AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A crossbow hangs on the wall beside the cabinet. I suppress a groan.Like father, like daughter.
The cabinet itself is made of a dark, sturdy hardwood, but the doors are mostly glass. An array of heirloom items populate the shelves. Crystal goblets, a small hand-carved chest, porcelain figurines, and some framed black-and-white photos.
The fury I walked in with begins to subside as I realize what I’m looking at: my family’s lost treasures. I haven’t seen old photos in any of the other parts of the house, so I’m surprised, and admittedly excited, to find these.
“These were all taken here?” I ask.
“I believe so. I told Chastity she could redecorate every room in the house except this one. I like to maintain a bit of vintage charm.”
There are photos spanning all the way back to the early twentieth century, judging by the clothes and the dates written on some of the photos. I pause on a faded photo of four women in white dresses sitting in what’s now the living room, and another featuring a group of dusty men working in the fields.
I smile at a more recent picture of Edward shaking hands with my grandpa.
“When was this one taken?” I ask, pointing.
“That was taken the day the estate sale went through.”
And that explains why my grandpa looks so happy; he’d just become a very rich man. However, as excited as my grandpa must’ve been about the money, I know he had reservations about selling my grandmother’s childhood home. He would’ve preferred to have held onto it forever, if possible.
“Grandpa told me you approached him about buying the property,” I say. “How’d you find out about this place?”
“A gentleman came to me and asked if I would assist him in acquiring the property. He provided the funds, with the understanding that I would develop the estate into a profitable business venture.”
“Some random guy just gave you a boatload of money to open a winery?”
“He did. Though, I’ve assumed full ownership over the years.”
“Who was he?”
“That’s the thing about silent partners,” Edward says. “They prefer to remain anonymous.”
“Fine. Keep your wine-soaked secrets.” I bring my face closer to the glass so I can study a particularly nice set of hand-carved smoking pipes.
“I’m hoping to make them your secrets someday,” he says. “When you join the family business.”
I suddenly remember why I stormed all the way up here.
Straightening, I turn from the cabinet to face him.
“Edward, I can tell you’re trying to make me feel at home, but I don’t feel welcome here. And more than that, I don’t feel safe.”
He sighs. “I am sorry about Lilliana. She can be petulant.”
“It’s not just Lilliana. It’s Chastity and Christopher—"
“What did my son do?” His gaze narrows. I shift uncomfortably. “Did something happen that I need to know about?”
I want to crawl out of my skin just thinking about what Christopher did to me. “He came into my room last night and warned me not to get comfortable. Which he then punctuated by pissing all over my bed.”
Edward runs a hand over his face. “Please allow me to apologize on behalf of my children. They are afraid of losing my favor.”
“It’s not a competition.”
“Life is a competition, Mariah.”
“But you’re making it worse by pitting us all against each other.” I fold my arms across my chest. “Look, I just think it would be better if I went home.”
“No, Mariah.” He takes my hand. “That would make me very unhappy. Now, I am so, so sorry. What Christopher did was revolting. I will talk to him, and Lilliana.”
