Chapter 2
Wells Lodge was not an orphanage.
That almost made it worse.
It was a private residential property owned by Bianca’s family.
Beautiful.
Staffed.
Secure.
A place where wealthy families sent relatives when they wanted distance without questions.
Older sons with addictions.
Embarrassing cousins.
Widowed aunts.
Children considered inconvenient.
I knew the reputation.
I had simply never imagined my grandson on the guest list.
“How long?”
I held up the brass key.
Graham rubbed his jaw where I had struck him.
“Dad—”
“How long has his room been ready?”
Bianca answered.
“Three weeks.”
There.
Graham turned toward her.
She looked annoyed that he was still pretending.
“Don’t look at me like that. He already found the key.”
I stared at my son.
“Three weeks.”
He said nothing.
Toby started crying again when thunder shook the glass.
I went to him.
He lifted both arms.
I took him.
No hesitation.
He buried his wet face against my torn jacket.
“Grandpa.”
“I’m here.”
“Can stay?”
“Yes.”
Graham spoke behind me.
“You can’t promise that.”
I turned.
My son had just made the worst mistake available.
“Why?”
“Because he’s mine.”
I almost laughed.
The entitlement.
A child thrown outside suddenly became property the moment someone else protected him.
“You told him he couldn’t come back.”
“I was angry.”
Bianca scoffed.
“No, you weren’t.”
Graham looked at her sharply.
She continued.
“You agreed.”
Good.
Let them unravel each other.
“Agreed to what?”
Bianca straightened her dress.
“Toby stays at the lodge until after the wedding.”
“Then?”
Silence.
I looked at her.
“Then?”
“He stays longer if necessary.”
My arms tightened around Toby.
“Necessary for what?”
Bianca looked toward Graham.
He refused to help.
So she finally said it.
“For the family transition.”
That word.
Transition.
People use clean language when they want ugly things to sound inevitable.
“What transition?”
Bianca smiled faintly.
“The one Graham said you were finally ready to make.”
I looked at my son.
He went pale.
May you like
Apparently Toby was not the only Ashford being moved out of the way.
Graham had been telling the Wells family I was about to step down.
