Chapter 14
Marcus tried to save himself.
“I can tell you everything.”
Alistair turned.
“You coward.”
Marcus looked at his father.
“You were going to discard us anyway.”
Silence.
Interesting.
I looked at Marcus.
“Everything.”
He swallowed.
“The Manhattan attack was Alistair’s plan.”
Celeste closed her eyes.
I already suspected.
Hearing it still changed something.
Marcus continued.
“We hired three men.”
“Kill order?”
“No.”
Alistair interrupted:
“He was to be delayed.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“You said break him if necessary.”
Alistair’s jaw tightened.
“What happened after?”
I asked.
“Mae was taken.”
“By you.”
“Yes.”
“Threatened.”
“Yes.”
“Sent away.”
“Yes.”
“What else?”
Marcus looked at Mae.
“I told the Ashford staff she stole.”
Mae stared at him.
That lie had followed her for years.
I looked at Harris.
The steward lowered his eyes.
Everyone had believed it.
“What about the ring?”
Marcus swallowed.
“I collected it from the jeweler.”
“Then?”
“Dad said keep it.”
Celeste looked at him.
“You told me it was Evelyn’s.”
Marcus said nothing.
She laughed.
“You let me wear another woman’s ring.”
Alistair shrugged.
“It symbolized victory.”
Even Marcus looked disgusted.
There.
The deepest truth.
Alistair didn’t care about Celeste’s marriage.
He cared that the Wainwright woman wore the ring meant for the woman Nolan chose.
Correction.
Revenge.
Possession.
I looked at Mae.
She was crying silently.
Not for the diamond.
For four years.
Marcus continued.
“When Nora was born, Dad wanted Mae watched.”
“Why?”
“To make sure she didn’t come back.”
“And when she did?”
“Celeste suggested bringing her inside.”
Celeste stared.
“You agreed.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Marcus hesitated.
Alistair answered.
“To see whether Nolan still cared.”
I looked at him.
“You tested me.”
“Yes.”
“Using Mae.”
“Yes.”
“Nora.”
“Yes.”
He had no shame.
That made decisions easier.
Then Marcus said:
“There’s one more thing.”
Alistair’s face changed.
“Marcus.”
He kept going.
“The engagement announcement tomorrow wasn’t the real ceremony.”
I frowned.
“What was?”
Marcus looked at me.
“A private gathering of Ashford captains.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why?”
“To have them recognize Alistair as your senior family adviser after the marriage.”
There it was.
May you like
Marriage was never the end.
It was the door.
