Chapter 48
Chapter 48
Beckett threw out one arm to block Jayne, while dialing Edith’s number with the other. He shot Jayne a look, his voice cold and sharp. “The law? In Northcrest, the Vance family is the law!”
The Vance family’s power was enough to completely suppress the Sumners, and Beckett’s confidence when he said those words made that
clear.
Jayne was shaking with rage but couldn’t fight him off. Clutching her aching chest, she watched helplessly as Beckett made a mess of things.
The phone rang twice before someone picked up.
Edith’s gentle voice came through, “Mom? What’s wrong? It’s late-couldn’t sleep because you’re worried about me?”
At that moment, Edith, who was at the Hawksley estate, assumed Jayne was just anxious about her and staying up late. She’d meant to soothe her mother, but the voice on the other end wasn’t Jayne’s at all.
It was a voice she could never forget.
“Edith! Where are you?”
Beckett’s words were laced with anger.
Edith’s brow creased with anxiety.
Justin, quick to notice her distress, leaned closer and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong, Edith?”
Beckett, already seething with frustration over not being able to find Edith, overheard Justin’s voice. That sent his temper boiling over.
“Who’s that man with you? Who the hell is he?”
Edith steadied herself as best she could. “Where’s my mom? That’s her phone! Are you at my house? What have you done to her?”
“Tell me where you are first!” Beckett roared, his voice cracking as his
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Chapter 48
anger spilled over.
Jayne, thoroughly frightened by his outburst, shouted instinctively, “Edith, he’s here again!”
Hearing her mother’s voice made Edith’s heart drop.
She sprang to her feet in panic. “I need to get back to the Sumner house-”
But before she could move, Justin gently but firmly pressed her back down, taking the phone from her. His gaze was steady, reassuring. “Edith, don’t worry. Let me handle this.”
His voice carried through the phone, further infuriating Beckett, who was already on the edge. He screamed, “Edith! Which bastard are you with? If I don’t see you in thirty minutes, you can forget about ever seeing your mother again!”
Beckett thought he’d found Edith’s greatest weakness, but what he didn’t realize was that Justin was now the one holding the phone.
Justin’s eyes never left Edith. There was a quiet fire in his gaze, as if to say: As long as I’m here, nothing will happen to you.
Beckett’s threats might have worked on Edith, but Justin was a different story altogether.
He even allowed himself a faint, mocking smile. “Mr. Vance, you want to see Edith? Fine. She’s here with me. I’ll send you the address-why don’t you come over, and we can talk things through?”
Beckett gripped the phone tightly, listening to the voice on the other end-it definitely wasn’t some old man. The tone was strong, detached, with a hint of icy arrogance.
It put Beckett on edge. “Who the hell are you?”
Justin’s lips curled with a barely-there smile. “Come find out for yourself.”
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Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.