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“I’ll see you at the house.”
“Should I let your mother know to expect us?”
“No.”
“Mother!” My shout ricochets off the ceiling of Wilde House’s vaulted ceiling foyer. I fling the door closed behind me and it slams so hard that one of the geometric shaped plates of glass cracks.
“Remi, wait.” Rachel comes rushing out of the sitting room on the right. She is panting, her eyes wide with panic, and her arms stretched out ahead of her reaching for me.
“Wait for what?”
I walk right past her on my way to the stairs. All I can think about is getting up to my mother’s office and making her tell me the truth.
She grabs my arm to still me as I start to stride past her. “Before I tell you where she is, I need to tell you something.”
I pull my arm out of her grasp and narrow my eyes at her. “What do you mean, tell me where she is? Where would she be but in her office?”
“I’ve worked for you since you a were boy. But—your mother has always been my employer. I did the job she paid me to do. But I want you to know that as much as I could, I have given you my loyalty.”
My blood runs cold. “What do you mean, as much as you could? What did she pay you to do?”
She squeezes her eyes shut and pulls in a deep breath but doesn’t say anything.
“Never mind. I’ll make her tell me herself.” I step around her and start toward the door.
“I assume, that somehow, you’ve learned the truth about your father.” The frayed edge of panic that accompanies her explosive statement stops me dead in my tracks. I turn around slowly and look at her as if I’m seeing her for the first time. Her dark, unruly hair is caught in its normal haphazard bun. Her face is lightly made up, per usual. She’s wearing one of her trademark muted gray skirt suits. Everything looks the same, but it’s not. Not even a little…
“So, it’s true?”
Her expression is stoic, and she squares her shoulders. “It is true.”
My knees threaten to buckle. “And you’ve known?”
“I have helped your family keep the secret. It’s what I was paid to do. That, among other things.”
“Where is she?” I ask her. She squeezes her eyes shut like a child who’s trying to avoid looking at something scary. Her fists are clenched at her sides and her body is rigid with tension.
“I will be tendering my resignation. I believe it’s best that all of this has come to light. I know you’ll never trust me again, and I don’t blame you. I did as your mother asked because I needed my job. But, I do deeply regret that fact. I’ve known you since you were a little boy and I’ve loved you like—”
“Rachel, I’m not in the mood for a sentimental moment right now. Right now? I need to talk to my mother. Where the fuck is she?” I grit out my demand.
She gulps and steps back. “She is currently in her office attempting to shred documents.”
“You told her I was coming?” I ask, unable to believe the level of betrayal. I’ve trusted this woman with everything.
“No. But when I requested these from Legal, they did. But, I have this.” She holds up a black electrical cord in the air like she’s holding a trophy.
“She can’t shred anything. I just wanted the chance to tell you the truth before I left. I’ll go now. I am so sorry.”
Her eyes are sorrowful as she turns to walk away.
I let her go. And even though her betrayal hurts, there’s nothing I can do about it right now. My only priority is finding my mother and getting answers.
I walk upstairs, slowly. With each step, I prepare for what lies ahead.
My entire life upended in just one hour. And now, I’m walking toward a room where my mother is attempting to destroy evidence of what I’ve just learned.
Our relationship is already nonexistent. I keep her far away from anything that’s important to me.
