Chapter 3

Adrian's heart sank as a whirlwind of memories flooded his mind, each one sharpening the edges of a painful realization. The moments he had dismissed as unfortunate coincidences or his own bad luck began to align with unsettling clarity. Every downfall, every scandal, and every carefully orchestrated situation where he was left defenseless now seemed connected by one glaring thread, that was Anita.

He remembered the night he was caught in the hotel room with Mr. Jake’s wife, the scandal that had shattered his relationship with his father and tarnished his name beyond repair. Anita had insisted on leaving that evening for a “girls’ night out,” her sudden departure seeming harmless at the time. She had even consoled him afterward, swearing she believed his innocence. Now, in hindsight, her absence during every critical moment felt calculated, like pieces of a sinister puzzle falling into place.

The dinner with his father, Mr. Williams, where an important associate stormed out after a misunderstanding Adrian couldn’t explain. Anita had been present that night too, conveniently excusing herself moments before the outburst began. And the whispers among his friends, the betrayal of those closest to him, all these moments bore Anita’s fingerprints. The woman he had trusted, loved, and envisioned a future with had been playing a role, skillfully weaving his ruin into the fabric of their relationship.

It wasn’t just Benson’s schemes, Adrian realized. Benson had the ambition and malice, but Anita had provided the access. She had been his eyes and ears, feeding Benson the ammunition needed to destroy him from the inside out. Adrian felt a lump rise in his throat, not just from the betrayal, but from his own blindness. How could he have missed it? He had been so blinded by love, so consumed by his trust in Anita, she even agreed with him on everything when he talked about their future together,how shameless was she?

Adrian stumbled back, leaning against a streetlamp for support. His mind replayed the scene of the car driving past, Anita’s smirk, Benson’s victorious grin. It wasn’t just a mockery of his current state, it was their way of declaring their triumph. They had taken everything from him, his family’s trust, his wealth, his dignity. And worse, they had left him doubting his own judgment.

But the more he thought about it, the more anger burned in his chest, pushing past the pain. He wasn’t just the victim of their games, he had also been a passive player, allowing himself to be manipulated. Adrian clenched his fists, the raw resolve from earlier reigniting. They had simply pushed him to a point where he had nothing left to lose.

Adrian’s legs gave out as he reached the edge of a quiet thicket on the outskirts of town. The weight of betrayal, heartbreak, and exhaustion bore down on him, making every step feel heavier than the last. His face throbbed from the bruises left by the earlier beating, and his mind swirled with the painful realization of Anita and Benson’s conspiracy.

He hadn’t even noticed how late it had gotten or how far he had wandered. The streets were empty, the dim glow of streetlights flickering in the distance, and the air had grown cold. For the first time in his life, Adrian Williams had no roof over his head, no warm bed to retreat to, and no one to turn to. The reality of his situation struck him hard, but he pushed it aside, driven by sheer survival instinct.

Finding a small clearing beneath the low-hanging branches of a tree, Adrian lowered himself onto the ground, his back resting against the rough bark. The grass was damp, and the cool night breeze sent shivers through his battered body, but he didn’t care. This patch of earth would be his refuge for the night.

As he lay there, staring up at the faint slivers of moonlight breaking through the canopy above, memories of his once-lavish life came rushing back. The mansions, the parties, the privileges, all of it seemed like a distant dream now, a life that belonged to someone else entirely. He thought about his father’s disappointment, the scorn of his so-called friends, and the betrayal of the woman he had loved with all his heart.

But more than anything, Adrian thought about Grace. Her simple kindness stood in stark contrast to the cruelty he had faced that day. She had treated him like a human being when no one else would, and now her warmth felt like the only beacon of hope in his otherwise desolate world. He fell asleep with Grace on his mind and a smile on his battered face.

The early morning sun filtered through the sparse branches, casting soft golden rays on Adrian's lifeless figure beneath the tree. Grace, on her way to work, clutched her jacket tightly against the morning chill. Her eyes caught sight of the figure lying under the tree, motionless and lonely. It wasn’t common for someone to sleep out in the open like this, and curiosity tugged at her as she stepped closer.

As she approached, recognition hit her like a gust of wind. It was Adrian. His usually proud posture was now replaced by a crumpled and defeated form. His clothes were disheveled, his face bruised, and a faint layer of dew clung to his skin. Grace felt a pang of sadness pierce her chest. This was the same man she had seen sitting in the corner of the diner, lost and broken, but even then, she hadn’t imagined he had nowhere to go.

“Adrian?” she called softly, kneeling beside him. He didn’t stir. She reached out, hesitating for a moment, then gently tapped him on the shoulder.

Startled, Adrian jolted awake, his body tense, as if bracing for another attack. His eyes darted around before settling on Grace's kind face. For a moment, he stared at her in disbelief, as though she were a mirage conjured up by his mind.

"Grace?" he croaked, his voice hoarse and dry.

She smiled at him warmly, her face full of concern. “It’s me. What are you doing out here? Did you spend the whole night under this tree?”

Adrian rubbed his eyes, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. She was the last person he had thought about before exhaustion had claimed him the previous night. Now, here she was, standing before him like a guardian angel.

“I had nowhere else to go.”

Grace’s heart sank at the vulnerability in his voice. The man before her, once the epitome of confidence and privilege, was now reduced to sleeping under trees and enduring humiliation after humiliation. “Adrian, you should have come to me,” she said gently, kneeling beside him.

He shook his head, his voice bitter. “I’ve caused enough trouble for everyone. I didn’t want to burden you.”

Grace frowned, her voice firm but kind. “You’re not a burden, Adrian. No one deserves to be left like this, no matter what’s happened. Come on, get up.”

Grace gave him a bottle of water which he drunk and used the rest to wash his face.

Am getting late for work Grace gave him her jacket and phone number, "call me later in the evening," she said before leaving hurriedly.