Chapter 6 - THE AFTERMATH
The weeks following the canceled wedding were a storm of media frenzy, police investigations, and corporate restructuring. Highline Systems' stock dipped for exactly two days before skyrocketing once the public learned how brilliantly the CEO had thwarted a multi-billion-dollar embezzlement scheme. Adrian was hailed as a genius, a ruthless businessman who played 4D chess.
But inside the penthouse in Manhattan, the genius felt entirely exhausted.
He stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the city lights flicker like distant stars. He held a glass of bourbon, but he didn't drink it. The silence of the apartment was suffocating. He had won the war, but he felt hollowed out, betrayed by the one person he thought he could trust.
The elevator dinged softly. The private doors opened, and Isabel walked in. She was wearing her normal clothes—a simple blouse and jeans—not her housekeeper uniform.
"Mr. Adrian," she said quietly. "I came to check on the apartment. I know I was off today, but I wanted to make sure you had dinner."
Adrian turned around. "You didn't have to do that, Isabel. You should be resting. The press has been hounding you too."
"They don't know where I live," she smiled faintly. "Besides, Mia wanted to give you something."
She stepped aside, and Mia peeked out from behind her legs. She was wearing a tiny pair of pajamas and holding a large, somewhat crumpled piece of construction paper. She walked over to Adrian, her bare feet padding softly on the hardwood floor.
"For you, Mr. Adrian," she said, holding it up.
Adrian knelt down, taking the paper. It was a finger painting. A massive, messy array of blues, greens, and yellows. In the center, there was a large, strong-looking figure holding a tiny figure on its shoulders.
"It's a superhero," Mia explained proudly. "You're the superhero. Because you chased away the bad lady."
A lump formed in Adrian's throat. For the first time since the wedding, the cold armor around his heart began to crack. He pulled the little girl into a gentle hug. "Thank you, Mia. This is the best painting I've ever received."
He looked up at Isabel. She was watching them with a warmth in her eyes that he had never noticed before. Not a calculated warmth. A real one.
"Have you two eaten?" Adrian asked, his voice a little hoarse.
"We had sandwiches," Isabel said.
May you like
"Let's order a pizza," Adrian said, standing up. "The biggest one they make. With all the toppings."
Mia gasped in delight.
