Chapter 7 - The Brothers Across the Glass
Marcus visited Adrian once before trial.
Khloe told him not to go.
Then changed her mind.
“You need answers?”
“Yes.”
“Just don’t mistake answers for closure.”
Marcus smiled sadly.
“That sounds like David.”
“David is annoyingly wise.”
The jail interview room smelled like disinfectant and old fear.
Adrian appeared behind reinforced glass.
He looked exhausted.
“Congratulations.”
Marcus picked up the phone.
“For what?”
“The baby.”
“Her name is Clara.”
Adrian's face softened.
For one second he looked like Marcus’s little brother again.
The boy who used to climb into Marcus’s bed during thunderstorms.
Then the moment disappeared.
“You ruined my life.”
Marcus almost laughed.
“You drugged my pregnant wife through Isabella.”
“I never told her to push Khloe.”
“You told her to interfere with the pregnancy.”
“I told her to delay the delivery.”
Marcus stared.
“Listen to yourself.”
Adrian looked away.
“You never understood.”
“What?”
“What it’s like being your brother.”
Marcus said nothing.
“Dad listened when you spoke. Boards followed you. Investors respected you.”
“You had every advantage I did.”
“No.”
Adrian’s eyes filled.
“You had the ability to live with consequences.”
Marcus frowned.
Adrian continued.
“When I failed, Mom rescued me.”
For once, he was not blaming her entirely.
He was describing the trap.
“I never learned how to recover because I never had to.”
Marcus sat back.
“So you stole.”
“Yes.”
“You manipulated Isabella.”
“Yes.”
“You endangered Khloe.”
Adrian shut his eyes.
“Yes.”
“And this is because Mom spoiled you?”
“No.”
Marcus waited.
Adrian whispered:
“It explains me.”
Then:
“It doesn’t excuse me.”
Marcus had not expected that.
Neither man spoke.
Finally Adrian asked:
“Does Khloe hate me?”
“Yes.”
A sad smile.
“Fair.”
“Do you?”
Marcus thought.
“Today?”
“Yes.”
Adrian nodded.
“What about tomorrow?”
“I don’t know.”
May you like
That was the only honest answer.
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