I gripped the phone. “What are you talking about?”
“The shares.” She paused. “Do you really not know?”
“Shares?”
She gave a tinkly laugh. “For weeks, Edward hinted he might sell his shares of St. Cyr Global. Yesterday Rupert finally had to go back to London, but I stayed here with the children. Edward suddenly called my mobile last night, while I was at a friend’s party in Santa Monica. I rushed over to sign the contract, before he could change his mind!”
Whatever I’d expected, that hadn’t been it.
“What?”
“Oh, dear. Have I let the cat out of the bag? Edward did say he was doing it as a sort of wedding present, to both of you. New life, new career, all that. I gather you’re eloping? Let me know where you’re registered and I’ll send something. We owe you. I promise you’re leaving the company in good hands. And Diana?”
“Yes?” I repeated, my voice a gaspy wheeze.
“Welcome to the family!” she said heartily, and hung up.
My legs trembled. I slowly walked down the stairs, feeling like an old woman. Grief and heartache were building inside me, going radioactive, making my body weak, destroying me cell by cell.
“What?” Madison demanded when I stumbled into the kitchen.
“Edward sold all his shares in his family’s company,” I choked out. “That was why Victoria was there. That was Edward’s big secret. He knew how miserable I was in London. This was his surprise.” My throat caught. “It really was a wedding present.”
“That’s good—isn’t it?”
I slowly turned to face her.
“He should have told me,” I whispered.
Madison put her arm over my shoulders, as she’d done when we were kids. “He didn’t want you to feel guilty.”
Guilty? Edward had just sold his birthright for my sake. He could have manipulated me, pointed out everything he’d sacrificed for me. Instead, he’d set me free. Even though I saw now it was the last thing he’d wanted to do. What did it mean?
I wrapped my arms around my body, trying to stop my ice-cold limbs from shaking.
It meant Edward loved me.
“He loves me,” I whispered, and I burst into tears. Awful sobs racked my body, almost doubling me over. My stepsister hugged me close.
“It’ll be all right,” she murmured.
I shook my head. I’d been so determined to never feel heartbreak again, that I’d raced for the exit at the very first scare. Instead of forcing him to tell me the truth about Victoria, I’d thrown his ring back in his face. I thought pride made me do it. It wasn’t pride.
It was fear.
“What are you going to do?” Madison said.
I looked up, my heart pounding.
You only have one life, sweetheart, my mom said before she died. And it goes faster than you ever imagine. So make it count. Be brave. Follow your heart.
I took a deep breath. “I’m going to be brave,” I whispered. “And follow my heart.”
Madison’s face lifted in a smile. “That’s what I was hoping you’d say.” Reaching into the pocket of her cutoffs, she tossed me her keys. “Take my car.” Her smile turned to a grin. “It’s faster.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE SKY WAS sunny and blue, the air languorous with the scent of lilacs and roses.
Pushing my sunglasses up the bridge of my nose, I clutched my purse and ran toward Madison’s red convertible, sandals flapping hard against the driveway, my sundress flying.
I’d tried to call Edward’s phone, but there’d been no answer. I’d called the line at the Malibu cottage but there’d been no answer there, either. Why would Edward stay in California now? He wouldn’t. Then I’d suddenly had a sick feeling.