Chapter Sixteen
NATALIE AND EMILY sat inside Natalie’s car in silence. Emily smelled of a nervous tension not even Chanel No. 5 and the right pedigree could disguise. Natalie stared straight ahead at the concrete wall less than a foot from the front bumper of her Audi.
“You’re not going to make it easy for me, are you?” Emily said finally.
“Emily, you asked me to compromise my principles for you on Saturday. You attempted to blackmail and bribe me. I don’t know how I can make this easy for you.”
The older woman let out a short laugh. “Fair enough.” She leaned back and stared out at the thick columns supporting the parking garage ceiling. “I don’t want—” She sighed. “I can’t lose Rodale International.”
Natalie glanced at her godmother. “If this is for Charlie—”
“Oh, it would be nice to say that it’s for him. That would at least give a veneer of motherly concern and altruism to the whole sordid business. But no. It’s for me.”
Natalie was seeing a whole new side of her godmother. Rodale International had provided Emily with a lifestyle most people would envy, but to go this far…
“James owes me this much.”
Natalie was momentarily at a loss. “James?”
“James Damon. Alex’s father. I was his secretary way back when I decided to rebel against my family. He said he was in love with me, you know.”
Emily and…Alex’s father?
The older woman’s eyes were focused on something far away. “I believed him. He could be very persuasive when the mood struck him.” She turned to Natalie. “Did you know he was married when we met?”
Natalie shook her head.
“He told me he didn’t love his wife. Said he was going to divorce her. I believed that too. I was such a naïve fool back then.” The corners of her lips twisted down, giving Emily’s face cruel lines. “In the end, he didn’t leave his wife, of course. Even though I was pregnant with his child, she too was expecting. I hated him for it. I could’ve killed him. I was not going to be any man’s mistress.” Her eyes flickered. “That’s when I met Charles. I didn’t love him, but he had the right drive, a hunger to succeed. I did everything in my power to ruin James, to take from him what he’d promised me.” She laughed, but the sound held no humor. “I destroyed his family, you know. His wife couldn’t bear it that he lost everything. I knew she never really loved him. She never loved him, and he chose
her. I was glad when he finally broke. He had it coming.” She paused. “I drank champagne the day she divorced him.”
Natalie felt sick. “What happened to the child? The one you had with James Damon? Did you… Did you give it up for adoption?”
“No.” Emily’s lips turned flat. “The child has always lived with me. As a matter of fact, he now heads Rodale International.”
“Oh my God.”
“So now you know.” The intensity of Emily’s gaze belied her years. “Do you still think we should lose our company to Alex? Charlie doesn’t know what he’s dealing with. I have to help him.”
“You’re denying Charlie his half-brother.”
“Don’t call him that! If I could, I would ruin him too. He’s her son.”
Emily’s eyes were hard as diamonds, her mouth as thin as the edge of a razor. Natalie felt like vomiting. This venom…this old, festered wound wasn’t something she’d ever suspected Emily carried under her benevolent, society-matron exterior. Now Natalie understood why Alex hadn’t wanted her to see the Rodales again. But did he know that Charlie was his half-brother?
Natalie came to a decision. “If you don’t tell him, I will.”
“Tell who?”
“Alex. And Charlie too.”
Emily looked at her. “What are you trying to accomplish? Do you think that once they know the truth, they’ll just smile and become friends? Silly girl.” She reached down and straightened the crease in her slacks. “Whatever you’re trying to do will be futile anyway. Charlie won’t believe you because I’ll deny it to my last breath. As for Alex, he hates me. Probably doesn’t think much of Charlie, either, given his feelings for you. My advice is to worry about yourself instead.”
“Myself?”
“Of course. If you really are pregnant, you’ll have to find some sort of solution quickly. You don’t actually believe that Alex is going to take care of you and your baby, do you? Perhaps even make an honest woman out of you?” Emily laughed. “My dear girl, the apple never does fall far from the tree. James abandoned me, and Alex will do exactly the same thing to you if you give him the chance.”
“I think you should go, Emily.”