Chapter 30
CHAPTER 30
ANA
M y heart lurches because mama is obviously furious and hisses, “Not this again, Titus. I don’t want to hear your fanciful thoughts on this subject. I told you I know nothing about that, and you are disrespecting your father’s memory by continually bringing it up.”
He sits astride a chair and shrugs, fixing her with his usual enigmatic glare and says darkly, “I asked you a question.”
I may be due a heart attack right now because I’ve seen that expression on my brother’s face before and this time its doubtful mama will survive the attack.
“Perhaps I should jog your memory.”
The tension increases as he pulls out a sheaf of envelopes, all tied with red ribbon, and thrusts them into her hands.
“What are they? ”
Mama makes no attempt to look for herself and Titus shrugs. “Love letters found in Veronica Scott-Stanley’s London home. There are many more, all saying the same thing.”
Mama shrugs. “Then ask her. I have never seen them before.”
“You know I can’t. She’s dead.”
Mama shrugs. “That is no concern of mine.”
Titus frowns and removes a letter from his jacket pocket. He unfolds it and reads:
My darling Veronica
How I miss your bright smile that lights my world. Has it really been two long months since I last held you in my arms? I have a favor to ask of you, my love. I know it’s another one, but this is important. I will meet you in Thorn House on the seventeenth of next month and explain everything. Until then, I will count the days and pray for time to pass quickly.
Yours always and forever
Your devoted
Andrei.
Mama pales as he unfolds another one.
My darling Veronica.
I am lost without you. Russia is a lonelier place, knowing you are so far from me.
Has it really been three months since I last held you in my arms?
If it wasn’t for my position and my family, I would be with you now. One day, this will all change. It must change. We will be together as we should have been, and this nightmare will be over.
As always, I can’t say much, but understand the deep love I hold in my heart is for you—it has always been you. Circumstances dictated we walk along different paths in life, but I glance over at you, walking alone with deep sadness and regret.
This should never have happened, but we must accept that sometimes sacrifices must be made for snatched moments of pleasure that cost us so dearly.
Until we meet next month, stay safe, my darling, and I am thinking of you every minute of the day.
Always yours
Andrei
Mama sobs and I feel helpless as I glance at Titus, his features set in tight fury and he says darkly, “I believe that in this letter, to contradict your earlier statement, he has made it very clear that he was interested in her and for some reason was killing time with you.”
I gasp as mama cries, “Why are you being so cruel, Titus? I’m your mother. These letters are fake.”
“Not according to the handwriting specialist I employed to authenticate them.” He adds brutally, and she stares at him in shock, the blood draining from her face as she whispers, “Why are you punishing me?”
I feel so bad for her and lean across and take her hand in mine.
“We only want the truth, mama. You owe us that.”
“Owe you?” She shakes her head sadly. “I owe you nothing, Ana. I gave you life. I fought for this family and it has been an uphill struggle for my entire married life. I have given everything to this family, and this is how you reward me. By accusing me of something that was never my crime in the first place.”
“Then tell us, mama. Tell us the truth and then we can move on because when I met Adele Kenricky, your friend from school who was a Heatherington back then, she told me that if I was looking for pa’s murderer, I should question you.”
“That woman.” Mama can barely conceal her dislike. “She used your father for personal gain. They all did.”
“All?”
Titus asks and her eyes flash as she hisses, “Yes, they used his business acumen and his ideas and formed an alliance. It was a master plan, genius in fact, and the person who made it all happen was your father.”
“How?”
My heart is beating faster as I sense the mystery ending and she leans back and smiles, as if she is right back there in Switzerland.
“We were invincible, or at least we thought so. The four girls and four exciting men who dropped into our lives one fateful night. I was always drawn to Andrei. He wasn’t the loudest of them all, but extremely thoughtful and considerate. He was hard working and had a commanding presence even back then.”
She smiles, gazing at the photograph of them both that she keeps on the side table.
“He was handsome too, extremely so. Like you, Titus. Like all of you, really.”
She smiles happily and my heart breaks for her.
“I know he caught Veronica’s eye. She couldn’t tear her attention away from him. Adele and Charles became an item very quickly and Marsha, well, one man wasn’t enough for her. She tried all four of them, but your father only had eyes for me.”
“And Veronica.” Titus adds cruelly and mama turns on him angrily.
“I’ve had enough of your snide comments, Titus. Show me some respect. If your father was here–”
“But he’s not.” He growls. “He was poisoned in his own home, and shall I tell you why?”
Silence descends on the room as mama stares at the floor, rigid with fear.
Titus snarls, “Because pa was leaving you to be with her. It’s in this letter. He was leaving you mama and you couldn’t bear the thought of it.”
Mama shakes her head. “No, you’re lying.”
“Then please explain why I found a document signed by him that appoints me as his successor, along with a resignation letter from Romanov industries and travel plans to Australia booked under the names Andrei Romanov and Veronica Scott-Stanley.”
Mama gasps and I stare at them both in shock as Titus growls, “Not to mention the divorce papers that are lodged with his solicitor awaiting your signature.”
“You’re lying.”
Tears are cascading down mama’s face and as she makes to stand, Titus says forcefully, “Now tell us the fucking truth, mama. Did you kill our father?”