“Mom told me about the breach and the fake affair. I’m sorry you had to go through all of it alone.” She squeezed me, and I hadn’t realized how much I needed a simple hug. Emotion bubbled in my chest, but I swallowed it down.
“We can’t change anything. Just keep moving forward.” The weight of the world had lifted off my shoulders when my father decided to tell a few choice people the truth, Mom and Simone being the two who mattered most to me. I couldn’t stand the thought of them being disgusted or disappointed in me.
I was thankful Dad had already confided in Grandfather. Everyone had offered me support and understand for all that I’d been through. But until I had Miranda back, my soul would be unsettled. I would have no rest or peace.
She nodded her head, sniffling. “I know. I called Lily, and she won’t tell me anything. I thought we were friends, but her loyalty is to Miranda. I guess it makes sense, but it hurts, you know? She won’t tell me anything other than she’s fine.”
I pulled back to look into my sister’s sad brown eyes. “Don’t be angry with Lily. She’s only protecting Miranda.”
“From who, you? Me?”
“From anyone who’d hurt Miranda. I can’t fault her for loving M that much.”
She sniffled again. “I guess. I just want to talk to Miranda and beg her to come home.”
“You and me both, Simi.”
“Why do you think she’d change her name and move out of state?”
“I honestly don’t know. Maybe because she knew I’d never let her go.”
“If you get her back, don’t fuck it up again.” She narrowed her eyes as her tears dried up.
“I will get her back. You can count on it. And I’ll never lose her again. I can barely breathe without her. I miss her so fucking much.” My voice caught there at the end. Simone had a way of bringing out the vulnerable side of me when it was just the two of us.
But we weren’t alone. Axel was watching, so I kept myself in check. I suspected he had feelings for my sister, though he’d never admitted it nor did I believe he’d act on them. The two were night-and-day different. Axel was a smart man; I was sure he knew they’d never work.
“When will York return?”
“Axel said sometime today.”
Simone tensed at hearing Axel’s name. “Don’t talk about him,” she hissed. “He should have done something sooner to stop this madness.”
Well okay, Simone didn’t even tolerate Axel, much less like him.
“Don’t blame him for this. Jason is where your anger should lie. He was my friend. We treated him like family, and he betrayed all of us.” I rubbed my hands up and down her slim shoulders to soothe her.
“I still can’t believe he stole from SJI.”
“Don’t breathe a word of it to anyone either. Dad only agreed to tell you and Mom what was going on because he hated all the secrets.”
“You can trust me. My lips are sealed.” She made the gesture of tossing away a key. “I’m sorry all this happened and that Miranda left. I’m sure it’s killing you.”
Like a slow, torturous death.My chest squeezed tightly. My whole body ached for Miranda. “Yeah.”
“I need to go. My driver is waiting for me.” She rolled her eyes, showing her irritation about having a full-time driver-bodyguard.
“Hopefully, life will return to normal soon.” I kissed her on the head.
“Call me if you need anything,” she said on her way out.
“Will do.”
Of all days for my father to be late, it had to be for a meeting I had been desperate to have with York for over a week. I wouldn’t put it past my father to delay his arrival on purpose, just as he purposefully put off allowing York to give me Miranda’s address until today.
It was fast approaching three weeks since I last saw my beauty. I didn’t think I could go another day without her.
My father held all the cards now that he knew Jason was behind the breach. He was furious I’d kept it from him for months, but at the end of the day on Friday, he’d come to my office and admitted he likely would have done the same thing. He understood I was only trying to save our company. For the first time in my life, I could tell he cared about me. For everything I’d been through since June.