Chapter 7: The Fire Beneath the Silence

Adam pulled into the compound that night, the headlights cutting across the walls of the mansion before he killed the engine.

He remained seated, his fingers drumming restlessly on the wheel. His chest rose and fell heavily as thoughts swarmed his mind like angry bees.

Why am I doing this? Why am I still chasing shadows for her? The same woman who betrayed me, who chose strange men over her vows, who dipped her hand into my money and tore my trust to shreds.

He pressed his palm hard against his forehead, shaking his head slowly. The anger was still raw, but underneath it, another thought crawled into his chest and made him tremble.

That baby.

She said she was pregnant.

The words echoed, sharp and heavy. His mind drifted to all those nights of waiting, of hoping, of trying. Years of disappointment. Years of hearing his mother whisper venom about Celine’s barren womb.

He remembered the sting of it, how often Evelyn had accused her, even in public, of being unable to give him a child.

And now, suddenly, she claimed she had been carrying his baby. A baby she had lost.

His hand fell to his lap, his chest tightening. Was it truly his child? Or another man’s seed she tried to hang around his neck?

Adam sighed deeply, his breath misting faintly on the window. With tired steps, he opened the car door and walked into the house.

There, in the living room, sat his mother and Barbra.

Barbra was the first to spring up, her movement sharp and eager, like she had been waiting all evening for him. “Adam! You’re back. Thank God. We were worried sick about you.” She rushed forward, her voice soft, too soft.

Evelyn stood now, folding her arms across her chest. Her voice carried a bite as she asked, “Why did you ignore my calls, Adam? Do you even know how worried I was?”

Adam didn’t look at her. His eyes were fixed on the floor, heavy with thought.

He raised his head slowly, his words spilling out before she could press him further.

“Was any of you aware Celine was pregnant?”

The silence that followed wrapped around the room like smoke.

Barbra froze. Evelyn’s jaw stiffened. The two women exchanged a glance so brief yet so telling, before Barbra turned her eyes back to Adam.

But neither of them spoke.

Adam’s lips pressed into a thin line. Without another word, he brushed past them, his footsteps firm against the stairs as he disappeared upstairs into the shadows of his room.

The silence he left behind was thick, stretching between the two women like an unspoken pact.

Evelyn’s fingers twitched against her armrest before she finally waved her hand at Barbra, a sharp signal.

Barbra understood immediately.

She rose quietly, her heart pounding in her chest, and followed after Adam. Her eyes gleamed with intent, and her steps soft and precise, like a cat stalking prey.

As she ascended the stairs, her hand adjusted the collar of her gown ever so slightly, letting it fall enough to reveal the swell of her breasts.

**********

Adam sat on the edge of his bed, his head bent forward, his palms resting on his knees. The weight of the night pressed heavily on him.

When he heard the door creak open, he turned sharply, his eyes narrowing.

“Any problem, Barbra?” he asked, his voice carrying genuine surprise.

Barbra giggled lightly, like a schoolgirl caught sneaking into a forbidden room. “No, nothing. I just wanted to check on you, to make sure you’re okay.”

Her laughter lingered in the air, soft and coaxing. Adam looked away, discomfort tugging at him, but his eyes betrayed him, darting briefly to the swell of her chest - the succulent bulging of her boobs.

He quickly turned his gaze to the floor, clearing his throat.

“You shouldn’t be here. I need to rest.”

But Barbra stepped closer, her smile patient, knowing. “You’ve carried too much on your shoulders. Let me just sit here with you, Adam. You don’t always have to chase me away.”

Her persistence was something he couldn't control, her tone perfectly measured. Adam tried again to dismiss her, but her presence filled the room.

Something about her insistence unsettled him, yet he couldn’t deny the quiet pull he felt.

At last, Barbra tilted her head, her voice playful. “Why don’t you take a shower first? You’ll feel better. I’ll wait here.”

Adam hesitated, but after a moment, he rose and disappeared into the bathroom.

As the sound of running water filled the room, Barbra sat gracefully on the edge of his bed. Her fingers played with the fabric of her gown, pulling it slightly higher up her thigh.

Her heart raced with anticipation.

She had rehearsed this moment in her mind countless times.

Evelyn’s approval had been firm - this was the chance to bind Adam with comfort and closeness, the kind that blurs grief into longing.

When Adam emerged minutes later, steam following him, he found Barbra waiting exactly where she had promised; perched on the bed, her gown arranged just enough to draw his eyes without seeming intentional.

He froze for a moment before speaking, his voice heavy.

“Barbra, tell me something.” His brows knitted, his eyes searching hers. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about Celine? About her behavior… the infidelity, the embezzlement? Why keep such things from me?”

Barbra blinked, feigning surprise. Her lips parted with a soft gasp. “Adam, I didn’t know. Not until recently. You have to believe me.”

He studied her, trying to gauge the truth in her words. But before the silence could grow, she leaned closer, her voice dropping into tenderness.

“You don’t have to dwell on her anymore. You deserve peace. You deserve someone who truly cares.”

Her hand brushed against his arm, lingering there. Adam shifted uneasily, the air between them thickening.

Her presence unsettled him, but the attraction was undeniable. It simmered beneath his skin, a dangerous yearning that sought release.

She smiled faintly and rose, pretending to leave. “I should go. You need to rest.”

But his hand caught hers before she could take a step.

“Could you stay with me till I fall asleep?” Adam asked, his voice quieter now, almost uncertain. “That’s if you don’t mind.”

Barbra’s eyes widened, her heart skipping wildly as her mind reeled with joy.

“Um… sure. Anything for you,” she whispered, her tone low, romantic, dripping with a sweetness she knew he craved.

She moved gently, lying beside him, her eyes tracing the ceiling. Slowly, she turned her face towards him.

Their eyes met, and in that moment, a fire sparked between them, fierce and unspoken, a fire neither could resist.