But somehow, neither option felt remotely possible anymore.
He had watched me bury him.
His mother had held my hand while I cried.
Someone had arranged a funeral.
Someone had put a coffin in the ground.
People had brought food to my apartment and sat beside me while I stared at walls.
Adrian had let all of that happen.
Now he was 20 minutes away from marrying someone else.
I washed the mascara from under my eyes and walked out of the restroom.
My assistant, Kendra, found me near the service hallway.
She frowned when she saw my face.
“What happened?”
“I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything.”
“Stay with the flowers. Don’t let anyone move the arrangements.”
She studied me.
“Meredith, you’re scaring me.”
“I know.”
“Should I call someone to come help us?”
“Not yet.”
I walked toward the ceremony space.
Guests were already taking their seats.
I recognized almost no one.
That hurt more than I expected.
Adrian had built an entire life around whatever he had done, and somehow I had been removed from it completely.
Then I saw Julian.
He was standing near the back row.
For a moment, relief washed all over me.
Julian could explain this.
I crossed the room quickly.
“Julian.”
He turned.
The color drained from his face.
That was all the answer I needed.
“You knew.”
His eyes shifted toward the hallway.
“Meredith, please. This isn’t the place to do…”
“You knew he was alive.”
“Keep your voice down.”
I laughed once.
It sounded ugly.
“I stood beside your family at his funeral.”
Julian rubbed his forehead.
“Please. Let me explain after the ceremony.”
“The ceremony?”
He lowered his voice until it was barely audible.
“It’s complicated.”
