CHAPTER 6

The breakfast room was bright with morning sunlight, but the warmth outside did little to soften the tension around the glass dining table.

Fresh fruit, warm pastries, and a pot of coffee had been arranged neatly across the table. Amelia sat beside Adrian with her hands folded quietly in her lap, while across from them, Gloria Cross stirred her coffee with the kind of deliberate calm that usually meant she had something unpleasant to say.

Beside her, Claire lazily turned a silver spoon between her fingers.

For eight years, Amelia had learned to endure the Cross family's attitude toward her. Gloria had never completely accepted that Adrian had married an orphan with no family name or fortune behind her. Claire had been even less subtle, often treating Amelia as though she had somehow won a prize by marrying Adrian.

Amelia had never corrected them.

They had no idea that the woman they considered a charity case was actually the heiress to the Valmont fortune.

Gloria lifted her eyes from her coffee and looked Amelia over.

"I see you didn't sleep well," she remarked, setting her cup down with a quiet click. "You really should take better care of your appearance, Amelia. Adrian works hard enough without having to come home to a wife who looks exhausted."

Amelia kept her expression polite despite the sting in Gloria's words.

"It was just a long night," she replied, reaching for her coffee. "Adrian's flight was canceled, and I was worried about him."

Claire gave a small laugh from across the table.

"Worried about him, or simply keeping track of him?" she asked, her tone carrying an unmistakable edge. "Adrian runs a multibillion-dollar company, Amelia. He doesn't need someone watching the clock every time he's late."

Amelia's fingers tightened around her cup.

"I wasn't trying to—"

"And if you spent half as much time thinking about starting a family as you do worrying about Adrian," Claire continued, setting her spoon down, "perhaps my mother wouldn't still be waiting for a grandchild after eight years."

The smile disappeared from Amelia's face.

Claire leaned back in her chair, apparently unaware of how deeply the words had landed.

"Eight years, Amelia. Most men in Adrian's position would have lost their patience by now."

Amelia felt the familiar ache spread through her chest.

She had heard variations of those words before, but somehow they never became easier to hear.

She and Adrian had gone to doctors. They had both been tested, and nothing had been found to be wrong. There had been no miscarriage, no medical explanation, nothing they could point to and say, This is the reason.

She simply hadn't become pregnant.

And every time someone reminded her of it, she felt as though she had somehow failed at something she had never been able to control.

Her throat tightened, and she lowered her eyes to the table.

Before she could say anything, Adrian's coffee mug struck the glass table with a hard metallic thud.

The sound made everyone at the table jump.

"That's enough, Claire."

His voice was low, but the anger behind it was unmistakable.

Claire's expression changed immediately.

Adrian turned toward his sister, his jaw tense as he stared at her.

"You will not speak to my wife that way," he said, his voice firm enough to silence the entire room. "I don't care what you think about our marriage, and I don't care how many opinions you have about when we should have children. Amelia is my wife, and you will treat her with respect."

Claire opened her mouth, but Adrian wasn't finished.

"If I hear you speak to her like that again, you can pack your things and leave. I won't have anyone humiliating my wife under my roof. Do you understand?"

Claire's face flushed.

"Adrian, I was only—"

"I asked if you understood."

The sharpness in his voice made her stop.

After a moment, Claire lowered her gaze.

"Yes," she muttered. "I'm sorry."

Adrian held her gaze for another second before turning back toward Amelia.

The anger disappeared from his face almost immediately.

He reached beneath the table and found her hand, his fingers closing gently around hers.

"Are you okay, babe?"

Amelia looked at him, her eyes stinging.

"Yeah," she whispered. "I'm okay."

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't let what she said get to you."

Something inside Amelia softened.

She looked at the man beside her and remembered all the years they had shared. Adrian had just stood up to his own family without hesitation, simply because they had hurt her.

A small wave of guilt passed through her.

For a moment, the strange things she'd been thinking about seemed almost ridiculous.

How could she doubt a man who had just defended her like that?

"Thank you," she murmured.

Adrian's thumb moved gently across the back of her hand.

"You don't have to thank me for protecting my wife."

Across the table, Claire shifted uncomfortably in her chair and reached into her designer handbag for her phone.

As she pulled it out, her elbow caught the edge of the bag.

A small velvet box slipped from the open side pocket and fell onto the floor.

The lid popped open.

A diamond bracelet caught the morning light.

Claire's hand froze.

Gloria's eyes immediately narrowed.

"Claire," she said sharply, staring at the bracelet. "Where did you get that?"

Claire's face lost some of its color.

She leaned down quickly, reaching for the box.

"It's nothing. Someone gave it to me."

"Someone?" Gloria repeated, her expression hardening. "Who?"

Before Claire could answer, Adrian bent down and picked up the box.

He closed the lid and slipped it into the inside pocket of his jacket.

"It's mine," he said calmly.

Gloria stared at him.

"Yours?"

Adrian settled back into his chair as though there was nothing unusual about the situation.

"I bought it yesterday. Claire has been asking me for an upgrade to her car, so I told her I'd give her the bracelet instead if she keeps her grades up and stays out of trouble."

Claire stared at him for a moment.

Then understanding flickered across her face.

"Right," she said quickly, forcing a smile. "The bracelet. I remember."

Amelia watched them for a second.

Something about the exchange felt slightly strange, but Adrian had always been generous with Claire. Expensive gifts were hardly unusual where his family was concerned.

She pushed the thought away.

Gloria sighed and shook her head.

"You spoil that girl far too much."

Adrian gave a faint smile.

"She's my sister."

He glanced at his watch before pushing his chair back.

"I need to get to the office."

He straightened his tie, then looked down at Amelia.

"Babe, are you coming with me?"

"I will," Amelia replied. "Just give me a few minutes to get my purse and tablet."

"Take your time."

Adrian leaned down and gently brushed his fingers through her hair before walking toward the foyer to collect his briefcase.

Amelia waited until he had left the room before standing.

She gave Gloria and Claire a polite nod and headed upstairs.

Once inside the master bedroom, she picked up her purse from the dresser and reached for her tablet on the nightstand.

The screen lit up as soon as she touched it.

A notification appeared across the top.

Cross Enterprises VIP Concierge Notice: Luxury Penthouse Suite Reservation Confirmed at The Ritz-Carlton for Mrs. Cross. Check-in: Tonight, 8:00 PM.

Amelia stared at the screen.

Then she read it again.

A smile slowly spread across her face.

A luxury penthouse.

Tonight.

For Mrs. Cross.

Her heart warmed as she thought about Adrian's behavior downstairs. After the difficult night they'd had, perhaps he had planned something for them. Maybe he wanted to make up for the canceled trip and give her a chance to relax after everything that had happened.

For the first time since Natalie had called her, Amelia felt genuinely happy.

She picked up her purse and tablet and hurried downstairs.

Adrian was already waiting in the car.

She climbed into the passenger seat and settled her purse on her lap. As he pulled away from the house, Amelia glanced at him.

He looked completely relaxed, one hand resting on the steering wheel as he watched the road ahead.

She smiled to herself.

She wasn't going to ruin the surprise by asking him directly.

Instead, she decided to give him an opening.

"So," she said lightly, turning toward him, "are we coming straight home after work today, or do we have any plans tonight?"

Adrian didn't look at her.

His eyes remained on the road.

"I have back-to-back emergency board meetings tonight," he said matter-of-factly. "It's going to be a long evening. I probably won't get home until well after midnight, so don't wait up for me."

Amelia's smile disappeared.

For a moment, she thought she had misunderstood him.

"Tonight?"

"Yes."

He adjusted his grip on the steering wheel.

"There are a few issues with the company that need to be dealt with immediately. I'll probably be at the office most of the night."

Amelia turned toward the window.

The trees outside blurred past as her thoughts raced.

A reservation.

The Ritz-Carlton.

A luxury penthouse.

Booked under Mrs. Cross.

And Adrian had just told her he would be at the office until after midnight.

Her fingers slowly tightened around her purse.

If Adrian wasn't taking her to the suite tonight, then why had someone made a reservation there under her name?

And more importantly—

who was the other Mrs. Cross?