Chapter 83

Adrian's POV The bourbon burned as it went down, but not nearly enough to numb the rage that had been consuming me for weeks. I sat, watching her pace the length of the sitting room like a caged predator. The afternoon light streaming through the tall windows cast harsh shadows across her face, emphasizing the lines of fury that had become permanent fixtures since her confrontation with my father. "He threatened me," she said for the third time, her voice tight with disbelief and wounded pride. "My own son threatened to strip me of everything—my home, my allowance, my position in society—all for that little Omega whore." I took another sip of bourbon, savoring both the alcohol and the venom in her voice. Finally, someone who understood. Someone who saw Claire for what she really was—a gold-digging manipulator who had somehow bewitched my father into abandoning everything that mattered. "He's completely lost his mind," I agreed, my words slightly slurred from the drinks I'd consumed bef