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I throw my arms out. “Stop!” I can’t hear anymore.
Her words suffocate me, stifling my brain and cutting off my oxygen. I can’t breathe!
She’s my mother?
Aunt Willa?
“I wanted to tell you, but after your father died—”
“Oh-ho.” I glare down at her. The initial shock ebbs, and my anger takes over. “Let’s call him what he was, my uncle! He was my uncle! You let me believe he was my father. You let me believe my mother was dead! You should’ve told me!”
“I couldn’t. You were so angry when you came to live with me. I couldn’t burden you with more to bear.”
“It wasn’t your burden to bear either. You should’ve told me the truth! All this time, I thought you were dead! I thought I was alone!”
Tears threaten my eyes as I shake all over.
She lied to me for all these years. I needed a mother. A parent. And she was right here all along, hiding behind her betrayal. She gave me away. Cast me aside.
“You’ve never been alone! I’ve always been here for you. You’ve always been in my heart, Harper. I love you.”
“No!” I shake off her proclamation of love. “I never even met you! Not until I came to live with you. You never visited your brother or me.”
“I came once when you were very young, but it was too hard. He loved you, and it was clear that you loved him. I couldn’t take that away from either of you. It wouldn’t have been fair. I loved you both.”
“Stop!” I wave my trembling hands, banishing her reasons. “I don’t want to hear any more of your excuses!”
“Harper!” Her eyes soften and glisten.
“I can’t do this.” I shake my head, unwilling to make any further eye contact with her. Denying her seeing the pain and hurt she exploded inside me.
Why now? I was just coming to terms with staying in Florida and building a life here with her, my aunt, and possibly Cole. And she goes and throws this at me.
What am I supposed to do with this new information? How am I supposed to process it when I’m blinded by feelings of betrayal, neglect, and abandonment?
Every emotion on life support.
I grab my bag and head out the door.
Chapter 40
The meeting went great. We secured the account and went over the plans. I get home and head into the office to drop off the plans.
Lix sits at Brett’s desk, head bent, playing on his cell.
“You missed the meeting, asshole,” I walk toward him.
His head lifts, revealing three beefy red scratches down his face.
“What the fuck happened? Did you get attacked by a cougar or something?”
“Fuck.” He tosses his cell on the desk and leans back in the chair, pointing at his bloodshot left eye. “The Julia did this to me last night.”
“Last night? I thought Brett was on call yesterday?”
“He had some shindig with Cassie for her job. So I offered to cover.”
“What happened?” I stop in front of the desk, dropping the plans on it.
