by Lee, Nadia
The only connection between Merry and the family was Judy…but Judy had been dead for a decade. There couldn’t possibly be any unfinished business for Claude.
Methinks you’re dragging Merry into your obsession because you’re upset she never said I love you again.
Daniel scowled. Ridiculous. He was relieved…and happy she hadn’t said it again. It proved his theory right—she hadn’t meant it.
He rubbed his neck again. The tension was all due to Claude.
* * *
Rissa Foxley hated waiting, but she hated being broke even more. So she drummed her fingers on her knees and waited in the lobby of the hotel where Claude was staying. If he thought he could win this by running away to Virginia, he had another think coming.
Rissa wasn’t one to give up, especially when there was forty thousand dollars at stake.
The expensive platinum watch on her wrist said it was a little after two thirty. She should’ve gotten up early to catch him in the morning, but she’d been out late the night before. Unlike some people, she actually had a social life.
She got up when she saw the man. It was difficult to miss that hairless head. It shone like he’d waxed his damned scalp. He wore an expensive suit and a black overcoat, and next to him was a kid. She dismissed the boy. If Claude wanted to play with children…well, it was none of her business.
“Claude,” she called out, tossing her hair over a shoulder.
His forehead creased when he saw her. He bent and said something to the boy, then walked over to her alone. “Hello,” he said in an inoffensive and curious tone, the kind he might use with a stranger. “I didn’t expect you here.”
“Ha ha. You got my message, didn’t you?”
His gaze flicked to the boy, then back at her. “I did. What do you want?”
“Forty Gs, honey.”
“Jesus.” He blinked once. “I gave you thirty last time.”
“That was two years ago! It costs money to eat, you know.”
“I’m sure you haven’t been eating thirty thousand bucks’ worth of food in the last two years.” He raked his gaze over her.
He was somewhat correct. It took some discipline to maintain her figure. But what was the point of being a size two if you didn’t have good clothes to wear? “Don’t be a jerk. You know I kept my mouth shut for a reason.”
“Yes, you did. So what?”
“So. Cough up some love.”
He barked out a laugh. “Love? Please. Nobody feels any love for you.” He lowered his voice. “You’re a selfish, vapid, moronic bitch.”
She flinched as anger surged through her. How dare he talk to her that way! But she bit her tongue. She really needed the money. “Don’t be an asshole.”
“Unfortunately for you, I can afford to be. I’ve already won,” he said.
“What?”
He leaned forward and enunciated clearly. “I. Don’t. Need. You. Any. More.”
She tasted something sour and rancid—panic. “You know the kinds of things I can tell people.”
“None of that matters now.” He shrugged. “Go ahead, take out an ad in the paper. I don’t care.”
Her jaw slackened. He had to care. He had to!
“You’ll be sorry!” she yelled.
“I doubt that. You have a good life, Rissa.” He walked away and herded the boy to the elevator bank.
Watching the two disappear, she clenched her expertly manicured hands. Fuck! What had happened to make him so sure she wouldn’t tell? Or did it really not matter anymore if she kept quiet?
Damn it. She should’ve demanded more from the beginning. She hadn’t wanted to look greedy. But now it was too late, wasn’t it?
Then a small nasty thought reared its head. It wasn’t too late. Not totally. Daniel wouldn’t give her money. He hated her guts. But if she told him everything, he’d direct that hatred elsewhere. Specifically, at Claude.
And after the way he’d just talked to her, she wanted to see Claude ruined. Nobody messed with Rissa Foxley.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The office had shut down after lunch, and Meredith left at three. The Lloyds Development was giving everyone a full week off for Thanksgiving. It was a new policy she’d implemented.
The traffic wasn’t as terrible as she’d expected. Not that that was saying much. It was the holiday travel season, after all.
“Eric will be so thrilled to see you,” Nancy said. “I don’t think anybody mentioned to him you’d be coming.”
“I did that on purpose. It’s a surprise,” Meredith said with a big grin. “It’s so exciting. I love Thanksgiving. I’m giving you a week off too.”
“Don’t you need a ride to the airport?”
“Nope. I’m taking a cab. You should spend the holiday with your family, Nancy. Work’s important, but it’s not everything.”
“Thanks, Meredith. I’ve never told you this, but this job saved us.”
Meredith laughed. “And you’ve saved me from the madness of dealing with north Virginia traffic. Now I can take care of my email during the commute and get a lot more done.”
Meredith meant it. It was awesome to have found someone as trustworthy as Nancy. Of course, Meredith would never have hired her if she weren’t; she also had to drive Eric around.
Nancy pulled the Mercedes to the curb in front of the school and frowned. “Hmm. That’s strange.”
“What is?”
“Eric always meets me here, but I don’t see him.” She glanced at the dashboard clock, then at her wrist. “School’s been out for some time now.”
“Maybe he’s inside. It’s cold today.”
“You want me to go in and check?”
“No. I’ll do it.” Meredith jumped out of the car before Nancy could open the door. A small flicker of worry sprang to life in her chest. It was probably nothing. Eric had probably gotten distracted with something, or maybe gotten bored when his pickup was late. Still, Meredith couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. It hadn’t been that long since the break-in, and the police hadn’t found anything yet.
Meredith went inside the school and saw Eric’s teacher walking into the teachers’ lounge.
“Ms. Swain,” Meredith said.
“Hello, Ms. Lloyd.” Jane Swain was young, pretty and always cheerful. Unquenchable enthusiasm shone in her almond-shaped green eyes. Eric adored her. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” Meredith said, managing a smile of her own. “Do you know where Eric is? He was supposed to wait for us outside”—she gestured vaguely—“but he’s not there.”
“Oh.” Jane looked at Meredith uncertainly. “Didn’t you know? His grandfather came by to pick him up after lunch. So we let him go early.”
“His grandfather?”
“Yes. Uh…no, wait. It was his great-uncle, actually.”
“Did he leave his name?”
“No, but…” The younger woman hesitated. “Eric seemed to know him and went with him easily enough.”
“I see.” Meredith nodded. Eric knew better than to talk to a stranger, but the flicker in her chest flared into an enormous bonfire of worry. “Thank you.”
Walking away, she pulled out her phone and dialed Barron. He was the only person that would fit the description of grandfather-slash-great-uncle, and given how much he liked to spoil Eric, it wouldn’t surprise her if he had taken the kid out of school early.
Nancy held the door open as Meredith climbed into her car.
“Meredith!” came Barron’s booming voice.
“Hi, Barron. Is Eric with you?”
“Eric? No.”
“You sure? Maybe you sent Miles to pick him up from school?” Barron’s chauffeur was a bit too young to be considered a grandfather, but a bit too old to be mistaken for Eric’s uncle.
“Wait, hold on a minute. What are you talking about?”
Her hands grew clammy. Eric had gotten into a car with a “grandfatherly” man who wasn’t Barron. “His teacher said he left with his gr
eat uncle. I thought that was you.”
“No. I’ve been here with your mother, trying to help her pack for Thanksgiving in Houston.” Barron’s voice grew sharp. “Where are you, Meredith?”
“I’m at his school right now.”
“Have you tried his phone?”
“Not yet.” Why hadn’t she thought of that? But she knew why. Afraid he might not pick up…
“Why don’t you do that and then call me back,” Barron said.
“Okay.” Her fingers trembling, she dialed Eric’s number. It rang once. Twice. She bit her lower lip. Each ring felt like it punched a hole in her stomach. Finally, on the fourth ring:
“Hello? Mom?”
Meredith let out a shuddering breath. Then annoyance instantly replaced her relief. “Eric! Where are you?”
“I’m at Claude’s.”
“Claude who?”
“Great-uncle Claude. He’s Daniel’s uncle, actually, but he told me I could call him my great-uncle.”
Great-uncle. Oh god. Meredith blinked but couldn’t clear away the spots in her vision. How had he found out? How much had he told Eric? “Can I talk to him, Eric?”
“Okay. Hold on.”
A moment later, Claude’s voice said, “Hello, Meredith.”
“Claude. What are you doing?”
“Oh, just spending some time with my great-nephew. It’s always nice to find out about a new relative.”
Meredith’s mouth dried. “He’s my son.” Despite her best attempt at collecting herself, her voice came out shaky.
“I don’t think so. I’ve done a lot of work to find the truth, Meredith. Don’t do this to yourself.”
“How much have you told him?” Eric hadn’t sounded upset.
“Not much. I wouldn’t want to traumatize the child. Despite what you’re probably thinking at the moment, I’m not a monster.”
She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Why are you doing this?”
“Why did you take him from us?” Claude’s tone was cold and implacable. “That was kidnapping. You deprived me of ten years of his life.”
“I did no such thing,” she hissed, suddenly furious. He hadn’t been in Istanbul, had he? He hadn’t been there to defend Judy. What right did he have to take Eric from her? “I saved him from being raised by your monster of a brother, is what I did. And if you don’t give him back, you’ll be sorry.”
“Really? Why? Because your family is rich? Or is it because your mother’s dating Barron that you think you can do whatever you please and get away with it?” Claude tsked. “I’ve been Barron’s friend for decades. Do you really think he’ll side with you when I’m in the right? I doubt it. What you’ve done is criminal, and you know it. Otherwise you would’ve told your friends and family.” Claude’s voice became hard enough to stop a train. “If you want a child who’s really your own, keep on fucking my nephew. And leave me and Eric alone.” He hung up.
Meredith shook all over. Beads of sweat popped out along her hairline. Nancy glanced at her. “Are you all right?”
“No.” Meredith clenched her jaw to contain a moan. Her skin felt tight as blood roared in her head, drowning out the noise around her. Her stomach roiled, and she felt something hot and bitter in the back of her throat. She jumped out of the car and ran to a bush. She almost made it before she lost her lunch.
* * *
Audrey’s disembodied voice said, “Claude’s here to see you.”
Daniel stared at the intercom for a few moments. Why was his uncle in Virginia? “Send him in.”
Dressed in a crisp gray suit, Claude entered the office confidently. His eyes shone with smug triumph and his steps were quick and sure, like he was a sly and cunning coyote that had outsmarted a lion.
“Claude. Where have you been?” Daniel asked without preamble.
“Well, as it happens…” Claude took a seat. “I’ve been busy looking for Judy’s son.”
Daniel’s mind blanked for a moment. “What?”
“I knew Judy left for Europe to hide her pregnancy from her father.”
Daniel put his pen down. What he was hearing made no sense. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking,” Claude said slowly, “about the fact that she was pregnant before she left for Europe. Judy came to me for advice about the situation, because her boyfriend didn’t want to do the right thing.” Claude pursed his mouth in regret. “She wasn’t that good at judging character, and I suspect it had something to do with her need for affection. Your father wasn’t the most warm-hearted person, and your stepmother often didn’t know what to do with the two of you.
“So when she came to me for a solution to her problem,” he continued, “I advised her to take a long trip to Europe, have the baby there and give it up for adoption. That was the best way. So she took my advice and left the country with Meredith.”
Daniel’s head throbbed. This couldn’t be going where he thought it was going.
“But then Judy came back in a casket, while Meredith came back with a child she claimed was her own. Given the traumatic circumstances, I couldn’t very well demand details of how she’d had a baby in Istanbul. It seemed unlikely that both girls were pregnant, but Meredith was heavily lawyered up at the time, and her family could be over-protective. I didn’t want to offend anyone in case my instincts were wrong.”
“How did you even find out?”
“It wasn’t that difficult. Eric’s coloring could have come from the Lloyds, but as he’s grown the Aylster blood has begun to show. He has that dimple, for example. And there were other clues, once I started looking. Eric’s blood type, for instance. I knew Meredith’s, thanks to that silly blood type personality match thing your sister was obsessed with. Apparently her Japanese friend got her hooked on it, like astrology wasn’t already bad enough.”
Daniel vaguely remembered that. Judy had wanted to tell him all about how his blood type could determine his personality and his future, using her Japanese friend’s handbook. He’d only half-listened, thinking the whole idea was ridiculous.
Claude continued, “Except it wasn’t so easy to get a blood type for the boy. So I set about gathering other clues.”
“You broke into her home.”
His uncle merely smiled.
Something must’ve driven Claude to take such drastic measures. “What’s changed? Why are you so interested now?” Daniel asked.
“Judy’s inheritance. You see, when she died, her shares were split among, you, Ella and Ashley. I didn’t get anything. I’ve always found that unfair.”
“That was according to the will.”
“Yes. My mother and your father’s wills. But if Judy’s child is alive, then he would inherit all her shares of Aylster Resorts.”
Daniel stared at his uncle. “Are you telling me you’ve been resentful over a lousy thirteen percent?”
“That lousy thirteen percent, combined with the thirty I already have, gives me forty-three percent and leaves you, Ella and Ashley combined with a mere twenty-seven. I win.”
Daniel found it hard to concentrate on numbers. Eric is Judy’s son. It was incredible, but now that Claude had brought it to his attention, it made sense. I have a nephew. “He’s not yours.”
“Who else in the family is fit to be his guardian? You? You’re hardly the kind of stable influence that a court would find acceptable. Ella? There’s not a drop of blood shared between them. Ashley’s too young and self-absorbed to qualify, even if she wanted to take on a child at the moment, which I’m sure she doesn’t. I’m the only blood relation who is good enough to be little Eric’s guardian.”
“Nobody’s going to take Eric to be used as a pawn in some corporate ego game. I won’t allow it.”
“If you fight me, you’ll lose. I know you’ve been fucking Meredith Lloyd all this time. That’s why you let her company keep the contract even though TLD did a horrible job with the construction on St. Cecilia, isn’t it?”
“That has noth—”
“It might even turn out that you’re a conspirator in all this, one who’s agreed to cover up who Eric really is so you can keep a third of Judy’s shares.”
Daniel’s jaw clenched. “You know that’s not true, and you’d never be able to prove such a ridiculous lie.”
“But I can and I will. You don’t think I’ll drag you and your girlfriend to court? You think she’ll be able to lie under oath? I have photos. I also have all the cute text messages you sent her when you should’ve been working. I think I can also demonstrate that you’re not a very responsible type.” Claude smoothed his jacket. “Don’t think she’ll work with you, either. She doesn’t care about you. People like her never care about anybody. The charity work she does? It’s nothing. She does it because it makes her look good and makes other people underestimate her as being too soft and tender-hearted. But remember who her brothers are. You think she could’ve lived with men like Jacob and Gavin without being affected? Jacob married Catherine Fairchild knowing his marriage to another woman hadn’t been dissolved. Gavin steamrolls anybody who gets in his way. And that mother of hers… There’s a reason she’s snagged Barron Sterling’s attention. They’re very much alike. And Meredith’s exactly the same. She’s just better at hiding it, and you’ve fallen for her Mother Theresa act.”
Bitterness flooded Daniel’s mouth and he clenched his hands as hot fury throbbed through his veins.
Claude pouted. “Oh…you look hurt. Did she tell you she loved you? Come on, Daniel! You’re old enough to know that women like her use ‘love’ as a tool to manipulate the men they’re sleeping with. There’s no weapon more powerful.” He got up and shot his cuffs, switching over to business mode. “I’ll expect your resignation at the next board meeting. I’m sick of being playing second fiddle around here. Behave yourself, and I might even let you become my successor.” He turned to go. “Have a good Thanksgiving.”
He walked out, and Daniel stared at the closed door. Then, unable to contain himself, he rose with a roar, upending his desk and spilling pens and cold coffee all over the floor. He spun around and punched his fist through the wall. He sucked in air as hard as he could, but the vise around his chest wouldn’t let up. He felt like his head would explode.