Throughout the morning, I’d tried to put on a brave face and be there for my father, to smile and thank our visitors. I’d made it until about an hour ago when Tessa had found me hiding in the bathroom.
She’d told me to go lie down in my old room, and she’d cover for me.
Only, I’d slipped out the back.
Needing solitude.
Or maybe an answer.
A balm.
Some kind of hope in the darkness.
So, I’d come back to get the stack of letters from Harmony.
I needed to feel her again.
Find a way to understand.
To catch a clue or a line of information I had missed.
But what had shaken me was I’d found another letter in the stack. One I hadn’t noticed yesterday since it was different than the rest.
Rather than being in one of the large blue envelopes, it’d been sent in a small, plain white one.
I’d been frantic, anguished, ruined when I realized what it was.
Now, I had to squint to make out the words, the handwriting messy and rushed and filled with agony.
I could sense it.
Her fear carved into the paper.
Do you remember, Eden? When I was a horrible sister? When I ruined everything? I know you do. Of course, you do. Even though I don’t deserve it, I’m asking you to be there for me one last time. To believe what I’m telling you. It’s my last truth because I don’t have time for any more lies.
The end is coming for me. I know it. I’ve earned it. And I’m scared…terrified truthfully…but I’ve dug a grave I don’t think I can climb out of.
I’ve hurt so many people, you and Daddy and Trent.
Trent.
Yes. I saw you with him the other day. I’m supposed to stay away, keep out of sight, but I needed to see my son one last time.
Sorrow raked from my lungs. The pain so great. My knees knocked as I tried to remain standing in my kitchen. Gulping, I forced myself to keep reading.
He was the man I was set to betray, and he was the one who saved me after I committed the greatest sin. I cost him the life of his brother after I’d bargained his.
Money. It was always about the money.
But somehow, I’d found a speck of conscience that convinced me I couldn’t see it through. But I’d been too late, Eden. I couldn’t stop it.
Even after that, he’d saved me. Spared me. Taken care of me.
In the deal we’d made, there’d been one thing I’d insisted upon—I’d insisted that he move with Gage to Redemption Hills. Trent never knew the real reason, but I needed to know my child was close to the ones who loved me, to the only good part of me, like Gage might be able to feed from your nearness even if he never knew who you were.
But then I’d taken it farther and convinced Trent to send Gage to the school.
What I’d never expected was you two.
But I saw it, Eden.
I saw that you found each other.
I saw that you love Trent, saw that Trent loves you, and I saw that you love my son.
Not as a nephew, but as a child, and I’m begging you to keep it that way. Don’t look at him like the child your sister lost, but as the child of a man who deserves to be loved for the father—the man—that he is.
I swindled and stole and took from him for years. Now, it’s going to cost me my life because I was a fool and went back to Los Angeles about six months ago. I’d thought enough time had passed. My selfishness never knew any bounds.
Trent’s father was dead, after all. What did it matter?
And with the Demons, the drugs were always easy to come by. That place more like home to me than anywhere else. Where someone like me belonged.
But his father wasn’t dead, Eden. He survived. He’d been waiting, watching for the perfect moment to come out of hiding and hunt Trent down for what he had done.
And I was that moment.
Easy prey.
A million dollars, and all I had to do is lure Trent out. That’s what Trent’s father offered.
But I knew better.
That’s why I returned and took the money three months ago. I’d tried to lead Cutter and his crew astray, lied to them about where Trent was living, all while planning to disappear. Truly disappear forever. But Cutter and his crew stopped me before I could get lost. Forced me into revealing where Trent and his brothers were living.
They’d forced me into meeting Trent for my payoff.
I should have warned him then.
I should have, Eden, but I was praying for a way to figure out how to survive at the end of this. Yeah, selfish again.
But I’m already dead even though I’m going to fight it to my last breath.