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Thewaitress in the black pants and white button-down was unaware, andIreleased his hand as soon as she vanished inside the house.
Rayyan’ssneer curled into a frown. “Noone asked for your opinion.”
“Whydon’t you take a walk and cool off?”Rosekept her voice sweet, but the disapproval seeped through.
Itolerated my cousins just fine but was in no mood forRayyan'sbrashness.Ontop of losing someoneIrespected,Ihad to watch vultures drool over my birthright.EverythingPapaandIworked toward hinged on what happened next.ThoughRoseaimed her comment atRayyan, it was my chance to escape. “Goodidea.”
Rosewas taken aback. “Ididn’t mean you,Poppy.”
“I’llgo anyways.”
“Poppy—”Rosecalled after me, butIwas already walking away.
Ileft the lavish mansion and went down a beaten path.Charlesonce mentioned a hiking spot he liked near his home.Aftercareful surveillance,Ifound the hidden trail among the tall trees.Itrekked the gravel path, detesting the beautiful, sunny day.AtleastIcould finally relish in solitude.Thatwas untilIheard the rustling of leaves.
Thedeliberately light footsteps halted whenIglanced behind me.Afigure slinked away behind an oak tree.Thetrail was supposed to be a safe place with only snakes and bears for company.Butinstead of calling security patrolling these grounds,Iconsidered calling out to the man in the shadows.Iwas curious.Thisghost watched me twice at my lowest point without hurting me.Maybeit was one of my father's assistants, paid in perpetuity to watch over me after he passed.Perhis instructions, numerous staff carried out tasks such as sending me potential investment opportunities or gifts on the first day of college.Thoughthis was the only man who didn't reveal his face, he was my favorite.Hisquiet company was the closest to peaceIhad gotten.
Lettinghim be,Iturned away and gazed out at whatCharlesmust have looked at every morning.Thatwas whenInoticed something worse than a funeral.Mymother was kissing my biological father,ZaneTrimalchio.
Withoutthinking,Isprinted down the steep trail to catch her red-handed.Zanehad parked his car by the hill, and it seemedMommet him there.Atleast the house was at a distance, so no one could witness this wonderful family reunion.
“What’sgoing on?”Isnapped, my generally even tone in shambles.
Momjumped out of his embrace. “Poppy.”Sheheld out her hands as if they were caught inside a cookie jar. “Thisisn’t what it looks like.”
Isuppressed an eye roll.Peopleonly said that when it was exactly what it looked like. “No?Youweren’t kissing another man four months afterPapadied?”
Moisturegathered inMom’seyes while red, hot anger blinded mine.
Zanewas underdressed in slacks and aT-shirt, but you wouldn’t guess it in the self-assured way he spoke. “It’stime she found out,” he informedMom.
“Axel, no,” she pleaded. “Nowisn’t the time.Itold you not to come here.”
Zanewas unimpressed by her tone. “AndItold you never to take off without telling me.”
“Thiswas important toPoppy.”
“Inthat case,Poppydeserves to know.”Hetook a step forward. “Yourmother andIare together.”
Zanewent on to reveal two more vital pieces of information.
One.Momhad been datingZanefor a few weeks.
Two.Theywere getting married in a few weeks.
Whatthe hell?Zanewas supposed to be a mistake she made at twenty-one, andPapawas supposed to be the love of her life.Ifmy parents were these detestable cute soulmates, how the hell could she have moved on within months?
JoeMaxwell'swords echoed in my mind, taunting me.No.Therewas no wayMomcould’ve cheated onPapa.
“Doyou want to talk about it?”Momasked, voice shaking.
Iturned around to leave.Momwas getting remarriedFIVEmonths afterPapadied.Iwouldn’t have known about it ifZanehadn’t driven upstate because he couldn’t bear to be apart for a few hours.Thetime for conversations ended when she didn’t consider me in her life-altering decisions.Withoutturning back,Iannounced, “Rosewill take me back to the dorms.Thanksfor the update.”
“Poppy, please don’t leave,”Momcalled out desperately. “I’msorry.”
Itwas too late for apologies.IheardZaneholdingMomback when she tried to follow me.Iwalked toward the house, their faint voices trailing behind me.
“Giveher time.Sheneeds to cool off.”
