Lily didn’t return to the mansion.
Not immediately.
Adrian took her to the smaller lake house her mother had loved.
No parties.
No staff except one housekeeper Lily trusted.
No burgundy dress appearing at the end of a hallway.
The first night, Lily slept for eleven hours.
The second night, she woke at three in the morning and checked every lock.
Adrian pretended not to notice.
On the fourth day, he placed a small velvet box on the breakfast table.
Lily stared at it.
“What’s that?”
“Open it.”
She did.
The silver chain lay inside.
The pale-blue stone caught the morning light.
Lily stopped moving.
“They found it?”
“The pool technician did.”
She reached toward it.
Then stopped before touching it.
Adrian sat across from her.
“I’m sorry.”
Lily kept staring at the necklace.
“For losing it?”
“No.”
She finally looked at him.
“For making you think you had to prove everything before I would listen.”
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Adrian continued.
“You told me.”
“Yes.”
“I dismissed you.”
“Yes.”
“I trusted the explanation that was easier for me.”
Lily’s eyes filled.
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“I don’t have an excuse for that.”
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“You always said she was trying.”
“I know.”
“You said I needed to meet her halfway.”
“I know.”
“There was no halfway.”
Adrian lowered his eyes.
“No.”
Lily wiped her face angrily.
“I thought maybe I was the problem.”
He looked up.
“What?”
“She kept saying I was difficult.”
“Lily—”
“And you kept believing her.”
He had nothing to defend himself with.
So he didn’t.
After a moment, Lily said:
“I started writing things down.”
“When?”
“Months ago.”
“Why?”
“Because sometimes after she talked to me, I couldn’t tell if what I remembered had actually happened.”
Adrian felt sick.
Lily looked away.
“That sounds stupid.”
“No.”
“It does.”
“It doesn’t.”
He leaned forward.
“That is exactly why people do what Vivian did. She didn’t need you to forget. She only needed you to doubt yourself.”
Lily stared at him.
For once, he had said the right thing.
Not enough to repair everything.
But enough for that moment.
She picked up the necklace.
Adrian watched her fasten it around her neck.
The pale-blue stone settled against her skin.
Exactly where it used to be.
Lily touched it once.
Then asked:
“What happens now?”
“With Vivian?”
“With everything.”
Adrian thought about the company.
The investigation.
The house.
Their family.
“I don’t know.”
Lily gave him a small look.
“You don’t know?”
“No.”
“Wow.”
“What?”
“I think that’s the first time you’ve admitted that.”
A laugh escaped him.
Tiny.
Unexpected.
Lily almost smiled.
It was the first normal sound either of them had made in days.
Adrian reached across the table.
He didn’t take her hand.
He simply left his there.
After a few seconds—
Lily placed hers over it.
