Chapter 28
After running her last errand of the day, Emily decided to make a pit stop at one of her favorite places. She had a little time to spare before what might be her first dinner out with Nicolas. He was still at work and hadn’t fully confirmed yet.
Cameron opened the door of a café for her to enter and someone was leaving simultaneously.
She froze.
Looking as if she hadn’t aged a year over forty, with her bobbed brunette hair and crisp white pantsuit, Juliet Pinault’s eyes widened in surprise.
Of all the people…why did I have to meet my mother here?
She prepped herself for the disappointment Juliet was bound to express. Or maybe a curt nod which still reflected her allegiance to her husband and not her own daughter.
On cue, Emily was plagued by memories. Ones from four years ago when her father stated Jake wasn’t a suitable match for her. In which she rebelled by swearing that he was.
In true James Pinault fashion, he’d threatened her with the classic “as long as you live under my roof” speech, so she spared him the trouble—Emily offered to leave.
Needless to say, he didn’t take that well.
He locked her in her room for a week. Seven days.
No communication. Just food, water, and two bodyguards on standby.
Her father had convinced Jake, her friends, and even casual acquaintances that she’d simply taken a short vacation to clear her head.
He kept up the illusion by impersonating her through text messages on her phone.
She’d told him the passcode once on a family trip, when her hands were grubby and she needed him to check something on it.
Back then, she hadn’t thought twice about sharing it.
She wished she had.
When she was finally released—after a hunger strike and losing roughly ten pounds—Emily was pale and shaking from dehydration. There was no energy left to argue with the family doctor that looked after her. Once she was better, Emily did as she’d promised. And she never looked back.
Through the swirl of a sickening feeling came her mother’s voice, “How have you been, dear?”
“Fine,” Emily said simply, a bit of emotion finding its way in her voice even though she hated for it to. “What about you? Have you and…Father been well?”
A forced smile came to her mother’s face. “We’ve been well.”
“That’s…that’s good.”
God, even she could hear how pathetic that sounded.
“I have to go,” Emily blurted when she could no longer manage the weight of this situation.
Just as she made her way past her mother, Juliet’s hand snapped out and took ahold of Emily’s wrist. She looked to her mother in anticipation and fear.
“Emily…” her mother began apprehensively. “Can we talk?”
“We’re so sorry for what we did to you, dear,” Juliet Pinault started off shakily. “Your father deeply regrets his actions. Locking you in your room—he was only trying to protect you! Stop you from making a grave mistake…but he indeed took his safety measures a little too far.”
“I don’t think ‘a little’ covers it, Mother,” Emily gritted out, shifting in her seat. “He had me held against my will. For a week.”
Her mother sighed heavily as she witnessed the internal struggle taking place in those eyes before her.
She gathered her daughter’s hands in her own. Emily looked down at them. It was an unfamiliar sight after so long. Nonetheless, she knew she didn’t hate it.
“All we’ve ever wanted was for you and Chelsea to be happy.
I’m sorry we ended up making you feel the opposite.
I apologize on your father’s behalf. I can assure you, he misses you…
terribly. Sometimes, I even catch him staring at your old photographs.
He visits your bedroom in the middle of the night, even sued those nasty reporters who dared to smear your reputation recently. ”
Emily held her breath.
“Please forgive us. I don’t want us to be avoiding each other for the rest of our lives.” Her mother’s voice cracked at the end.
“Were…were you going to let me out if Chelsea hadn’t stopped by that weekend?”
These were the types of thoughts that haunted her for years. Would the week have extended into two, or maybe a month, if her sister hadn’t popped up during her law school exam season?
“Emily…” Juliet sighed. “I was. From day one I planned on stealing the keys from your father. It was as if he knew what I was thinking, hiding it where I couldn’t find it and also working from home so he could monitor my every move.
Security didn’t make the situation easy either.
No matter hard I tried reasoning with them, they wouldn’t budge.
It was like my words meant nothing, only your father’s did.
“When I’d had enough and started arguing with him about letting you out, that was when Chelsea showed up and overheard us. She didn’t need to hear another second before she ran to get you. I think at that point even he was tired and that’s why he let her have her way.”
Emily sat there, head reeling from this piece of information.
“I didn’t know that you weren’t eating the entire time. Your father had the dishes returning to the kitchen covered and when I checked they were always empty. I assumed…I shouldn’t have assumed. I’m sorry, dear. I know I haven’t been the best mother, but I should’ve seen the signs.”
To be honest, Emily had already gotten over the incident. With time, she tried to understand the rash decisions of her parents. That didn’t mean she still wasn’t hurt by what they’d done…but she’d accepted it. She was also to be blamed for thinking starving herself would make a difference.
“I’ve already forgiven you and Father,” she confessed quietly. “I can’t stay mad at you two forever. It wouldn’t be fair when I know, deep down, you guys had my best interest at heart.”
“Yes, Emily dear, we really did!” Her mother squeezed her hand even tighter.
She patted the back of her mother’s hand. “Family will always be family, Mother. You don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
There were many times Emily wished she could have been like others who could cut ties with their family completely, not just by physical distance, but in the mind and heart.
Sadly, she wasn’t.
Juliet stood up abruptly and pushed back the chair she was sitting on in the process.
Her arms engulfed her into the biggest hug ever.
At first, it felt awkward for Emily. Hugs were rare between them, but when the scent of Juliet’s perfume hit her nose and had the most calming effect, she nuzzled her mother’s neck.
She smells like home.
“Sorry to interrupt,” a small voice said causing them to peel themselves away from each other. They looked to see two girls holding notepads in their hands. “But can we get an autograph? We’re huge fans!”
Before Emily could answer, Cameron blocked their path.
She looked up at him stiffly. “They’re fans.”
He still didn’t budge.
“If you don’t move, I’ll move you, Cameron.”
His lips twitched. Cameron was twice her size. They both knew that was impossible. Regardless, he slid to the side, his eyes still surveying the girls.
“Sorry about that,” she apologized and gave them the autographs.
It didn’t take long before they squealed and disappeared.
She and her mother sat again. Cameron returned to the chair in the corner.
“I forgot to ask, why the bodyguard?”
“For security purposes.”
Juliet sighed. “I mean, obviously, but why? Is something going on? Does it involve your old stalker? Don’t worry, we’ve had people watching him since his release. He won’t be able to do anything to you.” Then Juliet leaned forward. “So…I heard the news about you and Jake. Should I be concerned?”
“No,” Emily replied quickly. “Because things with him have…ended.” Her mother tried to mask her joy by folding her lips. “You can say I told you so.”
“I’m never going to say that to my own daughter.” She sounded repulsed by the mere thought of it. “Why would I rub salt into your wound like that?”
Emily’s eyes glossed over. Was this what years of no contact did? Juliet Pinault had become a big softie. She wasn’t used to this version of her.
“You should come home soon, dear,” she continued. “Your grandparents have been longing to see you. Every year it grows more depressing without you there.”
“I miss them too.”
Juliet laughed heartily. “Of course you do. They spoiled you rotten. We may not be the best parents, but your grandparents tried in our stead.”
She didn’t confirm nor deny what they both already knew.
Love had never truly lived in Emily’s household. It was rationed, given sparingly. The only warmth she’d ever tasted came in small doses from her grandparents, more from her grandmother than anyone else.
They’d been busy with their own lives, but her grandmother had always found ways to slip her affection in through a hand on her shoulder, a word of encouragement or a sweet treat.
Her parents had admitted to her that they’d never received the same compassion.
Maybe that explained why they were so inept when it came to giving love.
Her mother was trying now though and that meant a lot.
“I have some personal things to take care of first.” Like nailing Jake in his coffin. “After that, I’ll stop by,” Emily promised.
“I will hold you to it.”
“And Emily, about Jake…” her mother began, lips pressed tight again before the words slipped out. “Your father didn’t just get up out of the blue one day and decide to dislike the boy—”
“I know—”
“Allow me to finish, dear,” she cut her off, sounding more like her old self. “There were a lot of reasons, but one of the biggest was money. Your father funded him. One million dollars.”
“He funded him?”
“Yes. Your father reached out to Steven, the CEO, to ask about your security as an actress at Starz. At the time, the company was going through transitions. It became unstable and your father wanted to make sure you weren’t walking into something risky.”
Emily sat back, stunned.
“He did it for you. But later, Jake reached out to him. Said he’d ‘take care of you’ in return for the money. Acted as if there was more to come and you were someone who could be bought.”
Her stomach turned.
“That’s when your father was more convinced.
Jake wasn’t with you because he truly loved you.
He wanted a safety net. Being with you and maybe even marrying you would’ve still given him status, access if things went wrong at Starz.
He’d have you—and us—to fall back on even if we didn’t want to get involved, we would. Because you’re family.”
Jake had always been that kind of person, huh?
She felt foolish all over again for being with someone like that.
Juliet checked her watch. “It’s seven. I need to go. Your father’s waiting for dinner. I’d ask you to join us, but I have a feeling of what you’ll say…”
“Have fun.”
Juliet gave a small smile. “Farewell, dear.”
“Bye, Mother.”