<b>Chapter </b><b>171 </b>
Jade’s phone buzzed with a text from Max. She nced at the screen.
<i>Sis</i>, heading back to school. Still have homework to <i>finish</i>.
? (9?)
She tucked the phone away as Ethan approached her at the front door of the house. He looked amused, like he was enjoying some private joke.
“Your brother seems nice,” Ethan said, leaning against the doorframe. His casual stance couldn’t hide the expensive
cut of his suit.
“What did you two talk about?” Jade asked, crossing her arms.
Ethan’s lips curved into a smile. “Guy stuff.”
“Guy stuff? Really?” She raised an eyebrow. That’s the best you cane up with?”
“What can I say? We bonded over our mutual admiration for a certain intimidating woman.”
Jade snorted. “You’re terrible at psychological counseling, you know that?”
“And you’re terrible at eptingpliments,” he shot back. “We should form a support group.”
Despite herself, Jade smiled. “I’d rather jump off a building.”
“You’d probablynd on your feet,” Ethan said, then gestured toward the living room. “May <b>I</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
She stepped aside to let him in, wondering why she was even allowing this conversation to continue.
“So,” Ethan said once they were seated, “Cloud City. You came back because your parents were divorcing?<b>” </b>
“Foster parents,” she corrected automatically. “And yes.”
Ethan nodded, his eyes reflecting something that looked dangerously like sympathy. Jade hated sympathy.
“That can’t have been <b>easy</b>,” he said carefully. “The divorce, finding out about your birth parents<b>…</b>”
“Life <b>isn’t </b>easy for most people,” she replied with a shrug. “At least I’m alive.<b>” </b>
“Do you want to find your birth mother?” Ethan asked. “I could help.”
Jade met his gaze directly. “The Sullivans will find her. They lost her, they can do the work.”
‘It’s quite the love story,” Ethan said. “Conrad Sullivan and Hazel Reed. Star–crossed lovers torn apart by family
8:15 Thu, Sep 25
duty.”
“What’s to admire?” Jade asked coldly. “They could have chosen differently. They both could have lived.”
Ethan studied her for a moment, his head tilted slightly. “You know, Miss Morgan, technically speaking, you’re the Sullivan family’s ‘eldest daughter.”
“What?”
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“You’re younger than Sullivan’s current eldest daughter.‘ But you’re the daughter of Sullivan’s eldest son. That makes
you the family’s rightful ‘eldest daughter.”
Jade rolled her eyes. “I couldn’t care less about Sullivan family hierarchy.”
“The Haxton family has considerable resources,” Ethan said, changing tack. “If you want help dealing with the Sullivans, you only need to ask.”
Jade stood up. “Thank you for the offer, but I can handle my own family drama.”
Ethan rose smoothly, recognizing the dismissal. “Of course. I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
At the Sullivan family mansion, Archer paced his study while his brother Dominic watched from an armchair.
“You’re sure it’s her?” Dominic asked.
“I’m certain,” Archer replied. “We just need the DNA test to confirm it officially, but I’d stake my life on it. She looks
so much like Hazel.”
“Does Mother know?”
Archer shook his head. “Not yet. I can’t tell her until we’re absolutely certain. She’s never recovered from Conrad’s death. If this turns out to be false hope…”
Dominic nodded. “I saw her, you know. At the charity auction in New York, and again at Thornton’s birthday. Never would have guessed she was Conrad’s daughter.” He shook his head in wonder. “Conrad would have been so happy to
know he had a child.”
The next morning, Jade was awakened by insistent doorbell ringing. Half–asleep, she stumbled to the door and peered through the peephole. Archer Sullivan stood there with another man who resembled him–presumably his brother.
She closed her eyes for a moment, drew a deep breath, and then firmly shut the deadbolt before returning to bed.
8:15 Thu, Sep 25
They rang again. And again. And again.
Eventually, she put in earplugs and went back to sleep.
Hourster, Jade checked out her window. They were still there, sitting in a ck Bentley parked across the street.
Idiots.
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