Chapter 6 - The Choice Adrian Never Got to Make
Victor Sloane talked.
For twelve years, Detective Alvarez had tried to force Blackwood secrets into daylight.
One terrified accountant did it in a single night.
Samuel Blackwood had survived the car explosion that supposedly killed him.
He had spent years rebuilding quietly.
And seven years earlier, when he discovered I was pregnant, he saw Ethan as a threat.
Not because Ethan was a child.
Because Ethan was Adrian Blackwood’s heir.
“I don’t have an heir,” Adrian said.
Alvarez sat across from him in an empty hospital conference room.
“You do now.”
“I never wanted Ethan anywhere near my businesses.”
“Samuel didn’t know that.”
I sat beside Adrian.
Marcus stood near the door.
Alvarez continued.
“Sloane says Samuel ordered him to frighten Claire away before you knew about the pregnancy.”
Adrian looked at me.
I felt sick.
“He succeeded,” I whispered.
“Yes,” Alvarez said. “Then you vanished better than they expected.”
“Why not find us afterward?”
“Because Samuel believed the child might not survive infancy.”
Adrian frowned.
“Why?”
Alvarez glanced toward Ethan’s medical records.
“The blood disorder.”
Silence.
I stared at him.
“He knew?”
“Sloane claims the Blackwood family knew the condition could pass through male carriers. Adrian’s father hid it.”
Adrian’s chair scraped backward.
“My father told me it couldn’t.”
“He lied.”
Adrian walked to the window.
Everything about him was controlled.
Except his hands.
They were shaking.
“My mother died from it.”
No one answered.
“He knew.”
I stood beside him.
“Adrian.”
“He knew I could pass it to a child.”
“You didn’t know.”
“I should have.”
“How?”
He looked at me.
“For seven years I thought you left because I failed you.”
“I left because someone manipulated both of us.”
“That doesn’t erase what I was.”
“No.”
He seemed surprised.
I continued.
“You were dangerous. Your life was dangerous. I had every reason to be afraid.”
He looked away.
“But I should have told you I was pregnant.”
His eyes came back to mine.
“And I should have given you the chance to choose what kind of father you wanted to be.”
The door opened.
Ethan stood there.
Again.
Adrian sighed.
“Does anybody actually watch this kid?”
Ethan pointed at Marcus.
“He fell asleep.”
Marcus looked offended.
“I blinked.”
“For a long time.”
Ethan walked in slowly.
“What are you talking about?”
“Adult things,” I said.
“I hate that answer.”
Adrian pulled out a chair.
“Come here.”
Ethan sat.
Adrian crouched in front of him.
“Someone threatened your mom before you were born.”
Ethan’s expression changed.
“Because of me?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because of me.”
Ethan looked confused.
Adrian continued.
“I have enemies.”
“Because of your business?”
“Yes.”
“Your fake business?”
Marcus coughed.
Adrian ignored him.
“Yes.”
Ethan glanced at me.
“Is he a criminal?”
The room became painfully quiet.
Adrian could have lied.
I watched him decide not to.
“I’ve done things I’m not proud of.”
“That means yes.”
“It means I’m trying to answer you without making your mother throw me out a window.”
“I’m considering it,” I said.
Ethan smiled faintly.
Then his face became serious.
“Are you bad?”
Adrian did not answer quickly.
Finally he said, “Sometimes I was.”
“Are you bad now?”
“I’m trying not to be.”
Ethan thought about that.
“Because of me?”
Adrian’s eyes softened.
“Because I should have tried sooner.”
Ethan reached into the pocket of his hospital robe.
He pulled out a cheap plastic dinosaur.
A green T. rex with one missing leg.
He held it toward Adrian.
“What’s this?”
“My emergency dinosaur.”
“You have an emergency dinosaur?”
“Everybody should.”
Adrian accepted it.
Ethan said, “You can borrow him.”
“Why?”
“You look stressed.”
For a second Adrian just stared at the toy.
Then he laughed.
It was the first genuine laugh I had heard from him in years.
Detective Alvarez’s phone rang.
He stepped away.
When he returned, his expression was different.
“We have Samuel.”
Adrian stood.
“Where?”
“LAPD picked him up at a private airfield.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
Adrian exhaled.
Ethan looked at him.
“You promised.”
“I remember.”
“And?”
Adrian looked at the dinosaur in his hand.
Then at his son.
“And I’m keeping it.”
Alvarez nodded.
“Sloane’s testimony, the hospital access logs, the threats, and financial records should keep Samuel busy with attorneys for a very long time.”
Ethan looked at me.
“Does that mean we’re safe?”
I wanted to say yes.
I couldn’t.
Adrian answered instead.
“It means we’re safer today than yesterday.”
Ethan nodded.
“I’ll take it.”
Dr. Mercer appeared in the doorway.
“And I have better news.”
We all turned.
She smiled.
“Ethan can go home tomorrow.”
I covered my mouth.
Ethan cheered.
Marcus clapped once.
Adrian went completely still.
Then Ethan looked at him.
“Are you coming?”
Adrian glanced at me.
“That isn’t my decision.”
Ethan looked at me.
May you like
Apparently it was.
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