“No joke! I mean, can you imagine your entire family hiding the fact you’re still alive?”
“Or hating yourself so much that you wanted to stay dead,” I add. That was only a small piece of what’s come out in the news. No one is disputing the fact that Amanda’s death was an accident, but when Mason fell into the water, too, it was his sister who spotted him unconscious down the shore next to a gap in the ice. Instead of telling her family, she encouraged everyone to search in the opposite direction—since she’d already “scoured the shore in that area”—and left him to die. Later that evening, she went to check and make sure he was dead, but he wasn’t. In fact, Mason was coming to, suffering from extreme hypothermia. No one knows how he survived, but he did, and she wasn’t happy about it. Rebecca ended up taking him to some cabin on the property, likely with the intent to finish him off.
I can’t believe I listened to one word from that psycho!
Thankfully, she didn’t kill him. Maybe she didn’t have the guts. But she did end up taking out every ounce of anger she held towards him. She tortured him for weeks before finally letting him go. My guess is that once she realized Mason wasn’t home upstairs, she thought she could dump him somewhere and never see him again. That also didn’t happen. She forgot to check his back pockets, where he had his driver’s license.
After Mason was found, the entire family helped him stay dead—apparently upon his request—and Marus started a new life. Away from the family who despised him. I guess he lied about knowing them or knowing who he used to be because he didn’t want anyone learning his secret.
I understand.
As to why Rebecca kept close tabs, she had to have been worried that Marus would remember what she did. Just a guess. All I know for certain is that Mason hasn’t pressed charges against his parents. Only Rebecca, who’s now in jail. The news says he’s not asking for money or his share of the profits from the sale of the family business, either. I wonder why. If he is such a greedy letch, wouldn’t he fight for his money?
“I feel sorry for the guy,” I say to Olivia. “I mean, to be hated that much by your family.”
“Sounds like he deserved it.”
Maybe so. The man I met in the lobby was a hateful, miserable bastard. “Still, it’s a heartbreaking story.”
“At least he survived. Now it’s up to him. He can start over or keep being a horrible asshole. I’m just glad he’s out of your life for good.”
My eyes start to tear. It feels like my soul is crushed and I can’t stop weeping. And I have absolutely no control over my emotions right now. Every day is like a roller coaster. One minute, I think I’m okay, and then bam! I’m a fucking crying mess. My heart just aches, and I can’t make it stop.
“Oh, Ginnie…” She squeezes my arm sympathetically.
“I miss him, Vi. I really do.”
“I know. Just give it time. Lots of time.” She hugs me tight. “I think there’s a bottle of champagne in the back that needs a warm tummy home.”
I suddenly don’t feel so well and push away from her, covering my mouth. “I think I overdid it on the fries.” I press one hand to my stomach, feeling the wave of nausea hit. “I shouldn’t have eaten the entire plate.”
“Oh no. Let me check and see if there’re any Tums in the office. Jay’s been having major heartburn and stress the last week.”
I make a mad dash to the restroom and rush into one of the stalls right before everything comes up. Everything.
I stumble to the sink, wash my face, and rinse my mouth.
“There you are. I found Tums.” Olivia holds up the bottle.
“Too late. The fries have fled for less greener pastures.”
“You don’t think it’s Jay’s cooking, do you?” she says in a low voice.
“I probably ate too much, or I’m coming down with something.” Come to think of it, I felt a little sick after that egg salad I made yesterday. Wait. “I’ve been feeling queasy the last three days, right after I eat anything heavy.” I look at Olivia through the reflection in the mirror. “Especially in the morning.”
Her brown eyes go wide. “Please tell me you used protection with Marus.”
“Yes. Of course!”
She lets out a sigh of relief.
“Except for that one time?” I add sheepishly.
“Oh. No.” Olivia groans.
Crap. Crap. I’m pregnant? I’m fucking pregnant? I’m not a kid. What was I thinking? I knew the chances.
I face her, too numb to actually feel anything other than shock. “I’m going to head home.” This isn’t the place to have a long conversation with myself about how the hell I got here or what I’m going to do about it.