Chapter 5 Something You Should Know

'I suppose I should be the first person to congratulate you.' I stared at the words. 'But there's something you should know about your new husband.'

My fingers went still. Adrian. It had to be him. I didn't know his number. But after what happened at the funeral and how he found my address that day, I was almost certain my mother had already told him about my marriage. There was no reason for me to wonder how Adrian had found out. Mother must have told him.

I looked at the message again. 'Something you should know about your new husband.'

I almost rolled my eyes. I had expected this. What I hadn't expected was how quickly he had moved.

Another message appeared. 'Meet me tomorrow at noon. The Beaumont Grand. Private dining room.'

I stared at the screen for a few seconds. The Beaumont Grand. His family's restaurant.

I typed a reply. 'Fine.'

Then another message appeared. 'Mr. Blackwood will be there.'

My fingers stopped. Vance? Why would Adrian want Vance there?

I stared at the message again. Whatever Adrian had discovered, apparently it wasn't only about me.

---

The Beaumont Grand was exactly what I expected from a restaurant carrying the Beaumont name. It was elegant and everything looked expensive here. Quiet enough for people to discuss things they didn't want others to hear. I stepped through the entrance and gave my name to the receptionist. She immediately led me toward a private dining room.

Adrian was already there. He stood when I entered. For a brief moment, his eyes dropped to my left hand.

Of course Adrian investigated him. Of course he did. Who did he think he was, digging through Sam's life?

I had deliberately purchased a new gold ring before I went to the restaurant this morning. The ring was impossible to miss.

Then he looked back at my face. “Caleste.”

“Adrian.”

He gestured toward the chair opposite him. “Thank you for coming.”

I glanced at the chair before sitting. “I almost didn't.”

“I understand.”

I took the chair. He sat across from me. For a moment, neither of us spoke. We had only met once before. There was still something strange about sitting across from him like this, discussing a marriage that had already disappeared before it had even begun.

Then I looked at him. “You said you found something.”

“I did.”

“What?”

His fingers tightened briefly around the edge of the table. “I asked Mr. Blackwood to join us.”

My eyebrows lifted. “You said he would be here.”

“He should be arriving soon.”

I leaned back. “Then I suppose I'll wait.”

Adrian nodded. He didn't try to make conversation.

Good. I had no interest in making small talk with the man my mother had tried to marry me to less than forty-eight hours ago.

A few minutes later, a familiar figure appeared at the entrance. Vance. His eyes swept across the restaurant before landing on us. He walked over with his usual calm expression.

“Mr. Beaumont.”

“Mr. Blackwood.”

Vance pulled out the chair beside me and sat. His eyes moved briefly toward me. There was a question in them. I gave him a small shake of my head. I didn't know what this was about either.

Vance looked back at Adrian. “You said this concerned my family.”

“It does.” Adrian placed both hands on the table. “I wanted to speak to Caleste first, but after what I discovered, I thought you deserved to hear it too.”

Vance's expression didn't change. “Then tell us.”

Adrian took a breath. “After Caleste told me she was married, I started looking into Samuel Hart.”

My stomach tightened. Vance's eyes narrowed slightly. He turned to my direction. There was a flicker of confusion in his eyes as Adrian mentioned my marriage. Vance knew nothing about it. I held my breath as I met his eyes.

Vance turned his attention again to Adrian. “You investigated him? Why?”

Adrian paused before answering.

“She met me once, rejected the arrangement, and then married another man almost immediately,” he said. “From my position, I needed to understand whether I had been brought into an arrangement without knowing the full circumstances.”

“Why did you dig into my husband's past?”

His expression tightened. “I told you. I wanted to understand what happened.”

“You met me once.” I leaned forward slightly. “You don't know me. You don't know Sam. And yet you went looking through his life because I refused to marry you.”

Adrian fell silent.

“That's what bothers me.”

Adrian's expression hardened slightly, but he didn't argue.

Before he could respond, Vance spoke. “What exactly did you find?”

Adrian looked toward him. “I found Samuel's connection to your family.”

Vance remained silent.

“He has been close to the Whitmore family for years. He has worked with your brother-in-law. He's been involved with your wife. And more importantly…”

Adrian paused.

“…your daughter, Maya.”

My eyes flicked toward Vance.

Adrian continued. “Samuel has been in Maya's life since she was very young. She calls him Papa Sam. He has acted as her father for years.”

Vance's expression hardened.

“I assumed she was his daughter.”

Silence filled the room. I looked at Vance. He looked at me. Neither of us needed to say anything.

Adrian noticed. “You both knew?”

Vance leaned back slightly. He sighed slightly. “Maya is my biological daughter.”

Adrian frowned. “What?”

“My daughter.”

The words were calm. There was no need for Vance to raise his voice. The truth itself was enough.

“Nerissa and I had a complicated history. She left without telling me she was pregnant. For five years, I didn't even know Maya existed.”

Adrian's eyes shifted between us. “And Samuel?”

Vance's jaw tightened. “During those five years, Sam became the father figure Maya needed.”

He paused.

“He was there when I wasn't.”

Adrian looked down at the table. “I didn't know.”

“Clearly.”

Adrian swallowed. “I didn't order a DNA test.”

Vance's eyebrow lifted. “Why not?”

“Everything I found seemed to point in the same direction,” Adrian said. “I thought a test was unnecessary.”

Vance's expression became colder.

“You thought wrong,” he said evenly. “You were investigating a child who wasn't yours to investigate.”

Adrian nodded slowly. “I see that now.”

I folded my arms. “Why did you dig into my husband's past?”

Adrian's expression tightened. “I told you. I wanted to understand what happened.”

“No.” My voice remained calm, but my fingers tightened around my bag. “You wanted to find something.”

He fell silent.

“You met me once, Adrian. Once. You barely know me, yet you went digging through my husband's life because I refused to marry you.”

“Caleste, I wasn't trying to—”

“You were.” I looked directly into his eyes. “And you crossed a line.”

His jaw tightened. “I was trying to protect myself.”

“Protect yourself?” I almost laughed. “From what? A woman who refused to marry you?”

He hesitated.

“From being made a fool of.”

I shook my head. “You don't get to investigate my life because you're afraid of being embarrassed.”

His eyes lowered. I took a slow breath.

“My marriage is my business.” My voice came out sharper than I intended. I didn't care.

“I understand.”

“Do you?”

He looked at me. “I do now.”

“Good.” I placed my hand on the table. “Then understand this too. Whatever arrangement between my mother, you, and the Beaumont family is over.”

Adrian stared at me. His expression changed. “You're serious.”

“I was serious when I told you I didn't want this marriage.”

I stood. “And I'm serious now.”

I picked up my bag. “I'm married, Adrian.”

He didn't answer.

I looked at him one last time. “Don't investigate my husband again.”

Then I turned and walked away.

---

Vance followed a moment later. I was waiting outside the restaurant.

He approached me with his usual controlled expression. “I think you owe me an explanation.”

I sighed. “Short version?”

He waited patiently.

“I registered my marriage with Sam yesterday.”

His eyebrows drew together. “All of a sudden?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

Vance was quiet for several seconds. His eyes remained on me, then dropped briefly to the ring. “Does Sam know what he's gotten himself into?”

I almost smiled. “He suggested it.”

That finally made him pause. “He did?”

“Yes.”

Vance exhaled slowly. For once, his expression gave away a hint of disbelief. Then he looked toward the restaurant behind us.

“I think we need to talk about this.”

I looked at him.

“The four of us.”