Adela lost face completely. She was fired from the company and slunk back to her hometown not long after.
Kevin lost a deal worth hundreds of thousands because of the scandal. He was let go from his director position.
And under the weight of public condemnation, he knelt before me, apologized, and came home.
After that, he did everything I asked. If I said east, he wouldn't dare go west. Even while he was starting his new company, he took over all the nighttime care for our newborn daughter so I could sleep—shouldering pressure he'd never faced before.
In just one year, despite being busy and exhausted, his new company found its footing and started to thrive. As his status rose, he looked impressive wherever he went.
As if karma had skipped right over him.
Oh, except for a few bad colds early on when he'd worked himself sick.
And this was what he called me driving him to death?
The irony.
I curled my lip. "Kevin, where do you get the nerve to say that?"
"Did you forget you swore you'd never go looking for her again?"
Kevin put his clothes back in the closet, piece by piece, and closed the suitcase.
"Roberta, it's been a while since we visited Julian Finch at the orphanage. Let's go tomorrow."