Chapter 13
The driver’s name was Joseph Kane.
Eighty-one.
Thin.
Sharp eyes.
He had served Harold until the night Harold died.
Vivian went white when he entered.
Ryan noticed.
“Mother?”
She said nothing.
Joseph looked at me.
“Claire Bennett.”
“Yes.”
“Your father had his mother’s eyes.”
Strange first sentence.
Then he looked at Vivian.
“You.”
She recovered.
“You should be dead.”
The room froze.
Joseph smiled.
“Bad opening.”
Victor laughed once.
I looked at Vivian.
“You knew he was alive.”
No answer.
Joseph sat without invitation.
“I’ve been in the guest wing three days.”
Ryan stared.
“How?”
“Victor.”
I looked at my uncle.
He nodded.
“I brought him.”
“Why?”
“Because if I came back, Vivian would rewrite Harold’s death too.”
Ryan’s face changed.
“What does that mean?”
Joseph looked at him.
“Your father didn’t die betrayed by Bennetts.”
Vivian snapped:
“Stop.”
Joseph continued.
“He died trying to abandon her.”
Silence.
Ryan stared.
“My father loved Mother.”
Joseph laughed.
“Your father feared her.”
Vivian moved forward.
My guards blocked her.
Joseph kept talking.
“Harold wanted out after his coup failed.”
“Where?”
“Anywhere.”
“With Ryan?”
Joseph nodded.
Ryan’s breathing changed.
“How old was I?”
“Sixteen.”
He looked at Vivian.
“She told me Dad died because Bennetts punished him.”
Joseph shook his head.
“No.”
“What happened?”
“Harold arranged a car.”
Vivian’s jaw tightened.
“He planned to take you.”
Ryan stared at her.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
She looked at him.
For the first time, I saw no excuse ready.
Joseph answered.
“She told him if he left, Ryan would stay.”
My husband’s face emptied.
“He chose me?”
“Yes.”
Joseph nodded.
“He came back for you.”
Ryan looked at Vivian.
“What happened?”
Silence.
Joseph’s voice lowered.
“Harold never made it out again.”
Ryan looked sick.
“You killed him.”
Vivian finally exploded.
“He was abandoning us!”
There.
Confession hidden inside outrage.
Ryan stepped backward.
She continued.
“He would have made you weak.”
Same words.
Same logic.
Same family poison.
Ryan stared.
For the first time, he understood exactly what I had been looking at all night.
May you like
Vivian hadn’t taught him strength.
She had trained him to become the man who would never leave her.
