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“I thought the trust was a conglomerate of agribusinesses that the twins’ mom runs.”
“She is a figurehead only. It is the heads of the families that control the trust, and it is they who decide how to use the money. It has funded presidential campaigns and weapons contracts, and even….senatorial campaigns.”
I look from Momma to Cruz, and can tell by the way his eyes search mine, he’s connecting the dots, just as I am.
“They put Daddy in the US senator seat?” I turn back to Momma.
“Yes,” she confirms. “And…they took it away.”
Her words are like a weight, pressing down on my chest and lungs. “Why?” My eyes fill with tears, realizing what that means.“He was a Butler. His family is one of the founders of this ridiculous society.”
“Because he is a Butler, sweetheart, but you are not.”
The moment she says it the room grows quiet; nothing but the sound of blood whooshing, echoing in my ears. “What did you say?”
“You are a Butler in name,” she says slowly. “But you are a Davenport by birth.”
“That’s not possible,” I shake my head. “Unless your family—”
“His name was Cole Deveraux,” she says numbly, and when she pauses to catch her breath, Cruz’s father reaches for her free hand. “And he was your birth father, Ellery.”
I push back and pull my hand from her grasp; legs of the chair scratching the floor, sending goosebumps pricking my arms.
“We met as children,” she continues, as Antonio slips his hand into the one mine abandoned, “when I summered in Cherry Cove.”
“No.” I shake my head, tears pricking my eyes. “You’re lying.”
She pushes up from the chair and makes her way over to me, cupping my face. “He was my first love, Ellery. And until Antonio, he was my last.”
“But what about Daddy?” I shake my head, which sends tears spilling down my cheeks.
“Your father and I were friends all our lives,” she says with a sad smile. “And it was a given we’d marry. But my heart belonged to someone else and he knew that.”
My ears start to ring and the room grows foggy, as something Cruz said to me that day in Elmhurst comes to mind.Our parents’ secrets are not ours.
“So what happened?” I ask tightly, throat thick with tears.
“Cole died in Vietnam. I was twelve weeks pregnant whenI found out. It all happened so fast. One minute he was being drafted and the next I was learning he was gone.”
She looks down, as if the memory is too heavy even now.
“And Daddy?” My voice falters.
“As I said,” she sniffs and looks up, “we were friends all our lives and when I told him what happened, it was his idea we get married. It was assumed we would, so we did what everyone expected, only, sooner than planned. And when you came along six months later, no one batted an eye because you were so beautiful, Ellery. Everyone adored you, including Reginald. The first moment he held you, you were his princess.”
I close my eyes, hearing my father’s voice booming the way it used to when he came through the door at night—Girls, I’m home? Ellery? Where’s my darlin princess?
Now I understand the legitimacy issue. But not Royce’s obsession with me, or the girls he killed in my name.
“So what happened?” I ignore all the questions coming to mind and focus on the one that can give me the answers I need. “Why did Davenport leave the society?”
“He didn’t. He was kicked out.”
“Why?” I shake my head.
“The same reason Elmhurst was created…greed. Davenport was not married and did not have any children, so the other members saw it as a chance to increase their wealth. And, seeing as Davenport had put all of his holdings in the society as was required by every founding member, the land where Elmhurst is today, as well as Cherry Cove, became part of the society. That is why there is animosity between the two towns to this day. No one knows the real story, because stories die as generations do, but that is the real reason. Money, yes, but with roots that run deeper than anyone knows.”
“But how does any of this apply to me?” I shake my head, not understanding.
