Castle

Chapter 32

THIRTY-TWO

“You’re telling me she didn’t run away or commit suicide?” I asked Theo the next evening.

“Nope. Mom was a strong woman, and she would never do something like that. She cared too much about us to abandon us like that. I mean...I was very young, but I remember how kind and caring she was. She never mistreated the maids the way Devin and Dayana have been doing.”

“But the journal says she left, Theo!”

“Yes, I know. It’s her handwriting, but I don’t believe it. I don’t know what happened...” He whispered the next words, “But Castle did. He knew stuff that he was hiding from us.”

“The journal is strange,” I admitted. “It doesn’t make sense. If she wanted revenge, why would she decide to leave everything, especially her children?”

“Exactly my point.”

“Is Chandler…”

“He’s Lorna’s son. We’re half-siblings.”

“I see. So, after your mother disappeared, Lorna took over your house?”

“Yup. Castle wasn’t at a legal age to inherit the company; he didn’t have that kind of power. After mom left, Lorna moved into the master bedroom that was my mother’s. It was fucking torture, watching this sleazy woman—a thief walking into our home, wearing my mother’s things and trying to take her place. It was disgusting and by that time, grandpa had already lost some of his marbles. They sent me to boarding school, and Castle left for college.”

I listened to him silently. “He came back a few years later, and good for us, Mom already had paperwork done stating that when Castle was of a legal age, he was to inherit everything. Devin and Dayana had no right over the estate or the money, not even a single piece of the fucking furniture and when the lawyer announced this...you should have seen their faces.”

“And since then, Castle has been taking care of everything like he should be. This house is ours. They are nobody, and the only reason they forced you to marry him is because they wanted to shame him. No offense to you, Millie.”

“None taken.”

“They thought since Castle was helpless and couldn’t remember a thing, they’d hire help—someone with no family background or wealth and marry her off to him. They assumed that Castle in his right mind would never stoop so low as to marry a maid. You get what I’m saying?”

I nodded. They wanted to embarrass him. A business tycoon getting married to a nobody...yeah, they’d basically tarnished his name.

“We have to fix this,” Theo said. “Make Castle remember...keep asking him to remember...”

“I can’t do that! He gets upset, and he gets these headaches.”

“What headaches?”

“If he tries to remember his past, his head hurts, and his body trembles.”

“I don’t care. He needs to remember before we’re slaughtered!”

“Did I hear about slaughtering?” Devin walked into the room with his easy swagger, “You know who gets slaughtered? Pigs...are you a pig, Teddy?”

“I don’t talk to stinky assholes.”

Devin ignored his brother and turned to me, tossing an envelope on the coffee table. “I figured you and Castle could use a quick getaway, a honeymoon, since you never got a chance before.”

“A honeymoon?” I asked.

“Yes. The maids have already packed Castle’s luggage. I’ve instructed them to pack yours as well. You’re flying to Paris on a private jet. The car will be here exactly in an hour. Sorry, this might be a little sudden, but Castle was subdued this morning because of his recent episode. It’s not a good sign. I think a change of scenery would do him good.”

“Yes, but?—”

“Prepare for the trip. Off you go.” He pointed towards the staircase.

Castle was seated right next to me, and our luggage was in the trunk.

It was not uncommon for the Montgomery’s taking international trips on a whim. Devin and Dayana occasionally flew to different countries just to shop for a pair of shoes. To them, it was like taking a trip to the mall.

Trixie stood on the lawn looking at us. The German shepherd was trying to hop into the car, barking incessantly, pulling on her leash to get to Castle.

Castle opened the door of the car, noticing the dog’s obvious distress, and raised his hand towards her. The servant holding the dog’s leash let go, and the dog came to Castle, scratching his paw on his leg and licking his face.

Castle laughed, “You’re a good girl, Trixie. I’ll be back…soon…before you know it.”

Chandler came running towards us and started getting inside the car. “I want to go on this trip with Castle and Millie.”

“Chandler, they wouldn’t have time for you. Come here.”

“But I want to go to Paris!”

“Chandler! I told you to come here.”

Huffing, he climbed out of the car and walked towards Devin. “Get me a box of macarons. All different colors.”

“Okay, buddy,” Castle promised.

Devin got hold of Trixie’s collar and pulled her back. “Down, girl.”

Trixie wouldn’t listen. She was still barking, trying to get out of the leash. “I said, down!”

The dog whined and sat down, looking at Devin nervously.

Devin came to my window and looked inside, “Millie, I hope this trip with Castle gives you time to think about whatever’s happened so far. I know I’ve been cruel, but I did what I had to do to make sure this estate and the company remain in my hands. I’m utterly selfish, but I want you to see it from my standpoint and find it in your heart to forgive me.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. But if you’re really looking for forgiveness, then you would give me and Castle what we want.”

“And that is?” He asked.

“Set us free. Remove my anklet and give me the freedom that I deserve as his wife. Let Castle and me live in peace.”

Devin gave me a warm smile, “Consider it done. When you’re back, we’ll get the anklet removed. It’s a promise.”

Did Devin get a change of heart?

Maybe he decided he didn’t want to torment us anymore? Maybe he’s had enough of it all, too.

As if that wasn’t enough, he leaned in and kissed my forehead. “I’m sorry for everything that I have done.”

I only smiled back because forgiveness wasn’t something he was getting.

We said our goodbyes. The car moved forward, taking us farther and farther away from the mansion.

I had dreamed of this, of driving away from the house one day in good spirits. I guess this little honeymoon would be nice for us.

Devin was certain that staying in the house was causing Castle to remember things. He knew it was harmful for Castle to get his memories back and so Devin devised this plan—a change of scenery to keep Castle distracted.

Trixie ran towards the car, galloping like a horse. I laughed at her, waving. “We’ll see you soon, sweet girl.”

The car drove through the gates, which closed behind us, trapping Trixie on the other side. The ‘M’ emblems on the gates glinted in the moonlight. She pawed at the gate.

I turned to face the front and placed my head on Castle’s shoulder, my arm linked around his. “Your brother is strange, you know.”

“Which one?”

I laughed. We laced our fingers together and then interlocked them.

“I had the most bizarre thought. If I say it, you wouldn’t think of me as stupid, would you?”

“Nothing you say is stupid,” Castle promised me.

“What if we took this trip and disappeared?”

He looked at me in confusion. “I don’t...I don’t understand, Millie.”

I drew circles over his pants with my finger. “I mean, we land in Paris and then...” I looked at the chauffeur in the front and lowered my voice down, “and then we could book another flight, somewhere far, like we could go to another country where no one can find us.”

Castle kissed my cheek, “I would have liked that...very much. But...we can’t leave Theo there alone.”

My heart sank. How could I have forgotten about him?

“Yes, you’re right. It was foolish of me to think that.”

Foolish and selfish.

A few minutes passed, and I noticed he’d taken another exit on the freeway, the exit that wasn’t supposed to take us to the airport.

“Isn’t this the wrong way?” I asked the chauffeur, Austin.

When he didn’t answer me, I turned to Castle, “Do these private planes owned by your family have a different airport?”

Castle shook his head. “It’s the usual one. We just have an....an exclusive route of boarding the plane, no queues or other rules and...they check the baggage and we only have to board. Our staff...they take care of everything else.”

Castle stared at the front seat, “Austin, that’s not the way...where are you taking us?”

“I apologize, Mr. Montgomery. I have orders from your brother.” He said, glancing at us from the rearview mirror, “He promised me he’d make sure my children go to the best universities. He’s going to give my family a lot of money, the kind that I could never earn, even if I were to be born ten more times. I’m truly sorry, sir…” he said in a monotone, “I can’t afford to be fired.”

The car zoomed forward onto the road at a dangerous speed. The road was narrow, surrounded by thick woodlands. He’d brought us here on purpose.

“Stop the car!” I yelled at him.

“I’m not doing anything, Mrs. Montgomery.” He took his foot off the accelerator, showing me that the brakes weren’t working anymore. “The car has a timer. It will blow up at the right time.”

We weren’t going to Paris.

Devin was sending us to ourcoffins.

‘Let Castle and me live in peace.’I recalled telling him.

‘Consider it done. When you’re back, we’ll get the anklet removed. It’s a promise.’

We were going to be at peace, maybe somewhere in heaven, he’d meant, and of course, I was going to have my anklet removed.

A dead body didn’t need a tracker.

I was hyperventilating, my chest tightened with unadulterated fear, my blood running cold.

We were about to die. Austin was paid to commit a murder-suicide. We were going to die in cold-blood, and then they’d do the same to Theo. He wouldn’t be foolish enough to keep any Montgomery heirs.

Castle’s eyes registered what was about to happen. He pulled me closer into his body as if to say ‘let’s be together in death too.’

“No!” I yelled.

The grim reaper was standing right there, knocking. He was about to take us away.

I refused to let death fuck up our plans! I refused to die before I found out the truth!

I got hold of Castle’s shoulders. The car was speeding straight ahead, and I knew it would stop only when we’d get blown to bits.

“Listen to me carefully.” tears streaked my face, but I quickly wiped it. “We cannot die here! We won’t! Your mother’s dream was for you to become strong and succeed.”

He nodded earnestly, “Yes.”

“Then that’s what we need to do. We cannot die!”

The car jerked forward with the bumps. “Do you trust me, Castle?”

“Always.”

“On the count of three, open the door and jump out. We need to roll on our bodies. Do you understand what I’m saying? You can’t screw this baby, okay? Promise me!”

He nodded. “I promise.”

I hugged him one last time. “You need to live, and if I don’t make it…” I gave out a humorless laugh, “Just don’t bury me in the Montgomery cemetery.”

“Don’t say that, Millie!” He tightened his hold over my hand.

“I love you,” I said one last time. We had only a few seconds. Something was beeping inside the car.

“On the count of three, Castle…”

Few seconds later, I was lying on the ground, injured. Castle had rolled down the hill. A blast had reverberated only a second after we’d jumped and all I could hear was white noise.

It felt like a fever dream.

I scrambled on the dirt, crawling to the other side of the road, my body screaming in pain. I wanted to find my husband.

“Castle...” I called out.

I was blinded by the flashing lights of a car speeding toward me.

I was about to get run over.