Chapter <b>30 </b>
Maddox
55 vouchers
After a meal, Uncle Sebastian and I were finally able to be alone in the study on the second floor, away from the ovepping chatter, cheers and loud music.
“Well, check out this ce,” he said as soon as he walked in.
“I thought it was time to make a few changes,” I said, closing the door behind me. “What do think?”
“9/10.”
“What? Why not 10/10?”
you
Reaching for a book from one of the shelves, he said, “You shouldn’t have gotten rid of that ck table. You know I loved it.”
“But this brown one is an upgrade.” I leaned against it.
He nodded in agreement, then suddenly coughed.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
He sighed with relief. “I’m fine, but for a moment there, I thought the poison from Margot’s cake was starting to take effect.”
I chuckled. “I’m d I’m not the only one who felt that way about it.”
“Come on. Just think about it, had that been the case we were all going to die along with her.”
“Had I known that she would actually be the one to make it, I would have never agreed to it. Kate made sure to leave out that information.”
“So, that’s Kate,” he said. “I saw you constantly ignoring her. It didn’t really seem like she was your date.”
“She was,
until you
arrived.”
While that was mostly true, it was also because I had given up on trying to paint a certain picture in front of Harper.
He chuckled, his gaze now thoughtful as he flipped through the <b>pages </b>and came across my mother’s picture.
“Happy birthday. Had my sister been alive today, she’d be so proud, just like your father is.”
I scoffed. “Yeah, and what a way to show it by giving me that present.”
He closed the book and gently set it on the table. “Come on, you know he’s trying. That’s why you two had that conversation when you yed golf with him a few weeks ago.”
<b>7:29 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>16 </b>
…
<b>I </b>sighed. “You’re right.”
:
“Who knew your father had it in him to do such a thing? That’s really a good start.”
“Yes, but don’t tell him that.” My eyes widened a little.
76
55 vouchers
He raised his eyebrows. “Scared I might end up exposing the fact that I know something I shouldn’t?<b>” </b>
“It’s just…” I trailed off at the sound of ovepping heels and voices in the hallway.
I couldn’t make out who it was at first until they were close enough. It was Harper and her friends. My forehead creased when I learned that Margot had pped her and nned to throw the three of them out. It wasn’t her party and I wasn’t about to let that happen.
My uncle leaned forward as I began to type a message to the head of security so they wouldn’t obey Margot’s orders. I even included three names in the message.
“Is that the same Harper you told me about a few weeks ago?” he asked quietly, reading the name from the
message.
I nodded, then paid attention to the conversation the three of them were having.
They began to analyse the artwork, E and Zoey’s version of what they could see cracking me up and my uncle.
It was all quite amusing until Harper focused on the lone child painting. I tightened the grip on the phone in my hand as I closed my eyes to listen to my racing heart while she broke it down for them.
Her friends burst intoughter, but I wasn’tughing anymore.
My uncle and I stood in silence until their voices faded the further they got away so they could get back to the
party.
“You okay?” he asked.
<b>I </b>clenched my jaw as I faced the floor. “Harper’s been right before and she’s not far from the truth this time.”
“And you hate it.” He chuckled softly, cing his hand on my shoulder. “It was because you let me watch you paint a few years after you came to live with me that I got to understand you and everything you could never express with words. You could’ve shut me out if you wanted to, but you let me in. I’m not going to tell you how to live your life, but having someone else see the other side of you that others don’t? It doesn’t happen everyday.”
He was right, but that didn’t make it easier.
As I told him what else Harper had been right about, we were interrupted when a pair of heels in the hallway clicked against the floor until they stopped just outside the study. The door creaked open and my father poked his head in first, which was quite the surprise and right after he stepped in, Margot followed behind him and closed the door.
“You’re still in the study?” Margot faked augh. “What could you two be talking about that takes so long?”
<b>7:29 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>16 </b>
76
<b>55 </b>vouchers
Uncle Sebastian narrowed his eyes dramatically, pushing himself off the table. “Hmm… let’s see, this party, the presents, the guests, the future and oh, the poison.”
I held in myugh.
“Poison?” Margot’s eyes widened.
“Trust me, you’re the one person who’s definitely safe,” he assured her.
I held in myugh again, ncing at my father who just eyed me suspiciously.
“I just wanted to see you before we leave,” he said, stepping forward. “I know I say this a lot, but I mean it. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks.” I gave a light nod.
“That’s it?” She cut in. “Is that all you’ve got? We just gifted you a whole estate and that’s what you have to say? How about-”
“That’s enough.” His voice was sharp as he looked back at her.
“But–but honey, I’m just saying-”
“This isn’t the ce for that. Let him enjoy his birthday.” He then ced his hand on my shoulder. “This party better not get too wild.”
I nodded with a small smile.
“We should get going now.” Margot’s annoying voice cut through the air. “That’s what we came here to say.”
“Actually, I need to have a word with Sebastian in private,” my father said.
She sighed heavily, like she was about to protest, but she could only look on as the two of them made their way out into the hallway and closed the door behind them.
I didn’t feel like leaving the study yet, so I looked down at my phone to read Kate’s text messages. There were barely any words, just random letters she must have pressed hard on in her extremely drunk state. Reading that was still better than paying attention to Margot.”
“Are you seriously going to act like you’re no longer impressed by the cake?” she asked.
I looked up, furrowing my eyebrows. “I was?”
She ced a hand on her stomach as she burst intoughter. “Come on. You know it was that delicious and eye<b>–</b>catching. Give me some credit,”
“Had Kate told me you’d be baking it, I wouldn’t have allowed it.”
She scoffed. “Happy birthday. If only Racheal could <b>see-</b>”
“You don’t get to mention my mother’s name.” I snapped, towering over her.
<b>7:29 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>16
76
555 vouchers
She flinched but quicklyposed herself with a scowl. “What? You think she’s watching over you right now? I’m the one who’s always been <b>here</b>. You can try to push me away all you want, but I’m here to stay. <b>It’s </b>not like you haven’t known that for years.”
“Is that why you’re still trying so hard? Going as far as deciding who gets to be thrown out of my party? That’s right, I heard about it. I dare you to try that with security and see if they’ll listen to you. The people in my life only get to acknowledge you if I do it first.<b>” </b>
She sneered, but there were approaching footsteps in the hallway again, Uncle Sebastian and my father’s voices getting louder. She took a few steps back, faking that smile again.
It was only when they came back in that I unclenched my fists.
“You’re back,” she chuckled.
“Obviously,” Uncle Sebastian said to her, his response making me smile a little.
She shot him a re, wrapping her hand around my father’s arm. “Can we go now?”
My father didn’t even get the chance to get close enough, but he gave me a small smile. “I’ll see you in your new office<b>.</b>”
I nodded in agreement, watching the two of them walk out the door.
Margot looked back at me and smiled. “Love you!”
When my
father closed the door, Uncle Sebastian burst intoughter. “What was thatst part?”
I huffed. “I don’t even want to think about it.”
“You okay?” He ced his hand on my shoulder with concern. “You look a little…red.”
“I’m good.” I assured him.
“I have to go now.”
I frowned. “So soon?”
“I have work to do and it’s urgent. I still told myself I needed to show up here.”
“Thanks for being here.” I smiled.
“Anything for my favorite nephew.” He led the way out the door.
When we got to the painting Harper had talked about, I stopped in my tracks. “I just need a moment alone.”
“Of course you do. Enjoy the rest of the party and remember to use protection!” He patted me on the back, then whistled as he walked away.
I was now alone and stared deeply at the painting, like I was seeing it for the first time, everything Harper said still running through my head. All I had done was keep my distance but in the end, it was all in vain. She
<b>7:29 </b>Tue<b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>16 </b>
made sure of that.
:
76
55 vouchers
Tiffany started a dirty game down at the party and the questions made me roll my eyes. She might’ve started with the guys, but that was all part of her n. I had given her the benefit of the doubt just because this was my party and that infuriated me.
She was in the middle of asking a question that would’ve led to everyone finding out that Harper was in my bed when the sound on her mic cut, just as I had instructed the DJ.
I wasn’t about to let Harper’s intimate moments with me get exposed like that.
The crowd cheered when I walked in, but my gaze was on Tiffany while she was still near the DJ booth. It was also possible that she was going to continue without a mic, so I grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her up the stairs with me after getting the music back up.
She grunted a couple of times, demanding that I let her go, but it was only when we were alone upstairs that I did.
“That was the perfect moment and you ruined it!” she yelled. “Wait, why did my mic cut right on time to stop me?”
“This is my birthday party, not a ce for you to get your revenge. You better be on your best behaviour before I throw you out.”
She scoffed. “You can’t be serious. Threatening me like that over a one–night–stand?”
I chuckled. “That’s where you’re wrong.”
She blinked rapidly. “What?”
AD
Comment
Send gift
No Ads