Chapter 4

I froze in place, every hair on my body standing on end.

Claire climbed into the cab and moved closer, her fingers brushing against my cheek. "I'm sorry you got hurt yesterday. But Julian, you shouldn't have posted that."

I yanked my hand away from her, hard. As my tears hit the back of her hand, she flinched, almost too slightly to notice. She opened her mouth, then closed it again without saying anything.

The car kept driving until we reached the hospital.

"Adrian saw your post and it landed him in the ICU. You need to explain yourself to him today," she said, dragging me the whole way to his room.

I stumbled in to find the room packed. Wendy, Nathan, Marcus, and a handful of the Lockes' relatives were all there. The second they saw me, every set of eyes cut into me like knives.

Claire shoved me hard, right in front of the hospital bed. "Apologize."

Adrian lay on the bed, his lips pale, tear tracks still visible on his face.

"Mr. Chase, you and I have no history. Fine, you ruined my wedding. But spreading lies online about Claire cheating? What exactly are you trying to do?"

I stared at him, then laughed.

"You really believe I was the one who seduced Claire all on my own? We were together for five years. Three of those years were long distance. You expect me to believe you never once noticed anything?"

The room went dead silent.

Nathan's face changed instantly. "Julian, what are you talking about? Adrian's not well. Don't push him..."

"Nathan," Adrian cut him off. "I'd like to speak with Mr. Chase alone." He smiled faintly. "I trust Mr. Chase is a reasonable man."

Claire frowned and shot me a warning look before the door shut behind everyone. The moment we were alone, every trace of softness drained out of Adrian's eyes.

"The two of you were together for five years. You think a grown man like me wouldn't have noticed? But so what? Whatever I want, I get. That's just how it works for me.

"I just never expected Claire to want it both ways. Staying with me while unable to bring herself to let you go. Five years, and she never once brought up breaking up with you. I couldn't wait any longer."

He looked at me, his eyes growing colder by the second as he added, "So, I showed your father that video from the wedding. Told him you were a shameless homewrecker who seduced another man's fiancée."

Every word landed like lightning striking straight through my skull. My whole body went rigid.

I stared at him, unable to believe what I was hearing. "What did you just say?"

The corner of Adrian's mouth curled higher and higher. "I wanted your father to hear it straight from you, so he could give you the lecture you deserved. Turns out he was weaker than I expected. He didn't even make it until you got back. He just... died of anger.

"You're actually pretty stupid, you know. Claire told you it was heart failure and you believed her, right to the end. Never figured out the truth. So, I had no choice but to push you a little harder. That video at the wedding? I'm the one who released it. Doxxing you? Also me."

He gestured at the hospital gown he was wearing. "Even this right now is an act. I'm faking being sick just to torture you a little more. Call it the price for holding onto Claire for five years."

Every single word felt like a knife driving straight into my chest.

Tears burning in my eyes, I lunged at him and wrapped both hands around his throat. "You killed my father! You murderer!"

Adrian's face turned red under the pressure of my grip, but he kept smiling. He reached out and swept his arm hard across the nightstand, knocking a vase to the floor. At the sound of it shattering, the door burst open.

Claire's eyes went wide with panic. "Adrian!"

She rushed forward, kicking me square in the chest. I flew backward like a kite with its string cut, hitting the floor hard.

"Julian Chase! Have you lost your mind!" Eyes red, Claire came at me and grabbed a fistful of my hair, hauling me up off the ground. "Get on your knees and apologize to Adrian!"

I shoved her away with everything I had left, stumbling backward until I hit the window. We were on the twenty-third floor. Wind leaked in through the gap, whipping my hair around.

Claire's eyes went wide, and she moved to step toward me.

"Stay back!" I roared, half my body already hanging out the window.

That was when Claire's assistant burst into the room, panicked.

"Ms. Winston, this is bad! That conversation in the hospital room just now was broadcasted live!"

At the same moment, footsteps pounded down the hallway. Two officers in uniform appeared in the doorway.

"We received a report of assault and defamation. Which one of you is Adrian Locke?"