Chapter 18
My sister was not my full sister.
I had known that.
Our mother told us we had different fathers, but it never mattered.
Lena was mine.
I raised her after Mom got sick.
I worked for her tuition.
I skipped meals so she could buy books.
Now Julian looked at me like another secret had found its teeth.
“What about Lena?”
He swallowed.
“Vivienne’s notes mentioned Elena had two daughters. One tied to Vale. One tied to Ashford.”
The hallway blurred.
“No.”
Detective Chen pulled up the recovered files.
Marion Ashford had used the same hotel network Henry Vale used.
Young women.
Money.
Silence.
My mother had been trapped between two powerful families before either of her daughters could walk.
Lena’s father was likely Grant Ashford.
Celeste’s father.
My sister was Celeste’s half-sister.
I nearly collapsed.
Julian caught my elbow.
This time, I let him.
“Does Celeste know?” I whispered.
Detective Chen’s silence answered.
She knew.
That was why she took Lena’s ID.
That was why Marion threatened me with my sister.
That was why Grant had looked haunted every time he saw me.
We brought Lena to the mansion under protection.
She was nineteen.
Brilliant.
Stubborn.
Furious when scared.
“What is happening?” she demanded.
I told her enough.
Not everything at once.
She listened with her arms crossed.
Then said, “So rich people are even worse than I thought.”
I laughed through tears.
“Yes.”
Grant asked to see her.
Lena said no.
Then yes.
Then no again.
Finally, she agreed if I stayed.
Grant entered the room looking broken.
He saw Lena and stopped.
Her face had his eyes.
He knew.
She knew he knew.
He whispered, “I am sorry.”
May you like
Lena stared at him.
“Get in line.”
