Chapter 8

Adriana held her breath, pressing her ear closer to the gap. The voices were clear, drifting out into the quiet hallway.

"Sir, this is career suicide." Graham's voice was strained, bordering on desperate. "You're talking about giving up your seat on the board. The Mills Corporation board. Your birthright."

A cold knot formed in Adriana's stomach. The board seat. In the other timeline, Everette had fought tooth and nail for that seat. He had sacrificed his marriage, his family, everything to keep it. And now he was just giving it up?

"It's done, Graham." Everette's voice was flat, but there was an edge to it. A weariness that sounded almost like defeat. "I've made my decision."

"Sir, please." That was K. Stone, his assistant. "This isn't just about the seat. If you step down now, the other directors will move in. Everything we've built for the last five years will be gone. You'll be out."

"Then let them have it," Everette snapped.

Adriana's jaw dropped. Let them have it? This wasn't the Everette Mills she knew. The man she knew would rather die than let go of power.

"Why?" Graham asked, echoing her thoughts. "Why are you doing this? It makes no sense. Is it because of the girl? Because of what happened at the hotel?"

The girl. That was her. They were talking about her.

There was a long silence. Adriana could almost picture Everette standing behind his desk, his jaw clenched, his eyes dark.

"Because I have to," Everette finally said, his voice low and rough. "Because if I don't, I lose everything that matters."

"That's not an answer," Graham pushed. "This is irrational. You're acting out of fear."

"Fear?" Everette let out a bitter laugh. "You have no idea what fear is, Graham. Now get out. Both of you."

Footsteps. Adriana jumped back, pressing herself into the alcove behind a large statue. The door swung open, and Graham and K. Stone walked out. Their faces were pale, their expressions shell-shocked.

They walked down the hall, their voices low but still audible.

"He's lost his mind," Graham muttered. "He hasn't been right since he came back from that hotel. Now he's throwing it all away for her."

"I've never seen him like this," K. Stone replied, shaking his head. "He's terrified. I've seen him face down hostile takeovers without blinking, but this... he looks like a man staring at the end of the world."

They turned the corner and disappeared.

Adriana stepped out of the shadows, her mind racing. Terrified? Everette was terrified? Of what? Losing her?

No. That couldn't be it. The Everette she knew didn't care about her. He had proven that in the woods. This had to be a trick. Some kind of elaborate manipulation to make her feel guilty, to make her think he was sacrificing something for her so she would stay.

It was a trap. A new, twisted version of the same game.

Well, she wasn't falling for it.

She straightened her sweater, lifted her chin, and walked to the door. She pushed it open wide. It hit the wall with a bang.

Everette was standing by the window, his back to the door. At the sound, he spun around. His eyes were red-rimmed, his tie loosened, his hair disheveled. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

Their eyes met. The shock on his face was real, quickly replaced by something intense and unreadable.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Adriana walked into the room, letting the door swing shut behind her. "I heard."