Chapter 337
Emma sniffled and held out her pinky. “Promise?”
‘Promise,’ I said, linking my finger with hers.
When we finished our bath, Adrian was waiting in pajamas by the window. Two steaming mugs sat on the table.
“Your milk is ready, ladies,” he said, standing as we entered.
Emma tugged me toward a chair. “Thanks, Daddy!”
I sat down and picked up my mug. “Thanks.”
Adrian raised an eyebrow. “That’s all? No thank you, honey”?”
1 froze, thinking of our argument downstairs. Had he overheard my conversation with Emma?
Emma frowned at my silence. “Mommy?”
I glanced between them. “Thank you, money,” I said flatly.
Adrian smiled. “You’re welcome.”
I hurried Emma through her milk and off to bed, reading her favorite story until she fell asleep. When I finally slipped out and closed her door, Adrian was waiting in the hallway.
“You don’t need to do that again,” I said. “We both know this isn’t real. I’m only playing along for Emma. Don’t ask me to call you that again when she’s not
around.”
I turned to leave, but his voice stopped me.
“Wait.” He held out a plane ticket. “Early flight to New York tomorrow.”
“Get some rest tonight. Look your best when you see William.”
I stared up at him, genuinely surprised.
“What, shocked?” he asked, noticing my expression.
I frowned and nodded. Downstairs he’d shown that fake invitation, making his parents doubt my intentions. Now this?
“When did you buy this?” I asked.
Adrian leaned against the wall. “As soon as I heard about Blake and Rachel’s wedding.”
“Their invitation mentions it’s for his grandfather’s sake – there’s a note on the final page. I got their invitation, so I saw it.”
He pressed the ticket into my hand, “I know William matters to you. I had this booked immediately. Even if you hadn’t mentioned it at dinner, I would ve given it to you anyway.”
I took the ticket. “Adrian… thank you.”
‘Don’t mention it. And don’t hold dinner against me.”
I looked up, confused. “If you always planned to send me to New York, why act that way at dinner?’
Adrian was quiet for a moment.
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Chapter 337
“I wanted to see how my in-laws would react,” he finally said. “They don’t fully trust you yet.”
“I’ve watched you try so hard to become Evelyn, to live her life well. I see everything you’ve done. But Audrey, you should know – the Parkers’ feelings toward you and Evelyn aren’t what you think.”
“All those stories about them spoiling her like a princess? Media narratives they created. I’m worried if you trust them too much, you’ll end up like Evelyn.”
He took a deep breath and put his hands on my shoulders.
“Tonight proved it. They don’t trust you either.”
I didn’t show my surprise as Eleanor had told me something similar.
A month ago, my first week back in Australia, Eleanor cornered me on the balcony. She’d grabbed my hand while we watched Adrian playing tennis with Emma in the garden.
“You’re trying to be a good Evelyn,” she’d whispered. “But don’t get attached to them.”
‘Especially Adrian. You have no idea what he did to Evelyn.”
She’d slid a folder across the table. Inside were admittance papers to a psychiatric facility – with Adrian’s signature authorizing my sister’s commitment.
*Emma was conceived in that place, Eleanor had said, her voice flat. “Adrian only let Evelyn out because of the pregnancy.”
“You know the rest. Before Emma could even walk, Evelyn was gone. We’ve spent years trying to wake her, to get her side of the story.” Her fingers had drummed against the papers. “But she never got that chance.”
‘Then Adrian found out about you. He didn’t even ask us. Just decided to swap your brain into Evelyn’s body.”
“If Dr. Clarke hadn’t refused…”
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