13. Bella #2
“I was,” Adrian insists. “From the moment I saw you running down that street in your wedding dress, bleeding and crying and still so beautiful it hurt to look at you. I knew then that you were special. I knew I had to have you in my life, one way or another.”
“So you offered me a job,” I say.
“So I offered you a job,” Adrian confirms. “Because I couldn’t just let you walk away. I had to find a reason to keep you close.”
“And the revenge plot?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.
“Was real,” Adrian admits. “I did want to take Marcus down. He deserved it for what he did to you, and for what he did to David Reed and all the other people he hurt. But somewhere along the way, the revenge stopped mattering. You started mattering. You became the only thing that mattered.”
I squeeze his hand, my throat tight with emotion. “I’m glad you found me that day.”
“So am I,” Adrian says softly. “So am I.”
A few days later, I meet Sarah for coffee while Adrian watches Sophia. It’s the first time I’ve been out alone since Sophia was born, and it feels strange and liberating at the same time.
“So,” Sarah says, stirring sugar into her latte, “how’s married life?”
“Amazing,” I say honestly. “Adrian is incredible. He’s so hands-on with Sophia, so supportive of me. I couldn’t ask for a better partner.”
“I’m so happy for you,” Sarah says, and I can see that she means it. “You deserve this, Bella. After everything you went through with Marcus, you deserve to be happy.”
I think about Marcus, locked away in prison. I haven’t thought about him much lately - he’s become a distant memory, a shadow from my past that no longer has any power over me.
“Have you heard anything about him?” Sarah asks, as if reading my mind.
“No,” I say. “And I don’t want to. That chapter of my life is closed. I’ve moved on.”
“Good,” Sarah says firmly. “He doesn’t deserve any space in your head.”
“He doesn’t,” I agree. “The only people who deserve space in my head are Adrian and Sophia. They’re my family now. They’re my future.”
Sarah smiles. “I love that for you. I really do.”
That night, after Sophia is asleep and Adrian and I are getting ready for bed, I find myself thinking about the past year.
So much has changed. A year ago, I was standing at the altar, about to marry a man who didn’t love me. A man who was cheating on me with my own sister. A man who turned out to be a criminal.
Now, I’m married to a man who loves me more than anything. A man who would do anything to protect me. A man who gave me a beautiful daughter and a life beyond my wildest dreams.
“What are you thinking about?” Adrian asks, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Just how much has changed,” I say, leaning back against him. “How different my life is now compared to a year ago.”
“Better?” Adrian asks, kissing my neck.
“So much better,” I say, turning in his arms to face him. “I never knew I could be this happy. I never knew life could be this good.”
“It’s only going to get better,” Adrian promises, cupping my face in his hands. “Every day with you is better than the last. Every day, I fall more in love with you.”
“I love you,” I whisper, standing on my toes to kiss him.
“I love you too,” Adrian murmurs against my lips. “More than anything in this world.”
The weeks turn into months, and Sophia continues to grow and develop. She starts sleeping through the night, which is a blessing. She starts cooing and babbling, making adorable sounds that melt my heart. She starts reaching for toys, her little hands grasping at everything within reach.
And through it all, Adrian is there. He’s there for every milestone, every moment, every memory. He’s a devoted father, a loving husband, a true partner in every sense of the word.
One evening, I’m giving Sophia a bath while Adrian watches from the doorway, a soft smile on his face.
“What?” I ask, noticing his expression.
“Nothing,” Adrian says. “I’m just… happy. Watching you with her. Seeing how much you love her. It makes me happy.”
“She’s easy to love,” I say, lifting Sophia out of the bath and wrapping her in a fluffy towel. “She’s perfect.”
“She is,” Adrian agrees, coming over to help me dry her off. “Just like her mother.”
I roll my eyes, but I’m smiling. “You’re biased.”
“Absolutely,” Adrian says, kissing my temple. “But that doesn’t make it any less true.”
A few weeks later, we have a small dinner party at our penthouse. Sarah and her boyfriend James are there, along with a few of Adrian’s business associates and their spouses.
It’s the first time we’ve entertained since Sophia was born, and I’m a little nervous. But Adrian assures me that everything will be fine, and he’s right.
The evening is lovely. The food is delicious, the conversation is engaging, and everyone is charmed by Sophia, who is on her best behavior.
“She’s beautiful,” one of the wives says, holding Sophia gently. “You two make beautiful babies.”
I glance at Adrian, who’s watching me with a look of pure love, and I feel my heart swell.
“Thank you,” I say. “We think so too.”
Later that night, after everyone has left and Sophia is asleep, Adrian and I are cleaning up the kitchen together.
“That went well,” I say, loading dishes into the dishwasher.
“It did,” Adrian agrees, wiping down the counter. “Everyone loved you. And Sophia.”
“They were very kind,” I say.
Adrian stops what he’s doing and turns to face me. “Bella, they weren’t just being kind. They genuinely liked you. You’re charming and intelligent and warm. People are drawn to you.”
I feel my cheeks heat. “You’re making me blush.”
“Good,” Adrian says, pulling me into his arms. “I like making you blush.”
He kisses me then, slow and deep, and I melt into him. Even after all this time, his kisses still make my knees weak.
“Bedroom?” Adrian murmurs against my lips.
“Bedroom,” I agree breathlessly.
The next morning, I wake to the sound of Sophia crying. I glance at the clock - 6:30 a.m. Right on schedule.
I start to get up, but Adrian’s hand on my arm stops me.
“I’ll get her,” he says, his voice rough with sleep. “You sleep.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, even though I’m already sinking back into the pillows.
“Positive,” Adrian says, kissing my forehead. “I’ve got this one. Rest while you can.”
I watch him go, my heart full of love. He’s such a good father. Such a good man.
I drift back to sleep, and when I wake again an hour later, I find Adrian in the nursery, sitting in the rocking chair with Sophia asleep on his chest.
“Hey,” I whisper, not wanting to wake her.
“Hey,” Adrian whispers back, smiling. “She fell asleep about twenty minutes ago. I didn’t want to put her down yet.”
I walk over and perch on the arm of the chair, looking down at our daughter. She’s so peaceful, so content, her tiny hand curled against Adrian’s chest.
“She loves you,” I say softly.
“I love her,” Adrian says, his voice thick with emotion. “I love both of you. More than anything.”
“We love you too,” I say, leaning down to kiss him.
As the months pass, I find myself thinking less and less about the past. The wedding disaster, Marcus’s betrayal, the trial - it all feels like it happened to someone else. Like it was a different life, a different version of me.
The woman I am now is stronger. Happier. More confident.
I’m a wife. A mother. A successful businesswoman. A partner to an incredible man.
I’m everything I never knew I could be.
One afternoon, I’m at the office working on the Nexus acquisition when Adrian comes in and closes the door behind him.
“We need to talk,” he says, and there’s something in his tone that makes my heart skip.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, immediately worried.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Adrian says quickly, coming around the desk to take my hands. “I just… I have something I want to discuss with you.”
“Okay,” I say slowly. “What is it?”
Adrian takes a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking about the future. About our future. And I want to make some changes.”
“What kind of changes?” I ask, my mind racing.
“I want to step back from the day-to-day operations of Sterling Industries,” Adrian says. “I want to spend more time with you and Sophia. I want to be there for all the moments - the first words, the first steps, all of it. I don’t want to miss anything.”
I stare at him, surprised. “But… Sterling Industries is your life. You built it from nothing.”
“It was my life,” Adrian corrects. “But now you and Sophia are my life. The company is just a company. It’s not worth missing out on time with my family.”
I feel tears prick my eyes. “Adrian…”
“I’m not saying I’m going to retire completely,” Adrian continues. “I’ll still be involved in major decisions, still oversee the big acquisitions. But I want to promote someone to CEO - someone who can handle the day-to-day while I focus on what really matters.”
“And what really matters?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.
“You,” Adrian says simply. “You and Sophia. Our family. That’s what matters.”
I throw my arms around him, holding him tight. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” Adrian murmurs into my hair. “And I want to make sure I’m showing you that every single day.”
True to his word, Adrian starts the process of transitioning to a less active role at Sterling Industries. He promotes Darren Reed - David’s older brother, who has been with the company for years - to CEO, and he accepts gratefully.
“I won’t let you down,” Darren promises during the announcement meeting.
“I know you won’t,” Adrian says, shaking his hand. “You’re the best person for the job.”
I watch the exchange with pride. Adrian is making the right choice. He’s choosing family over work, love over ambition. He’s choosing us.
And I’ve never loved him more.
With Adrian working less, we have more time together as a family. We take Sophia to the zoo, to the aquarium, to the children’s museum. We have picnics in the park and lazy Sunday mornings in bed. We cook dinner together and watch movies and just enjoy being together.
It’s simple. It’s ordinary. It’s perfect.