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I scoffed. “Yeah, so worried that they haven’t even tried to call or text-”
“Did Jacob tell you that?” Edward asked, his brow quirking. I didn’t reply, my gaze sliding away from his. “I’ll take your silence as yes. You do know what Jacob does for work, don’t you?”
I folded my arms across my chest, returning my furious gaze to him. “He works for your father’s company.”
Edward smirked. “Yeah. In the technology field. He’s a genius when it comes to hacking computers and phones. We both are. It would be a piece of cake for him to put a blocker on your phone without you knowing so that no texts or calls can come through.”
I swallowed hard, wanting to ignore his words, but not able to. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I refuse to stand back and watch Jacob murder someone else.”
“You have no proof that he killed anyone!” I bellowed, barging my way past him and reaching for the door handle.
“Wait! Please, Charlotte, just listen.”
My fingers hovered over the lock, one part of my brain telling me to unlock the door and get the hell away, the other part telling me to listen. For some reason, I chose the latter. I twisted my head to look at Edward over my shoulder, waiting for him to speak.
“He’s isolating you so you have no one else but him to depend on,” Edward said, a hint of desperation in his tone. “He’s stopped your friends from making contact with you; he’s taken you away from your parents-”
“I made the decision to remove my parents from my life.”
“Did you?” he retorted. “Or did Jacob lead you to that decision? I bet he never told you that your father arrived at Jacob’s mainland office to inquire about your welfare, but Jacob refused to see him.” My brows lifted, and taking advantage of my stunned silence, Edward took a step forward, closing the gap. “I bet he has convinced you that you don’t need to leave Du Pont Island unless it’s with him?” My mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out. “And what about your marriage? Why did he rush to marry you, instead of planning a big white wedding with all your friends and family?”
“Because your parents were demanding he marry someone they had picked out for him,” I said, my voice sounding like it was coming from someone else, not me speaking.
A grimace pulled across his lips. “No, they weren’t, Charlotte. My parents don’t trust Jacob; they too believe he murdered Amy, and they would never force anyone to marry him.”
My brain refused to listen to any more accusations from Edward. I didn’t know if I believed a word he was saying, and I couldn’t think straight, too overwhelmed by all the information he had thrown my way. My chest constricted, making it almost impossible to breathe, and I knew I needed to get away from him and find somewhere quiet where I could be alone to think.
“I’ve heard enough.” I flicked the lock to open the door, but Edward reached for me.
“Wait, please. I can help you.”
“I don’t need your help,” I hissed. “I need you to leave me alone.”
Before he could reply, I darted through the door and ran along the hallway as fast as I could go in my heels. Turning a corner, an open door caught my eye that looked like it led to the garden. Deciding fresh air would help calm my racing thoughts, I headed in that direction.
But my path was blocked when a man in a black suit stepped in front of me. I blinked up at him, recognition flowing through me, but not quite able to recall where I’d seen him before. “Mrs. Du Pont, your husband is looking for you. If you could come with me.”
He held his hand out toward the open door, and I glanced nervously at it before returning my eyes to his. “Um, I don’t think Jacob would like me going with you.”
His brows lifted as if he hadn’t expected my refusal. “I assure you, Mrs. Du Pont, he sent me to find you when he returned to the ballroom, and you weren’t there. He thinks you’re trying to run away, so he’s out there looking for you.”
“Charlotte,” the voice I’d just escaped called. I peeked over my shoulder to find Edward watching me carefully, his eyes flitting between the suited man and me.
“Take me to Jacob,” I said to the man, turning my back on Edward and stepping toward the door.
Better the devil you know, right?
Chapter 32
I shouldn’t have gone with him, and with every step I took, my heart pounded harder. I glanced over my shoulder; the lights from the party flashed, lighting up the dark grounds, while the house got further away.
“Uh, where is Jacob?” Hesitation laced my words as the man led me through a gap between two bushes.
“He’s right through here.”
The bushes gave way to a small circular area surrounded by thick bushes. Three stone benches were set in the middle, curved to form a circle, and in the middle of them was a concrete stand with a pristine sundial sitting on top.
