Chapter 35 The Secret
“Tan is so… Arghhh! I don’t even know the right word to use!” Summer cursed angrily on the phone like she’s been doing for the past two hours after I told her about the incident.
“I’m so sorry, Summer. I had been too self absorbed that I had ignored you all these weeks,” I sighed, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.
“Oh, please,” she waved her hand dismissively in the air. “You were anything but self absorbed. You were grieving. I’m surprised you didn’t dig a grave to bury yourself inside.”
I let out a frown. “Haha, very funny.”
Summer let out a chuckle. “No, I’m serious. And I’m proud of you of holding your head up high. You have the right mentor.”
“Who?”
“Me of course!” She responded. “Uhm, I know I’m not supposed to be asking but, what about Barth?”
I shifted uncomfortably in my bed. “I heard that they are getting engaged soon so no need to worry about him anymore.”
“That son of a bitch!” She cried. “How can he be getting engaged to that witch?! After what she has done?! Arghhh, I wish I never left. I wish I was still there, I would have crushed his balls and slammed Tan’s head into the wall for doing this to you.”
I laughed softly. Knowing how unruly Summer can be, she definitely wasn’t bluffing.
“Well, at least now he has something to be occupied with it.”
A brief silence engulfed as Summer stared at me through the screen, a pout forming on her lips.
“What about you? Are you happy, Bree?”
I sighed. Happy? I can’t remember the last time I was truly happy. It has been one hell of ride from one gallop to another but I couldn’t say that to her, I didn’t want her worrying about me.
“Yeah, I am,” I tried to fake a smile.
“Don’t you dare lie to me.”
“Have you been speaking to Miller?” I asked, changing the subject.
Summer sighed deeply. “I know you are trying to change the topic right now but to answer your question, nope. What Miller and I had was just a fling. A one night stand. That’s all.”
I raised a brow. “Are you sure? Because that didn’t look like a fling to me though.”
“Oh please, stop it Bree. We have each other blocked already.”
“Me and you know you have a secret account for stalking. You are probably doing that right now,” I pointed at the phone in her hands and she went red, throwing it behind her.
“You know too much!” She cried out making me burst into laughter. “This is what you get when people know a lot about you.”
A noise from the hallway distracted me.
“Summer, can I call you back later? I need to go check up on mum.”
“Oh sure.”
The call went dead and I jumped off my bed and walked out of my room. Aurick and mum were having another heated conversation. The door was half opened as well and I wondered if they were purposely leaving it ajar for people—me to eavesdrop.
“She’s back, Valerie,” Aurick sighed, pinching his eyebrows.
“And so? It’s not like Cecilia will be gone forever. You didn’t expect that from her, did you?” Mum responded but I couldn’t see her facial expressions as she was backing me but she sounded pissed.
“Yes. I know she was stubborn but what if she starts snooping around as usual and goes to meet one of the kids to tell them the truth? You know how Barth can be.”
“The kids know better than to engage her. She’s crazy and that’s a fact.”
I felt a lump in my throat.
“She is but still crazy enough to want to destroy all we have worked for. I have my people tracking her whereabouts and they said she was at the mansion few days back.”
“Do you think—“
Aurick glanced up and our eyes met, making me gasp in fright. I have been caught. Mum turned around with a raised brow.
“Bree, were you eavesdropping?” She asked with a frown.
I opened the door, not knowing what to say. “I… uhm heard a noise from my room and came to check whether you were okay. I didn’t mean to listen.”
Mum’s face softened. “It’s fine Bree. We are fine.”
I looked up at Aurick who stared at me pitifully?
“Yvonne, come inside. I think it’s good you are here. I guess I owe you an apology.”
I walked into the room and stood in front of them, my fingers fidgeting together.
“I know I have been hard on you lately but it’s because I’m doing all I can for the good of the family. We wouldn’t want the outside world having another bad impression about us. I’m really sorry if you felt left out.”
“You don’t have to apologize, Aurick. I’m the one at fault and I should be the one apologizing. I know you have sacrificed a lot just to get to where you are now and I should have been more careful and also grateful that you took me in and treated me like your own.”
Aurick let out a small smile and patted my shoulder. “As long as I’m with your mother, I would always do whatever I can to protect you both.”
His face turned serious as he accessed me. “Do you know about Barth’s mother?”
I turned to stare at my mum who shrugged. “Yeah. I have seen pictures on the internet.”
“Good. Anywhere you see her, do not hesitate to let me know and stay away from her. She’s up to no good. She has tried severally to destroy my reputation and I won’t allow any more scandal to befall this family so do not forget what I have said, okay?”
I nodded slowly, hiding my guilt. Her card was lying around somewhere, I will look for it and throw it away. I didn’t want to be involved in any more mess and let these two down.
“Good. You may go now.”
Walking out, I closed the door quietly but before I could take a step further, I heard something that piqued my curiosity.
“Cecilia is up to no good and she might meet with Yvonne and tell her about her the truth concerning father’s death or worse Barth and I don’t want that. She has to be contained.”