Chapter 7
I watched him carefully.
“Which one?”
He frowned.
“What?”
“Which mistake, Adrian? Sleeping with Vanessa? Lying to me? Spending our savings? Bringing your family here to throw me out? Or pretending the house belonged to you?”
He lowered his head.
“All of it.”
I waited.
Then he whispered, “Can you forgive me?”
I took a deep breath.
“I hope someday I can let go of the anger. For my own sake.”
His face brightened.
“But forgiveness doesn't mean reconciliation.”
His expression fell.
“Maria—”
“No.”
He gripped the bars of the gate.
“Vanessa and I are having problems. My mother keeps interfering. Everyone is arguing. I don't even recognize my life anymore.”
I looked at him.
“That's unfortunate.”
He stared at me.
“That's all you have to say?”
I nodded.
“You made your choices, Adrian. I am not responsible for making them comfortable.”
Then he said something I hadn't expected.
“Sometimes I wish I'd never met her.”
For a moment, I felt sorry for Vanessa.
She was pregnant, frightened, and discovering that the man she'd trusted had lied to both of us.
She was responsible for her part in the betrayal.
But the child hadn't chosen any of it.
I looked Adrian straight in the eyes.
“Then stop wishing and start becoming the kind of father your child deserves.”
He had no answer.
I went inside.
And for the first time, I didn't cry after seeing him.
Three months later, Vanessa contacted me.
I almost deleted her message.
But it was different from the others.
Maria, I know I have no right to ask for your time. I just want to apologize.
I stared at the words.
Then I agreed to meet her at a café near my office.
She arrived wearing a simple maternity dress.
No diamond bracelet.
No expensive handbag.
She looked younger than I remembered.
And terribly tired.
When she sat down, she avoided my eyes.
“I was wrong,” she said.
I remained silent.
“I knew Adrian was married. He told me you were unhappy together and only staying with him because of the house.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“The house he told you belonged to him?”
She nodded miserably.
“I believed him.”
“That doesn't excuse what you did.”
“I know.”
Her voice cracked.
“I thought if I had his baby, everything would become a real family. I thought his parents would accept me, and we'd be happy.”