Chapter 1 - THE DECISION MY WIFE MADE WHILE I WAS GONE
“Your wife has requested temporary sole legal and physical custody of the twins, Mr. Knox.”
The attorney's words struck harder than any financial loss I'd ever suffered.
I gripped my phone.
“What?”
“Claire has also filed for divorce. Given the children's medical needs and the circumstances surrounding their birth, she's requesting that parenting time be arranged through counsel until the court establishes an appropriate schedule.”
I stared at the two hospital bracelets.
Ethan Knox.
Eva Knox.
My children.
Born while I was sleeping beside another woman.
“Where are they?”
“They're safe.”
“Where, damn it?”
“Mr. Knox, raising your voice won't change the situation.”
I closed my eyes.
For eleven years, people had answered my questions immediately.
Employees.
Lawyers.
Investors.
Politicians.
Now a stranger was telling me no.
And for the first time in my adult life, I had absolutely no leverage.
“I want to see my children.”
“Then I suggest you begin by respecting their mother's requests.”
The call ended.
I stood in the nursery until sunlight crept across the carpet.
The walls were pale blue.
Claire had spent months choosing every detail.
Two rocking chairs.
A painted wooden moon above the window.
Little clouds hanging from the ceiling.
I remembered her standing in the doorway six weeks earlier, one hand resting on her enormous belly.
“Adrian, do you think they'll like it?”
I'd barely looked up from my phone.
“It's beautiful, sweetheart.”
She had smiled.
I'd forgotten that smile until now.
My assistant, Daniel Brooks, appeared behind me.
“Sir?”
I turned.
He looked exhausted.
“You knew she was leaving?”
His expression tightened.
“I knew she was frightened.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Daniel stared at me.
“I did.”
My jaw clenched.
“When?”
“Eight times.”
Silence.
He continued.
“At 1:06 a.m., I told you Claire was in labor. At 2:11, I told you the doctors were concerned. At 3:19, I informed you both babies had arrived. At 3:42, I told you Eva was receiving respiratory support.”
I couldn't breathe.
“Why didn't you keep calling?”
Daniel's voice changed.
“Because at 4:07, you told me that if I interrupted you again, I'd be unemployed.”
The memory returned.
Sienna sleeping beside me.
My phone vibrating.
My own irritated voice.
Handle it, Daniel.
I sank into the rocking chair.
“Oh, God.”
Daniel placed a folder on the nursery table.
“Claire left this.”
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph of my daughter inside a hospital bassinet.
A small tube rested beneath her nose.
Her tiny fingers curled beside her cheek.
My throat closed.
“She was that sick?”
Daniel nodded.
“For several hours, the doctors were concerned.”
I stared at the photograph until my vision blurred.
Then I noticed another document.
A letter from Claire.
Adrian, I didn't leave because you made one mistake.
I left because you made the same choice over and over, and eventually our children became part of the price.
I kept reading.
I have protected something from you for four months.
My heart began pounding.
Not because I wanted revenge. Because I needed to know whether you could still recognize the truth when it was standing in front of you.
Below those words was a photograph.
Sienna Vale.
Standing outside my company's headquarters.
Beside a man I hadn't seen in twelve years.
My former business partner.
Marcus Sterling.
The man who had nearly destroyed Knox Dynamics.
May you like
And beneath the photograph, Claire had written:
“Your mistress wasn't interested in your money, Adrian. She was hired to get close enough to destroy you.”
