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With a huff, Elaina folded her arms and stomped her foot like a petulant child. “But he respected you. He talked to you, shared things with you. Don’t think I didn’t know about your clandestine hang outs with him when mom thought you were in bed. He always thought you were so smart and so much like him. He just gave me everything I wanted because he saw me as some shallow airhead he wanted out of his hair.”
Abby cleared her throat and averted her gaze. If that was what their father truly thought of Elaina, it was only because that was the way she’d behaved. Abby desperately wanted to tell her that, but she restrained herself.
“You weren’t there to hear him brag to everyone who would listen about his beloved, intelligent Abby who was off to university in Europe,” Elaina said. “You were off to see the world, learn new things, have great adventures.” She deepened her voice mockingly. “That’s my Abby. Brilliant and thirsty for knowledge just like her old man.” Elaina threw her arms up in disgust. “You were always his favorite. You and Wyatt. I never could understand how he and Wyatt had butted heads almost every day yet he loved that little asshole more than he ever did me. I was nothing in his eyes.”
Stunned, all Abby could do was gawk at her sister. So, that was why Elaina made it her life’s mission to make her little sister’s life hell. Jealousy. Jealousy that was completely unfounded. Their father adored Elaina. They simply didn’t have much in common. Of course, Caleb would gravitate to whomever he could share things with. “If you really believe that, Elaina, then you really are as dense as you think Daddy thought you were.”
With a growl, Elaina balled her fist and swung. Ducking and throwing her arms up in defense, Abby squealed. “Don’t do it Elaina. Your show of incivility in public is not becoming of an Aldridge. That’s what mom would say.” The blow never came, and Abby let out a breath and straightened.
Elaina let out a humorless laugh. “Oh shut up you damn idiot. She’s not even your mother.” The second the words left her lips, she sucked in a breath. Elaina’s eyes widened, and she backed away. “Crap, that wasn’t supposed to come out.”
In a world of confusion, Abby stared at her sister blankly. After a few seconds, she laughed. “What, are you throwing out something that you think will hurt me? If so, try again. Six days out of seven, I feel like I’m not Celeste’s child.” When Elaina’s eyes began darting to every direction but at her sister, Abby’s senses were dialed to eleven. “That’s your guilty face. You rarely feel guilty about anything, but I know that face. You had that same face when you made out with that boy you knew I had a crush on.”
“Oh, get over it. He was too old for you anyway. Uh, you know what? Forget everything that was said here. I’m going.” Making a break for it, Elaina teetered on her stilettos in the direction of her car.
Abby reached out and grabbed her arm before she got too far. “Oh no you don’t. What’s going on. What do you mean, mom isn’t my...mother?”
“Abby …”
Abby tightened her grip. “What did you mean?” She knew there was something more to Elaina’s words than a mere attempt to hurt her feelings. The guilt and concern in Elaina’s eyes worried her. Concern and Elaina didn’t go hand in hand.
“Ouch! Alright, let go, no need to get so rough.”
“You threw punches at me, you were acting like a crazy person,” Abby said. “You got rough first. Quit messing around. Tell me what you meant.”
“Celeste isn’t your mother,” Elaina said, rubbing the arm that Abby released.
Blinking and attempting to process, Abby frowned. “If you’re going to try and tell me some bullshit that I’m adopted, don’t bother. I look just like Daddy and Wyatt. I even have some resemblance to you.”
“Of course, you do.” With a long sigh, Elaina turned to Abby. For the first time, sympathy gleamed in her eyes. “What the hell ... I’m so tired of keeping mom’s secrets, she’s been such a bitch to me lately so I’m going to return the favor. You and Wyatt are my half-siblings, Abby. Celeste isn’t your biological mother.”
There was a long pause as Abby scowled at her sister. “This is a new low for you. You ran out of insults, so you attack my parentage? And to bring Wyatt into this is uncalled for.” Elaina remained quiet with her gaze averted, which was even more cause for concern. Oh my god. Could Elaina be telling the truth? But how was that possible? Celeste was the only mother she’d known since birth.
“I’m sorry, Abby. You annoy me to no end, but I’m sorry it came out like this.” Elaina shrugged. “Maybe it’s time you knew the truth anyway.”
***
It was the fastest Abby had ever driven. More than a few traffic rules had been broken as she careened through the streets. Tires screeching, she turned into the circular driveway of her childhood home. She was vaguely aware of jumping out of her car with the engine still running, but her mind was in too much turmoil to go back and check. She found Celeste in her husband’s study, rummaging through documents and in the middle of a heated phone conversation.
“There has to be something, Henry. You were Caleb’s lawyer for years. Surely, you know about some money stashed somewhere.” Celeste fell silent, apparently listening keenly to what the lawyer had to say. Her lips tightened into a thin line. “Abigail? How the hell did he manage to hide that from me for so long?” Cold gray eyes pinned Abby in the doorway. “Speak of the devil. I’ll call you back, Henry.” She rounded the desk. “Abigail, I just learned some fascinating news about you.”
Tentatively, Abby stepped further into the room. “That’s funny. I just learned some fascinating news about you too.”
“Have a seat, dear.” Celeste gestured to the leather sofa that had brought Abby comfort for so many years.
The saccharine tone sent a shiver down Abby’s spine. Clearly Celeste was up to something. “I’ll stand,” Abby said. In the event that she had to make a run for it. Her mother—who might not actually be her real parent—could be vicious.
Celeste’s jaws clenched, and her blonde brows dipped. “I’ve come to the understanding that your father left you some money. A trust that you’ve had access to for the last five years. Now, why wouldn’t you tell me about something like that, Abigail?”
Abby sighed. Damn Henry. The rat bastard discovered the paper trail. Shoulders squared, Abby met Celeste head on. “It seems we all have our secrets don’t we, Celeste? I’m an adult. What my father left for me is none of your business.”
“We’ve been struggling, and you’ve been sitting on money. Selfish girl. If I don’t pay a certain amount of money to the bank, we’ll lose the house. Since you’ve failed to get me what I need to force Damian Coldwell’s hand, it’s only right that you hand over whatever funds you’ve been hiding.”
In the midst of her fury and hurt, amusement bloomed in the part of her brain that used humor as a coping mechanism. Abby’s laugh spilled out and danced around the room. “You are a piece of work you know that Celeste? First of al,l you’re losing the house. If you recall, I moved out of this place years ago.” Her eyes swept her father’s office where she often returned for solace, and sadness filled her. She’d miss the single room and the memories it held but she’d have to let it go. “The money that was left for me won’t cover the cost of this place, and even if it could, I wouldn’t simply hand it over to you. I’ve decided that most of that money is going to Wyatt anyway. I bet you haven’t thought about how he was going to finish school or even survive. And the only selfish one here is you. That’s why your own husband chose to leave me that money because he was aware that you think of nobody but yourself.”
Abby stood her ground when Celeste rushed forward in a swirl of wrath. “How dare you talk to me like that? I’m your …”
“My mother? But, is that a fact, Celeste? The fascinating news that I just learned is that you never birthed me or Wyatt.” She tapped her chin. “I’m quickly starting to realize that it’s not such a bad thing. You’ve never behaved like a mother to either of us, anyway.”
