Page 239 of Vexatious Queen

We stepped into his office, and he closed the door. Even this room hadn’t changed, except for the pictures on the walls.

“God, I remember the first time I was in here. It’s like strolling through all these old memories being here. I feel all sentimental,” I said, taking a sip of the very expensive brandy. I swirled the glass and looked at the dark shade of amber. “Wow, this is good.”

“Should be, I spent a fortune on it,” Paul said, unbuttoning his suit jacket before sitting and leaning back in his chair. It was the most he ever relaxed. “And you should feel special. I haven’t even offered Eddie a glass. Mind you, the last time he was here, I was pretty pissed at him.”

“It’s our secret,” I said, and took a deep breath. “How are you, Paul? All these years you’ve helped me and looked after my family, and I never get to ask about you.”

He shrugged. “Not much to tell.”

“Do you ever regret it? Taking on the school, the responsibility, being keeper of secrets?”

He removed his glasses and set them on his desk.

“All the time,” he said, his voice sad, and I hated that for him.

I loved him like a best friend, and he’d been there for Eddie and me over and over again throughout the years. I so hoped that he would say he was married or at least happy.

“You still haven’t met Mrs. Right? Do you not go out? Date? I’m sure I can find you fifty ladies who would snap you up. Just say the word, and I’ll make it happen.”

Paul chuckled and shook his head.

“No, it’s not in the cards for me. But I do feel fulfilled, and I have to say it’s been really great having Eddie around. Family meals have never been so much fun.”

“I heard about Thanksgiving,” I said with a laugh. But it wasn’t all that funny. “And now here I am making a scene at Eddie’s birthday. I really fucked up. I’ve chased Vadin around the world and back, and I still let my emotions get the better of me.”

“You and Eddie are too much alike. Did he tell you what happened here?”

I nodded and groaned.

“So, you both made the same mistake when he was served on a silver platter, not once, but twice.”

“Oh sure, rub it in.” I leaned forward and put my arms on the desk. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“Putting you in the position to have to lie to my daughter. I now realize that wasn’t fair, and she will have a hard time trusting you again. That is my fault, and I hate that I did that to you and her,” I said.

“Yuli…this life is not an easy one, and it is filled with choices every day that affect an outcome we never see coming. We turn left at a stop sign and avoid a fatal collision at the next set of lights. We didn’t know it could have been our last day on earth. We all think that we’re in control, but we’re not.”

“You mean the butterfly effect or the Curators?”

He smirked. “Bit of both. The point is that, lie or no lie, my directive remained the same. Protect. I did the best I could and saved Ren from dozens of mishaps she doesn’t even know about, but life…is just life. The only incident I regret, and sadly didn’t see coming, was Axel. So, you see…even me, with all my secrets and knowledge, I make mistakes.”

My nostrils flared as I sat back. When Ella had texted me from the hospital, I almost flew here that night. If it hadn’t been for Ella urging me to continue and swearing to look after Ren, I would’ve.

I trusted her to protect my child so I could dismantle some of the most corrupt and evil organizations that had done nothing but harm innocent people. Three of the men funding my father’s business were child traffickers. Their empires were destroyed, they were tortured and then shot by my hand, and the children were freed.

In my long line of mistakes, those wins had to help balance the scales…at least, I hoped they did.

God, how I missed Ella and our weekly catch-up texts about life and Ren. Just another reason to despise Lawrence Collier.

“I miss Ella,” I suddenly said, my voice cracking.

“We all do,” Paul said, and then he cleared his throat as he might actually let me see him emotional. “If you ever want company to go to her grave, I visit her from time to time and pay my respects.”

Of course, Paul would. He had a heart of gold, and yet no one ever got to see it. He might be the most misunderstood person in this entire place.

“I’d really like that,” I said.