Still, I had laid my cards out on the table.
I couldn’t deceive Zander any more than I already had and resolved to tell him the truth in one week, regardless of the outcome.
My mum drove me to distraction, but I wouldn’t wish anything awful to happen to her. If I thought for one minute that I’d lost her, and she was hiding somewhere, scared of me, I’d be devastated.
Zander and Jensen deserved to know the truth.
Their mother was alive and mere miles away from them.
Chapter Forty-Seven
It wasn’t the wedding I’d envisaged, but it was simple. I wore a floral dress I’d brought with me and Zander looked handsome in a fitted pinstriped blue suit and open necked white cotton shirt.
Two members of Zander’s staff were to act as witnesses.
We were on a makeshift gazebo stood at the cliff’s edge.
The vicar was ready. “Dearly beloved,” he started.
“Stop this,” a voice called out.
“What the…”
I was too scared to look as footsteps echoed about the tropical garden.
Zander gripped my hand tightly.
“Do you mind, Madam?” the vicar said, objecting to the interruption. “We are in the middle of a wedding.”
I turned, hoping and praying Alyssa wasn’t about to gate crash our wedding.
“This won’t take too long,” she said.
I recognised her voice. It was Alyssa.
She wore a large brimmed hat and sunglasses.
“What is the meaning of this interruption?” Zander asked, spinning around in his chair.
“Hello, Alexander.” She stepped closer to us.
“Who the hell are you?” Zander asked.
“It’s been a long time, but surely you recognise your own mother?”
She removed her sunglasses and smiled.
“Oh, my God–what the hell is this?”
“As you can see, I’m not quite as dead as you’d wished.”
“Hello again, Cammie.”
“You’ve met?” Zander looked fit to burst.
“Yesterday while I was out, I was meeting with her.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s the woman from the ball, the same one who has been asking questions about you.” Zander looked up at her. “She sent Charlotte.”
“You knew my mother was alive all this time?”
“No, I swear. I only found out yesterday after believing I was meeting Caressa Delacourt. She told me I was in danger.”
“Would you excuse us, Vicar?” Zander asked. “And you two,” he said to the staff. “Go inside and don’t utter a single word about this, do you hear?”
Both nodded and rushed out of the church.
The vicar also retreated.
“I’m only here now because I place Cammie’s welfare above my own.”
“I’d never do anything to harm her.”
“You killed Sabine, so what makes your fiancée any less disposable than she was?”
“Sabine. I killed her? Are you mad?”
“For a while, yes, I was mad, but now, you have to pay for what you did.”
“I did nothing to Sabine and never could because I saw how happy she made you.”
Alyssa’s mouth gaped. “You knew?”
“Of course, I knew, Mother. I wasn’t a naïve child.”
“I told you, Alyssa–he wouldn’t have done anything to harm you.”
“Then how?”
“Father must have guessed you and Sabine were involved and planning to leave…”
“But how?”
“I knew you too well, Mother. Better than you liked to admit. I could see Sabine made you happy. Why would you have stayed with father? He treated you so badly.”
“I hated him,” she spat.
“I promise you, nothing would have ever made me turn against you.” Tears filled his eyes. “I thought you were dead.” He held his hand out to her.
Alyssa still appeared wary. She reached for his hand and flinched as he moved suddenly to kiss her hand.
He closed his eyes. “I’ve missed you so much. Cammie, get me out of here,” he said to me, and for the first time, he allowed me to push him in the chair. “We need to go somewhere and talk, somewhere you’ll be safe.”
Alyssa followed close behind.
Arnaud charged across the grounds and lunged straight for Zander, but Alyssa jumped in the way.
“Arnaud,” she screamed. “We got it wrong, don’t hurt my son.”
“You’re wrong, Alyssa! He is responsible for Sabine’s murder.”
“Sabine was my friend,” Zander replied. “I swear to you her death was not by my hand.”
“If not yours.” The colour had drained from his cheeks. “Then whose?”
Chapter Forty-Eight
I couldn’t believe it and in the unfolding drama, I hadn’t seen him approach.
“Hello, Mother,” Jensen said.
My nerves were on fire. It didn’t take a genius to work out who was responsible for Sabine’s death. The same person who murdered Charlotte.
“Jensen.”
“I knew it wouldn’t be long before you crawled out of your little hidey-hole.”
“You knew I was alive?”
“Only when you were stupid enough to visit me in the hospital. For a while I believed you were conjured from the morphine I was given, but a little money goes a long way and I was able to view the hospital security footage, and voila, there you were, the not so late, or great, Alyssa Shaw.”
“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Zander protested.
“Why should I confide in you about anything, brother?”
“I had to know you were okay,” Alyssa said.
“I’m touched,” Jensen mocked. “But save your fake concern for my brother. He’s the cripple, not me.”
The words hurt Zander, more than he would ever admit.
“What did you do, Jensen?”
“What I had to do.”
“I hid away believing I was in danger from Alexander…”
“It wasn’t Zander who told father about you and Sabine, it was me.”
“You? But how?”
“I spied on the two of you, writhing around in the guest quarters like a pair of whores.”
“Jensen, no.” His words wounded her.
“It made me sick to my stomach that you’d treat father so badly, after everything he did for us.”
“Your father slept with more women than I care to remember,” Alyssa said.
“Liar,” Jensen roared. “Father was devastated when you died, but I kept his secrets. Even on his deathbed, he swore me to secrecy. He never stopped loving you. He simply wanted Sabine out of the way. Gregor was collateral damage.”
Alyssa gripped the chair. “Your father knew about us all along.”
“Yes,” Jensen spat. “Both you and your filthy whore deserved to die, and now you’re back, but you won’t take Zander away from me,” Jensen screamed.
“I never wanted to,” I replied.
“That’s what Charlotte said, but I got rid of her.”
Alyssa gasped, her complexion ashen.
“What did you do to her?” she asked.
Jensen grinned, his eyes wide. “I put her somewhere special.”
“Jesus Christ,” I said. “You murdered that poor girl.”
“Yes, Cammie, I did.” He laughed, like he’d lost his mind. “And do you know where I put her body?”
“Where is she, Jensen?” Zander asked.
“Buried in the very garden where the orchestra played for you.” He pointed at me.
“You’re a lunatic,” I said.
Zander looked ill. “She didn’t deserve to die.”
Alyssa sobbed. “I sent her to her death.”
“She never betrayed you, Mother. Even after I’d had my fun with her, she remained quiet.”
“Why did you kill her?” I asked.
“Because
Zander is mine,” he roared.
“He’s your brother,” I replied, horrified by the turn of events. “Nothing would have changed that.”
“You would have–he was in love with you from the first meeting, so I figured if I showed him what you were, he’d cast you aside.”
“But you didn’t expect to fall in love with me either, did you, Jensen? That fucked up your plans of getting rid of me.”
He continued his rant. “The great Alexander Shaw finally cared for somebody that wasn’t his mother.”
“You need help,” Alyssa said, stepping forward. “Let me help you.”
“No, Mother. I didn’t need you then and I don’t need you now.”
“Sabine loved you, as you loved her.”
“She was a whore.”
“Shut your filthy mouth,” Arnaud warned, “or I’ll drown you in that pool.”
Alyssa held a finger up, silencing him. “I was in love with Sabine, and we were all going to be a family together.”
“Until I told father.” He laughed. “You didn’t deserve his tears.”
“Your father cried out of guilt and nothing more.”
“You should have stayed dead, Mother.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
“Jensen, no!” I cried out as Jensen charged at Alyssa, sending her sprawling to the floor.
Zander yelled, unable to stop him.
Still, he threw himself out of his chair. They connected with a thud and rolled around the floor.
Jensen threw the first punch, the sickening crack of his nose breaking echoed across the grounds.
“Stop it,” I screamed.
Jensen had his hands around Zander’s throat, choking the life out of him, as Alyssa staggered to her feet. She rushed to a nearby table and picked up a bottle. She cracked her youngest child across the back of the head with the bottle, shattering it.
He rolled off Zander, seemingly out cold.
“Alexander,” Alyssa said, grabbing at her eldest child. “Are you hurt?”
“No,” he said, pushing himself up onto his elbows. I righted his chair and wheeled it to him. “I’m fine, but we need to get Jensen away from here before the press get wind of what’s going on.”
I was mortified. Even after everything Jensen had done, Zander was still concerned for his wellbeing. Or was he more concerned for the family name?
“Where will we take him?” Alyssa asked.
“A private clinic somewhere.” Zander looked at his brother. His nose was broken, and a bruise was rising on his cheek.
I helped Zander into his chair and pushed him back toward the clifftop.
Alyssa and Arnaud tended to Jensen, who was still unconscious.
Trembling and horrified by the events that had unfolded, I cried. Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, but everything was ruined.
“Cammie, don’t cry, it’s over.”
Zander tugged on my hand and pulled me down onto my knees, wrapping his arms around me,
I really loved him. No matter what outside image he projected, inside, he was a good man who would love and protect me until my dying day. He’d been waiting for me all his life, and I knew those other women meant nothing to him. My heart hurt for Charlotte, and once Jensen was secured in a clinic, I would make sure Charlotte’s remains were returned to her family.
Jensen had murdered her in cold blood, and I’d never be part of a whitewash. She deserved justice, just as much as Sabine and Gregor did.
“I’m so sorry, Cammie. I had no idea about any of this, but I promise you can trust me, and once we’re back home…”
Alyssa suddenly screamed.
I turned quickly to see Arnaud and Alyssa flat on their backs. Jensen was on his feet and charging toward us,
Zander pushed me out of the way as Jensen crashed into him.
I fell to the ground and screamed as I watched Zander’s chair roll backwards, taking him and Jensen over the edge of the cliff.
All I heard was Zander’s roar as he fell, then there was silence.
“No!” Alyssa shrieked, rushing to the cliff edge.
I climbed to my knees and rushed over, losing my footing. Panicked, I tried to stop myself falling forward but was too far gone.
Alyssa caught hold of me before I fell.
She pulled me back, but I scrambled forward again.
“Cammie,” she shouted. “Stop or you’ll fall.”
Dropping to my knees, I sobbed as I peered over the edge.
Zander’s broken body lay at the bottom of the cliff. He was splayed at an unnatural angle. His chair had fallen into the sea and was nowhere to be seen.
I couldn’t see Jensen at first, then I caught sight of him in the water before the waves engulfed him and the Caribbean Sea claimed him forever.
He vanished beneath the waves and that was the last I ever saw of him.
“Zander,” I screamed, my heart breaking. “Answer me, please.”
But I was fooling myself.
There was no way he’d survived the fall.
I was powerless to save either one of them.
Alyssa crumbled to her knees. “My babies.” Her sobs shattered my broken heart that little bit more.
Chapter Fifty
The Final Chapter
Six Months Later
It had been a challenging time and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the images of seeing Zander and Jensen falling over the cliff.
I replayed that moment over and over and again.
If Zander hadn’t shoved me out of the way, it would have been me that would have fallen to my death.
That was what Jensen had wanted–me out of the way so he could have his brother all to himself.
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on the past. I couldn’t change it, but I had a future to look forward to.
The warm Caribbean sun shone down on my naked shoulders and in the distance, I could see her approaching me.
I smiled, pleased to see her.
She’d been the one constant in my life, and I was surprised by the depths of affection I felt for her.
“Hello, my darling.” Alyssa greeted me with a kiss to each cheek. She was still, quintessentially French.
Even in beachwear, she exuded a sense of style comparable to the late, great Jackie Onassis and looked sensational.
“Wow,” I said, leaning in to accept the kiss. “You certainly know how to make an entrance.”
“You flatter me,” she said. “It’s just a bikini and a hat, nothing special.”
“Well, I’m a little younger than you and wouldn’t be caught dead in a two-piece bikini.”
“I’ve been telling you for months now to let yourself go a little more–you’re beautiful in every sense of the word.”
I blushed.
This lady was one of the most amazing people I’d ever met.
Unselfishly, and putting aside her own personal losses, she helped me find my own smile again.
Alyssa was also the strongest woman I knew.
Not once since that terrible day had she leaned on me for support–her strength was beyond anything I’d ever seen before.
We’d managed to keep the true story of what had happened under wraps and pass it off as a dreadful accident.
Six months later and the world’s press still speculated about what had taken place at the clifftop on what was meant to be our wedding day.
Charlotte’s body had been exhumed and returned to her family. The blame was solely laid at Jensen’s feet, but a dead man tells no tales, nor does he confess to his sins.
Shaw International needed stability to ride out the storm, and rightly so, Alyssa had taken over the company as CEO.
Her return had been greeted with shock and surprise by the business world, but those who underestimated her did so at their peril as she was truly a force to be reckoned with.
I stared into the distance, the crystal blue waters mesmerising me.
“A penny for your thought
s,” Alyssa said.
I sighed. “Do you think about him often?”
“Every morning when I open my eyes, and every evening before I go to sleep. I can’t help it–despite everything, he was still my son and a mother’s love should be unconditional.”
“I can’t begin to imagine that concept.”
“You will, one day.”
“I hope so, but can I ask you another question?”
“Of course.”
“If Zander had been responsible for Sabine’s death, and Charlotte’s, would you still have loved him too?”
“Without question, but my resolve would not have changed. Three innocent people lost their lives and justice had to be served.”
“But justice wasn’t served in the end, was it?”
“Not in the way I’d hoped for, but I like to think those that lost their lives can rest easier now the truth is known, to some of us at least.”
“I’m sorry for what Jensen did. I know what happened to Sabine wasn’t his fault directly, but he murdered Charlotte…”
Alyssa interrupted. “No matter what Jensen did, he was still my baby.” Tears filled her eyes.
I pulled her into a tight hug. “I forgive him.”
She looked surprised. “You do? Even after everything he did that day? After everything he took from you?”
“Yes. I have to, if I ever want to move on from this nightmare.”
“That makes you even more remarkable.” She kissed my cheek.”
“There was good in him, I believe that with my whole heart.”
“I hope so.”
“You didn’t really know him as an adult. He lost you. His father twisted his mind, then Zander pushed him away. It hurt him, and he never dealt with his own feelings. He just couldn’t stand the thought of losing anybody else. His brother was all he had. Perhaps if you’d come back sooner, he might not have slipped into madness.”
“I’ll never get the chance to right my own wrongdoings,” she said. “Sleeping with Sabine was the start of this mess.”
“You fell in love, Alyssa. You can’t change the past or how you felt.”
“If only I could, I’d sacrifice my own happiness for that of my children and…”
By Invitation Only- The Series Page 15
