Chapter 6
PATRICK
The house was quiet, unnaturally so, as I stepped inside that night.
It was after midnight, and I had lingered at the office, trying to wrap my head around what had transpired with Sadie, trying to give her time to cool off.
The dim lighting in the foyer cast long shadows against the sleek walls, the modern art Sadie had carefully selected now looking cold and impersonal in the absence of her warm presence.
The stillness pressed in on me, so complete that I could hear the soft hum of the refrigerator from the kitchen, a reminder of the life we were meant to share but was now fractured by my own blindness.
I moved toward the kitchen, my mind racing as I tried to figure out how to approach Sadie.
She had stormed out, leaving behind that small, cold band of gold, the weight of it still pressing into the palm of my memory as though it were still there, a physical reminder of the bond I had carelessly let slip away.
I never imagined she would leave me, or at least threaten to, not over something as seemingly trivial as a PR mix-up.
It didn’t seem like the Sadie I knew, the woman I had fallen in love with, who was rational and pragmatic, even when she was upset.
Something had shifted, a tectonic movement beneath the surface that I hadn’t been perceptive enough to notice until it was too late.
I set my keys on the island counter, the soft clink echoing in the hollow space.
The marble surface, usually warmed by the sunlight streaming through our floor-to-ceiling windows during the day, now felt cold beneath my fingertips as I leaned against it, looking around at the empty rooms that no longer felt like home without her presence filling them.
My eyes landed on the framed photo of us at the aviation museum’s grand opening last year, Sadie’s face glowing with pride beside me, her arms crossed confidently as she stood before the fully restored biplane we had dedicated months to finishing together.
I remembered her laugh that day, the way she had teased me about getting oil on my suit, the softness in her eyes when she looked at me as not just her husband but as someone who saw and valued her passion.
How had I let us drift so far from that moment?
The sound of my phone buzzing in my pocket pulled me from my thoughts.
I checked it absently, half expecting a message from Sadie, but it was only a business update.
Nothing urgent. I sighed, dropping the phone back onto the counter and heading toward our bedroom.
It was just as quiet in there, the sheets on the bed undisturbed, no signs that Sadie had even returned since leaving the office.
My chest tightened as I noticed the empty space on her bedside table where she usually placed her phone before we turned in for the night, another small void in the landscape of our shared life.
She must have gone to a hotel. That was the only logical explanation.
Sadie wasn’t one for dramatic gestures or ultimatums. I was certain this was a momentary lapse, an emotional reaction that would fade once she had space to think it through.
She was a brilliant engineer, after all, driven by logic and reason, not by impulse.
It would pass. She’d be back once she realized how overblown this entire situation had become.
Or so I told myself, trying to quiet the nagging voice in the back of my mind suggesting I might have fatally misunderstood what was happening.
I stood in the center of our bedroom, my hands shoved into my pockets, staring at the rumpled comforter as if the answer to fixing our marriage was hidden somewhere in its folds.
The reality of what had happened was beginning to settle over me like a heavy fog, obscuring the clear path I had always believed we were on together.
I had missed the signs, dismissed the tension between Sadie and Alyssa as nothing more than professional rivalry.
It hadn’t occurred to me that Alyssa’s involvement might be wearing down Sadie’s spirit, making her feel like a shadow in her own company, invisible even though she was the force driving everything forward.
The press release fiasco wasn’t the first time Sadie had voiced her frustrations, but it was the first time she had drawn such a definitive line, the first time I had seen real fear and hurt in her eyes.
The worst of it was that I had defended Alyssa’s actions, tried to smooth things over by calling it a misunderstanding.
But in Sadie’s eyes, I had betrayed her.
I had taken Alyssa’s side, and in doing so, I had diminished everything Sadie had accomplished.
That realization stung more than I had expected.
I pulled out my phone again, intending to text Sadie, to explain myself, to apologize for being so blind.
But I couldn’t find the right words. Anything I said would likely sound like an excuse, a hollow attempt to justify what could not be justified.
She needed time. And I needed to figure out how to fix the damage I had caused.
I lay awake that night, staring at the ceiling, my mind cycling through the same thoughts over and over.
How had I let things get so out of hand?
When had I stopped really listening to Sadie?
My phone buzzed again at one point, this time with a message from Alyssa, asking if I had heard from Sadie and expressing concern.
I ignored it, my irritation flaring at the sight of her name on my screen.
She had her hand in this, whether she realized it or not, and I wasn’t ready to engage with her attempts to smooth over what I had started to suspect was been a calculated move.
When morning came, I dragged myself out of bed and brewed coffee in the silence that still permeated the house.
I wasn’t used to this emptiness. Sadie had always been an early riser, up before me most days, already deep in thought about whatever project she was working on.
Her absence in our morning routine felt jarring, like a key part of our shared world had been removed.
I tried to tell myself she would come back.
She was too invested in Holbrook to stay away long, wasn’t she?
Surely she’d realize I hadn’t meant to hurt her, that I’d just been caught up in the logistics of the press release, trying to keep things running smoothly. This was just a bump in the road.
By the time I sat down in my office at work, I had convinced myself I could make this right. I’d call Sadie, explain everything, and maybe, if she was willing to hear me out, I’d do whatever it took to get things back on track. I wasn’t ready for this to be the end of us. Not by a long shot.
The morning passed in a blur of meetings, most of them focused on the Eco-Turbine launch, which was set to be our company’s biggest milestone.
But through all of it, I couldn’t focus.
I kept reaching for my phone, expecting Sadie to contact me, to at least give me the chance to make things right.
She was a planner, methodical in how she handled everything.
Surely, she would see that running away wasn’t the solution.
My thumb hovered over her contact name more times than I could count, but I couldn’t bring myself to send the message.
What would I say? How would I begin to repair the trust I had broken?
“Mr. Holbrook,” my assistant said over the intercom. “Ms. Fletcher is here to see you. She brought lunch and coffee.” That was Alyssa. The last person I wanted to see today.
“I’m not in the mood, Sharon,” I responded, rubbing my temples, the beginning of a headache threatening to cloud my thoughts. “I need space today.”
“She says it’s urgent,” Sharon added, her tone suggesting she was caught between wanting to please her boss and her reluctance to intrude on my obvious distress.
With a deep breath, I pressed the intercom button again. “Send her in, then.”
A few moments later, Alyssa stepped into the room, a bag from a high-end coffee shop in her hand and that same effortless smile on her face that had once impressed me but now set me on edge.
“I thought you might need some caffeine,” she said lightly, placing the bag on my desk as though nothing was amiss.
“I didn’t ask for coffee, Alyssa,” I replied, trying to keep my voice even. I could already feel the tension coiling in my chest. Her timing was terrible. But then again, I supposed that was how she operated.
Her smile faltered for a second, replaced with a look of mild concern. “You didn’t respond to my text earlier. I wanted to check in.”
I stared at her, trying to read her intent, but her expression was a careful mask of innocence. I didn’t trust it. Not after yesterday. “Alyssa, I think you’ve done enough. Sadie’s not speaking to me. She left last night.”
Alyssa sat down in the chair across from me, crossing her legs as though she belonged there.
She wasn’t rattled by the news, which only added to my frustration.
“I had a feeling this might happen.” Her voice was soft but laced with something that made my blood pressure spike.
“She’s always been prone to overreacting when she feels overlooked.
This isn’t the first time she’s been upset with me over nothing. ”
“Nothing?” I repeated, my anger bubbling under the surface. “You completely erased her from the Eco-Turbine launch, Alyssa. That wasn’t a minor oversight.”
“I know,” she said quickly, her hands lifting in a placating gesture. “And I’ve apologized. But this is about more than that press release. You must see that. She’s been feeling threatened for months now, convinced I’m out to take her place. I’m not. You know I admire her work.”
“Was there an apology?” I asked, as much to myself as to Alyssa. I couldn’t remember her apologizing for anything last night, and I wasn’t in the mood to let her rewrite history to suit her narrative.
She blinked, clearly surprised by the question, then gave me that same practiced look of sincerity. “Of course. I told her I’d make it right, that it was just a mistake. But I don’t think she was in a state to hear it, Patrick. She’s so emotional. She takes everything personally.”
I stood up, unable to sit still any longer.
My hands were clenched into fists at my sides.
The calm I had attempted to maintain all morning was cracking, and I wasn’t sure I could keep it together much longer.
Alyssa had a way of turning everything around to make herself the victim or the hero, but never the person who caused harm.
And I had allowed it. I had let her shape the narrative for too long.
“Don’t make excuses,” I said sharply, pacing behind my desk. “This isn’t about Sadie being emotional. It’s about you overstepping in a way that made her feel invisible. I don’t want to hear another justification for your actions right now.”
Alyssa’s smile finally slipped, her eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re taking this too personally. Sadie will come around. She always does. I’ll smooth things over with her if you need me to. Just tell me what to do.”
I shook my head, unable to believe what I was hearing.
“I don’t want you to smooth anything over.
I don’t need you to fix this. I need you to back off, Alyssa.
” I stopped pacing, leveling my gaze at her, making it clear this wasn’t negotiable.
“I’m rethinking your involvement in the Eco-Turbine launch.
Sadie’s name needs to be front and center, where it belongs.
Your role needs to be adjusted, whether you like it or not. ”
A flicker of irritation crossed her face, but she covered it quickly, standing and smoothing her skirt as though that could smooth away her displeasure.
“I understand. But I hope you’re not making a mistake by sidelining me.
The investors were impressed with my handling of the media. I thought you appreciated that.”
I swallowed hard, my frustration mounting.
“I appreciate many things about your work, but not at the cost of my wife’s well-being.
” My voice was firm, brooking no further argument.
“This isn’t a discussion. I’ll make sure your name is properly credited in the right places, but Sadie needs to lead the next phase of this launch.
I won’t have her pushed out of something that’s rightfully hers. ”
Alyssa’s jaw tightened, but she kept her composure, nodding as if she were considering my words.
“Fine. I’ll adjust my role.” There was a clipped edge to her voice now, no longer the smooth, cooing tone she usually adopted.
“But Patrick, be careful. I’m only trying to help you.
You and the company. Don’t blame me when Sadie becomes even more emotionally unstable because you’re enabling her to behave this way. ”
“Get out,” I said coldly, my patience completely evaporating.
She stared at me for a moment, as though weighing whether or not to press further, but ultimately decided against it.
She grabbed her purse, her movements tense and controlled.
Before she left, she turned to me, her eyes glinting with something dangerous.
“I hope she realizes how much you’ve sacrificed for her.
Because if she doesn’t, you’re wasting your time. ”
I didn’t respond. I watched as she walked out, the door clicking shut behind her, leaving me alone in my office once again, more furious than ever.
Alyssa had always been manipulative, but this was a new low.
To suggest Sadie was the problem after everything that had happened was beyond infuriating.
And it terrified me that I had fallen for her games, even if only for a moment.
My phone vibrated on my desk, drawing my attention away from my mounting anger. It was a message from Sadie.
Don’t call me. I’ll be back when I’m ready. Until then, don’t make this worse.
I stared at her words, my stomach tightening.
This was far from over, and for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t sure how to fix it.
All I knew was that I had to try, no matter how impossible it seemed.
Because the thought of losing Sadie over this, of watching her walk away from me for good, was a reality I couldn’t bear to face.
I sank back into my chair, staring out at the Seattle skyline, and for the first time, the future didn’t seem as clear as it once had.
It felt murky, clouded by my own mistakes, and I was terrified that if I didn’t figure out how to navigate this, I might lose the one person who mattered most to me.