Chapter 57 The mother
I don't know why I'm even surprised after Ben revealed himself.
"You're joking, right?" I don't even recognise my own voice, what Katherine is saying is too vile to even comprehend.
Caroline?
Caroline with her snobby attitude in her designer clothes and subtle plastic surgery?
"Your family is rich, why didn't you say something!"
Katherine laughs humorlessly at me. "Say something! You don't know who you're dealing with here, do you? Those people are vultures, fucking sharks. They sniff out your weakness and attack you where it hurts you the most."
I can't fathom how a mother would do that.
"I regret the moment I said yes when Miguel asked me out on a date." She shakes her head. "I thought I was the luckiest girl in school. The hottest guy asking me out, fucking me the whole summer with his huge dick and beautiful body. Little did I know what was waiting for me around the corner."
"Do you think he knew?" I whisper the words out, too afraid of her answer.
But even when he was stalking me, and hiding his true identity from me, I never felt forced. I never said no. I always wanted it.
"I don't think so." Tears fall from her eyes again, and I feel so bad for the teenage Katherine, that she went through all of that alone.
"How do you think I can help you?" I want to know. "Right now, Ben has something on my uncle, and I don't know if he's bluffing or if it's something that could destroy my family."
"He never bluffs." She says quickly. "Do you think I'm the only one? Because I'm not."
The fear is dripping off her in waves, her blue eyes so full of pain that it's leaking into my soul.
What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to help her and me?
"I don't know why Ben chose you as his fiance, but just know that everything he does is planned and calculated." She warns me.
"We need to find a way to stop him, before he destroys the both of us." I tell her. I need to find out if what he has on my uncle is the truth, and how we can get around it.
As far as I'm concerned, we have way more money than the Cargills, but they have way more connections to people in very high places. And that's probably the reason why Ben decided to choose me as his fucking bride. And I was so naive, sheltered and innocent that I fell for him. Even my family fell for him.
How do I outsmart a psychopath?
"Why did you think I would be able to help you?"
I'm genuinely curious, because she probably knows Ben better than I do. I shudder at the vile things they did to her, all while she was just lying there, crying and taking it.
They're fucking sick in the head, and I thought I was sick for getting a thrill from Miguel chasing me.
"If anyone can stop them, it's your family." Katherine grabs my arms desperately. "I don't know what it is he has on your family, but you have the means to do something about it."
I gulp. Is she right? Or will my uncle being photographed with the mafia guy bring nothing but trouble?
I can't just back down either. What if he completely ruins my life, my career?
My phone buzzes in my hand, and my stomach drops when I see Caroline's name flashing on the screen. Her calling me only means that she's demanding something from me.
"Good evening Caroline."
Katherine covers her face, but not before I see the panic in her eyes.
"Madison, I hope you had a good day." Caroline's voice is cheerful on the other side, but now that I know that she somehow aided her son in a rape, everything about her feels ugly. How could one woman do that to another?
"My day was great." I lie, remorse for Katherine echoing in my head. "Was there anything I could help you with?"
"The wedding planner got back to me today on all the venues' availability. I thought we could discuss it over breakfast before you go to the studio tomorrow morning?"
I really don't want to see her ever again, but if I'm going to get Katherine and myself out of this, I have to play along for now. Until I figure out what the best thing to do is.
"Of course, send me the reservation details and I'll be there."
"See you then, good night."
I wish I could rip the cheer out of her voice.
"This is a mistake."Katherine jumps from her stool at my kitchen counter. "I should have never involved you. Clearly you're different to Ben if you wants to marry you."
"No, no! Wait!" I stop her. "I don't want to get married to that monster, and I will help you, I promise."
I know I shouldn't make promises to someone that I don't know if I can keep, especially not to the fragile, broken woman in front of me.
She looks at me with defeat in her eyes, and I know I have to do absolutely everything I can to save her.
"Please stay. Ben has no access to my apartment, I swear." I take her hand in mine, hoping that she can find some comfort in my touch after that shit show I just saw. "You can take a bath or a shower, there's a bed nobody sleeps on. It's yours if you need it."
She nods reluctantly. "Just for tonight. He might start looking for me in the morning."
I nod, and then show her where the guest bedroom is, leaving her some pyjamas to sleep in. I hate that I still have to keep Ben's things here, but I vow to burn it as soon as all of this is over.
I skip my signature jog in the morning. Instead, I make Katherine breakfast and leave her a note with my number before meeting Caroline.
She smiles like butter can't melt in her mouth when I meet her at the restaurant, and I look at this woman who is the wife of the fucking senator. The wife of the man in charge of New York State.
And I have an insane urge to stab her.