stopped deceiving myself.
The next morning, Cashan found me dressed in the same black silk, with my hair pinned neatly at the nape of my neck.
“You do not have to look like someone else to face them,” he said.
“I know.” I slipped my glasses into my handbag.
“This is not someone else.”
We arrived at the Cross estate shortly after noon.
The mansion rose behind iron gates and winter-bare trees, its pale stone facade severe beneath the gray sky.
Several cars already lined the circular drive.
Adrian’s silver coupe stood near the entrance.
Through the tall front windows, I saw Serena beside him.
She wore cream silk and my mother’s pearl earrings.
Cashan noticed where I was looking.
“Do you want them returned?”
“Yes,” I said.
“But not yet.”
A housekeeper opened the door.
Conversation from the drawing room faded as Cashan and I entered together.
Adrian stood near the fireplace with one hand around Serena’s waist.
His grandmother, Evelyn Cross, sat upright in a high-backed chair.
The family attorney occupied the sofa beside her.
Three senior relatives, Adrian’s parents, and two company executives filled the rest of the room.
Serena’s smile collapsed first.
Adrian’s hand dropped from her waist.
“Leona,” Evelyn said, relief passing over her face.
“There you are.”
Serena recovered quickly.
She moved closer to Adrian and touched his sleeve.
“I’m afraid this may be uncomfortable,” she said in a voice polished for an audience.
“Adrian was just explaining that your engagement has not been working for some time.”
I placed my handbag on a side table.
“Was he?”
Adrian stepped forward.
“We should speak privately.”
“You preferred an audience last night.”
The room became very still.
A flicker of panic crossed his face.
“I don’t know what you think you heard.”
“I heard you tell your friends that Serena could provide a detailed review of your abilities.”
One of the executives looked down.
Adrian’s mother closed her eyes.
Serena lifted her chin.
“You cannot blame us for falling in love.”
Adrian turned toward her sharply.
It was the first visible crack between them.
“Love?” I asked.
Serena mistook my calm for defeat.
“He was miserable with you.
Everyone could see it.
You hid behind those ridiculous clothes and expected him to spend his life pretending you were enough.”
Evelyn’s cane struck the floor once.
“That will be enough,” she said.
But Serena had waited too long for this moment to surrender it.
“Adrian chose me,” she continued.
“He is introducing me because he wants a real partner, not a frightened little shadow selected by an old family promise.”
Adrian reached for her arm.
“Serena, stop talking.”
She pulled away.
“Why? You said your grandmother would understand once she saw us together.”
The family attorney opened the document case beside him.
Adrian went pale.
Cashan walked to the center table and set down the black folder.
“What is that?” Adrian asked.
“Your expense history,” Cashan said.
“Among other things.”
He distributed copies of the hotel receipts to Evelyn and the attorney.
The executives leaned forward as dates, account codes, and authorization numbers were read aloud.
Adrian denied everything at first.
He claimed his assistant had booked the rooms for clients.
He said Serena had attended business dinners.
He accused the investigator of manipulating photographs.
Then
