Chapter 5 - BLOOD ON THE WEDDING RING
Mara spent the night in a different room.
Not at the estate.
Not at a hotel.
Adrian took her to a private apartment above one of his buildings.
The place was modern.
Clean.
Secure.
And completely empty.
Mara stood by the window.
Below, Baltimore glowed beneath the night sky.
She touched the finger where her wedding ring had been.
For two years, she had believed the ring represented love.
Commitment.
Family.
Now she knew it had been a microphone.
A tiny device that had listened to every conversation.
Every phone call.
Every whispered fear.
Every secret she had thought belonged only to her.
Mara closed her eyes.
A knock came at the door.
She turned.
Adrian stood outside.
He didn't enter.
“Can I come in?”
Mara stared at him.
The question surprised her.
She stepped aside.
Adrian entered.
He carried a folder.
“What now?”
“I have information.”
“About Blake?”
“Yes.”
“Is he dead?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Adrian placed the folder on the table.
“He left Baltimore.”
Mara stared.
“What?”
“Three hours ago.”
“How?”
“Private plane.”
“Where is he going?”
“We don't know.”
Mara laughed.
It sounded almost hysterical.
“You don't know?”
“No.”
“You're Adrian Cross.”
“Yes.”
“The man who knows everything.”
“No.”
Mara looked at him.
Adrian's expression remained calm.
“I know many things.”
She sat.
“Where did he go?”
“He left with two men and a woman.”
“A woman?”
“Yes.”
Mara felt something twist inside her.
“Who?”
“We don't know.”
She laughed again.
“Of course.”
Adrian studied her.
“You don't have to worry about her.”
Mara looked up.
“I wasn't.”
He said nothing.
Mara looked away.
“Why did he leave?”
“He knows we found the financial records.”
“And?”
“He knows the empire is collapsing.”
“Because of you?”
“Because of his own choices.”
Mara stared at the folder.
“What are you going to do?”
“Take everything.”
She looked up.
“Everything?”
“His companies. His money. His properties.”
“Why?”
“He stole from me.”
“And because of me?”
Adrian's eyes hardened.
“Don't make this about you.”
Mara flinched.
Adrian noticed.
His voice softened slightly.
“That wasn't what I meant.”
“It sounded like it.”
He took a breath.
“Blake made his choices before he met you.”
Mara said nothing.
Adrian sat across from her.
“Do you want to know what happened to my sister?”
Mara looked up.
He nodded.
“Her name was Elena.”
Mara waited.
“She was twenty-four.”
His voice became quieter.
“She was smart. Reckless. She believed people were better than they were.”
Mara listened.
“Eight years ago, she discovered a financial scheme.”
“What kind?”
“Money laundering.”
Mara's stomach tightened.
“Blake?”
Adrian nodded.
“She found evidence.”
“What happened?”
“She disappeared.”
Mara stopped breathing.
“Disappeared?”
“For six days.”
“And then?”
“They found her car.”
Mara knew the answer before he said it.
Adrian looked at the floor.
“She was dead.”
Mara's chest tightened.
“I'm sorry.”
Adrian's expression became hard again.
“Blake was never charged.”
“Why?”
“Because the evidence disappeared.”
Mara looked at the folder.
“Was he responsible?”
Adrian met her eyes.
“I don't know.”
“Then why do you think he was?”
“Because the last person Elena called was him.”
Mara stared.
“Why didn't you kill him?”
Adrian's jaw tightened.
“Because I didn't know enough.”
“And now?”
“Now I do.”
Mara looked away.
“Why are you telling me?”
“Because you asked.”
“That’s not the only reason.”
Adrian was silent.
Mara studied him.
“You think Blake knows who killed your sister.”
“Yes.”
“And you think the records will prove it.”
“Yes.”
“Then I'm not the only reason you're destroying him.”
“No.”
Mara nodded slowly.
“I knew it.”
Adrian looked at her.
“But I still don't understand why you care about me.”
The question hung between them.
Adrian didn't answer.
Mara waited.
Finally, he said, “Because I know what it looks like when someone has been trapped.”
Her breath caught.
He looked away.
“I know what it looks like when they stop believing they can leave.”
Mara stared at him.
“You?”
Adrian's face closed.
“Not me.”
“Who?”
He said nothing.
The silence became uncomfortable.
Mara stood.
“I’m tired.”
Adrian nodded.
He walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he stopped.
“Mara.”
She looked at him.
“If Blake contacts you, don't answer.”
“Why?”
“Because he may try to manipulate you.”
“He has been doing that for two years.”
“Then you know how good he is at it.”
Mara said nothing.
Adrian opened the door.
“And Mara?”
“Yes?”
“If he threatens you…”
He looked at her.
“Call me.”
She almost smiled.
“You’re the person everyone else is afraid to call.”
“Not you.”
Mara didn't know what to say.
Adrian left.
The next morning, Mara woke to a message.
UNKNOWN NUMBER: YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE LIVING WITH.
She stared at the screen.
Another message arrived.
ASK ADRIAN WHAT HE DID THE NIGHT ELENA DIED.
Mara's heart began to pound.
Then a third message.
A photograph.
It showed Adrian.
Eight years younger.
Standing outside a burning building.
Mara stared at the image.
Then her phone rang.
Blake.
She should have ignored it.
Instead, she answered.
His voice came through softly.
“Good morning, sweetheart.”
Mara's blood went cold.
“Where are you?”
“Does it matter?”
“You left.”
“I needed to.”
“Why?”
“Because Adrian is coming for me.”
Mara said nothing.
Blake laughed.
“Did he tell you about Elena?”
Mara's grip tightened.
“Yes.”
“Did he tell you he was there the night she died?”
Mara froze.
“What?”
“Ask him.”
The call ended.
Mara stood in the center of the room.
May you like
Then she grabbed her coat.
She knew exactly where she was going.
