by Linda Verji
She’d said the same thing to him last night, but coming from him, those words sounded cruel and harsh. The guilt she’d always felt towards him rose by several notches. She wanted to say more to explain herself but she couldn’t find the words. So all she did was watch him.
Carter offered her a wan smile. “It’s okay, Eve. Just do whatever you need to do.” He paused for a beat before adding, “And I’ll do what I need to do.”
“What does that mean?” Her breath caught in her throat as alarm streaked through her. “You won’t ask your mom, will you?”
He didn’t answer the question. He just watched her.
“Carter, you can’t.” She cupped his hand with both of hers. “Please.”
Silence again.
“Please,” she pleaded.
“You’re really cruel, Eve.” Anger glinting in his eyes, he asked, “Do you expect me to just watch the two women I love most in the world destroying each other without even knowing the reason why?”
She had no answer to his question so she answered with silence.
“I’m not a child so stop treating me like one,” he scolded. His hand tightened around her fingers and he squeezed even as his tone softened. “Tell me the truth – all of it – and let me deal with it.”
Telling him the truth would mean risking her whole plan. However, the desperation in his eyes said that he’d find it not matter how hard she tried to hide it. It was time to stop hiding the truth, she realized.
She pulled in a deep breath then asked, “Can you give me some time?”
“How much time?”
She suggested, “A few days?”
“A day. That’s all I have to give.” His gaze hardened. “If you haven’t given me any answers by tomorrow, I’ll talk to my mother.”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s a promise.”
Carter’s ‘promise’ echoed in her mind as she showered and dressed. He didn’t say anything more about the subject as they ate breakfast but she could feel the ‘promise’ hovering over her head like a dark cloud. As soon as she got Sharon to sign papers giving up La Belle she’d tell him everything, she swore.
At four p.m., Eve walked in to Seto Kitchen. The men watching the restaurant had said that Sharon was already there. She hadn’t brought along any cops. However, she wasn’t alone. She’d brought along another woman. The men didn’t know who the woman was. Eve and Benisio assumed that it was Sharon’s lawyer.
They were wrong.
With Benisio on her heels, Eve walked into the private room. As soon as she saw who was in the room with Sharon, her footsteps screeched to a halt and her heart jumped to her throat.
Her voice strangled, she exclaimed, “Mom?”
CHAPTER 19
The stunned look on Eve’s face when she saw her mother was enough to make up for all the anxiety and terror Sharon had gone through since last night. Glee bubbling inside her, Sharon hid a smile.
This little girl had really thought that she had Sharon against the ropes. Psh! Sharon snorted beneath her breath. Eve had played the game well, but she was no match for a master like Sharon, and her weapons were nothing when compared to Sharon’s arsenal of grenades.
“Mom!” Her eyes wide and filled with surprise, Eve exhaled sharply. “What are you doing here?”
Poor Toni, who had no idea why she was really here, frowned. “What happened to your face?”
Sharon, who’d noticed Eve’s swollen face too, hid another smile. Peralta might’ve jumped the gun by assaulting Eve but who could blame him. Eve had asked for it.
“I got hit during self-defense class,” Eve lied. Before her mother could ask for more details, she repeated, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to have dinner with you and Sharon.” Toni turned to smile at Sharon. “She invited me.”
“I see,” Eve said slowly as her gaze settled on Sharon. Anger flashed in her brown eyes but she didn’t say anything more.
That’s it! Sharon crowed on the inside. Shut up and listen because this is my show. It’s always been my show.
On the outside, she smiled amiably. “It’s good to see you, Eve.”
Eve’s eyebrows rose. “Is it?”
“It is.” Still smiling, Sharon turned her attention to her former henchman. “Benisio, why don’t you wait outside? This is a girls-only event.”
Benisio didn’t move a muscle. He just stared back at Sharon in that blank way that had always left her wondering what he was thinking. It was only when Eve turned to him and murmured, “It’s okay. You can go,” that his expression changed into concern. Eve smiled at him reassuringly. “I’ll be fine.”
Their murmured exchange left Sharon with a bitter taste in her mouth. Though Benisio had been her minion for over twenty years, the only time he’d ever shown any strong emotion was when she’d tried to seduce him. His anger and revulsion then had been so pronounced that she’d never attempted it again. But he’d certainly never shown genuine concern for her. Why was he showing it for Eve? He was supposed to be loyal to Sharon and Sharon alone. Once again Sharon was reminded of how much Eve had stolen from her. But she’d get it back… she’d get it all back including Benisio. Once he realized that she was still the boss, he’d come crawling back to her.
Benisio exited the room, leaving the three women all alone.
“What is this, Sharon?” Eve’s eyes were trained on her as she crossed the room. She waved the envelope she was carrying. “I thought we were supposed to be meeting for business.”
“Don’t blame her,” Toni cut in before Sharon could answer. Patting the seat next to her to indicate that Eve should sit down, she added, “When Sharon called this morning and told me you were meeting, I insisted on tugging along.”
That wasn’t true. Sharon was the one who’d floated the idea of Toni coming with her, but Toni was such a good, loyal friend that she was now taking the fall. Poor thing!
“I just wanted to see you,” Toni continued as Eve settled next to her. “So much has been going on with you lately yet you never pick up the phone when your dad and I call.”
“Sorry, I was a little busy,” Eve dismissed.
“We were all busy,” Sharon chimed in. “But it’s great that we’re finally meeting. We never get to do it… you know as just the three of us ladies.”
“I agree. It’s nice to be just us without the boys,” Toni answered with a smile. She turned to Eve and pointed to the bottle of wine in the ice bucket. “Would you like some? It’s the brand you like.”
“No.” Eve shook her head. Pointedly staring at Sharon, she said, “I don’t think I have the stomach to drink wine right now.”
“Oh, come on! I’m sure you can have a little.” Toni reached into the bucket, got the bottle and poured out wine into a wine glass for Eve before refilling hers and Sharon’s glasses.
Sharon had assumed that seeing Toni here would keep Eve from bringing up the topic of their feud herself. But she was wrong.
Eve met her eyes. “Okay, Sharon. Now that the wine is poured, tell me why my mother is here.”
Toni started, “I told you-”
“No, Mom.” Eve’s eyes never left Sharon as she firmly added, “Let her speak.”
Sharon shrugged. “I just thought that it would be great if your mom was here when you and I discussed our issues.”
“I’m not here to discuss our issues. They’ve already been discussed. I only came here to get these papers-” Eve pressed her index finger to the envelope on the table. “-signed. Am I to assume that my mother’s presence here means that you don’t plan to sign them?”
“Yes.” Sharon grinned. “That’s exactly what you’re supposed to assume.”
Anger flashed in Eve’s gaze and she looked like she wanted to cuss Sharon out, but she didn’t. She just stayed silent. Sharon sat back in her seat smirking.
“Ladies, ladies.” Concern in her expression, Toni grabbed Eve’s hand and squeezed. “Let’s not fight, please. We�
�re family.”
Eve’s eyes were still on Sharon as she bit out, “No, we’re not.”
“Eve! Don’t be like that,” Toni scolded. “This is why I had to come today. I don’t like it that you two are fighting, but I detest it even more that you’re doing it in public. Ladies, we’re family. We can solve this issue among ourselves.”
Eve turned her head to meet her mother’s gaze. “Mom, you don’t even know what the issue is.”
“Of course I do. Sharon told me all about it. She said that you stole La Belle from her.” Toni frowned. “You shouldn’t have done that, Eve. You don’t do that to family.”
Eve stared at her mother in silence for quite a while before bursting into laughter. Her laugh held no amusement but the mockery was so blatant that even a deaf person would’ve noticed it.
“What’s so funny?” Toni asked angrily before punctuating it with a slap to Eve’s back.
“Ow.” Her expression pained, Eve leaned away from her mother. “Why are you hitting me?”
“You deserve to get hit.” Her expression fierce, Toni demanded, “Now tell me, when will you give your godmother her company back?”
“Yes, Eve,” Sharon chimed in with a smug smile. “When will you give me back my company?”
Eve’s lips tightened into a straight line and her gaze hardened. “Never.”
“Never? Really?” Sharon’s gaze slid to Toni then back to Eve. “Are you sure about that?”
Though Sharon didn’t verbalize her threat, she was sure that Eve got her loud and clear. If she didn’t give Sharon back La Belle, Sharon would drag Toni into this mess.
Though Eve didn’t say anything, her steely gaze screamed, ‘You wouldn’t dare’.
Yes, Sharon would dare. Still watching Eve, she said, “Toni, maybe you can convince her.”
Toni started, “I-”
Eve cut her off. “Sharon, if you bring her into this, I’ll-”
“You’ll do what?” Sharon interrupted. “Tell Carter? I don’t think so. You still have to think about your father, don’t you?”
Toni’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What does Mark have to do with any of this?”
“Don’t bring my dad into this,” Eve gritted out.
“You’re the one who brought him into this.” Firmly resolved to take this to the end, Sharon turned to Toni. “Toni, I’ve tried to protect you and your daughter for all these years. But she doesn’t appreciate it. So I’m done protecting you.”
“Protecting us from what?” Toni looked even more confused as she asked, “What are you talking about, Sharon?”
“Don’t pretend like you don’t know.” Now on the roll, Sharon said, “I’m talking about the fact that-”
“Sharon, don’t do it,” Eve warned.
But it was too late. Sharon jumped into the fire with both feet. “I’ve protected you two from Mark. I’ve never told him that he isn’t Eve’s father even though I should have.”
The temperature in the room dropped from heated to frozen in the blink of an eye. Toni’s mouth fell open and a sharp gasp slipped out. Her hand flying to her throat, she turned to face Eve. But Eve wasn’t even looking at her; her attention was on Sharon and her wide-eyed gaze made it clear that she couldn’t believe that Sharon had actually gone nuclear.
“I’ve kept your secret all these years but no more,” Sharon said. “If Eve doesn’t give me back my company, I’ll tell-”
“Sharon!” Toni screamed. Her words were for Sharon but her wide-eyed gaze was still on her daughter. “Stop talking!”
“Why should I?” Sharon retorted. “It’s not like Eve doesn’t already know.”
“You know?” Toni asked Eve.
Eve didn’t speak, so Sharon answered for her, “Yes, she knows. I told her.”
Toni turned her head so fast to face Sharon that it was a wonder she didn’t snap her neck. Her gaze filled with shock, she demanded, “You told her?”
“That’s what I said,” Sharon replied dismissively. “I warned Eve that I would go to you and Mark if she didn’t shape up, but she-”
Sharon didn’t see it coming. She didn’t see Toni grab her wine glass. She didn’t see the woman flick her wrist violently. What she did see was the hurled contents of that glass flying towards her and before she could duck, her face was soaked in red wine.
“Ugh!” Sharon whimpered and lifted her hand to belatedly cover her face. The wine dripped down her face to soak into her white blouse.
Though her eyes were closed because of the wine, she heard the screeching of a seat, as if Toni had just stood up. That screeching was followed by the distinct breaking of glass, as if Toni had just broken something.
“Mom, no.” Eve’s yell was enough to make Sharon open her stinging eyes.
The sight that met her was enough to scare the devil out of anyone. Furious was an understatement for how Toni looked. Sharon had known the woman for almost forty years but she’d never seen her like this. Toni’s eyes were wide and filled with rage. Her teeth were bared in a snarl, and she was gripping the now broken wine bottle like a weapon. It looked like Toni wanted to jump over the table and pummel Sharon with that bottle, and the only reason why she didn’t was because Eve was holding her back by the waist.
“Oh my God.” Sharon pushed her chair back and stood up in a rush to get away from her friend. She’d expected a strong reaction from Toni; maybe crying, a little pleading for mercy… but not this feral rage. Cold fear race down her spine even as she used her hand to wipe off the wine.
“I’m going to kill you,” Toni yelled while trying to lunge at Sharon.
“Mom, no.” Eve held tight to her waist keeping her stationary. “Calm down.”
“Yes, calm down, Toni.” Even Sharon heard the tremble in her voice as she said, “There’s no need to become ghetto.”
“I’ll show you ghetto, you stupid bitch.” Toni flung the bottle.
Fortunately, her aim was off and the bottle flew right past Sharon to crash somewhere in the background with a loud shatter. Even more furious, Toni tried to get at Sharon again, but Eve held on tight. However, Eve’s heavy breathing left no doubt that she was using all her strength. A little more effort and Toni would be free. Something told Sharon that would be bad… very bad. That was further emphasized by Toni’s yelling, “Let me go, Eve. I’m going to kill her.”
It was time to go.
“Where are you going?” Toni screamed and lunged even more violently as Sharon started towards the door. “Come back here.”
“Mom.” Eve held on. “Mom. No.”
It was only when Sharon had her hand on the doorknob that she turned to say, “Toni, talk to Eve. If she doesn’t stop all this nonsense, I’ll go to Mark. And you know what that mea-”
Right at that moment, Toni got free from Eve. Sharon’s heart leapt in fear when the woman immediately started towards her. Sharon had never moved so fast in her life. She yanked the door open then raced out into the hallway. Benisio was in the hallway, and when he saw Sharon emerge, he stood up straighter. Sharon raced right past him because behind her she could hear the rush of Toni’s footsteps and Eve’s calls of “Mom, Mom.”
Sharon didn’t know how far behind her Toni was and she didn’t look back. In fact, she didn’t look back to check whether Toni was still chasing her until she was in the restaurant’s main dining room where there were other staff and patrons who could protect her. However, by then Toni was nowhere to be seen.
Thank God! Sharon’s breathed a sigh of relief and her hand flew to her chest to calm her still racing heart. Dampness met her and she looked down only to see her ruined blouse. Oh, it looked awful. Worse, she didn’t even have anything to cover it with. Her jacket and purse were still in that private room with Toni and Eve. Sharon didn’t even consider going back up there. She was not suicidal. Besides, she’d already done what she wanted to do when she’d set up today’s meeting. She’d smashed the ball right into Toni’s court.
Toni was a smart w
oman. Despite her little temper tantrum, once she calmed down she’d realize that it was in everyone’s best interest to do as Sharon demanded. She’d tame Eve. Smiling, Sharon marched out of the restaurant.
* * * * *
IT TOOK BENISIO’S help and a lot of begging for Eve to drag her mother back into the private dining room. Somehow, they got Toni to take a seat and drink cold water but even then she kept muttering about how she was going to ‘kill that bitch’. It took several deep breaths for Toni to calm down. And that’s when everything that had just been revealed sunk in.
Fresh horror filtering into the older woman’s eyes, she turned to Eve. “She told you?”
It was a rhetorical question but Eve, who was seated on the opposite side of the table, answered anyway. “Yes, she told me.”
Toni breath came out in a shaky gasp. “When?”
Eve shrugged. “Does it matter?”
“It matters to me,” her mother returned. “When?”
Eve had always imagined what it would feel like to confront her mother with what she knew. In her imaginings, she’d assumed that she’d be screaming at her mother and demanding answers. But now that the confrontation was here, she didn’t feel nearly as angry as she thought she’d be. In fact, her emotions were more accurately defined as relief; relief because now she wasn’t the only one carrying the burden of her mother’s dirty secret.
Eve pulled in a deep breath then answered, “Since before Carter and I got married.”
Toni’s eyes widened with shock. “Then why didn’t you say anything?”
“What was I supposed to say?” Bitterness leaked into Eve’s voice as she asked, “That you baby-trapped Daddy with a baby that wasn’t even his?”
“That’s not what happened,” Toni protested.
Eve countered, “That’s what I heard.”
“What did Sharon tell you?”
Eve’s voice was surprisingly steady as she recited, “That you got pregnant by some other guy then lied to Daddy that I was his so he could marry you.”
“That’s not what happened, baby.” Toni leaned forward and set her palm over Eve’s hand. “I didn’t know that you weren’t your father’s when I got pregnant. I was naïve and just assumed that since he was the one who I was with the most, he had to be your dad. But Sharon did a secret DNA test a few days before the wedding and let me know. But by then it was too late.”
