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  “If you’re asking if he knows Kyle Hollis doesn’t exist and you’re lying to Emilia in an attempt to con her out of her inheritance—yes—he knows.” I answer and Noah nods in solemn agreement with an indifferent expression.

  “I see.” He places his glass on the desk and cautiously leans back in his seat. He still has a sense of confidence about him but I know it is misplaced.

  He will leave here winning something tonight, but it won’t be Emilia.

  “You haven’t told Emilia?” He asks. There is no love in his voice. This is all one giant business transaction to him.

  “Not yet.” I answer, waiting to see where he goes with this.

  “And I’m guessing you won’t. I know she doesn’t trust you. She won’t believe you are telling the truth.” He tries to fill in the blanks and I notice Noah’s stunned look on his face.

  “You’re probably right. But I am within my legal rights to give her just enough money for her lunches for the next year and you’ll have to pay your own way. Do you think you can keep up your lie for a whole year?” I ask.

  I know guys like him. He won’t put in the effort. If he tries, he knows I’ll find a way to prove his lies about transferring to the university here. I’ll have a whole year to get the information I know to Emilia without implicating myself.

  “What are you offering?” His words are to the point and Noah shifts in his seat.

  I know my friend is nervous. I haven’t shared my plans with Noah because I knew he’d talk me out of it and I want this done.

  “You stay for the funeral. You support Emilia like she deserves. Then you tell her the day after that your TA fell through with the university and you need to return to complete your studies. I’ll pay your flight anywhere you want and you lose contact with her over the year as she settles into her life here. You never contact her again.” I finish my piece and I wait for him to ask the question anyone like him would ask and he doesn’t leave me hanging.

  ”And what’s in it for me?” As Kyle asks his question, Noah shifts in his seat again, trying to get my attention.

  He knows where this is going. He gave me the idea himself yesterday when he warned me to be careful about Kyle going after my money.

  “Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.” I say coldly and I watch Noah lean back in his chair. I imagine he’s having a silent aneurysm.

  Kyle looks like he’s desperately trying to hide his excitement. He knows he’s won, but it’s all just money to me. Emilia is the real treasure.

  As a greedy smile crosses his lips I feel a red-hot anger begin to rise from my stomach. To reduce Emilia to a dollar amount is making me feel ill. The truth is, she’s priceless.

  “Three hundred and fifty thousand.” Kyle demands back like she’s a bargaining chip at a game and I’m ready to lunge across my desk and beat the guy to death with my own hands when the door to the office bursts open and in storms Emilia with tears pouring down her face.

  “Ems.” Kyle switches on his lie as all three of us jump out of our seats and wait for her to say something.

  Her face is red and her hands are limp and shaking at her sides as she clutches something in her hand that I can’t quite make out. Deep sobs flow from her as she looks between the two of us, leaving Noah off to the side.

  Kyle takes a step to go to her and she raises her hand.

  “Don’t. Don’t you ever touch me again.” She yells directly at Kyle and he freezes in his place, dropping his loving boyfriend persona.

  “What’s wrong Emilia?” I ask softly. I didn’t hear the creak of her standing outside of the door this time, so I don’t think she heard us and I wonder for a moment if she found out something on her own.

  “I heard everything.”

  31

  Emilia

  “Before I forget and tomorrow gets busy, I’ve asked Joshua to make sure you are both sitting in the family area with Kyle and me tomorrow so tell them you are with the family when you arrive.” I say. Rosie smiles and nods and Sylvia grabs my hand like she used to when I was upset.

  “Of course, Dear.” Sylvia answers as Rosalyn pours all of us a glass of wine.

  I feel pressure in my eyes as they start to tear.

  “Kyle seems nice.” Rosie says with a wink, reminding me of our earlier conversation and I release my tension with a giggle.

  I can always trust Rosie to come to my rescue by changing the subject when I need it most.

  “He is. Speaking of which, I never asked if you’re seeing anyone, Rosie.” I answer and shift the attention onto her.

  “Not at the moment. The most sexual tension I get is when Maynard calls me up to yell at me for taking another sale from his company. We’re kind of rivals. I just pretend it’s sexual tension. He’s usually pretty pissed.” She shrugs then continues, “Hey, I’ll take what I can get.”

  Sylvia and I burst out laughing at her confession and she joins in with us.

  “Maynard? That’s not a very sexy name.” I chuckle out.

  “I know. I thought maybe it could be shortened.” Rosie responds.

  “May?” I suggest.

  “Nard?” Sylvia backs me up and we all start giggling again.

  “Okay. Stop it. I’m not going to be able to have a serious conversation with the guy the next time.” Rosie wipes a tear from her eye as she begs us to stop but I have one last question.

  “Does he look like a Maynard? Or is he hot?” As I ask, Sylvia stops laughing and listens intently for her response.

  “Let me tell you. The guy is crazy-hot. The first few times we spoke on the phone and I was all cocky. Then I was introduced to him in person at a city event and it knocked me down a level, or eight. Now I just try to keep our conversations on the phone. I can’t look at him and talk to him at the same time.” She says pretending to fan herself.

  “What about Kyle? Is he marriage material?” Rosie asks putting the attention back on me and reminding me of something.

  “Oh, that reminds me. I wanted to wear my mom’s promise ring to the funeral. My dad asked a friend of his to help him make it for her when they were dating because he couldn’t afford to buy a real ring at the time. I know I’m going to forget it when tomorrow gets going. Can I give it to you to bring with you to the funeral for me?” I ask Rosie and she nods.

  “Absolutely. I’ve gotta see this ring. Can you get it now so we all don’t forget?” She asks and I look at Sylvia.

  “It should still be upstairs in your mother’s keepsake box in their closet.” She answers me and I stand to quietly go up the backstairs so I don’t interrupt the guys in their conversation.

  Opening the door to my dad’s room feels bittersweet. Everything feels lost. It’s all still there in its place, but the love and the meaning behind everything isn’t there anymore.

  Making my way to the closet, I pick up the little box of my mom’s favorite things. Small mementos my dad kept close by after she passed away. The scent of her perfume welcomes me as I remove the lid. Sitting on the top of the box is her ring, neatly stored in its own little box and I pull it out and palm the thing as I close everything else back up.

  Spinning in my spot, I’m about to sneak back downstairs when I notice a red light blinking from the side of my father’s room. His recording device is working which means someone inside the office turned it on.

  The only one who would know about this would be Joshua and I wonder for a moment why he would feel the need to record their conversation. A tinge of frustration builds inside of me. I know he didn’t like Kyle from the start and I’m instantly upset he would secretly record him.

  Picking up the headphones attached to the recorder I decide to listen to the conversation before I march in there and tell Joshua how I feel.

  At first I think the headphones are no longer working as there is a silence, then I hear Kyle’s voice ask, “Does he know?” and everything begins to crumble around me as Joshua answers, “If you’re asking if he knows Kyle Hollis doesn’t exist and
you’re lying to Emilia in an attempt to con her out of her inheritance—yes—he knows.”

  Word by word, the person I thought I knew falls away. It’s Kyle’s voice I hear, but he isn’t the Kyle I knew. He spent so much time with me. How could I not know?

  I told him all about Joshua and his mother. I told him about my dad and his company. My heart feels heavy as I realize he was just fishing for information. I asked him to help carry my father to his final resting place. How could I have been so stupid?

  Kyle’s cold voice cuts into me and brings me back to the conversation in the office and I realize my anger silenced their voices and I missed part of their conversation.

  “And what’s in it for me?” Kyle asks and I can’t believe what I’m hearing.

  That is all any of this is. A dollar figure. Kyle was never my friend, I was a target. I am dollars and cents to every man around me now. My value is only in my monetary net worth. For such a sought after commodity, I feel less than worthless.

  Both of my arms feel numb and my face is hot as I listen to Joshua’s response.

  “Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.” Joshua’s voice is calm. There’s no emotion.

  I’m a dollar amount, a transaction. He’ll pay Kyle off, then spend the next year moving me out.

  I won’t let that happen. Looking quickly around my father’s room, there isn’t anything here for me. Where Joshua and Kyle throw money around at everything, I would give every cent, every single thing away just to have my parents back. Just to feel their love again.

  I’m not as quiet as I was sneaking into the room. I don’t care who hears me now.

  I’m done.

  I move down the back stairs and walk the few steps to the office. My chest feels tight as I grab the handle and turn pushing it open and walking in, uninvited.

  For a second, I see a different look on Kyle’s face, then he casually slips into my friend as he tries to move toward me.

  “Don’t. Don’t you ever touch me again.” I meant to put up my boundaries calmly, but I can’t. I’m too hurt by all of the men in my life right now. I yell my words out at Kyle and he instantly backs down.

  “What’s wrong Emilia?” Joshua asks, acting innocently. Of course he wants to know how to play the situation as well.

  “I heard everything.” I answer, raising my voice on the last word as I enter the office. I feel my rage overpower my control and I take a deep breath to try to settle myself before continuing. I can’t handle myself when I become too emotional and I feel my hands shaking at my sides. Composing my thoughts, I lower my voice, but I know I still sound a little unhinged.

  Good. It might work for me.

  “Nifty little recording device my father has in his bedroom, isn’t it?” I ask Joshua and the expression on his face falters as I shift my eyes to Kyle and continue, “My dad used to record his meetings and calls so he could refer back to them as his notes later.”

  Kyle shifts nervously at my revelation. Now I see a new side to him. He’s still trying to figure out if he’s leaving here with anything tonight.

  Standing in the room in front of the three men is beginning to humble me. I have nothing. I’m just a ward. Most kids have more freedoms than I do and these three men were all in here speaking for me. Deciding what to do with me.

  I tried so hard to get away from everything and I’ve somehow sunk even deeper into this misery.

  “Kyle, get out.” I say quietly. “There will be an open ticket waiting for you at the airport… under whatever your real name is. You’re leaving here with nothing else.” I look at Joshua to confirm because as I’ve been reminded over and over again, I have no money to make my own decisions.

  He nods and I continue, “Get. Out.” I say once more and he stands, staring at me and I can’t take it anymore. This decision is mine and he’s second guessing me. I don’t care who hears me yell anymore. Turning to Kyle, I breathe deep and summon all of my anger with a final yell as tears flow down my face, “GO!”

  Noah immediately moves to the door and ushers Kyle out of the room before turning to Joshua, “I’ll let everyone out.” He says softly and Joshua answers him.

  “Thank you. You can go, too. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  As the office door clicks shut behind me, I feel lost.

  “Emilia, I-” I hold my hand up to stop Joshua from continuing.

  “Do you have proof?” I ask indifferently.

  “Yes. I’m so s-”

  “Show it to me.”

  As I stand still waiting for him to respond, he stares back at me for a minute before opening the desk drawer and pulling out a file folder like the ones some of our teams use in the office.

  Stepping up to the front of the desk, I open it and I’m met with a photo of a man that would pass for Kyle’s older brother. Kyle Gershaw—Gershaw Avenue. Of course.

  Turning a few more pages, I’ve seen enough when Kyle’s method of operation is written out by various campus securities from a few different universities.

  Glancing back to my hand, I remember I’m still clutching onto my mother’s ring and I hear my words come out of my own mouth before I realize what I’m about to do.

  “I’ll take his deal.” I say somberly.

  “What?” Joshua asks, searching my face for what I could possibly be referring to.

  “Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and I’ll leave you with everything. You’ll never see me again.”

  32

  Joshua

  “I’ll take his deal.” Emilia finally speaks as she closes Kyle’s file, but keeps her eyes lowered.

  Confusion sets in as I struggle to follow her train of thought. “What?”

  Taking a deep breath she slowly raises her eyes to meet my own. Tears stain her red cheeks but otherwise, she looks calm. “Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and I’ll leave you with everything. You’ll never see me again.”

  Her words cut through me. How can she reduce herself to a few dollars? After everything I’ve tried to do for her over the last few days, how can she think I would just let her go? I owe it to both her and Adam to help her succeed and this is what she’s bringing to my table?

  My anger rings into my ears and I immediately want to show her she has a place here. I desperately want to put her in it.

  “No.”

  “Why? I’ll stay for the funeral, then I’ll leave. I’ll sign all of this over to you.” She waves around the room as she continues, “I only want to take my parents’ photo albums and our family movies… and this.” She opens the little box in her hand to show me a ring that looks like it only carries sentimental value.

  As she waits for my answer I take a long hard look at her. We’ve both come a long way since I saw her standing in front of the school assembly with the rest of her class singing. We’ve both hurt each other over and over again, whether we meant to or not.

  We hurt each other because we were hurting. It was our only release. It was the only way to temporarily stop our own pain. We hurt each other because neither of us recognized that we needed each other on a different level. A darker level.

  She still doesn’t realize it.

  But I do, and I’m not letting her leave.

  “That offer isn’t on the table for you, Emilia.”

  “Why not?” She yells, tears bursting down her face, “Am I not worth at least that? You’re taking everything else of my father’s. Please just give me enough to start over.”

  Her plea gives me pause and suddenly I feel her heart as though it’s my own. Noah was right. She is strong, but we all have a breaking point and this is hers. Her world is crumbling all around her and she thinks I want to take everything.

  She’s right to an extent. I want every part of her, but I’m not interested in her money or her part of the company. I have more than enough of my own.

  I want to occupy the heart and the mind of the woman who only wants her memories. When faced with choosing a fortune over a photograph, I w
ant this girl standing in front of me, clutching onto a handmade ring over the many diamond rings just laying around the place.

  I want to hold the highest place in the heart of the one who values love and loyalty over money.

  But that takes time. Time I’m willing to spend only on Emilia.

  Standing before me is the one person who challenges me. She drives me crazy in so many different ways. She doesn’t see status, or money when she looks at me. Most days she doesn’t even like me.

  But she does need me. I feel it in my bones. I feel it because I need her and I’m not willing to let her control this conversation any longer.

  “Trust me, if I was going to... buy you... for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, leaving isn’t what you would be doing for me, Emilia.”

  My suggestion causes her to step back. Wide-eyed, she takes a deep breath, scanning my face for signs of sarcasm.

  I’m not joking.

  “Why are you doing this to me?” Her voice exasperates out of her.

  “Because I can.” I answer. I know I’m provoking her but she needs to refocus and tonight needs to come to a head or she won’t be able to calm down and tomorrow will be even worse for her.

  She’s hurting and her emotions are consuming her and I need to consume her emotions, so I continue, “Your father granted me guardianship of you. I’m seeing more and more why you need this so badly. You need structure and rules… and punishments.” I pause for my own dramatic effect and I notice Emilia’s breathing has deepened.

  I’m affecting her like she affects me.

  I take a step toward her and she backs up a step as she did the morning in the bathroom. Her need to place distance between us is only so she can attempt to build her walls. What she hasn’t figured out is, she isn’t building her walls to keep me out. She’s trying to contain herself because she doesn’t understand herself, yet.

  “No. I don’t.” She bites out defiantly.