"Come home. Focus on your breakthrough to Apex Realm and accept that you're not suited for this kind of work. I'll send someone else... someone who will do the job better than you."
The call had ended minutes ago.
But his father's voice still echoed in Adrian's ears like a knife tearing his heart apart, each word a fresh cut that refused to stop bleeding.
Adrian could handle disappointment. Could handle anger. Could handle being called pathetic, a failure, a waste of the Blackwell name.
But this... the thought of someone else being sent to Catherine... this he couldn't handle.
The image formed unbidden in his mind: another operative, someone "better suited" for this kind of work, arriving at Thornhaven Manor, sliding into the spot Adrian had carved out for himself, using closeness to charm Catherine... seducing her with an ease Adrian had failed to achieve.
Touching her. Making her laugh. Earning those rare moments of genuine warmth she showed so sparingly.
