My Love Inappropriate. Her Scandal Take the Blame. Get Lost, Uncle! I Married the Mad Alpha! Chapter 10

My Love Inappropriate. Her Scandal Take the Blame. Get Lost, Uncle! I Married the Mad Alpha! Chapter 10

The study door was suddenly pushed open.

The man who entered wore a black suit. His steps were unsteady, and he looked ready to collapse at any moment, yet he was still forcing himself to remain upright.

The instant I saw his face, I froze.

“You…”

“Don’t call a doctor yet.”

Adrian leaned against the doorframe. His voice was hoarse, but his tone remained calm.

“The infection in my lungs isn’t fully under control, but I’m not about to collapse.”

He was alive.

The memorial portrait, the funeral service, and the death notice had all been part of the lie.

Yet after the first wave of shock, the first question out of my mouth was, “Why does Noah call me Mommy?”

Adrian was silent for a moment.

“When he was three, I showed him a photograph of you. I told him that besides me, there was no one in the world who would protect him more fiercely than you.”

My hand tightened around the letter.

—

“Why would you tell him that?”

“Because it was true.”

His cedar scent was faint, tangled with medication and the metallic smell of blood from his wounds.

“I didn’t want him to believe everyone in the world had abandoned him.”

“So you taught him to think of me as his mother?”

“I know that was unfair to you.”

I stared at him.

“What about the death notice? Your assistant told me you were dead.”

“I ordered him to make the call.”

Adrian did not look away.

“There’s a traitor inside the Carter family. While I was hospitalized, someone planned to use the news that I was critically ill to force the Council to transfer Noah’s guardianship and seize control of the assets in his name. I needed someone who had no part in the Carter family’s internal fight but still had the standing to protect him. You were the only person I could choose.”

I could barely believe him.

“So you faked your death to trick me into coming back?”

“I know it was despicable.”

He took one step toward me, then stopped when his breathing turned

—

labored.

“But if I’d simply asked you to come back, you never would have.”

“Adrian.”

I cut him off.

Less than three steps separated us.

Five years had changed him. He had lost a great deal of weight, his cheekbones were sharper, and fine lines had appeared around his eyes.

Only his gaze remained the same, deep and unreadable, fixed on me exactly as it had been twenty years ago.

“You lied to bring me back. What happens now?”

He was silent for a long time.

“I want to say everything in that letter to you myself. A letter isn’t enough to answer for what I did.”

I looked down at the crumpled paper in my hand and set it back on the desk.

“Do you have any idea how badly I want to hit you right now?”

He froze.

Then, to my surprise, he gave a quiet laugh.

It was nothing like the restrained, polite smiles he used to show me. For the first time, I saw him truly let go of his control.

—

“I do. So hit me.”

—

I stared at him, my hand lifting slightly before I let it fall.

“You’re not worth the energy.”

Adrian’s expression flickered—something like pain, quickly hidden.

“I deserve that.”

“You deserve a lot more than that.”

He nodded slowly. “I know.”

The silence stretched between us, heavy with everything unsaid.

Then I heard small footsteps on the stairs.

Noah appeared in the doorway, his eyes wide.

“Daddy? You’re awake?”

Adrian’s face softened. He crouched down, wincing slightly, and opened his arms.

Noah ran to him and buried his face in his father’s chest.

“I thought you were dead. Everyone said you were dead.”

“I’m here, Noah. I’m not going anywhere.”

I watched them, my chest tight.

Adrian looked up at me over Noah’s head.

“I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. But I’m asking you to stay. Not for me. For him.”

Noah pulled away and looked at me with tear-filled eyes.

“Please stay, Mommy. Please.”

I looked at Adrian. At Noah. At the letter still lying on the desk.

Then I looked at the door, where Damian was standing in the shadows, watching.

He met my eyes and gave a small nod.

Whatever I chose, he would support it.

I turned back to Adrian and Noah.

“I’ll stay,” I said quietly. “For now.”

Noah’s face lit up.

Adrian’s shoulders sagged with relief.

But I wasn’t finished.

“This doesn’t mean I forgive you. Not yet. And it doesn’t mean I’m coming back to you. I’m staying for the boy. That’s all.”

Adrian nodded. “That’s enough.”

Noah tugged my hand. “Can we build a snowman tomorrow? There’s snow in the garden!”

I looked out the window. Sure enough, snow was beginning to fall.

“Tomorrow,” I said. “We’ll build a snowman.”

Noah cheered and ran off to tell the staff.

Adrian and I stood in the study, the snow falling softly outside.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

I didn’t answer.

But I didn’t leave either.