Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 141385 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141385 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
“What are you going to do now?” he asks, pulling me out of my rapidly darkening thoughts.
“I’m not quite sure,” I say honestly, taking the piece of paper back. “It’s not something I can look into on my own, and truthfully, I don’t have the time right now. It might have to wait for a few weeks.”
Rafayel raises his eyebrows. “What, are you securing your future or something?”
I grin. “Something like that.”
“Harriet…”
“I told you; I can’t tell you. If I could, I would. Chances are that it’ll probably even help me figure this out.” I slide the sheet back into the folder. “There’s no trace of this, is there?”
“No. He sent it securely, and I’ve already wiped every trace of it.” He stares at the folder for a second. “You are safe, aren’t you?”
“I am. I promise.” For now.
The jury is out on my safety when the truth comes out about who’s actually marrying the crown prince.
I’m not telling him that, though.
“Good. You’ve come so far since you got back. I still don’t know what you two went through out there, but you deserve some peace in your life.”
Ha.
Maybe he’s right.
Maybe I do deserve some peace.
Unfortunately, my soul won’t let me rest until I’ve done the exact opposite of find that. Especially not now I have this.
This is it.
This piece of paper is the first bit of proof I have that Rosalyn was, at minimum, aware of my planned kidnapping.
I know it’s more.
I know she’s responsible.
I know it was all her idea, all part of her plan to make herself the legitimate Mrs Sinclair and take a life that never belonged to her.
And having this? It’s the first step to ripping her apart. To showing everyone who she really is.
A jealous mistress.
A criminal.
A murderer.
I know that realistically, I’ll never be able to prove that she killed my mother. I wasn’t here. I have no proof. Even from what I’ve been told, she never physically laid hands on her or could have organised anything that would have directly killed her.
That doesn’t mean she wasn’t responsible.
I do know that my mother was perfectly healthy when I disappeared.
I know that me going missing would have wrecked her.
I know she would have destroyed herself trying to find me. She would have given everything in her power—things beyond her power. She would have begged and pleaded, she’d have screamed and cried and even bled if it meant bringing me home.
I know that not being able to find me would have shattered her beyond belief.
And killed her.
That’s how much my mother loved me.
That’s why I simply can’t let it go.
“Are you all right?” Rafayel asks.
I feign a smile. “Yes. Sorry. It’s just… A lot.” I motion offhandedly at the folder. “I thought it might feel a little more satisfying to get the lead I wanted.”
“But you’re just angry.”
“Yes.” I pause. “I’ve known the truth ever since I got back here, but a part of me didn’t want to believe it.”
“I won’t ask,” he says quietly. “But I think as humans, we don’t want to see the bad in people. We want to believe people are inherently good, even when we’re faced with truth that tells us otherwise.”
I swallow.
Is that right?
Do I want to believe Rosalyn isn’t a bad person? That she truly had nothing to do with my life being ruined?
Then again, maybe it’s just a general thing. The idea that anyone could arrange for a child to be kidnapped merely to ensure their own daughter’s future is so evil that I can’t comprehend it.
Although, I suppose I don’t need to understand it.
“You can be angry,” Rafayel continues. “Just please, don’t put yourself in danger. Ryan will never let me hear the end of it.”
This time, my smile is genuine. “Don’t worry. I promise, I’ll be careful.”
“Good.” He checks his watch. “I hate to do this, but I have a meeting in fifteen minutes. You can stay here longer if you’d like.”
“No, I have another commitment this afternoon.” I mirror him by checking the time. “In fact, my transportation will be here any minute, so I should get going.”
“Want me to walk you down?”
“No, you prepare for your meeting.” I stand up and pull my laptop out of my bag. I slide the folder into my closed laptop, then put it back and haul the strap over my shoulder. “Thanks… for handing this over. I know you don’t like it when we start digging.”
Rafayel sighs, linking his fingers and stretching his hands up over his head. “I don’t, but it isn’t my place to tell you to stop. Whatever the two of you went through… Well, if you can find answers, you deserve at least that much. If being your messenger boy makes that safer, then I’ll do it.”
“Oh, boohoo—the multimillionaire business owner and heir is reduced to being a little postman. However will you cope in your glass tower here?”