Ms. Escape: Marrying to Run, Fighting to Rise Novel

He looked worn out , drained , almost hollow . There was a quiet weight to the way he stood in the doorway , leaning against the frame . It was already getting dark , and the room lights were still off . Adriana stood there barefoot , frozen in place as she looked at him - his outline dimly lit in the shadows . His tie was already loosened , and he tugged at it again , his eyes rimmed with red .

She felt her heart ache just looking at him and rushed over , wrapping her arms around him . " Where did you go ... ? I had a nightmare ... " she whispered . She'd dreamed that their marriage had fallen apart , that she'd lost him . " Don't be scared . I'm here , " Curtis murmured , pulling her tightly into his arms . Adriana smelled blood on him - faint , but sharp - and strong alcohol . Panicked , she turned on the light . There were bloodstains on his white dress shirt .

She frantically ran her hands over him , trying to find where he was hurt , until she saw the deep red marks on his palm , from where he'd dug into his own skin . " You went back to the Lincoln Estate , didn't you ? " she asked softly , already hurrying to grab the first aid kit . Curtis didn't answer . He just sat there in silence , watching her . After she finished cleaning and bandaging his wound , she looked up at him . " Denton came to Harborton , didn't he ? " Still , Curtis said nothing . Instead , he reached out and gently pulled her into his lap , holding her close . " Adriana ...

" His voice was hoarse . He reeked of alcohol , he must've had a lot to drink . Adriana wrapped her arms around him and held him even tighter . " I'm here ," she whispered . " I only have you ... " The words came out in a rough , broken voice , barely more than a whisper as he buried his face into the crook of her neck . Adriana's eyes welled with tears . This time , Harold had truly broken Curtis's heart . " But ... I couldn't even protect you ... What broke Curtis wasn't what had happened to him .

It was the pain of realizing that , after all these years of scheming and planning , thinking he was in control , he still hadn't been able to keep Adriana from getting hurt . No one knew how happy he had been when they found out about their first baby . No one knew just how much hope he'd held for their future . He'd thought it wouldn't be long before he could give Adriana a complete home . 2/3 10:27 Mon , Jan 12 RD He'd told himself he'd be a good father .

Even if he had no idea how to be one , even if no one had ever taught him , he'd been trying - watching videos , reading books - just to understand what a good dad looked like . But that child ... he hadn't protected them . He had failed . As a son , he was never wanted in this world . As a father , he hadn't been able to save the fragile . little life that could've changed everything . " Curtis , thank you for showing up in my life . Because of you , I crawled out of a place I didn't think I'd survive .

If you hadn't come along , I don't know if I'd still be here ." Adriana leaned her head on his shoulder , her voice soft but full of emotion . " I only have you , too ... They were each other's salvation . Always had been . " 1 That same night , Curtis got a call . Denton had refused to be formally accepted into the Lincoln family , and instead , he'd gone back to Haldoria . Alone . He hadn't told Juliet or Michael . Just left . Harold had already sent people to Haldoria to bring him back . It was obvious that he wasn't giving up on pulling Denton into the Lincolns .

Curtis sighed and rubbed his temples , but said nothing . He hung up without a word . Adriana was asleep , resting peacefully in his arms . Curtis looked down at her , then gently kissed her forehead . He wasn't fighting for power . Not really . But if he didn't fight ... he wouldn't be able to give Adriana the safe , stable life she deserved . There were vultures circling - wolves watching - just waiting for the day he abandoned Adriana , or the day he fell from grace and could no longer protect her . 。 274 AdminJ