Chapter 6
Tobin was moved to the Moretti estate before sunrise.
So was Elliot.
Rocco refused to leave either child inside the Ashford house.
Brenna agreed.
Gavin did not get a vote.
He sat alone in the downstairs library while Brenna stood across from him.
No Rocco.
No Sybil.
No Celeste.
Just husband and wife.
Brenna had changed clothes.
No jewelry except her wedding ring.
She looked at it for several seconds.
Then removed it.
Gavin’s face changed.
“Don’t.”
She placed it on the table.
“You told another woman I was leaving.”
“I thought we were finished.”
“You thought.”
“We hadn’t been happy.”
“No.”
Brenna looked at him.
“You hadn’t been honest.”
Gavin lowered his eyes.
“I loved you.”
“Again with past tense.”
“I still do.”
“Then why Celeste?”
He struggled.
The answer made him uglier than he wanted to be.
“Because she understood.”
“Understood what?”
“My father.”
“Your revenge.”
“Yes.”
Brenna nodded.
“There.”
“What?”
“The real marriage.”
He looked at her.
“You married your grief before you married me.”
Gavin said nothing.
“Celeste didn’t steal you.”
Brenna’s voice remained calm.
“You were never fully here.”
He stood.
“I did marry you because I loved you.”
“Did my last name help?”
He froze.
That was enough.
Brenna laughed softly.
“How much?”
“At first?”
“Yes.”
Gavin closed his eyes.
“Enough.”
She nodded.
Pain moved across her face but did not break her.
“You met me because I was Rocco Moretti’s daughter.”
“Yes.”
“You wanted access.”
“Yes.”
“To this house.”
“Yes.”
“And then?”
“I fell in love with you.”
“Maybe.”
“Brenna.”
“Maybe you did.”
She looked toward the ceiling.
“But you loved the answer more.”
Gavin sat.
She continued.
“When Tobin was born, did you look at him and see your son?”
“Yes.”
“Or a Moretti child sleeping over the room your father described?”
Gavin did not answer quickly enough.
Brenna turned away.
“God.”
“No.”
“I said answer.”
“Both.”
She closed her eyes.
That was worse.
Not because he never loved Tobin.
Because love had been contaminated by purpose.
Gavin stepped toward her.
“I never wanted anyone to hurt him.”
“Your mother did.”
“I know.”
“And you let her pack his room.”
“I didn’t know she would shove him.”
“You knew she wanted him gone.”
“Yes.”
“And Elliot?”
Gavin looked toward the ring on the table.
“I believed Celeste had the second token. I thought if Elliot lived in Tobin’s room, Sybil could search openly.”
Brenna stared.
“So my son lost his room because you needed cover.”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For finally telling the truth before I had to hate myself for still loving you.”
Gavin’s face broke.
She walked toward the door.
“Brenna.”
She stopped.
“What happens to us?”
She did not turn.
“I don’t know.”
“Celeste means nothing now.”
Brenna looked back.
“That is not comforting.”
He understood too late.
Reducing another woman to nothing did not make betrayal smaller.
Brenna left.
Outside, Celeste stood in the hall.
Their eyes met.
Celeste looked embarrassed.
“I’ll leave with Elliot.”
“No.”
“You don’t owe me shelter.”
“It isn’t about you.”
Brenna looked toward the room where Tobin slept.
“The children stay out of adult punishment.”
Celeste nodded slowly.
“That is more mercy than I deserve.”
Brenna’s expression hardened.
“Don’t mistake me.”
“I won’t.”
“Did you love him?”
Celeste looked toward Gavin’s closed door.
“I loved the version who told me he was already free.”
Brenna almost smiled bitterly.
“We met the same man.”
For the first time, they understood each other.
Upstairs, Tobin woke crying.
Brenna moved immediately.
Celeste followed more slowly.
Neither woman saw the figure across the road beyond the Moretti gates.
An older man sat inside a dark sedan.
Gray hair.
Scar along his jaw.
In his palm rested the third black fox token.
Enzo Moretti watched the house where his grand-nephew slept.
Then he whispered:
May you like
“Aldo found them.”
And drove away.
