Page 52

“I’m sorry about everything, .”

“It’s not your fault, Maddie,” I say, calling her by her nickname. “No one chooses the mother they have.”

She lets out a huff of laughter. “I know that better than anyone.”

“You’re coming to my wedding, right?”

“Yes, I am. I’ve never been to North Carolina. I’m really excited, but I wanted to ask you a favor.”

I stop walking. “Of course.”

“Please help me choose a dress. My mother always criticizes all my clothes, and when she helps me, they look like this,” she says, pointing to her current outfit.

“It’s beautiful, but it doesn’t suit you.”

“I know. I’m not that fancy; I don’t like to show a lot. With all due respect,” she says, looking at my dress, where there’s a large slit that leaves my left thigh exposed.

“I’m used to dressing and undressing. I’m not ashamed to show my body anymore. But at the beginning of my career, I was much shyer. Therapy helped with the process.”

“And speaking of not being ashamed, I’m thinking about doing something crazy,” she says .

“What kind of something?”

“I’m running away to London. I’ll get a job. Live life.”

“What?”

“Do you think I’m not capable?”

“If you’re asking me about mental strength, I think anyone is capable of anything. I just don’t understand the reason for the sudden change.”

“I’ve been planning this for a long time. I want to get out from under my mother’s wing and go to Europe. I can’t take the pressure she’s putting on me to get married anymore. I finished college, but I can’t work because it would ‘embarrass the Turners’ good name,’” she says, mimicking her mother.

I laugh because she sounds just like her. “What do you need to carry out this plan?”

“Moral support, mostly.”

“Well, that you already have. Count on me for whatever you need. Actually, I just had an idea. There is a friend of Christos, Kamal. He is a sheikh and a businessman. CEO, actually. My fiancé mentioned he was looking for an assistant in London.”

“My goodness! Do you think I could do that?”

“Well, you have some qualifications. As I understand it, he wants someone to travel with him and teach him Western culture and social etiquette.”

“Tips on social etiquette? Is he rude?”

“I have no idea. But if you want, I can talk to Christos about it.”

“Of course! Do you think this man would consider me for the job?”

I decide to be honest. “I don’t know. I’ve never met a sheikh in my life. Unfortunately, he won’t be coming to my wedding because he has a commitment for the same week; otherwise, Christos could introduce the two of you. But I promise I’ll talk to my fiancé about it.”

The bathroom is empty, and after we’ve used the stalls, we touch up our makeup and talk about a new lipstick brand that’s just been released and doesn’t test on animals.

Suddenly, the door opens, and in the mirror, I see the last person I would ever imagine seeing tonight.

Ernestine Lambert, Pauline’s mother .

She is still a beautiful woman, although she’s a shadow of her former beauty. She’s well-dressed in a long black gown, completely comfortable as a high-society lady.

She looks surprised to see me. I think we’re both in shock, actually, but I recover first.

“Hello, you liar. What are you doing here?” I ask.

Yeah, I think the pregnancy hormones are working on me in a really crazy way. I’m in a phase where if someone pisses me off, I feel like ripping the person’s head off.

“, it’s a pleasure to see you again! Regarding your question, you weren’t the only one who got a billionaire, sweetheart.”

“I can’t say the same. I take no pleasure in seeing you again.” I turn to my cousin. “Madeline, can you go outside and make sure no one comes in?”

She leaves without arguing.

“We don’t have anything to talk about, . Or do you want to apologize for being that murderer’s lover?”

“If you open your mouth to talk about my fiancé again, I’m going to hit you. In fact, you won’t say a thing. I will. How can you look in the mirror after what you’ve done? You’re rotten, Ernestine. She was your little girl. Your girl to love and to protect. You knew who put her in that condition and yet lied to all of us. You took advantage of the fact that Pauline was too young to remember the real culprit. Why? To earn people’s pity? So that no one would know what an irresponsible bitch you are? Not satisfied, you handed the compensation over to another boyfriend while your daughter was in need!”

“You don’t know anything.”

“Maybe not, but what I know makes me sick. I never thought I’d say something like this, but Pauline was lucky to go to heaven. God took her because you didn’t deserve her. Liar, gold-digger. You are a waste of a human being, as rotten and vile as that rat that caused the accident. I hope that when you die, the two of you meet in hell. Live a shitty life, thinking about what your daughter has suffered because of you. Or at least the consequences of your actions.”

I leave before I do something stupid, like shoving my hand in her face. Don’t get me wrong; it’s not being at a fancy party that’s holding me back; it’s a concern for my babies. I don’t want to harm them, so even though I feel mad, I decide to leave.

When I get to the hallway, Maddie is still in position, like a soldier.

Christos is talking to a bodyguard, and a few steps away from him, there’s an old man with white hair.

My intuition tells me this man is with Ernestine, and when I see her come out of the bathroom in my peripheral vision and walk towards him, I follow.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Turner. I don’t know what your relationship is with Ernestine, but if you want advice, run while you can. What is someone who doesn’t have an ounce of love within them to protect their own daughter capable of doing to a stranger? If you want to look for me, I’ll tell you the whole story.”

I take a business card out of my purse and hand it to him. Then I turn my back on them and walk over to my man.

He puts his arm around my shoulders and starts walking me back to the hall. We are followed by Maddie and the bodyguard.

“What just happened?” he asks, not seeming to understand anything.

“Do you know who she is?”

“I’m not sure I know her. The face is familiar to me, but?—”

“The liar responsible for our breakup. Pauline’s mother.”

His face gets angry, and he stops walking. He tries to go back, but I grab his arm.

“No, love. It’s over. It’s finally over.”