“Claire?” my sister whispers, trying to stop the smile that’s threatening to spread across her face. It’s as if for a small brief moment all the hate and years between them disappear and my sister is happy to see her old friend.
“Why is she here?” My mother storms inside the room, about to start spitting fire. Chloe’s smile vanishes instantly.
“Claire is my guest and she’s welcome here anytime,” I growl as I stand. I try to pat down my hair and look presentable, but more crumbs just flutter off my clothes like I’m some sort of savage.
“I didn’t know whores made house calls now.” My mother whips her head in my direction and stares at me with beady, narrow eyes. “You are just like your father,” she snaps, with a huff. “It’s disgusting.”
“She is not a whore and I am nothing like him,” I bite back, stepping in front of her. “I’m not married and in love with another woman and too much of a coward to tell my wife.”
My mother gasps and her hands rise to her chest like my words are giving her a heart attack. If only.
Claire sighs loudly and pushes her hands up in the air. Everyone in the room snaps to attention. “I’m sorry to intrude,” Claire says, “I would have never come here unless it was necessary.” Claire’s gaze darts from my mother’s to Chloe’s and I catch a glimpse of longing in her eyes when they land on my sister. I can tell they both miss each other so much.
“I am so, so sorry, Mrs. Montgomery,” she says slowly, as a deep blush stains her cheeks. “For your loss and what my horrible mother and your horrible husband did to you and your family. You didn’t deserve that, no one does. No one deserves to be hurt by the people they love and trust.”
My mother raises her chin and sucks in her cheeks. Willard takes this moment to excuse himself. I almost envy him as I watch him make his quick escape. I didn’t think he could run so fast. When he reaches the door, I notice Ms. Lowell and Matteo are in the room too, watching this debacle from the sidelines. The Montgomerys vs the Radcliffes, it’s like a horrible made-for-TV drama. I wish I could change the freaking channel.
Claire doesn’t acknowledge the new members of her audience; she just continues talking in a soft, steady voice. “When I got home from gathering my mother’s belongings, my apartment was burglarized and ransacked. Someone has been trying to blackmail me with photoshopped images demanding I go to where my mother was living and search for a secret offshore account your husband set up for my mother.”
Her apartment was broken into? The psycho was in her home? I reach out a hand to her, and everyone stares down at it as if it were a rattlesnake. I ignore them all. “Are you okay?” I ask. I want to grab her in my arms and make sure she’s not hurt. “Are you hurt?”
Claire moves away and takes a ragged breath. “I didn’t find the accounts at her place of residence and, as I’m sure you’ve seen, since it’s all over the news, the images were sent out to all of my students and their parents, and well…the entire diocese.”
“Yes, well, what else should a tramp expect when a tramp allows pornographic pictures to be taken of her?” my mother asks snidely. “Let’s not fool ourselves, shall we?”
Claire drops her gaze to the floor and takes a deep long breath in, then slowly lets it go. “Yes, it was very foolish to think it would end any other way than it did.” She smiles tightly and opens the flap of her messenger bag. “Nonetheless, this morning I found this in my mailbox. And I don’t want anything to do with it.”
“What is it?” I ask, taking it from her. Whatever it is, I don’t want my mother’s hands on it.
“It’s the offshore accounts we were looking for—fifteen billion dollars,” she says without emotion.
My hands start to tremble.
I read the letter. It was her mother’s suicide note—the last words for her daughter. “Claire, your mother left this money to you,” I say gently.
She blinks up at me, looking at me for the first time since she arrived. “That money is from something I don’t believe in. I told you, Montgomery, it’s filthy money to me and I don’t want any part of it. Your family deserves it, not mine.”
My breath catches in my throat. She found the money and she’s giving it back. She came here to prove to me she really isn’t like her mother and that only means one thing, she still feels something for me. I need to say it out loud. I need everyone here to realize what this woman just did. “You could have left with this…and started a whole new life…and…and no one would have ever known.” I stammer over my words.
She steps closer to me, jutting her chin up. “I would have known, Vaughn. And that’s all that matters. I’m not my mother and I want nothing to do with her and the choices she and your father made. If I did, it would haunt me for the rest of my life.”
“I know what it’s like to be haunted by something,” I whisper.
“I’m not sure why you think I should care,” she mumbles.
Her stare lingers on mine.
“I fucked up with you, and it’s killing me,” I breathe. “I’m so fucking sorry, Claire.”
“Again,” she says, backing away, “I’m not sure why you think I should care.”
“Give me one more chance, Claire, and I’ll spend the rest of my life proving how much you mean to me,” I say, stepping forward.
“Funny,” she whispers with a soft laugh, “I’ve heard that before. This time, though, I think I’ll take your mother’s advice and not be a fool.”
“Claire—” I start.
My mother rushes forward, shoving Chloe and Claire out of the way, and rips the papers out of my hand. “Give those to me,” she shrieks.
Chloe yelps and holds her side, “Ouch, Mother! That hurt!”
My mother purses her lips together and rolls her eyes. “Believe me, princess, you’d be a lot more hurt without these accounts.” She waves the papers at me and points to Claire. “Get her out of my house and off my estate at once. And I never want to hear anyone speak the Radcliffe name in my house again!”
“Oh, just shut up,” I bark, yanking the papers back. “These aren’t yours.” I grab Claire gently by the elbow and pull her to the side. “Are you okay? Did the police find anything? Do they know who did this to you?”
Claire’s eyebrows furrow, and she looks confused. “Don’t ever lay your hands on me again, Montgomery.” She pulls away, putting too much space between us.
“You just gave up everything for me,” I say, holding the papers in front of her. “I’m going to be spending a lot of time with my hands on you, without ever doubting you again.”
“I don’t care what you have to say to me!” she screams.
“That money is mine!” my mother yells.
Everyone’s voices rose in unison.
And that’s when the shit hit the fan.
Chapter 22
Claire
Everyone is yelling. Because of course they are, when people with privilege don’t get their feelings validated, they just get louder and louder, until they’re screaming and bursting people’s eardrums to get their way. These people are inhuman, something is so immoral and wrong with them, it makes me sick. I shift back from the shouting. I need to put distance between me and them, me and this room, hell, me and this life. Even with all that money, they will never be happy.