage was arranged.
They hated each other. Separate bedrooms, separate lives. The only time they were in the same room was for business functions."
"That's why you were so comfortable with our arrangement."
"I thought I was." He ran a hand through his hair. "But you were different. You tried to make it work. Those first few months, you'd wait up for me. Cook dinner.
Try to talk to me about my day."
"Until you told me to stop.”
"Because it was confusing me. You were supposed to be like my mother-cold, distant, there for show. But you smiled at me. You laughed at my terrible jokes.
You made that penthouse feel like home."
My heart was beating too fast. "Adrian-"
"And then you stopped trying, and I told myself it was better. Easier. But I missed it. I missed you, even though you were right there."
"So all those other women—"
"Were nothing. Meaningless. I thought if I could prove I didn't need you, didn't want you, then maybe I'd believe it."
"Did it work?"
He laughed bitterly. "What do you think?"
We sat in silence, the hospital cafeteria buzzing around us. Someone was crying at another table. A doctor was explaining something serious to an elderly couple. Life and death and everything in between, happening all around us.
"I don't know how to do this," I said finally.
"Do what?"
"Be married to someone who just learned how to talk about feelings."
"I don't know how to do it either." He looked at me.
"But maybe we could figure it out together?"
Before I could answer, my phone rang. Unknown number. We both tensed.
"Answer it," Adrian said. "I'm here."
I picked up. "Hello?"
"Mrs. Caldwell." The voice was smooth, cultured, and definitely not David's. "This is Willaimss Kendrick. The real one."
My blood went cold. I put it on speakerphone so Adrian could hear.
"I just landed in New York," Willaimss continued.
"Imagine my surprise to learn someone's been impersonating me, threatening you in my name."
"Mr. Matt—"
"I'm not calling to threaten you, Mrs. Caldwell. I'm calling to apologize. And to warn you."
"Warn me?"
"David Hart wasn't working alone. Someone else funded his little scheme, someone who wanted your husband's company, not your father's."
Adrian grabbed the phone. "Who?"
"Hello, Adrian. You might want to ask your board members. Specifically, your uncle Richard."
"That's impossible. Richard's family."
"Family seems to be betraying everyone these days."
Williams chuckled. "I have proof, if you're interested.
But it'll cost you."
"What do you want?"
"A meeting. Tonight. Both of you. Le Bernardin, eight o'clock. Come alone, no security. We have much to discuss."
The line went dead.
Adrian was already typing on his phone, his face dark.
"Richard's been trying to force a vote to remove me as CEO. If he's behind this—"
"We're walking into a trap."
"Probably."
"We're going anyway, aren't we?"
He looked at me. "We?"
"You said we're a team. So let's be a team." Something in his expression softened. "Nadia—"
"But first, we're going home. We both need sleep and showers. And you're finally going to file those divorce papers."
His face fell. "What?"
"If we're going to try this-really try-then we do it right. No arranged marriage hanging over us. No business contracts." I stood up. "If you want me, Adrian Caldwell, you're going to have to win me. The real way."
"You want me to date you?"
"I want you to choose me. Not because my father asked. Not because of business. Because you want to."
He stood too, moving closer. "And if I do? Choose you?"
"Then maybe I'll choose you too."
He was close enough now that I could see the gold flecks in his gray eyes. "Maybe?"
"Probably."
"Probably?" He was even closer now.
"Definitely maybe.”
He smiled, a real smile that transformed his whole face. "Those are terrible odds."
"Better than our marriage odds were."
"True." His hand came up to cup my cheek. "Can I kiss you?"
"We've been married three years, Adrian. You've never asked before."
"I'm asking now."
My phone rang, breaking the moment. Emma's name flashed on the screen.
"I should take this," I said.
Adrian stepped back. "I'll bring the car around."
As he walked away, I answered Emma's call.
"Finally! I've been worried sick. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Em. It's been a crazy night."
"I saw the news. David Hart arrested for attempted murder? What is happening?"
"I'll tell you everything later. But Em... I think I'm staying with Adrian."
"What? Why?"
I watched Adrian through the window, on his phone probably dealing with his uncle's betrayal.
"Because maybe I've been just as scared of love as he has."
- Writer
