Chapter 8 - The Shadow in the Rain
On the same evening, three hundred miles away in a small, dreary town in upstate New York, rain fell heavily against the glass of a greasy diner window.
Sitting in a corner booth, wearing a faded uniform jacket from an auto supply warehouse, was Adrian.
His hands were dirty, his fingernails chipped, and his skin was pale and worn from ten-hour shifts of manual labor. He lived in a tiny, drafty apartment above a garage, earning just enough money to buy cheap meals and pay his monthly bus fare.
On the small wall-mounted television above the diner counter, the news channel was broadcasting live footage from Lincoln Center.
The news anchor’s voice echoed through the quiet diner: "Vivian Blackwood, Chairwoman of Lioness Capital, today unveiled a five-billion-dollar global initiative to fund pediatric medical research... Her company’s valuation has surpassed twenty billion dollars, making her one of the most powerful corporate leaders in the world..."
On the screen, Vivian was holding her beautiful toddler son, laughing as she was surrounded by world leaders and news reporters. Beside her stood Julian Mercer, gently placing an arm around her waist as she smiled into the cameras.
Adrian stared at the television screen.
A young waitress walked over, setting a cup of lukewarm black coffee on his table. "Hey, Adrian. Your shift starts in twenty minutes. You better finish up."
Adrian didn't hear her. He reached out a trembling, calloused hand toward the screen, his eyes filled with endless, unbearable regret.
He remembered the ballroom at the Whitmore Tower. He remembered the white buttercream cake. He remembered his cold, arrogant smile as he turned away from his pregnant wife, believing she was nothing more than a piece of furniture he could knock out of place.
He had held the world in his hands. He had been given access to an empire, a brilliant wife, and a noble family. And he had traded it all for five seconds of cheap, toxic vanity.
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"Vivian..." Adrian whimpered, a single, hot tear carving a line through the dirt on his cheek. "Vivian... I'm sorry..."
Nobody answered. The rain continued to beat against the dark window, and the television anchor moved on to the next story, erasing his face from the world forever.
