Chapter 27
Angel
As always, Martha answers the door and I pull her in for a hug. “It’s good to see you, Martha.”
As she clings to me, I feel a surge of love for the woman I consider a much better mother to me than my own. “It’s good to see you too, Angelica.”
“Well, well, how touching, I wondered when you’d show up again.”
We pull apart and I see my mother’s icy glare stabbing me in the heart as she watches our public show of affection.
Gathering myself, I stare at her coolly, “Hi mom.”
She looks at Sebastian and sneers. “I’m surprised you’ve got the nerve to show your face around here. How could you dump the woman you were engaged to marry for five years and take up with her sister again?”
“That’s rich judgment coming from the woman who pulled us apart in the first place. What’s the matter Mrs. Johnson, are you such a sore loser you can’t even be happy for your daughter?”
“Loser?” She laughs bitterly. “I think you’ll find I’m looking at a couple of losers. So, what is it, did your meeting throw up a few surprises you want to check out? Well, maybe I will enlighten you, then again, maybe I’ll just leave you to figure it out on your own.”
She turns to Martha and barks angrily, “Martha, bring some refreshments to the living room, and don’t dawdle because they won’t be staying long.”
I feel angry at the way my mom speaks to Martha and make to defend her but Martha shakes her head and throws me an anguished look, so I bite my tongue and follow my hated mother into the living room.
As soon as we are seated, she snaps, “I take it you’ve had your meeting and now probably want answers, well, the fact is, he’s right about everything. When you implied you were leaving us with nothing, I took steps to protect our inheritance. Any sane person would do the same thing.”
“You think you’re sane?”
“Cut the smart replies, Angelica, remember who you are talking to. Well, to cut a long story short, I arranged my own meeting with Mr. Moretti because as the third shareholder, I knew he was my best option.”
She looks across at Sebastian and sneers. “Obviously the only other proposition had already changed sides and made his own decision, so you left me no choice. The only way we could buy you out of the company was for Anastasia to marry somebody with a vested interest in securing the shares. Mr. Moretti was our only hope, so I laid it on the line for him. I told him of your father’s plans to take the company into the future and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”
I stare at her in shock and say disbelievingly, “You traded in your own daughter, for money!?”
Shrugging, she stops as Martha brings the refreshment into the room and waits until she leaves. It gives me time to let the news sink in and I look at Sebastian and see he has come to the same conclusion.
Mom hands us both a cup of coffee and says triumphantly. “Anastasia has always been a model daughter. She has always been willing to do what’s best for the family and so I knew she would agree. When I explained to Mr. Moretti what was at stake, he agreed to take her off my hands for the right to buy the company when the need arose.”
“The need?”
Her eyes flash and she sneers, “Yes, the need, Angelica. We both know at the first sign of trouble you’ll run right back to wherever you’ve been hiding. You have no understanding of the business you now own and no passion for it. You will soon get bored and then where will we be? No, I did the right thing for all our futures, not to mention the many workers you now employ. So, grow up and understand that I did this for us—the Johnson family and you should be thanking me.”
I stare at her in utter disbelief as she takes a sip of her coffee, looking extremely pleased with herself. Sebastian’s face is like thunder and from the looks of it, he could cut her dead with one look from the fire flashing in his eyes. For a moment words fail me and then I say in utter disbelief, “Do you know who you are dealing with, mom? Do you know that Tobias Moretti is the head of a mafia network that has crime running through their veins rather than blood? Do you realize what you’ve done, you stupid woman?”
My voice raises in decibels until I’m almost screaming at her. “You have just signed our death warrants because if you think Tobias Moretti will just sit back and let us run the show, you’re delusional. That man is wicked to the core and you have just given your daughter to him. Way to go mom, a job well done because dad will surely be turning in his grave. For your information, I made Tobias an offer to buy him out of the business. I was going to make a go of it for all of us and realize daddy’s dream of building the business into a billion dollar one. Both you and Anastasia would have been the beneficiary’s because I no longer care about the grudge I hold against you. However, in your mad scheming way, you’ve brought the whole thing crashing down you stupid, vain, egocentric, vapid, shallow bitch.”
Standing up, I feel myself shaking with anger and don’t miss the fear that now masks my mother’s face as I shout, “Where is Anastasia?”
“In her room but why?”
“Because I am going to try and talk her out of making the worst decision she will ever make. Somebody’s got to try and diffuse this situation because obviously you can’t be trusted.”
Without waiting for her reply, or even looking at Sebastian, I storm from the room and go in search of the sister I hate with all my heart but love in equal measures. I will not let her sacrifice herself to that... monster, if it’s the last thing I ever do.
Chapter 28
Sebastian
Mrs. Johnson looks as if she’s about to pass out, so I stand and pour her a glass of water and hold it out to her shaking fingers. “Drink this, you look in shock.”
She nods and for the first time in my life, I see that she’s a broken woman. I watch her with derision and she shakes her head. “Don’t judge me.”
“Why not, you’ve never done anything to make me think any better of you?”
I’m shocked to see the tears welling in her eyes as she whispers, “Mafia, is that really true?”
“Yes.”
I offer no other words of encouragement because Angel was right to tear her off a strip. She is wicked and was prepared to sacrifice the happiness of both her daughters for her own ends.
“How do you know?”
“How do you not know? It’s common knowledge. You obviously just see the successful, attractive business man that the press portrays. Obviously, you don’t read the harder press who often cast doubt on his business practices and throw a light on his more dubious activities. Your husband knew what he was, as did my father. Why do you think my father sold him those shares all those years ago?”
“Harvey told me he was weak and greedy and wanted the money.”
My voice is encased in ice as I hiss, “He was a good man. He may have had a problem, but he was never greedy. If anyone’s to blame, it’s you and your husband. You exploited his position and used it for your own gain. You wanted Angelica and me to break up but I never really understood why.”
Mrs. Johnson shrugs. “Because you took her virginity under this roof despite the trust we always showed you.”
I laugh bitterly. “Do you really expect me to believe that was the reason?”
I watch as she regains some of her fire and hisses, “We needed Angelica to be pure. If she fell in love it was going to be with a man we chose for her. Somebody worthy, with status and standing. Somebody who Harvey would be proud to call his son-in-law and somebody who would take the company to great heights. Not you. Not the son of a weak man with health issues. Not a scrap of a boy who couldn’t drag his mind from between our daughter’s thighs. No, you just weren’t good enough, so we intervened. We needed Angelica to hate you because ultimately that would make her stronger. That would make her receptive to our plans because all the time you were around filling her head with youthful, fanciful nonsense, she wasn’t becoming the daughter the company needed. Anastasia i
s and always was the spare. She was never as strong as Angelica and therefore the only way she could serve this family was to take you off our hands. She is the sacrifice we need to make to ensure all our futures. The fact she’s so dim-witted makes it easy.”
I stare at her with such a look of pure hatred that she laughs. “What’s the matter, Sebastian, does the truth hurt? Well, I hope it does because if we are under threat it’s all because of you. If you’d just done what we asked, none of this would be happening. Your love for our daughter has destroyed us all and I hope it was worth it.”
“You’re wrong.” She raises a well plucked eyebrow and I say coldly, “The only person who has destroyed everything is you. You drove Angel away because of your scheming and you are about to do the same to your other daughter. You think you have this family’s best interests at heart but you’re wrong. You have your best interests in your sights and always have. I pity you Mrs. Johnson because you will die alone. Your daughters won’t care because they will lead by example. You will be left to dwell upon your brutal decisions and your daughters will move on to better lives without you in it. In fact, you should have died with your husband because nobody cares for you now.”
She makes to speak and I say cuttingly. “Do you really think Anastasia is going to thank you for selling her into a lifetime of hurt and pain? What mother wants her daughter chained to a loveless marriage to a monster? Every day she will fear for her life because once her husband has her company, he will have no further use for her. Angel and I will move on and be happy and guess what, we won’t be asking you over for Thanksgiving? So, think about what you’re about to do Mrs. Johnson because this is your last chance. Call this charade off and leave us to deal with Tobias Moretti.”
I stand and make toward the door and she says icily, “That’s it, run away little boy, just like your father. He never could stand the heat either. Your words don’t scare me because you’re wrong about Mr. Moretti. He is charming, good looking and successful. What mother wouldn’t want that for her little girl? So, run along and take that disappointment of a daughter of mine with you and I’ll look forward to the day when she decides she’s had enough and leaves you in her dust.”
I say nothing and leave, deciding any words are wasted on that vicious excuse for a human being.
As I slam the door behind me, Martha waits, looking agitated. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Stone, she doesn’t mean those words, she’s afraid.”
“It’s ok, Martha, you don’t have to defend her, I know exactly the kind of person she is.”
Martha looks worried and whispers, “Please, follow me and you can wait for Angelica in the kitchen.”
I do as she says because of all the people in this house, she is the only genuine one in it and I can tell she’s upset. As I take a seat at the large wooden scrubbed table, I relax a little for the first time since the meeting. The scent of baking fills the air and Martha pushes a cinnamon roll toward me and pours a coffee from the pot on the side. “She’s frightened, Mr. Stone. Ever since Mr. Johnson passed she’s been lost. She never had the need to make any decisions herself and when Angelica threatened to destroy her, it sent her over the edge.”
“Why are you defending her, Martha, she never has a kind word to say to you?”
I’m surprised when Martha’s eyes mist over and she wipes away a lone tear that escapes. “Because she’s family.”
“What do you mean?”
She sits down heavily in the seat opposite and says in a whisper, “Mirabelle is my cousin. She’s my father’s niece.”
My face must register my shock because she laughs softly. “I know, it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. My father was her uncle and her father his brother. They were very different people and Mirabelle led a richer life than me in wealth but not emotion. Where my family was full of love, hers wasn’t. Her parents were the same as she is now and emotion was in short supply. When my own family died in a car crash, they took me in and took charge of my life. Mirabelle and I became like sisters. We were good friends, and she wasn’t always this selfish person she is today. However, when she married Harvey, it was a match made by her parents and there was no love involved. She became withdrawn and aloof and when the girls came along, she couldn’t cope. She asked me to come and live with them and I loved every minute of it. I care for those girls like my own and wanted to give them the love their parents appeared incapable of doing. So, you see, Mr. Stone, Mirabelle is just as much a victim as the girls. She knows no different and feels it’s the only way. Please don’t judge her harshly, she’s a good person underneath it all.”
I stare at Martha in shock. “You love her?”
Nodding, she says in a small voice, “I always have. She’s family.”
“But she treats you so badly, why do you stay? You could have found happiness with a family of your own?”
The pain in her eyes makes me regret my words, and she shakes her head.
“I could never have children of my own, so this was the next best thing. Love always passed me by and when the girls came along, it was a different type of love I craved. You ask me why I stay and let her treat me badly? We are sisters, it’s what they do. Take those girls upstairs no doubt saying terrible things to each other. They do that because they care. If Angelica didn’t care for Anastasia, they wouldn’t have fallen out so deeply. You see, as children they were always close. They shared everything and were devoted to one another. When you came along, Angelica wanted your company more than her sister’s and it drove a wedge between them. It’s no wonder Anastasia wanted what her sister had because she saw how happy you made her. I suppose she was jealous and didn’t know how to deal with it. They started fighting and things were never the same again.”
“So, you’re saying I’m the one responsible for them falling out?”
“Yes, but you couldn’t have known. You see, Anastasia has always struggled with being second best. When she saw Angelica grab the boy they both wanted, it was too much for her to bear, so she withdrew into herself. When her parents told her of their plan, she seized it with both hands. Finally, she would have everything she thought she ever wanted, but you had other ideas. I’m sorry, Sebastian, but this web of deceit and lies spans across decades. It’s no wonder things have blown up the way they have and I can only hope that Angelica finds a way of diffusing the situation because if Anastasia goes ahead with Mirabelle’s plan, it will break her just as they broke Angelica.”
It’s a lot to take in and my head spins with it all. Martha smiles softly and refills my mug. “Here, take a moment to think on what I’ve told you. I’ll go and check on Mirabelle and see what’s happening upstairs.”
She walks away but turns back when she reaches the door. “Please don’t think badly of Mirabelle, like I said, she thinks she’s doing the right thing for us all.”
As I watch her walk away, I feel nothing but sadness for the women who live under this roof. I just hope that Angel has a way out of this, for all their sakes.
Chapter 29
Angel
I am so angry; I almost can’t think straight. My mom is something else. How on earth does she make her decisions, not based on what’s right, that’s for sure? It was one thing meddling in my life but to do the exact same thing to Anastasia is astonishing.
I head straight to my sister’s room, not even caring that she won’t thank me for it. It’s been years since we shared a good relationship and it’s all because of the woman downstairs who calls herself our mother.
Preparing for the battle of my life, I am surprised to see Anastasia leaning against her window frame as I head inside her room and without looking, says in a quiet voice, “She told you then?”
I inch inside the room hesitatingly because now I’m here, I’m conscious that one word out of place could ruin everything.
“Please, tell me you’re not going through with it. Not out of fear of what I might do, you know I would always have your back, despite what’s happened.”
/> She turns to face me and my heart lurches as I see the pain in her eyes and the tremble to her lip. “My decision isn’t based on that. Whatever you think, I’m not out for some petty revenge, or to please our loving mother.”
“Then why?”
She shakes her head sadly and moves across to sit on the bed, taking her pillow and hugging it to her chest as if it’s the only protection she will ever need.
“Because of me.”
“You, what do you mean?”
She shrugs and looks so dejected it breaks my heart. “You see, Angelica, I have always been second best to you and there’s no denying it. You were the eldest, and I always looked up to you. It was obvious from a very early age that daddy favored you over me and I told myself it didn’t matter. I adapted to being second choice and tried to mold myself into the perfect daughter, in mom’s eyes, anyway. When Sebastian came along, you drifted further away from me and it hurt. You were always so popular and appeared to have it all, whereas I just trailed on your wake. It went on for years and I was so incredibly jealous of you.”
She laughs softly and smiles. “I don’t blame you for any of it, despite want you may think. It was my problem, and I thought I had it under control. The night you left; was the night I discovered my future was planned out for me with Sebastian. Mom told me there was no point in fighting it because you had run away and the burden was now on my shoulders. I was to marry him to give daddy his heir apparent and keep you from going soft as they put it. It was my duty and the chance to repay their investment in me.”
“Investment, you are their daughter for Christ’s sake! You didn’t ask to be born, what planet are they on?”
She laughs and I smile as we are transported back in time to a place where we constantly moaned about our parents. We share that unfortunate accident of birth and often used to compare notes on things they said to us and it was good to have someone who understood.
Completing Beauty: Books 1-3 Page 14
