AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Then she had no excuse but to look at Darlene again. Hanna hardly recognized the woman for the unpleasantness in her expression. Darlene had shouted at Hanna, accused her of gold digging, threatened her, and yet, never had Gregory’s mother looked so cruel as she did tonight.
“Did you think you belonged here? A little tart of a girl from the streets of America, playing at being the lady of the manor. Oh, you put on a good show for a while. It was a near thing, my dear child. A very near thing. But I’ve years of playing this game.” Darlene drew herself up, regal in posture with her chin tilted up.
Her spine has never been that straight. She hasn’t pulled her shoulders back since I’ve met her. And since when am I a “dear child”? Or a tart?“Whatever, Darlene. It doesn’t matter. You win. Now move. I want to see Vivian and say goodbye.”
“Vivian doesn’t need you. Perhaps soon, Vivian will not need anyone. Certainly don’t dare to hope Gregory will come after you. He will have other matters to worry about soon enough.”
Goosebumps rippled over Hanna’s arms. “Is that a threat?”
“No. Threats are base and vulgar. It is a promise.” Darlene leaned in close and brought the cold air with her. “Just go away, little girl. You have already stolen precious things from me I can never get back. Did you think I would not take everything from you in reply?”
“I haven’t stolen anything,” Hanna hissed.
Darlene’s smile chilled Hanna to her marrow. “You have stolen my children. You will not take another.”
Her children? She’s only ever had Gregory. What–A thought crept into her mind, and as it took root, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.It can’t be. That isn’t possible.Still, she found the name on her lips, unwilling to remain silent.“Marion?”
The door up the hall opened again. As it did, Darlene turned to slip in the door of Vivian’s room. Hanna couldn’t even get a glimpse of the elderly woman, or confirmation on Darlene’s face, before the portal closed.
Martin set a hand on her shoulder. “It’s a stupid question, but is everything all right?”
Hanna tore her gaze away from the door to look at Martin’s concerned, empathetic face. “No. Nothing’s all right, and I don’t think it ever will be again. Can we go out the back door to get to the car?”
“Whatever you want,” Martin said.
Hanna wished that would come true.
* * *
“You either needto prepare to outmaneuver Robert, or to argue for a generous severance package now and give up while you have the option,” Steve was saying, without a clue Gregory had mostly tuned out since he heard footsteps on the stairs and the final-sounding slam of the back door.
I have screwed up. I have screwed this up so badly. Everything today from the time I agreed to let this man into my house has been a mistake. I hoped this was part of Hanna’s plan. Go upstairs. Wait to find out what happened down here. It wasn’t, and I have screwed this up. Gran is going to verbally flay me, and I’m going to let her, because I deserve it.
Red tail lights reflected in the windows as a car pulled away. Gregory’s heart ached.Go after her. She has to be with Martin. Call him and tell him to bring her home.
But he couldn’t do it. Not until he had a chance to clear his head. Step away from the situation, breathe, gain perspective on what had happened. Find the right words to make up for his missteps. If he could usher Steve out of his home without incident, he might be able to have the best of both worlds. His deal. His chance to gain control of his company. The woman he loved.
And what if you can’t? Gain the company, lose the one you wanted to share it with. Is a Pyrrhic victory good enough? You’re starting to think like the “great” Henry Russell, with all this shit about the best of both worlds. Is her pain worth the money you’ve saved? It would have been for your grandfather.
His grandfather. The asshole. The one who had such deep regrets in his final days that he had left his company to the grandson with new ideas and better ideals.
Steve glanced at the red reflections in the window. “Good riddance, right? You’ll thank me later. You know, I have a good feeling about working with you, Greg. Once I get those stocks, you and I, we can take this company in a new direction. I’ve got some ideas…”
Gregory tuned out again. Instead, he turned discreet attention to Julia Dawson. She’d looked up for the first time since Hanna walked away. Sad eyes watched as the red tail lights faded from view in the window. When she turned away, her gaze met Gregory’s.
He tried to smile, but found he had no smiles left to give. Julia’s lips twitched, flattened into a line. Then she resumed staring at her hands, but she seemed more pensive than dejected as she did.
16
Secrets Cast Like Wishes Into the Well
“Of course you can stay here again, Hanna. You are always welcome. But… Are you certain you want to leave this situation as it is?”Athena asked on the webcam.
Hanna leaned back into the profusion of pillows on the hotel’s bed. Martin had paid for a beautiful room and refused to takenofor an answer about it. “Stay here as long as you want. Stay herelongerthan you want,” he had told her, as he signed the credit slip. “Stay here until I can talk to Greg and put his head on straight, and until you’ve had time to put your thoughts in order. Please. The hotel is covered. So is room service. Stay and think a while.”
“Check on Vivian when you get home. Please.” She couldn’t promise anything else, but that was too important to leave out. “Tell her–”
“Tell her yourself when you come back to Greenhill,” Martin had said to her.
