Chapter 10 - The Day Ryan Learned What He Lost
Ryan left Emily’s office without speaking.
He walked four blocks through downtown Chicago before realizing it was raining.
He had no coat.
No umbrella.
He did not care.
Adrian had known.
Five years ago.
Adrian had known Emily was pregnant.
He had known Ryan might become a father.
And he had deliberately hidden it.
Ryan stopped beneath an awning.
His phone shook in his hand.
He wanted to call Adrian.
Wanted to scream.
Wanted to destroy him.
Instead, he called David.
“Freeze Adrian’s internal access.”
David went silent.
“Sir?”
“Do it quietly.”
“On what grounds?”
“Cybersecurity review.”
David understood.
“And his financial authority?”
“Leave it.”
“Why?”
Ryan looked out at the rain.
“Because if he realizes we know, he’ll run.”
Ryan returned to Emily’s house that evening.
She almost did not let him in.
“You’re soaked.”
“I walked.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t know where else to go.”
Emily stared at him.
Five years earlier, those words would have broken every defense she had.
Now they only hurt.
Ryan sat in the kitchen.
The boys were upstairs.
He placed the maternity file on the table.
“He knew.”
Emily nodded.
Ryan’s eyes were red.
“He knew I had children.”
“He knew I was pregnant.”
“That’s worse.”
Emily frowned.
Ryan looked at her.
“Because if he had known about the boys later, maybe he could pretend he didn’t understand what he was stealing.”
“But he saw your letter.”
“He knew there was a child.”
Ryan’s voice cracked.
“And he decided I shouldn’t know.”
Emily sat across from him.
“You also decided not to hear me.”
Ryan nodded immediately.
“Yes.”
The answer surprised her.
He continued.
“Adrian manipulated me.”
“But I gave him the weapon.”
“I believed screenshots instead of my wife.”
“I let pride make a permanent decision.”
Emily looked down.
Ryan whispered.
“I’m not going to blame everything on him.”
For the first time, something inside her shifted.
Not forgiveness.
Not yet.
Respect.
A small amount.
Upstairs, footsteps thundered.
Ethan appeared.
“Mom!”
He stopped when he saw Ryan.
“Oh.”
Ryan straightened.
Ethan looked at his wet shirt.
“Why are you wet?”
“I made a bad decision.”
Ethan considered this.
“Mom says everybody does that.”
Emily looked at her son.
Ryan almost laughed.
Ethan continued.
“But if you make the same bad decision twice, then it’s a choice.”
Emily had said that after Lucas repeatedly drew on the wall.
Ryan looked at her.
Then back at Ethan.
“Your mom is very smart.”
“I know.”
Ethan disappeared upstairs.
Ryan smiled sadly.
“He’s incredible.”
“They all are.”
“I missed everything.”
Emily’s voice softened.
“You missed the beginning.”
Ryan looked at her.
“That’s not the same as everything.”
For the first time, Ryan allowed himself to believe there might still be something left to save.
Then Emily’s phone rang.
Her company’s security director was calling.
She answered.
May you like
His first words wiped every trace of hope from the room.
“Emily, someone just broke into your laboratory.”
