Chapter 5
Five
S ybil
It only takes a few minutes for everyone in the Laurence family to gather in the chef’s kitchen that’s adjacent to the ballroom. Mom cleared the staff out for a family meeting, and apparently, this was the only place to do it.
“What’s he doing here?” Hayes growls in Ethan’s direction, and Arden straightens her spine protectively.
“I swear I didn’t know about any of this,” Ethan says, holding up his hands, and I know him well enough to know he’s being honest.
“Your twin knew,” I announce, and his face pales.
My jaw is locked so tight I feel my teeth might crack. Where the hell is Coop? Probably mingling among the guests somewhere, smug as hell, despite his father ruining what was a perfectly respectable wedding reception.
Arden turns on my mother. “Aunt Amelia, please explain what this marriage contract means?”
“It’s nothing , I promise,” Mom replies, her voice strained. “Yes, there was a contract made, but it doesn’t apply to nieces—only to Gregory’s biological children and Conrad’s biological children. There’s nothing to worry about since Ethan didn’t marry Sybil.”
Ethan and I exchange a sheepish glance. Guess we really dodged a bullet there.
“But the stock prices…” Mother’s voice trails off. “That could be a problem once this news gets out. Shareholders don’t like scandal.”
Our company is publicly traded, and King is not, which basically means we’re beholden to our shareholders and—especially—our board.
But King? Barring legalities, they can pretty much do whatever the hell they want.
Conrad has a company board at King, but they don’t own him, he owns them.
He’s the primary company owner, creator, and the CEO.
He steers the ship, and nobody complains because he’s damn good at his job.
And ruthless as hell.
“Why would Conrad say all that in front of everybody?” Arden’s voice is meek, but the rest of us know Conrad King better than my cousin ever did.
None of this surprises me in the slightest. He hates our family, and if saying stupid bullshit to get a rise out of us, he’s going to say stupid bullshit, even at the expense of his son.
“This night was supposed to be about you and Ethan,” I reply, giving Arden my most apologetic look. “I’m so sorry that happened.”
Everything was going so well, too.
“I should’ve known something like this was going to happen,” Ethan growls. “Don’t blame yourself, Sybil. You did a good job.”
Did I? “I should’ve planned for this somehow. Obviously, the microphone was a bad call. I could’ve had someone running interference.”
Ethan and Arden’s only main request for tonight? No drama.
Damn it.
“Conrad wanted one last chance to get revenge on your uncle,” my mother says, patting Arden on the shoulder.
“I’m so sorry about this. Let’s go out there and enjoy the rest of your night, shall we?
If anyone asks about the marriage contract, you say it’s a good thing you’re Gregory’s niece and move on to another conversation. ”
“Why does Uncle Conrad want to get back at Dad?” Chandler asks from where he’s been leaning against one of the industrial refrigerators, and my heart sinks.
We’ve kept so much from my brother. Even though he’s an adult, he has the heart and mind of someone much younger because of his Down Syndrome. He doesn’t need to know about our sordid family history.
Mom frowns. “Oh, sweetie. Once we get home, you and I can talk about it privately.”
He steps forward, and Mom pats him on the shoulder.
“Tell me now. I want to know,” he demands, voice cracking.
Fuck . My heart has already taken a beating, but right now it’s about to go through another ten rounds. Of course he’s known we’ve been hiding things from him. Chandler is not dumb, contrary to what people may think.
Mom opens and closes her mouth, the color draining from her face, and I know she’s about to confess the truth.
But before a word comes out, the door flies open, and Cooper stalks in, followed closely by his scummy father.
Cooper’s earthy-brown hair has grown since the accident, hanging around those dark eyes. He looks so much like his father these days. The smug eyes. The clenched jaw. The air of confidence that boarders on arrogance. It’s apparent they’ve come here to gloat, not to apologize or explain.
“What’s going on here?” Ethan’s voice is laced with venom, which makes me happy for Arden. This is a man who is always going to put his bride first, no matter the circumstance, and Arden deserves nothing less than complete devotion.
“I think it’s time we talk about some things,” Conrad says, and my chest tightens, as if a band of anxiety is squeezing my ribcage. Somehow, I know that whatever is about to happen is going to make my world spin upside down.
He slides into the center of the kitchen like he owns the place, pulling out an envelope from his inside suit jacket and presenting it to my mother. “You know I’ve been meaning to speak with you about Arden,” he says. “Don’t act so surprised.”
Her eyes grow cold. “How dare you.”
“How dare I ? I’ve been trying to set up a meeting with you for weeks, but you refused to see me. I tried to warn you, Amelia. I really did.”
My mother doesn’t say a word as she snatches the envelope from Conrad’s hands and tears it open.
My heart pounds against my ribcage, increasing in tempo when Mom’s face goes from incredulous, to shocked, to resigned in the space of a long, drawn-out minute.
Her backside hits the edge of the nearby countertop, her entire body defeated, and tears form in her eyes.
“What is it?” I breathe, stepping forward. I try to take the paper, but she shakes her head.
“Arden, this is for you,” she says solemnly.
Arden’s cheeks go bright red as she strides forward and takes the paper, her eyes scanning the contents. She passes it off to Ethan, who looks it over, his face hardening to steel.
“Would someone tell me what is going on here?” I turn to my old lover, my old friend, the boy I count on to always tell me the truth. “Ethan, what is it? Tell me.”
But he doesn’t say a word.
“Please tell us,” Chandler says, and Hayes folds his arms over his chest, appearing equally frustrated. My brothers are twenty-three and seventeen. They’re still young, and especially young-at-heart, but they can hold their own.
Ethan tucks his arm around his wife and glares at our father, but he’s as speechless as the rest of them.
“This is getting ridiculous,” I snap. “Enough with the secrets.”
Conrad’s gaze is steady on Amelia Laurence.
“I didn’t want to do this in front of everyone, but you’ve left me no choice.
You know the contract is binding. You can see the test results for yourself.
Have your people call my people first thing Monday morning, and we can get started on the equity transfers. ”
He turns on his heel and disappears into the party, leaving the rest of us to clean the mess he left behind.
Cooper should leave, too, but he doesn’t.
He stands at the edge of the group, eyes heavy like he’s waiting for something.
Finally, his gaze meets mine, and something dark flashes there.
Once again, I’m reminded this is no longer the man I used to know.
“Mom, what’s going on?” I try again, but my mother is no longer hiding behind anger; it’s pain that’s written all over her face.
The kind of pain she endured at my father’s hands after we found out about the affair with her best friend.
And in that moment, I know without a shadow of a doubt, that whatever is in that paperwork, it has to do with Dad.
“Later, children. We’ll talk about this later. After the party,” she instructs.
She takes a deep breath and steadies herself like she’s simply ironing out wrinkles in a dress and not covering something that has shaken her to the core.
She takes her leave, following in Conrad’s footsteps.
“We don’t have to go out there,” Ethan whispers to Arden.
My sweet baby cousin’s face has turned as white as a sheet. She blinks rapidly, holding back tears. She might even be on the edge of one of her panic attacks. Ethan catches it the same time the rest of us do, and he shoots his twin brother a scathing look.
“You could’ve warned me,” he hisses before ushering his wife out a back door.
They’re going home and not returning to their own party.
“Let’s go, too,” Hayes says, taking our brother’s hand. “Mom will tell us everything at home. I’ll call us a car.”
I can tell Chandler wants to protest, but he doesn’t. Within seconds, I’m alone with Cooper.
“Shame they all left,” Cooper mutters. “He wasn’t supposed to hand over the test until the party was over. I do regret that part, at least.”
Is he trying to make himself feel better?
“What’s a shame is you not telling me what the hell is going on.” I get close to him, angling my face slightly upward as I glare at the man who has the answers I need. “I have a right to know.”
A long auburn curl falls across my eyes. I don’t touch it; I’m too angry to even think about it for more than a millisecond, but Cooper reaches out and gently tucks it behind my ear. I slap his hand away.
“Slapping me again, Valentine? I didn’t know you were so violent.”
“Only for you,” I sneer. “Now tell me.”
“Your mother will tell you soon enough,” he deadpans.
Frustration overtakes me, and I try to shove him, but he doesn’t budge an inch. “Does our friendship mean nothing to you?”
He snorts. “Friendship? You ditched our friendship years ago. Gave me up like I meant nothing. We don’t have a friendship, Valentine.
” He leans in close, and the spicy-clean scent of his cologne surrounds me.
“Actually, I don’t think we’re not friends anymore…
We’re less than that. We mean nothing to each other. Maybe we even hate each other.”
Right now? Yes. I hate him.
“I didn’t mean that we have a friendship, you dipshit,” I hiss. “I meant all those years of friendship we shared… You act like they never happened. Like you owe me nothing.”
His jaw ticks. “I learned from the best.”
I shift, putting space between us while acceptance floods my system. “Fine,” I say coolly, brushing past me to leave the room. “Don’t tell me. Someone else will.”
“Arden is your sister.”
Four words.
Just four simple words, but they change everything.
They ricochet through the kitchen like a bullet, and I stop, turning to him, the world shifting on its axis. “What did you say?”
“You heard me. Arden is your sister, not your cousin. Well, technically, she’s your half-sister. You share the same father.”
I shake my head. “You’re lying.”
But I already know he’s not. He can’t be. Not by the way everyone reacted.
“Your father had her DNA test results altered to suit his agenda. My father knew the truth all along. When he called your father about it, he agreed to let Gregory play Arden off as a long-lost cousin to spare Amelia’s feelings.”
The breath leaves my body. “Why would he care to spare her feelings?”
He laughs darkly. “Hate my father all you want; he’s no angel, but he’s not a monster, either.
Think about it, Sybil. This was before your mother tried to ruin our family by blaming Ethan for your father’s death.
Despite everything that had happened, he still cared about your mom’s feelings.
He knew this would destroy her. He didn’t want that. ”
My vision blurs.
“You’re stunning when you’re angry,” he says, his words kind but his tone cruel, “but somehow even more stunning when you’re sad. That’s unfortunate, Sybil. I always liked your smile most.”
“That’s some messed up shit to say,” I whisper.
“And I’m an asshole for noticing.” He shrugs, his eyes intent on mine.
I shake my head. This is a lot to process. If this is true, it means my mom’s little sister, a woman who was estranged from the family and who died from drug addiction, was also a woman who had slept with my father.
They had a child together.
“The old contract still stands,” Cooper says. “Our fathers made it when they went into business together, and now that Arden has been proven to be Gregory’s child, the contract will be enforced.”
I hold up my hand to stop him from continuing. “I get it, Cooper. You’re legally taking ten percent of our company, and we’re taking ten percent of yours, but since we only own fifty-four percent, you now have the power to make it so we no longer have majority equity in our own company.”
The fucker smirks. “How is it my fault your father let so much ownership go over the years?” he argues. “That’s not something my father would’ve ever allowed to happen to King Media. He would’ve let the whole company burn to the ground before relinquishing control.”
I don’t care; they’re two totally different companies, and I could argue that King wouldn’t have had the success he did without Laurence helping him along the way.
“So what happens next?” I ask.
“Time will tell.”
What a cop out.
He brushes past me, leaving me alone in the kitchen as he walks into the party. If there was anything left in his heart for my family, then maybe he feels a little awful for what just happened. From the looks of it, though, he feels fantastic. That’s a man who’s been vindicated.
And I’m a woman who has to reevaluate everything I thought was true.