I moved back to the bed to count out my money, watching the door and keeping my ears pricked for any sound. Ella has been acting strange these last couple of days, not that she ever liked me before, but lately, she doesn’t even try to hide it. Just another fool under Gia’s spell. Another traitor who only likes her because of her parentage because she came from some lofty family on her mother’s side.
That’s the thing about Adrienne that had got my mother’s goat, and I hate the daughter for the same reasons. Because no matter how I try, I can never be the same. My parents are little more than projects trash. It’s Becky’s fault, everything that’s happening to me now. If she hadn’t brought me here, I would never have known any other life but the one I was born into.
Because of her, my greed for nice things had grown, and I felt suffocated if I didn’t get the things I wanted. So, shouldn’t she be the one to get me everything my heart desired? I have no guilt for turning on her. She hadn’t held up her side of things as a mother, as someone who’d made promises to me that she hadn’t kept. I kept her secret all these years; it’s enough. Now it’s time I looked out for number one. I won’t end up like her. No matter what happens, I won’t be a loser.
“What do you want?” I looked up to see Ella standing in my doorway. When did she come in here? How long has she been standing there?
“I knocked, but you didn’t answer; I thought something might be wrong.”
“What the hell do you want?” I had to grit the words out through my teeth because I didn’t want Felix to overhear.
“Oh, I was wondering if you were ready for dinner.”
“Get out. And don’t come into my room unless I tell you to.” I got up and slammed the door in her face, too late, remembering that Felix was just down the hall.
“Huh! He has his own problems to tend to, more important than a slamming door.” He must be feeling guilty now that all has been revealed. Knowing that he fucked the woman who killed his beloved must be making him feel like shit right about now. Good, stay focused on that shit and stay out of mine.
Maybe the guilt will eat away at him to the point that he’s no use to himself or anyone. The way he’s been staring at that portrait all week and watching that stupid dance might be a good thing after all, though at the time, it grated on my nerves something awful.
Maybe he’s finally cracked. I can use that to my advantage. I’ve only got two things going for me. One, I’m a minor, they can’t just kick me out on the street, and two, I told the truth about what I saw that day. Hopefully, he won’t dwell on the fact that I’d waited this long to speak up.
* * *
GABRIEL
* * *
She fell asleep after our shared bath, and I was too tired to beat myself up over the fact that I’d slept with her again. I spared myself the indignity of saying it was the last time again and turned my focus to the computer. I had a new message in my inbox, the one I’d generated for just this purpose.
Because I trust no one at face value, even those who appear helpful, I’d given the Fontane housekeeper this email address instead of a phone number or my correct email. If people only knew what damage could be done in the wrong hands with just that bit of information, they’d never get on the damn things again. Doxing is just the tip of the ice-burg.
“Hmm, a private stash, huh.” I typed in a command and switched to something else. Starting tomorrow, the girls will be busy with their debutant crap, so I’d have some room to do what needs to be done. I’m waiting for Felix to make a move in the hopes once more that he might redeem himself, at least for his kid’s sake. I’m not holding my breath, though.
In the meantime, I won’t twiddle my thumbs. I sent off a message to New York. It’s time to put Victoria in the hot seat. I’m sure Fontane won’t put her out on the street with nowhere to go; he’s still under the delusion that she’s his adopted daughter, after all. But I’m going to sever those ties with a sharp sword so that even he, as ignorant as he is, won’t be able to glue them back together.
“You’re up, Jimmy.” Time to come claim your little family, or what’s left of it once I put Becky behind bars for the rest of her natural life. She’s already facing a hefty sentence for the crimes she’d been arrested for. With a murder charge tacked on, she won’t be seeing the light of day again. As to Felix, well, let’s see how he handles himself, then I’d know which way to take this thing with him.