Deceived by You

by Marilyn Williams

  Corrine pressed her lips together. “Corrine is fine. I haven’t used Ramsey since my husband and I separated. I’m using my maiden name, Harrington. After twenty years of marriage, I think I’ve earned that right. Anyway…” She swatted the air as if she were motioning to change the subject. “When Justin and I spoke, I had hoped he would have made the trip. It’s been over a year since I’ve seen him.”

  “This entire situation with Mr. Harrington has him tied up in knots.”

  “I can imagine.” She placed her teacup down. “Before we get into why you’re here, I think we should melt the glacier between us.”

  Ava frowned. She knew exactly what she was speaking of. “Your husband. Phillip Ramsey.”

  “You may not be aware, but I just learned what he had done to you. The prosecutor who’s trying Brandon Porter’s case had informed me of Phil’s history with you. Had I known, I would have intervened.”

  “It’s wild how you and I are entangled in each other lives and never once met.”

  “My son is in love with the woman my husband stalked, who was killed by her ex-boyfriend, who happens to be a police officer. It would make a compelling TV movie.”

  “One I would have no interest in watching.”

  “In all seriousness, I left Phil once his business took a nosedive. We were having problems before that, but once he failed to save his business, he spiraled into a dark depression.”

  “I know all too well about being with someone who changes before your eyes.” Ava shifted in her seat. All this talk about Brandon and Phillip made her uneasy. She came prepared to discuss them, but she wished they would change the subject.

  Corrine eyed her with what she interpreted as compassion. “You’ve been through an awful lot, haven’t you?”

  Ava nodded her head. “I’m more concerned about Justin right now.”

  “How is he doing? I learned what I could from the news, but it was my visit to the DA office where I learned the gory details.” She rested her hand over her chest. “I’m sure he’s having nightmares.”

  “He’s coped better than I have. He didn’t blink an eye when we learned Brandon had changed his plea.”

  “Do you know what that’s about? One minute I’m preparing an impact statement, and the next, I’m notified of a possible trial. And Justin. My gosh, he will have to relive that entire ordeal once again.”

  Ava pressed her lips into a thin line as her eyes flicked upward. She was beyond uncomfortable, however, she understood Corrine hasn’t seen her son in ages. Her questions were her way of catching up on Justin’s life. “He’s the strong one in our relationship. Justin is more concerned with protecting me and my feelings. He’s in constant contact with the DA office, so I don’t have to deal with it.”

  “I see.” She narrowed her eyes. “It sounds as if he’s dealing with his own problems in addition to yours. That’s plenty for one person.”

  Ava shut her eyes as she rubbed her forehead. “Corrine, I don’t mean to be rude…”

  “You want to move along.”

  “Yes, please.”

  “Very well.” She stood and smoothed out her white cotton top with her hands. She moved towards a wooden desk along the far side of the room. She returned holding a flash drive. “This will bring that bastard to his knees.”

  “What’s on it?” asked Ava.

  “A conversation with a powerful elected official. It’s enough ammunition for Justin to do plenty of damage.”

  “You and Mr. Harrington divorced years ago. Why are you holding on to this?”

  Corrine handed the flash drive to Ava and sat beside her. “He and I have a mutual friend who Chris screwed over. He recorded and handed it to me because he always felt bad for how Chris treated me during our divorce.”

  Ava lowered her eyes. “Justin said you and his father divorced soon after his brother’s death.”

  “There’s a lot my son doesn’t know.” Corrine looked away. When she faced Ava once more, tears had puddled in her eyes. “I never wanted to leave him with that egomaniac.”

  “You didn’t?”

  She reached for a tissue and dabbed the corner of her eyes. “All I wanted to do was protect my son. I couldn’t allow the police to arrest Justin for his brother’s death. I just couldn’t. I did what any mother would have and lied to protect him. His father didn’t approve. He believes in consequences, but only when it doesn’t apply to him.”

  “Did he use what you did for Justin against you in the divorce?”

  She pressed her lips together and looked as if she was holding back more tears. “He had a paper trail proving how deep I took part in the cover-up. He forced me to agree to a lesser settlement and give up custody of Justin.” She wiped her cheeks of fallen tears. “I couldn’t tell him the truth. Justin idolized his father, and he’d already placed an astounding amount of blame on himself. I refused to add to it, therefore I became the bad guy.”

  “Corrine…” Ava shook her head. “Justin believes you wanted nothing to do with him. He said the handful of times he visited you, he would engage in fights with your husband and you spent little time with him.”

  “It’s all true. It became harder and harder to keep up the lie, so I avoided it.”

  “What about once he was older? You never once thought about telling him the truth?”

  “He wouldn’t believe me. Before this madness with his father, he would have never believed he forced me to give him up.”

  “Maybe, you’re right. Now Justin feels as if he has no one left in his family. He appreciates you wanting to help him, but it doesn’t erase the hurt you’ve caused. You must tell him the truth.”

  “Do you think he’ll listen?”

  “I’ll talk to him and convince him to have a conversation with you.”

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Justin scanned the contract for a small chain Las Vegas hotel his company had acquired. Legal had already poured over it with a fine-tooth comb, but he always double-checked everything that required his signature. After he saw the six-page document was in order, he signed his name on the last page. He then called his executive assistant into his office.

  “Paige, please forward this to legal,” he said to the fifty-something female. He did a double-take when he handed her the papers. Every day she wore a pants suit, and her hair pulled into a bun. Today, she wore a dress that stopped two inches above her knee, and her ash blonde hair hung past her shoulders. “What’s the occasion?” he asked, gesturing towards her hair.

  “Oh…” The apples of her cheeks turned red. “My daughter convinced me to put my profile on one of those dating apps. I’m meeting someone for lunch.”

  “Really? I’m the only person I know who hasn’t used one of those. I’m sure it’s because I believe in meeting someone the old-fashioned way.”

  “I do as well.” She shrugged. “My daughter insisted, and I’m glad I listened.”

  “Well, good luck.”

  She smiled and turned to walk away.

  “Paige…”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Take an additional hour for lunch.”

  “Thank you!” She happily closed his door behind her.

  He smiled to himself as he checked his phone for text messages. Ava was due home today, and he was anxious to listen to the recording on the flash drive. For some reason, she extended her trip without saying why. Her two-day trip turned into a week-long visit, and the wait has been pure agony.

  Justin responded to four business text, disappointed none were from Ava. He placed his phone face down on his desk and swivel his chair towards the view of the ocean. His thoughts drifted to the day he and Ava had spent at the beach. That day seemed so long ago. Long before he learned he and Ava would have to testify at Brandon’s trial, and before the discord between him and his father. Although both situations had upended their lives, his goal remains the same. Protect Ava at all costs. Whether that’s from the media circus Brandon’s trial will attract or from his f
ather’s next plot of vengeance. Justin remained lost in his thoughts when the buzz from his office phone brought him back to reality. He placed the receiver to his ear. “Yes, Paige.”

  “There’s someone here to see you.”

  “I have no appointments this morning.” He checked the calendar on his computer. His entire day was clear. “Who is it?”

  “I’ll send her right in.”

  “No… Paige!” She hung up, which was unlike her. Seconds later his doorknob rattled, followed by a quick knock on the door. Justin stood and grimaced. The audacity of someone to barge their way into his office without an appointment. He marched towards his door and swung it open. His snarl dissipated into a smile. “Ava! When did you get in?”

  “Two hours ago.” She stepped forward into his waiting arms and kissed his lips. “I stopped by the house before coming here. Doesn’t Paige look great?”

  He released her from his embrace. “Yeah, she has a date.”

  “Good for her. I have the flash drive if you’re ready to take a listen.”

  “Have you heard what’s on it?”

  She shook her head with her backside resting on his desk. “No, we should listen together. Are you ready?”

  “As anxious as I am to hear my father’s dirty deeds, I rather catch up with you first.” With her hand in his, he led her to the couch. “I owe you an apology. Before you left, I was distant and moody.”

  “I appreciate the apology, but it’s not necessary.” She paused and placed a thin smile on her face. “I’ve done something that might cause you some displeasure.”

  He cocked his head with his eyes narrowed. “Okay, on a scale from one to ten how bad is it?”

  She expelled a breath. “Eight or nine.”

  He stroked the hairs on his chin and grimaced. “Lay it on me. What did you do?”

  Ava straightened her posture and cleared her throat. “First, you must know that your mother and I bonded. She’s really a sweet person.”

  He cut his eyes at her. “My mother? Corrine Harrington… sweet?”

  “Yes. Justin, there’s plenty you don’t know about why she’d left. You should sit and listen to her side.”

  “Ava, you are a loving woman with a generous heart. Your one fault is seeing the good in a person when there is none.”

  “That’s not it at all. I thought if you heard her out…”

  “Not happening!” He cut her off and moved from beside her. He retreated to his chair behind his desk. “I asked you to get the flash drive, not facilitate a mother-son reunion. She’s using you, Ava. That what she does. She’ll use anyone to get what she wants.”

  Ava rose from the couch and sandwiched herself between his desk and chair. “Please do me a favor and hear her out. That’s all I ask.”

  Justin faced her. She’s impossible to resist when she looks at him with a puppy face. Her eyes were wide, and lips pursed into a pout. “Fine, I’ll call her after we handle my father.”

  “You won’t have to wait that long, because I invited her to stay with us.”

  “You invited her to stay? When?”

  She twisted her lips and lowered her gaze. “Um, she’s at the house right now. She flew back with me.”

  Justin’s eyes bulged. “Ava, you didn’t.”

  “She wants to see you.”

  “Did you have to ask her to stay at our home?”

  “I won’t ask your mother to stay in a hotel when we have more than enough room.”

  He shook his head. Annoyed. “I wished you hadn’t done this.”

  “Trust me, you’ll thank me later. And I won’t even say I told you so.”

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Justin parked his car behind Ava’s on the driveway. He watched as she exited her car and stand beside his driver’s side door. He did not want to open his door. If he did, he would have to face his mother. The other parent who had let him down. Sure, they’ve spoken over the years. Each conversation was shorter than the one before. They were all the same. She would call when it concerned a business favor. Nothing ever personal. He always obliged her requests because it was easier than having a back-and-forth conversation.

  “Open the door, already!” shouted Ava.

  He frowned and pulled open the door handle. “I wished you hadn’t invited her.”

  “You’ve said that at least ten times already.” She placed her hand on her hip. “Look, she agreed to help you with your father without hesitation. The least you can do is hear her out. I promised her I would at least get you to listen. Afterward, if you still wish to keep your relationship the way it is, I will respect your decision.”

  He squeezed her hand. How could he be upset when her heart was in the right place? “Let’s go get this over with.”

  When Justin entered their home, he had hoped to find a note from his mother on the entryway table stating she had second thoughts and had left. But no such luck. Ava quickly jetted down the hall in search of Corrine. Leaving him to muster the patience to sit through a conversation with the woman who abandoned him and never had the slightest desire to be a mother. He would visit during the holidays which were the required court-appointed dates. But each visit resulted in an abrupt end because of the constant fights with his stepfather. Phil thought Justin was a spoiled rich kid and had no use for him. His mother would stand nearby during their arguments and always took her husband’s side and put Justin on a plane back to his father.

  He poured himself a scotch and sauntered towards the opened terrace doors. He craved for some peace and quiet before the insanity began. Justin stepped out onto the terrace, turned to his left, and ran right into Corrine. She sat at the table beneath the shade, nursing a cup of tea. “Mother,” he said he a flat tone, sitting across from her.

  “Hi, darling. I assume Ava told you I was here.”

  Before he could answer, Ava rushed out with an enormous grin on her face. “Oh, I see you two found each other.” Her eyes bounced between him and Corrine as she waited for a response. “Corrine, I explained to Justin why I asked you here, and he agreed to listen.”

  “Thank you, dear.”

  “Well, I’ll give you two privacy. I have a novel I’ve been dying to read, so I’ll be in our bedroom.”

  Before she could turn away, Justin grabbed her hand. “You don’t have to leave.”

  “Yes, I do.” She released herself from his grip. “Come find me afterward.”

  Justin turned his attention back to his mother. “I’m willing to listen to what you have to say because of her.”

  “I’ve gotten to know Ava, and she’s a lovely young woman.”

  “She said you wanted to unburden yourself. Well, those weren’t her exact words.”

  Corrine squinted in response to the sunlight, causing the fine lines around her eyes to become more pronounced. She looked different from the last time he’d seen her. It was during a video call. She sat on a yacht off a tropical island, and she wanted his advice concerning an investment property. Her appearance on the call was her usual overdone makeup, not a gray strand insight, and dressed to the nines. Today, her gray hair was prominent, little makeup, and she wore a simple white pullover sweater and jeans.

  “Our last conversation about your father has brought all the guilt I worked hard to bury to the forefront.”

  Justin looked away with his gaze focused on the distance. He understood what she meant.

  “The night of your accident,” she continued, “I made decisions that haunt me to this very day. My biggest mistake was forcing you to lie instead of taking responsibility. If I had, maybe our relationship wouldn’t have deteriorated.”

  Justin faced his mother and wondered what universe she lived in. His eyes narrowed, and his lip curled upward. “The state of our relationship has nothing to do with whether I took responsibility for the crash that killed Jack.” He gulped down the rest of his drink. “It’s because my mother left her husband and son without a second thought!”

  “That’s what
your father wanted you to believe.” She reached for his hand, causing him to repel at her touch. “I never wanted to leave you.”

  “Every night I had nightmares about the accident. I would fall asleep, and my mind would play that horrible night over and over. I would wake and it was as if you sensed my despair, because you were there, ready to comfort me.” Justin tightened his jaw as his teeth clenched. “Then one night you weren’t there. The following morning dad said you had left and wasn’t coming back. You never had the decency to say goodbye!”

  “Your father wanted a divorce long before Jack died.”

  Justin closed his fist and slammed it against the table. “Stop blaming dad for your actions!”

  Corrine pressed her lips together as tears formed in her eyes. “You’re right. My actions were my own.” She dabbed the corners of her eyes with her finger. “But your father tied my hands.”

  He cut his eyes at his mother.

  “I’m not making excuses,” she blurted. “He used powerful leverage that kept me away.”

  “Leverage? What are you talking about?”

  Corrine explained how Chris blackmailed her into giving up custody and accepting a minuscule divorce settlement.

  “He used Jack to blackmail you?”

  She nodded her head.

  “Mother, you had plenty of opportunities, to be honest. Why wouldn’t you tell me he forced you into giving up custody?”

  “Before today, would you have believed me? You’re seeing the real Christopher Harrington for the first time.”

  She’s right. He wouldn’t have believed her. He would’ve thought it was another one of her many excuses. “Nothing you said explains why you always pushed me away.”

  “Avoidance, Justin.” She threw her hands in the air. “That’s what we do. When something is too hard to face, we avoid it. You were a reminder of Jack and the heartache I felt when I had to walk away from you. It’s the same as how you avoided telling Ava about your brother.”

  “Because of you, Mother! I was protecting you and Nina.” He jumped up from his chair. “This is pointless. You will never own up to your actions.” He walked away, but Corrine rushed to his side. She gripped his arm, forcing him to face her.