Chapter 16

When Billy got home, there were bags packed by the door, but they weren't Lily's, they were his. She left a note saying that she was going to stay at Devon's for the night and that he should be gone by the time she got home in the morning. She also advised that he take the day off of work tomorrow because she'd have enough fires to put out without dealing with his "man pain". She'd talk to him in a day or two - maybe.

He sighed. When the Newman jet's co-pilot came to him with a recording of the conversation from that night, Billy jumped at the chance to finally hit pay dirt. No one had ever heard his justifications for doing what he did back then, nor Sharon's reasons for taking him back. Despite the public nature of their relationship post-reveal, they kept the details private. Billy had never even considered the fallout it would have on Faith, who was truly innocent in all of this.

He never knew about the bullying or the drinking and that it started after the article he published last fall. Billy foolishly thought that the fact that she was Victor Newman's granddaughter would insulate her from negativity. But he'd been wrong - almost deadly so.

Sharon and Nick were the two people in this town who truly understood his pain over Delia, yet his actions had almost cost them another child. He sank to the couch and buried his head in his hands. He'd never be able to live with himself if this article ended up hurting Faith. Yet he never even considered the impact on her.

When Billy heard the knock on the door, he knew it was Adam. "It's open."

When Adam pushed open the door, he saw Billy sitting alone in the dark in his punch-stained suit. However, instead of ridiculing him, he walked over to the freezer and pulled out an ice pack. After tossing it to him, he said, "Rough night?" in a mocking tone.

"You know it was. You must be happy," Billy said as he raised the ice pack to his eye.

"I kinda am. You deserved it. And to have Sharon deliver the death-knell in your career as a 'journalist' instead of me or dad. Well, that was like icing on the cake."

Adam sat down in the chair next to the couch. He sat back and crossed an ankle over his leg. "Comfy," he murmured. Then, "In your quest to get vengeance on me, you've become me, Billy. You act without considering the collateral damage you cause. Every time you recount one of my many crimes, you retraumatize my victims. And they don't deserve that. So, I'm asking you on behalf of them to please just let it go. Once and for all."

Billy answered honestly. "I don't know if I can." Getting vengeance for his daughter had been such a big part of his life for so long that he really didn't know who he would be without that to focus on.

Adam leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. Hands clasped, he said, "I live with the guilt of what I did to Delia every day and that torments me more than any article you write ever could. You have your vengeance, Billy and you didn't even have to do anything to get it. Don't you see that?"

Adam then sighed before he got up and walked back to the door. "Sharon meant what she said. If you don't take one of the offers to buy you out, she will destroy you. Faith's accident brought back memories of Cassie's death. It wrecked her. She knows she won't survive losing another child, so she isn't going to give you a chance to put her through that ever again." Adam nodded to the note from Lily, "Take the buyout, get help, and move on. Because if you don't, you'll lose everything and you'll have no one to blame but yourself."

Adam walked out the door and closed it softly behind him. Billy was shocked. He expected threats and maybe a beating.

Had Adam really changed after all?

And if Adam could let it all go and move on, did that mean he could, too?