“I think I will try to lay down.” My mother put her glass of water on the table, and her hand shook so much I had to grab the water to make sure it didn’t spill.
Jenny walked upstairs with my mother, and I walked to the liquor cabinet so I could pour myself a drink that was a lot stronger than water. Sinn Manor hadn’t changed much since I left. It was my grandfather’s home at one time, and he gave it to my parents as a wedding present. It was supposed to be mine at some point, but I always doubted that my father would be as generous as my grandfather. Over the years, I grew to hate the place—I called it hell because that’s exactly what it felt like when I was growing up there—a lake of misery ruled by a tyrant who might as well have been the devil himself.
“I don’t think she’s going to actually sleep…” Jenny walked back into the living room and sat down. “Thank you so much for coming—I had no idea what to do.”
“I’m always here for the two of you.” I took a sip of my whiskey. “No matter what.”
“Why does he want me to stay?” Jenny leaned her head against the back of the couch. “It doesn’t make any sense. He already took my trust fund—what else does he want from me?”
“I have no idea.” I shook my head back and forth. “He loves making everyone miserable…”
“He didn’t do anything when you left.” She leaned her head forward.
“There wasn’t anything he could do.” I shrugged. “I was old enough to leave if I wanted to.”
“Well I’m not staying here.” She narrowed her eyes. “He will have to chain me to the damn floor before I spend a single night in this place after Mom leaves.”
“I’ll make some calls in the morning. I’m sure a lawyer can stall him out until you’re eighteen—or he’ll give up when he realizes that we’re going to put up a fight.” I exhaled sharply.
I hope…
“What are we going to do about Mom?” Jenny looked down at the floor. “She’s not going to be able to survive without him…”
“She survived just fine while he was in prison.” I took a quick sip of my whiskey. “It won’t be easy, but we’ll help her get through it. She’ll be better off without him, even if this situation sucks right now.”
“He’s cheated on her before—she always forgave him.” Jenny sighed. “What makes this one different? Why the hell did he marry her?”
“I have no idea…” I shook my head back and forth. “We’re not going to get any answers tonight. You need to get some rest too.”
“Will you stay?” She winced. “I know that’s a lot to ask—you hate it here—but…”
“I’ll stay.” I nodded.
Jenny went to bed, and I sat alone in the living room for the rest of the night, just trying to make sense of everything that had happened. Jenny’s question was a valid one—why in the world did our father marry a woman who was essentially his mistress? I didn’t believe the bastard had a heart that could love someone. There had to be another reason. I just had no idea what it was. The confrontation was coming, but I had to be strategic, even if I did want to let my rage loose on the man who had tormented me since the day I was born. Taking care of Jenny and my mother was top priority—and that meant talking to a damn good lawyer who could get shit done.
I might need to ask Jon for a recommendation…
The next morning, my mother came downstairs and started making breakfast. She seemed to be on autopilot—doing the thing she normally did every morning. There was no real emotion in her eyes, and her face was just a blank stare. I ended up going into the kitchen and helping, which equated to doing it all myself while she cried into her coffee. Jenny joined us once breakfast was ready. I ate a few bites. Jenny moved her food around on her plate. My mother didn’t touch hers at all—she decided to just go back to bed. She didn’t look like she had gotten any sleep, so I silently prayed that she would be exhausted enough to pass out at some point. I called Jon, got a
recommendation for an attorney, and called her. She was in Carson Cove, so she agreed to meet with me immediately since the situation was rather urgent.
“Thank you so much for meeting with me.” I stood up as Addison Regan, the woman who was supposedly the best attorney in the state, entered the conference room.
“No problem at all.” She smiled and extended her hand. “I’m already handling another case in Carson Cove, so it wasn’t any trouble at all.”
“I don’t even know if this is a case, really.” I shook her hand and sat down. “Right now, I just need some advice.”
I laid everything out for Addison. My parents got divorced when my father went to prison, but they never stopped truly being husband and wife—well, most husbands wouldn’t have acted like my father did, but that was beside the point. My sister was seventeen, and if emancipation was an option, it needed to be explored. At the very least, I needed her to stall the case out if my father tried to sue for custody or something. I hoped that realizing we were going to fight would be enough to make him back off entirely.
“This is definitely a case.” Addison nodded after I finished explaining my situation. “It’s a complicated one, but it’s going to come down to how far your mother is willing to go.”
“What do you mean?” I raised my eyebrows inquisitively.
“Based on what you’ve just told me, the divorce was basically fraud. I need to do some research into your father’s criminal case to get a better feel for what I’m dealing with.” She looked down at her notes. “Unfortunately, we may not be able to pursue this angle if there is an option for it…”
“Why?” I tilted my head.
“If the divorce was fraud—designed to protect your father’s assets—then your mother could face charges too. She was an accomplice.” Addison tapped her pen on the paper. “I don’t believe that’s what you’re after here.”