Page 103 of Only Fate

“I do,” Paula finally says with a gentle smile. “I started the program.”

“And …” My voice is hoarse. “The case … the man from Blue Beech. Is his name Earl?”

Paula’s gaze shifts to Adrian, who’s not saying a word.

He slowly lowers his head, turning it, and looks at me. “If you’d let me explain.”

I sit there, but he doesn’t mutter a word.

No one does.

At first, it’s hard for me to move.

It’s like I’m frozen to this chair.

“Explain,” I whisper.

He doesn’t.

I hurriedly stand.

Adrian does the same.

Valeria looks from person to person at the table, forehead wrinkling in confusion.

He knew.

Adrian sat in my kitchen and listened to me relive my hell. He watched me dig into my chest, break myself apart, and tell him about my scars. All the while, he’d already known my story. I mean, damn, he could’ve at least stopped me and said he already knew it.

He definitely should’ve told me his mother worked at the PEP and was working for Earl.

“What’s going on?” Valeria asks, her gaze bouncing to each of us at the table.

“Earl is in prison for a crime committed against Essie,” Terrance finally explains.

And that’s when I politely thank Valeria for dinner and race out of the house.

Tears are in my eyes before I even make it out the front door.

34

As I walk down Valeria’s drive, I tug my phone from my pocket.

I trusted him.

“Essie,” Adrian calls out to my back.

My hand shakes when I hold my phone to my face to unlock it. I walk faster down the driveway and send a voice message to River, asking him to pick me up.

“Let me explain,” Adrian shouts, chasing me.

“Stay away from me,” I yell over my shoulder. “Please tell everyone I had a family emergency and had to leave. River is picking me up.”

Adrian jogs until he’s in front of me. He walks backward, facing me while I make my way down the sidewalk.

I shake my head, tears burning in my eyes. “How long did you know about Earl and my car accident before I told you? You even visited him in prison. That man ruined my life, scarred me, and now, you’re helping him?”

Adrian continues walking backward. “I looked over his case and met with himonce. All before?—”

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