Chapter 207: New Adrian

"I’m so sorry this is happening, Tess," Naomi said softly. "Really sorry."

Tessa leaned against her again.

Naomi held her.

There wasn’t much else to do.

She couldn’t fix this, couldn’t make Jordan faithful or erase the humiliation Tessa felt.

All Naomi could do was stay.

She decided to remain at the apartment for the rest of the day. She worked for a while from her phone, going through Chef Bennett order requests, replying to inquiries and trying not to make it obvious that she was watching Tessa every few minutes.

Tessa eventually showered.

At some point, Naomi sent Dorian a text telling him where she was and explaining what had happened.

The hours passed slowly.

Tessa cried less. She didn’t look better, exactly, but at least the shock had softened enough for her to speak without breaking every few sentences.

Naomi stayed until it was almost time for Dorian to leave work.

About thirty minutes before he was due to close, she finally gathered her things.

"You call me if you need anything." Naomi hugged her tightly. "I’ll check in tomorrow." She drove straight to Heathcliffe & Associates.

By the time she pulled into the parking area, she had managed to calm herself somewhat.

Tessa was still heavy on her mind.

Naomi hated seeing her friend like that, and she hated even more that there was very little she could do beyond simply being there. She parked, grabbed her bag and got out of the Range Rover.

That was when she saw Camille.

Camille was coming out of the building, adjusting her blouse with one hand and smoothing her hair with the other.

Naomi groaned mentally. She did not have the energy.

Normally, she might have braced herself for some smug little comment or another round of Camille behaving like she owned shares in Dorian’s life.

But she was not interested in entertaining Camille’s delusion. So she decided not to acknowledge Camille’s existence.

Naomi kept walking.

Camille looked straight at her and smiled smugly.

Naomi saw it and refused to react. She would not give her the satisfaction.

They passed each other and then Naomi smelled Dorian’s cologne.

Her step faltered for one beat. She knew that scent.

It was on his clothes, on their sheets, sometimes on her own skin. It was familiar enough that she could have recognised it anywhere.

And Camille smelled like it.

Naomi kept walking.

Still, discomfort settled low in her stomach.

Naomi pushed it aside and headed into the building.

The receptionist looked up when she entered and immediately smiled as she waved her through.

Naomi returned the smile and kept moving.

Things had changed around here. Now that everyone knew exactly who she was, people treated her differently.

There was more respect now.

She stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the partners’ floor.

Mara was sitting at her desk outside Dorian’s office when Naomi exited the elevators.

The woman looked up, saw Naomi approaching and immediately stood.

"Mrs Heathcliffe..."

Naomi smiled. "Hi, you must be the new Adrian."

"Yes, ma’am. Mr Heathcliffe is expecting you."

Naomi nearly smiled wider at that.

Poor woman.

She had no idea what kind of job description she had inherited.

"Thank you." Naomi walked past her and entered Dorian’s office.

He was already on his feet. His bag was open on the desk, and he was packing things away, clearly preparing to leave. He looked up the moment she came in. "Hey, babe." He stepped toward her immediately, reached for her and kissed her lightly on the lips as his hand settled at her waist.

"So how is she?"

Naomi sighed. "She’ll be leaving for Vermont tomorrow. She is a mess."

Dorian sighed as he closed his bag. "So I’m guessing there will be no third chances."

Naomi shrugged, although the heaviness in her expression remained. "I don’t know, honestly. I don’t know why he keeps hurting her this way."

That was the part she couldn’t understand.

Jordan had already nearly lost Tessa once. He had been given another chance, another opportunity to fix what he had broken and prove that whatever had happened before wouldn’t happen again. Yet somehow, he had found his way back to the exact same place.

Naomi couldn’t decide which part made her angrier: the cheating itself or the fact that Sabrina had apparently been proud enough of it to send proof.

"I’m sorry, love. I know how much she means to you."

She allowed herself to lean against him, taking the comfort. Tessa’s marriage wasn’t hers to fix, and Naomi knew that, but watching someone she loved fall apart still hurt.

Dorian pressed another light kiss to her temple before reaching for his bag. "We’ll be taking your car. Ellison will drive mine back to the house."

"Ellison? Ah, the new Adrian."

"Her name is Mara Ellison."

"I know that now."

"She might appreciate being referred to by it."

"I’m sure she’s lovely, but until Adrian returns, everyone is the new Adrian."

Dorian shook his head. "Come on. We have a viewing in a couple of minutes."

"Just one house?"

"Just one, I promise, and then I can take you to dinner."

Naomi started toward the door with him. "Uh... did Camille need something from you?"

"Camille? No." His brows drew together. "I haven’t seen her. Why?"

Naomi studied him.

There was no hesitation in his answer. No strange little pause while he tried to think of something convincing to say.

"Never mind..." she said. "I just assumed..." She shook her head. "Never mind."

"Come on, tell me... what is it?"

"It’s stupid."

"What’s stupid?"

Naomi glanced at him. "I saw her while I was coming in, is all."

They reached the elevators, and Dorian pushed the button.

"She was here?"

Apparently, that was genuinely news to him.

"Maybe she didn’t come to see you."

"Maybe." He didn’t sound particularly interested beyond the mild curiosity of discovering his ex-wife had been wandering around his workplace.

And that was enough for Naomi.

The elevator arrived.

They stepped inside together, and just like that, Camille was forgotten.

Dorian pressed the button for the ground floor. "Will you be home tomorrow?"