AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Breanna.” Her mom expelled a breath, raking her fingers through her long blonde hair, making a mess of it. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I learned not to talk about my father or his family a long, long time ago.” It felt like a cotton ball was stuck in the back of her throat. Breanna picked up a bottle of water from the table and took a drink. “Any time I asked about him, it always made you sad, so I just didn’t.”
“I loved Shane and…” Pausing, Sarah traced her fingers back and forth along her collarbone. Her blue eyes filled. “I still don’t understand why you went there by yourself or why the attorney didn’t contact me.”
Secrets and lies. It was time to get everything out in the open. No matter how painful it might be, this conversation was long overdue.
“Oh, I don’t know, Mom. Maybe because I’m Valerie’s granddaughter. Maybe because Derek knew you’d keep it from me, just like you have everything else.”
“That’s not fair, Breanna. You don’t know—”
Not fair?
She smirked. “I didn’t, but I do now.”
“How long have you been there?” Her eyes narrowing, Sarah crossed her arms over her chest.
Breanna lifted her chin, looking her mom right in the eye. “I left Portland the day after classes let out for Thanksgiving break.”
“I thought you were with Kayleigh. You lied to me.”
“You lied to me.”
More like she withheld the truth from her, but isn’t that the same thing?
After a moment of tenable silence, her mother blinked and tipped her head to the side. “Wait…you drove there?”
“Yeah. I got into a little accident, but it’s okay. I’m fine and my car’s being fixed. Sinjin helped—”
“Who the hell is Sinjin?” She was yelling now.
“I am.” He scooted over, and under her mother’s watchful gaze, his arm came around her shoulders. “Hello, Mrs. Benjamin. Ian Maynard. Remember me? We spoke on the phone.”
What in the actual fuck?
Breanna’s head snapped up. She glared at him. Sinjin and her mother talked? When? What for? And why had he never mentioned it?
Sarah nodded. “Can you tell me what happened, Mr. Maynard, and please, start at the beginning?”
“Certainly,” he said, his tone business-like. “Valerie suffered a stroke and passed away in September.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Quite sure. An autopsy was done.” Sinjin glanced her way. “She named Breanna as executor of her estate, and so, Mr. St. John contacted her and asked her to Dalton House. I imagine he didn’t want to convey the sad news of her grandmother’s passing by telephone.”
“No one contacted me,” her mother reiterated once again.
His mouth curved into that smirk she was all too familiar with. “Breanna’s an adult.”
“And I’m her mother. Valerie and I co-manage the trust fund her father left for her.”
“Yes, I’m aware.” Fingertips pressing into her shoulder, Sinjin tipped his head. “Breanna, however, was not.”
“I didn’t spend any of my daughter’s money, if that’s what you’re implying.”
“I know you didn’t. You couldn’t even if you wanted to.”
“Both your grandmother and I had to authorize any withdrawals,” Sarah explained, looking at her daughter. “We both agreed to help you with the down payment on your car, and your tuition, of course. You’ll control your own money when you graduate, get married, or turn twenty-five—whichever comes first. Valerie wanted you to grow up like every other average kid, and not some spoiled princess. I agreed with her.”
