“He called me the afternoon he died,” Adrian whispered. “I didn’t answer. I told

myself I’d speak to him when he stopped being angry.” The detective waited quietly

while he gathered himself.

“He wanted someone to help,” Adrian continued. “And I was so afraid of another

family argument that I made him face it alone.” His eyes remained fixed on the

darkened screen.

Evelyn joined him afterward. She did not tell him the past was harmless or that

regret would disappear. She sat beside him and let him speak about the brother he

missed.

“Nathan used to make me race him down the pier,” Adrian remembered. “He always let

me win at the end. I thought I was faster for years.”

Evelyn rested her head against his shoulder. “He loved you,” she said. “We can

make sure the things he fought for don’t vanish with him.” Adrian held that

promise carefully.

Two weeks after the wedding, prosecutors announced additional charges relating to

the trust funds and Nathan’s death. Both Celeste and Grant remained entitled to

defend themselves through the legal process.

The family began preparing for a long investigation and an even longer court

battle. Hannah received assistance with the trust claims, while independent

auditors documented the families harmed by the development scheme.

One afternoon, Lily asked whether she could see Nathan’s photograph without a

newspaper headline beneath it. Adrian found a picture of his brother laughing

beside a bright red sailboat.

Lily touched the glass frame. “He wasn’t always scared, was he?” Hannah answered,

“No, sweetheart. He was funny, stubborn, and he loved you more than anything.”

For the first time since the yacht, Lily asked if they could visit a playground.

Her mother laughed through tears and promised they would go as soon as the

protection team approved the outing.

That evening, Evelyn felt a tightening across her abdomen that did not fade when

she changed position. A second one followed, and she reached for Adrian’s hand as

concern moved across her face.

They called the maternity team immediately. The nurse asked about the timing and

brought a monitor while Adrian stood close, careful not to let his fear become

another weight for Evelyn.

“It’s too early,” Evelyn whispered. Her baby was still weeks away from the date

circled on their calendar. Adrian touched her forehead, his own expression pale

with worry.

A physician examined her and ordered further monitoring. Outside the room, the

corridor carried the ordinary sounds of hospital life, but inside, their hard-won

sense of safety had suddenly become uncertain again.

Chapter 9 – THE SMALLEST HEARTBEAT