Seven Years As His Wife… Until My Own Son Called Me A Homewrecker Chapter 04

Seven Years As His Wife… Until My Own Son Called Me A Homewrecker Chapter 04

My ears rang. I clutched Adrian’s wrist. “It wasn’t me.”

“Then who was it?” Vanessa moved closer, triumph hiding beneath her sneer. “Only the delivery driver and the two of us touched that. Are you accusing Adrian? Or are you saying I did it to myself?”

The challenge in her eyes made the truth obvious. She had tampered with it herself.

But knowing the truth did not matter if Adrian had already chosen whom to believe.

I forced a bitter smile through the pain in my jaw. “Check the hotel cameras. With the Blackwood family’s resources, finding out what happened should be easy, unless you don’t want the truth. Unless blaming me is the whole point.”

Adrian held my gaze. Silence tightened around us.

Then Vanessa screamed.

“You believe her over me? You think I put adhesive in it and tried to hurt myself?” She grabbed Adrian’s shirt, her eyes wild. “You love her that much? She almost killed me, and you’re still taking her side?”

Adrian panicked the instant she began spiraling. He pulled her into his arms.

“Of course not. You’re the one who matters to me.”

“Prove it.” Vanessa turned to the guards. “Bring it in.”

They rolled an enormous drum of industrial adhesive into the room. It was nearly as tall as I was.

Vanessa pointed at it. “Make her pay. Put her inside.”

I stared at her. “Are you insane? That could kill…”

Adrian lifted one hand before I could finish.

The guards covered my mouth and dragged me toward the drum. As I passed him, I caught his pant leg with both hands.

“Adrian, please. I’ll die.”

He never looked down. He only held Vanessa closer and murmured, “Calm down. Getting upset is bad for you. Whatever you want, I’ll do it.”

The last of my strength left me.

The guards lifted me and dropped me into the adhesive. The thick liquid closed over me, pinning my limbs as my lungs began to burn.

Memories flashed through my mind, scattered and bright, before darkness swallowed everything.

When I woke, I was in a hospital. Removing the adhesive had left raw tears all over my skin, and even the slightest movement brought blinding pain.

My throat was dry. I had just managed to reach a cup when a large hand knocked it to the floor.

“You’re out of your mind, Mia.”

Adrian threw our marriage certificate at me. One sharp corner cut my forehead.

“You knew Vanessa couldn’t cope with the idea that you and I were married. Why would you send this to her? Were you trying to drive her over the edge?”

The certificate fell open on the floor, revealing the photo from our wedding day. I looked impossibly happy.

For years, I had believed that if I stayed beside Adrian long enough, he would eventually love me. I finally understood that no amount of devotion could force love from someone who did not want to give it.

I would always come after Vanessa.

I picked up the certificate and tore it in half.

“It never meant anything to you anyway. Tell her it was fake if that makes things easier.”

For the first time, Adrian had no answer.