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I shake my head. ‘I don’t think so, no.’
I try to rearrange my expression to something akin to Zen, as if I don’t have a care in the world but I must fail miserably because Teddy knits his brow and says, ‘What’s wrong? Is it the idea of being back at Astor?’
I take a deep breath, willing the words to come out unhindered. ‘They know who I am. I’ve had countless messages from them today.’
Surprise flicks across his features. ‘They? Who are they?’
‘The locals in Willow Grove.’
‘What?’
‘How on earth did they find out?’
‘Finn. I found all these notes in the pocket of a jacket he loaned me. They were truly malicious, like he was piecing a story together about me the whole time under the guise of dating me. I’m so hurt by it. I honestly believed we had something really special, and to find out it was all a lie …’ It’s enough to make my toes curl just thinking of it. ‘He told me he used to dream of being an investigative reporter so I guess I’m his ticket to that. He’ll probably go straight to Mogul Media with it.’
Teddy’s face falls. ‘It mightnotbe him.’
‘Come on, Teddy. It was all there in black and white. I’m so bloody heartbroken about leaving Willow Grove like some kind of guilty person. Rushing off without saying any goodbyes. I mean, I knew I’d have to leave probably at any rate, what with Dad being sick, but I wanted to do it the right way.’ I don’t say that Finn has hurt me more than I care to admit. I’m a fool for opening my heart to him. That guard I built up was there for a reason.
‘I’m so sorry, Elodie. I really am. What do the messages say from your Willow Grove friends? Are they out for blood?’
I scrub my face. I’m exhausted right deep down into my bones. ‘They’re all supportive messages, telling me to come back, that it doesn’t matter who I said I was.’
Confusion flashes in his eyes. ‘So, isn’t that a good thing?’
‘Yes but I didn’t want them to find out like that. And what if Finn sells his exposé to Mogul Media, then what? Mother will never let me forget that my first foray into the world ended in disaster.’ There’s a knock and the door swings open.
‘Hey, Mum, Dad.’
Mum wears a look of triumph on her face. Dutiful daughter returned home and ready to work.
‘The ashram did nothing for your complexion,’ Mum says, deadpan.
‘Did you just make a joke?’ If there’s one thing my mum isn’t, it’s a jokester.
‘Trying to.’
I survey my dad, who does look as fit as a fiddle and not a man whose health is deteriorating. Could it be that changing his lifestyle has worked so well? ‘Dad, you look great. When did you get out of hospital?’
‘Yesterday. Honestly, darling, I’m fine. I’m sure one of the doctors has a crush on me and my ECGs are in fact perfectly normal.’
‘Really?’ I arch a brow.
‘Really. Ask your mother.’
‘She does seem to hang around him a lot. I might get her fired.’
‘Another joke?’
‘Sort of. Anyway, we’re just so thrilled you’re home and you’ve got that little library project out of your system. Now the real work begins. We’re all set to announce you as the head of Astor—’
I hold up my palm to stop her. ‘Not going to happen, Mum. You’ve known for years that Astor wasn’t my passion and yet you wouldn’t listen. I became a robotic version of me, working from morning to night, and when I shared with you my desire to leave, to have my own life, you shut me down as if what I wanted for my own life didn’t matter. You’restilldoing it.’
She appraises me regally, like a cat would. ‘I see that we’ve pushed you too far,Ellie. I didn’t realise how punishing your schedule was until I started doing it. And I promise we’ll change that. Teddy can take over a lot of that.’
‘What do you see when you look at me?’ I ask, just like we asked at the People Library.
My mother blusters. ‘What do you mean? I see the face of Astor! I see a bright, young woman with the world at her feet. A female CEO who’ll take the company to new heights.’
