“I begged you to adopt Rose, didn’t I? You said she was too much of a responsibility. Too much work. You could have made this right for all of us, Mom. If you didn’t want Ashcroft to have us, you still could have kept your daughters together. Why didn’t you?”
My heart aches. All my life, I thought I was unlovable, and I was so right. My mom knew who I was, yet she couldn’t love me.
“Chloe—Kristy, let your mother explain.” Ashcroft attempts to placate Kristy, but his hands, which rose to grab Kristy’s arms, drop immediately at her next words.
“Are you really going to forgive her? Forgive her for what Rose had to endure? For what you lost?” Her hands curl into fists at her side.
“I asked you to adopt me. I begged you to adopt me,” I whisper through my thickening throat.
How many times have I tried to forget that day? I promised her I’d be the best daughter. My small self, clutching her hands, just wanting someone to love me, to accept me.
“Rose, I did everything to keep you safe. I couldn’t let them get to you for a second time, my baby.” Sophia takes a step in my direction, but I cower into Zander’s chest, not wanting the affection she’s offering.
“Who are they?” Beast bellows. With clenched fists and curled shoulders, he fits his name today. “It’s about time you tell me who did this to us, Soph.”
“Roxanne,” Sophia whispers, and everything falls into place.
The brown eyes. The woman who looked at me in pity while I was lying hurt as she put salve on my burning back.
16
ZANDER
“Roxanne? What do you mean?” Beast runs his hand through his hair.
A sickening feeling develops in the pit of my stomach.
“She’s in love with you, Ash. In some sick way, she thinks you are hers.”
For the first time this morning, Sophia’s eyes don’t hold guilt but burn with rage. She recites the incidences that changed their lives forever in an almost mechanical tone, as if she has rehearsed this conversation with Beast several times in her head.
“Roxanne hired someone to abduct me, to hurt me. But when you were beyond consolation, she had to bring me back. She threatened me all those months in our house, Ash.” When Sophia clutches Beast’s tensed hands, his angry, pained gaze settles over her face.
“When I was pregnant, she kept her distance. I thought that whatever gross infatuation she had for you was finally over…until the day she told me about her sick plans. How she’d raise our baby with you. She wanted me to leave with Kristy or she would kill us. I was so scared that day, I went into premature labor. I couldn’t take it anymore, Ash. I had to go away, to keep myself sane and Kristy safe.”
Beast stares at Sophia with eyes filled with disbelief. As if of all the reasons he thought might have led to Sophia’s departure, this wasn’t even on his radar.
“Ash, say something.”
“I’m gonna kill that woman.” Beast’s voice booms in the room as he gets up from the chair.
He marches out the door, and I’m torn between following him and being with Rose. I take a hesitant step toward the door and then look back at Rose.
“Go.” Rose glances at me, tears shining in her eyes. “Beast—Ash,” she fumbles, as if unsure what to call her father. “He’s too angry.”
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Don’t worry, Zander. We’re here.” Oscar’s gaze meets mine. I register his tight mouth. I don’t blame the guy. I’m sure he hadn’t planned on spending the day consoling his newly pregnant, sobbing wife.
After placing a soft kiss on Rose’s lips, I motion for Zach to follow me.
A heavy sigh leaves my body as we get out of the suffocating room.
“What the fuck was all that?” Zach asks as we stride toward his Porsche.
I slide into the passenger seat before searching for Beast’s car, but it’s long gone.
“I know only as much as you.”