Chapter 12 - THE WOMAN WHO DIDN'T NEED SAVING
Adrian offered to buy me a house.
I refused.
He offered to pay for a new car.
I refused that too.
Then he asked whether I would consider returning to laboratory work.
That made me pause.
I had loved science.
Before the triplets.
Before the bills.
Before life became a series of emergencies.
“I don't know,” I admitted.
He looked at me.
“Why not?”
“Because I've been away too long.”
He shook his head.
“You're still brilliant.”
I laughed.
“You haven't seen me work in nine years.”
“No.”
He smiled.
“But I remember the woman who corrected her professor's calculations in front of an entire class.”
I blushed.
“That was one time.”
He laughed.
“Three times.”
I smiled.
Then grew serious.
“Adrian, I don't want to depend on you.”
His expression softened.
“I know.”
“I need my own life.”
He nodded.
“Then build it.”
I looked at him.
“And the boys?”
“We'll raise them together.”
I swallowed.
He continued.
“Not because you need rescuing.”
His voice softened.
May you like
“But because they deserve both of us.”
For the first time, I considered that accepting help did not mean surrendering independence.
