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“An old friend,” I reply, watching him go. “He saved my life.”
“Then we all owe him a debt. Are you okay?” he whispers low enough for only me to hear.
“I-I don’t know,” I admit. “But I have to be.” I turn to the soldiers and others, trying to fight off the emotions whipping through me like a gale force wind.
“I think the entrance is right down—”
“Who the—please move,” comes a stern, feminine voice from behind the soldiers at the door.
Ana.
She slides through the busy doorway and stops, her mouth dropping open as she looks around at everyone before her gaze lands on me.
“Hi, Annie Bannie,” I say softly.
“What the hell are you doing here, Nova?”
“I finally came home,” I answer lamely.
She crosses her arms, her usually friendly eyes sparking with anger. “Get out. Get out now. You don’t belong here. You’re not welcome.”
I flinch at the venom in her tone. “Ana,” I murmur as Bert comes down the hallway.
“Miss Ana, how lovely to see you.”
“Bert,” she greets, softening briefly before looking back at me. Her face clouds with rage and betrayal again. “I don’t want you here, and neither would Dad. Get out, this isn’t your house.”
“Actually, it is.”
TWENTY-ONE
Both of us turn to Bert, confused and shocked.
“What?” we ask in unison as she steps closer, dropping her crossed arms as he smiles at us both. I didn’t believe that I truly did own it after all. I thought it was another trick.
“It’s so good to see you together again.”
“Bert, please, what did you mean?” Ana demands. It’s the harshest she’s probably ever spoken to him, but he takes it in stride.
“I simply mean it is her home. It’s in her name, Miss Ana. I know you haven’t seen the will yet, but I was the one to witness it for him. Your father, well, he left everything to Nova.”
The silence could be cut by a knife.
Shock fills me, then anger. It’s just another way to get back at me, another fucking punch in the gut and a way to haunt me even as he’s dead.
“You can’t be serious.” I laugh.
“Deadly, I’m afraid.” Bert nods. “He expected you would be angry, upset even, but he told me to tell you one thing. Please excuse me if it’s not verbatim, it’s been many years. ‘Novaleen, the house, the money, and the labs are all yours to do with as you wish. I hope they help you understand. I hope they set you on the path.’”
“What the fuck does that mean?” I snarl, throwing my hands up.
“I do not know.”
“Dad knew you were alive? And he left everything to you? The kid who ran away?” Ana almost screeches.
“If you need money, you can have it—” I start as she snorts bitterly.
“I don’t need money! I just didn’t want my childhood home being destroyed or sold! It was all I had left of you, of us, and now him.” Her face scrunches like it used to when she was sad. I reach for her, but she jerks away.
