Page 125 of The Contract Marriage

I step further inside, then stop at the bottom of the stairs where Mom fell. My vision blurs for a moment at the old memory of her rolling down the steps, and me watching helplessly from this very spot. The old rage and terror chill my heart, and I clench my teeth as a bone-deep loathing surges through me.

“The master bedroom is up over there—where a man and his wife should be—you can’t miss it. And their daughter’s room is next to it. Don’t worry, she’s an adult, not some poor child.” She was never a poor child, but I add that for the men’s benefit. “Drag them out, but don’t hurt them. Can’t have them claiming injuries. And make sure they don’t take anything. Nothing in this house belongs to them.” I turn to Mrs. Moore and the rest of the household staff that has assembled in the foyer. “If you could act as witnesses, I’d appreciate it.”

They nod, their eyes wide. The men start up the stairs.

I wait. My spine is straight, my eyes unblinking. I want to see those three dragged to the top of the stairs. I want to see them humiliated and reduced to nothing from the very spot I watched them murder Mom.

There’s a commotion, then screams and shouts come from upstairs. I close my eyes briefly, savoring the sounds. Did they think this day would never arrive?

Finally, Hugh, Deena and Brielle appear at the top of the staircase. All three look disheveled. His white polo shirt is wrinkled and his hair messy. Deena isn’t much better with her hair half-falling over her face. She struggles against the men’s hold. I’m surprised her boobs haven’t popped out of her extra-low-cut top. Brielle’s eyes shoot venom at me.

I smile.

“What’s the meaning of this? I’m your father!” Hugh’s loud voice rings out.

“Well, Dad, it’s time you moved out. Didn’t John Highsmith tell you?”

“Is this about Tyler? He didn’t mean to hurt you,” Deena says.

I narrow my eyes. “You sound just like Brielle. Nobody ever means to do anything. Oops, I killed your mom, but I didn’t mean to—”

“I can just divorce him! I was planning to anyway!” Brielle says.

“Exactly!” Hugh nods decisively, trying to project control. “Then he won’t be part of the family. And this won’t be necessary.”

“This isn’t about Tyler, Hugh.” I look at the two women. “Deena. Brielle.”

Hugh frowns in genuine confusion. “Then what?”

“That’s exactly where my mother stood when your mistress and your bastard child showed up and provoked her.”

He flinches. “It was an accident!”

“They provoked her until she fainted.”

Deena shakes her head. “Just bad luck—”

“You knew Mom had high blood pressure. You knew she couldn’t handle stress well, and agitating her wouldn’t be good.”

“I didn’t—”

“I heard you, Deena. You got careless because you thought I was just a helpless child, too scared to do anything but cling to what she had. But guess what? I heard everything you told Hugh.”

She turns white. Hugh stares at me like he’s seeing a vengeful ghoul crawling out of hell.

If only you knew what I really want to do to you…

“And Hugh, you know perfectly well that her death wasn’t accidental. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have cremated her too fast to have an autopsy. It was so quick, you didn’t even let me attend her funeral.”

“You were only ten!” he shouts. “It wasn’t appropriate for you to be there! You didn’t understand the situation, just lashed out! And now you’re making stuff up over what you misheard!”

I grind my teeth. Did he think I’d always be young, powerless and ignorant? That I’d just let go of what they did to Mom? “I checked when I was old enough. Everyone said Mom fainted because her health was fragile, but I always wondered—was that it? Nothing more? Now, we’ll never know, so I won’t speculate too much, but isn’t it reasonable to ask a question or two…? A vibrant young mother, so conveniently provoked by her husband’s mistress and their illegitimate child, just happened to faint and fall…”

Deena shakes. “You… You…!”

“Right here.” I tap the floor. “This is where I stood and watched her tumble down the stairs. And then you”—I look at Deena—“and your daughter decided not to call 911.”

“I didn’t want to get us into trouble with Dad!” Brielle shrieks.