Chapter Eleven

Adrien

Discovering Rosalie's marriage two weeks ago brought a pain ten times more intense than the betrayal I experienced when I found out about Yvette. I regret losing Rosalie to another man because I failed to appreciate her when she was with me, and the blame rests solely on me.

The only mementos I have of my children are the pictures I captured during the first and final time I saw them. Alessandra had dropped her spoon, prompting her request for a new one. As I went to retrieve it, I impulsively snapped several photos of them on my way back to our table, little realizing that it would be our last moment together.

A knock on my office door interrupted my thoughts, prompting me to lift my head. Norman entered with his tablet, prepared to assign more tasks. Despite my recent lethargy post-Cardenia, Norman empathized with my grieving process for the loss of my family and gave me the necessary time to recover.

As Norman transitioned into his efficient personal assistant mode, signali