Page 14 of Secret Heir For The Billionaire Twin

"A shocking revelation."

"I know. Very exciting."

He smiles.

"I was expecting something much more dramatic."

"I'm afraid my life is disappointingly ordinary."

"I don't believe that for a second."

I shake my head, smiling.

"I spend most weekends with a book, my camera, or wandering somewhere I've never been before."

"You like to travel?" Adrian asks.

"When I can."

"And what do you photograph?"

"People."

His eyebrows lift.

"Not landscapes?"

I shake my head.

"Landscapes are beautiful, but people tell better stories."

"They do," Adrian agrees after a thoughtful pause. "Landscapes are just quieter."

I smile.

"I like that."

"So do I."

For a moment, neither of us says anything. The silence isn't awkward, it's comfortable. Oddly comfortable. I'd expected polished corporate diplomacy, carefully rehearsed talking points, and just enough charm to get through an interview. Instead, I feel like I'm having coffee with someone I've known much longer than twenty minutes. Eventually, Adrian breaks the silence.

"Grace mentioned you insisted on complete editorial independence before accepting the assignment."

"I did," I reply.

"I'm glad."

I study him carefully.

"That isn't the response I expected."

"I imagine it isn't."

He smiles, but there's sincerity behind it now.

"If we're inviting someone into our world, it defeats the purpose if we dictate what they're allowed to see. We asked your magazine because of its credibility. It would be foolish to undermine that before you've even written the first sentence."

There's conviction in his voice.