by Lee, Nadia
Eric was Judy’s son. Judy’s son! Meredith had known all along…and had never told him.
The door opened, and Audrey poked her head in. “Is everything…” Her eyes widened as she took in the state of his office. “Daniel, are you all right?”
He didn’t say. He couldn’t say.
Why hadn’t Merry told him the truth? She’d had no problem telling him she loved him, but she couldn’t tell him something as important as who Eric really was? Was it because her I love you was a big fucking lie? A tool to manipulate and distract him so he wouldn’t wonder what she was really up to?
She hadn’t told him until the night her place was broken into. She’d said nothing much of value was stolen, but somebody—Claude, or someone working for him—had gone through her office. Maybe she’d known what was going on, but hadn’t wanted to say anything.
Maybe she hadn’t wanted to worry him. Or maybe she’d worried about what he might do once he found out about Eric. Or…
Maybe…just maybe, finding herself as the new president of TLD and having some trouble in her dealings with Aylster Resorts, maybe she’d been saving Eric as a last-ditch trump card to get out of the St. Cecilia mess with herself and her family business intact. In which case, she’d negotiate with Claude for an acceptable resolution, one where he was acknowledged as Eric’s legal guardian and TLD could continue the project and she could cover up the kidnapping.
The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. Daniel clenched his hands. He’d been right all along. People might appear to care—but that was always an illusion. They always acted in their own self-interest, and even if they started out doing something altruistic, eventually they would change for the worse.
But Merry’s betrayal cut deep. It felt like somebody had stabbed him in his heart, and he didn’t think he could ever be warm again.
He didn’t want to lose the company to Claude. He didn’t trust his uncle’s promise of potentially making him the successor. If he was spiteful and deliberate enough to plan something like this, he would cut Daniel out just because he could.
And losing control of the company would only prove his father had been right all along—that he was a worthless failure.
Daniel pushed past Audrey and left the office. Outside the sky was a wintry gray. As the wind whipped by, he realized he’d forgotten his coat. He looked back at the building, then shook his head. Did it matter?
“Daniel!”
He froze at the familiar voice. He’d tried to forget she had ever existed…for both their sakes. But he turned and there she was, walking rapidly toward him. Rissa was fashionably dressed as usual, accessories dripping from her ears and neck and wrists. Somebody else had probably bought them for her—she never had any money, and in fact didn’t believe in working. She wouldn’t soil her perfectly manicured hands that way.
“Thank god you’re here!” she said, tossing her long dark hair over a shoulder. An old habit that apparently died hard.
“What do you want?” he asked harshly.
She didn’t bat an eye. She’d probably expected some hostility. Her brown gaze grew shrewd. “I have some things to tell you.”
“Well, this day just can’t get any better.”
“They’re important. You’re going to want to know.”
“Make it fast.”
Her lips twisted. “So eager to get rid of me.”
“After what you did in Bali? You’re toxic, woman, and yeah, the faster you disappear the better.”
“I’m toxic?” She laughed. “What about your uncle?”
Daniel’s jaw clenched. “Thirty seconds. Then I start walking.”
“Claude’s the lowest of the low, and you’ve been hanging out with him all this time. But let me tell you just how low.” She sneered. “You know why I didn’t say anything about Judy back on Bali?” She paused, but when there was no response, went on. “It wasn’t your dad who asked me to keep things quiet. It was Claude. He told me to keep you in the dark as long as possible, and if you ever found out, to tell you it was your dad.”
“And you did that.”
“Of course! He paid off all my old bills. I couldn’t resist. Besides, it ended up costing him a lot over the years. He didn’t want you to know, until now. I guess he got fed up. Or maybe he thinks he doesn’t need me anymore. Either way I don’t give a shit.”
Daniel stared at Rissa. The last time he’d seen her ten years ago, she’d been on her knees, sobbing.
Oh my god, Daniel. You know how your dad is. He was so intimidating and angry on the phone. I couldn’t tell him no, and I didn’t know what to do. If I’d told you, you’d have flown to Istanbul instantly. And if you did, he’d have known. I’m so sorry. She’d buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. When he’d merely stared at her in fury, she’d finally raised her head to look at him, tears staining her cheeks and her nose red and runny. Please. You have to believe me. I’m so sorry.
“I threw you out of the resort,” Daniel said. “But maybe I should’ve just sent you to Hollywood. What a waste of acting talent.”
“Whatever. I want you to know the truth now,” Rissa said, “so you can hurt him for me.”
Daniel leaned close until their noses almost touched. “Rissa, believe me, I’m going to hurt him. But when I do, it’ll be for my own purposes, not because I give a shit about you.” He straightened. “Now get lost. I told you what I’d do if I ever saw you again.”
She paled. “You aren’t going to take me to court. Not now.”
“There are more creative ways to make your life hell.” Her father had been a lawyer, and lawsuits were the only thing she knew. His phone buzzed, and he turned on his heel and started walking. It was a call from Merry.
If she’d called half an hour earlier, he would’ve answered with a grin and lightness in his heart. Now all he could think was how like Rissa she was. It seemed like all the women around him were actresses, deal-makers, negotiating for the best outcome for themselves with Claude. Daniel wasn’t even sure why he was so shocked. If he hadn’t let Merry get to him, he wouldn’t have been so blindsided by all this. No, he would’ve expected it.
Daniel hit the red button and shoved the phone back in his pocket. He needed to find an ally…except there wasn’t anybody he could trust not to betray him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Meredith stumbled into Natalie’s penthouse. Natalie took one look at Meredith’s face, pulled her into the living room and sat her down. “What’s wrong?”
“I’ve lost Eric.”
“What? Where did you last see him?”
“Not like that. Claude found out the truth and took him. I don’t know if I can get him back.”
Natalie quickly recalibrated. “Have you talked to an attorney?”
Meredith nodded. “We have a firm on retainer. I told them, and they said if Eric is really Claude’s grand-nephew, then it will be extremely difficult for me to assert any sort of parental rights, even though I raised him as my own for ten years. They said the fact that I took him like that, no matter what the circumstances were, makes it a crime.” Her face crumpled. “A crime! Their best legal advice was not to make a big deal about it so long as Claude’s willing to forego pressing charges.” Hot tears fell.
“Meredith, I’m so sorry.”
“Honey, who’s there?” came Alex’s voice from the kitchen.
“It’s Meredith.”
Alex appeared, drying his hands. He froze in mid-motion when he saw Meredith. “What happened?”
Natalie glanced at Meredith, and she nodded. What was the point to keeping it secret anymore?
Natalie gave Alex a short summary of the situation. Alex’s eyes hardened, and his mouth flattened. “That bastard.”
“I know.” Natalie put a hand on Meredith’s back. “Have you told your family yet?”
“No. I don’t know what I’m going to do.” She buried her face in her hands. “What can I tell them? They’ll be so disappointed
.”
“You did what you thought was right. You were only eighteen.”
Meredith sniffed. “It doesn’t matter. They always told me I’d get into trouble because of my impulsiveness.”
“Meredith, I want you to know that I’ll support you in whatever way I can,” Alex said. “This is outrageous.”
“But how can I get Eric back? I don’t have a blood tie like Claude does. He can just…take him and raise him as his own…”
“He could,” Alex said slowly. “But I don’t think this has anything to do with Claude’s sudden love for Judy’s son.”
She looked up. “What do you mean?” She’d assumed Claude had done it out of longing for his grand-nephew.
“How old is Claude? Sixty?”
Meredith made a vague gesture. “Something like that.”
“And he isn’t married? Doesn’t have any kids?”
“No kids. As far as I know, he was never even married.”
“Right. But he’s had money and power since forever, so he could have gotten married anywhere along the line if that’s what he wanted. So it’s pretty clear that having a family isn’t a priority for him.”
Meredith stared at Alex. It was true, but she’d never considered that aspect of the situation.
“Then there’s the timing. It’s awfully strange that he suddenly, just now, realized Eric might not be yours. I mean, I always thought he was. He has your coloring, and the blue eyes can be explained away as either something that runs in your family, or maybe something he got from his father.” Alex folded his arms, and she could see the wheels turning as he thought about the problem. “Did anyone else in his family know that Judy had a baby?”
“No,” Natalie said. “No, they didn’t.”
“Okay. Then my guess is that Claude somehow knew back then that Judy was pregnant. He kept quiet for whatever reason, but now he needs the boy. So he’s taking him from you.”
“But why?” Meredith asked. “Eric has a trust fund that Gavin and Ethan set up for him, but he can’t touch it until he’s at least twenty-five. By then Claude might be dead.”
Natalie was shaking her head. “Too much of a gamble. It’s something else.”
“Maybe there’s something in his brother’s will,” Alex said. “If Eric is Judy’s son, he might be entitled to whatever would’ve been Judy’s, and if Claude has the custody of the child, he’ll be able to take control of it.”
“That’s right,” Natalie said. “Maybe Judy had a big trust fund or something.”
Meredith shook her head. “I would have known about something like that.”
“Shares in Aylster Resorts?” Alex asked. “She’s bound to have had some of those.”
“But the company’s privately owned and basically controlled by the Aylster family,” Meredith said. “Why would Claude care?”
“Some men like to be in control,” Natalie said.
Alex nodded. “It might be that with Judy’s shares, he would have a majority voting block.”
“And he would kick Daniel out?”
“Why not? It’s a perfect coup if he has the ambition. With Daniel gone, no one else could challenge him. It also gives him the proper veneer of respectability—that he somehow found Judy’s son and so on and so forth.”
“You need to talk to both Daniel and your family,” Natalie said. “You have to fight this. If Alex is right, Eric needs you more than ever.”
“I can talk to my family, but I don’t know if I can face Daniel. He’ll hate me, and…I’ll lose him.”
“Not if he’s the kind of man who deserves a woman like you.” Natalie squeezed Meredith’s hands, giving her warmth. “I’ve never seen you do anything out of malice or selfishness, Meredith. If he can’t see that you took Eric in to protect him and love him, then you should let him go and find somebody else who can recognize the goodness in you.”
* * *
Meredith went to Daniel’s place. She needed to tell him the whole truth, like she should’ve done weeks before, and ask for his forgiveness. She had to find a way to fix the mess she’d created.
She stood outside his building. He wasn’t in yet, and he wasn’t answering her calls. Or maybe he was ignoring her. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t going anywhere until she had a chance to talk to him.
Several people walked past her into the building, giving her cursory glances. She hugged herself as the temperature dropped steadily and misty rain started to fall. She moved under the covered section. What if Daniel had left Virginia already? He might be down in Houston dealing with the situation at the company if Claude was really attempting a coup like Alex had said. Something like that would probably be better executed when everyone was out celebrating.
On the other hand, it was the weekend before Thanksgiving. How many board members would be available?
All of them, if they’re anything like Gavin.
She took a shaky breath. Was it too late?
Then the skin on the back of her neck prickled, and she turned around. There stood Daniel. He was in just his suit, despite the temperature. His moist hair stood up like he’d been running his hands through it. The tip of his nose had turned pink, and he seemed…stiff. Whether it was from the cold or from seeing her, she couldn’t tell. It killed her to see him like this. The whole situation was all her fault.
She rushed to him, shrugging out of her coat. She draped it around his cold, rain-slick body. “I have to talk to you.”
Daniel glanced down at her coat with something like derision and bemusement. “I don’t need your coat, Merry.”
“Come on, Daniel. Let’s talk. Can we go to your place? If not, a café?”
“Right here is fine. It’s not like you’re going to tell me anything I want to know.”
Meredith’s heart shriveled at his flat tone. “You found out.”
“Yes. Claude was quite pleased. I’m sure he appreciates your help.”
She gasped. “I’m not helping him!”
“That’s not what I heard.”
“Daniel, you have to believe me. I didn’t do any of this on purpose. I would never, never hurt you. Please.”
He shrugged off her coat and handed it back to her. She didn’t take it. The rain-wet wind was freezing, but she welcomed the numbing sensation.
“Take it. It’s yours,” Daniel said when she didn’t move. “And cut the Florence Nightingale act. I know you.” She still didn’t move; he dropped the coat onto the wet concrete.
He must hate her so much now. She’d ruined everything. “It’s not an act.” Her voice was thin and uneven. “I wasn’t lying when I said I love you.”
“If this is what you call love”—he sneered the word—“take it back. I was happier without it.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks, mixing with the rain. It hurt so much to lose her son, and now Daniel too. She’d always thought love was enough, but it had brought nothing but pain for the two people who mattered the most in her life. How arrogant she’d been to think she could justify her deception, make it work. “I’m so sorry.” Her voice cracked. “I’d undo everything if I could, but I can’t. But I’ll fix it for you. I swear I’ll make it right. Please.”
He gave her a level stare that seemed to last forever. Finally he said, “What’s in it for you?”
“What?”
“What did Claude promise you?”
“Nothing!” Meredith reached out and gripped his arm. “I’m not working with Claude!” She looked into his cold eyes, willing him to have faith in her. “Please, just hear me out.”
He shook off her hand; the muscles in his jaw worked. As her clothes grew wetter and wetter, something inside her withered. He wasn’t going to give her a chance. She’d lost him forever, and it was all her fault. Her shoulders drooped, and she hung her head. If she didn’t have Eric to consider, she might have curled up then and there and just died.
“I’m sorry,” she managed through the thick lump in her throat. Losing Eric and Daniel hurt like pois
on spreading inside her. “I’ll—”
Daniel cursed under his breath. “You can come upstairs…just for a moment,” he said roughly. “I don’t have time for this, but I don’t want your family trying to kill me for letting you catch pneumonia.”
* * *
As they took the elevator up to his penthouse, Daniel stood apart from Merry, his body rigid. He should’ve let her go. He knew she’d been about to leave, but then he hadn’t been able to bear seeing her defeated like that, all the sparkle gone from her eyes. She’d cried too—and not the pretty, dainty tears that women employed to manipulate others. It had been ugly, with ruined makeup and her nose runny and crimson.
The warm air began to thaw him, but his insides remained cold. She didn’t put her coat back on. Instead she hugged the wet, dirty thing to her chest. His gaze dropped to its reflection in the mirrored elevator wall. Why had she offered it to him?
The fact that he wanted to know bothered him. When people went through their inevitable changes and betrayed the relationship they’d had together, he never questioned them. There was no point. People rarely told the truth, so he just moved on. Look at Rissa. He’d asked her why she’d withheld the information that one time in Bali, and she’d told him. She was feeding him a different story involving Claude now, but maybe that was a lie as well. How could he ever trust her?
Merry would be just as inconsistent. She’d change her story depending on what would suit her best.
Yet here he was.
They walked into the penthouse. Housekeeping had come by earlier—the place was immaculate, not that there was much for them to pick up. A memo on the fridge said everything in the dishwasher was clean and if Mr. Daniel Aylster needed anything else he’d have to wait until after Thanksgiving.
Daniel didn’t offer Merry a seat. He wanted her out of his place as soon as possible. “So. Talk.”
She tucked her hair behind an ear, her eyelashes still spiky with tears. Her fingers shook, and that inexplicably made Daniel’s chest tight. “You hurt your hand,” she said suddenly, reaching out to take a better look.