JULIANSPOV Shewasright.Wedidntcomeheretoadopt.Honestly,Iwasntevensurewhythose.wordscameoutofmymouth.Itwasagamble,alongshotatbest.Apartofmehopedthatsayingtherightthing,evenifitwasnttrue,wouldgetusthroughthedoors.Andthankfully,itworked.Wewerein.
Wegot passedphaseone.
Butnow,withthatinitialhurdlecleared,wehadanevenbiggerproblemloomingahead:Phasetwo.Figuringoutexactlywhatweweregoingtosaynextwhatstory.wedspin,whatexcusewedgivewithoutgettingkickedoutforgood.
Imthinkingofsomething,ImutteredinresponsetoOliviaasweapproachedthemainbuilding butthetruth?Iwasstalling.Mymindwasracingin everydirection,tryingtopiecesomethingtogetherthatwouldsoundbelievable.
Iblamedmyselfforthissituation.Ishouldvebeenmoreprepared.ButIdbeendistracted.Thatdamnphonecallhadthrownmeoffbalance,andnowIwaspayingforit.Andthosebastardsstillwouldnttalk,stillholdingbackcrucialinformation,anditconsumedmemorethanIcaredtoadmit.
Andnowherewewere,fumblingthroughaliewithnoexitstrategyinplace.
FLASHBACK (AfewMinutesAfterOliviaSenttheAddress) Ding.
Thebuzzfrommyphoneechoed throughthequietroomasIrubbedatowelthroughmydamphair.Ididntneedtolook.IalreadyknewitwasOliviasendingtheaddress,justlikeshesaidshewould.Nosurprisesthere.
Butthenthebuzzingcontinued.Notamessagethistime.
Acall.
Iturnedmyheadtoward thesound,narrowingmyeyesatthescreen.Anunknownnumberflashedacrossit.IfiguredmaybeitwasOlivia usinganothernumber,oneIhadntsaved.Thatwouldntbeoutoftheordinary.
Withoutthinkingtwice,Ipickeditupandbroughtthe phonetomyear.Dontworry,Liv.IvereceiveditandIm onmyway,Isaid,walkingbacktowardmydresser.

Butthevoicethatrepliedwasnthers.
unlocked!? Liv?WhoisthisLiv?AndwhateSuccessfullyunlocked! Mywholebodywentrigid.
Thevoicewasunmistakablyfemale.Itcarriedanoddlyfamiliartone,likeascentfrom CHAPTERON! childhoodsuddenlywaftingbackintoyourlife.
Ifroze.
Thepauseonmyendmusthavesaiditallbecauseshespokeagainthistimemore.playfully,withahintofsarcasm.Hasthecatgotyourtongue,dearboy? Andthatswhenithitme.
Likeaslaptotheface.
Ishouldverecognizedhervoicethemomentshespoke.HowthehelldidInotcatchit? Mum…Isaid,swallowinghard.Uhmm…howareyoudoingtoday? Icouldpracticallyhearthesmirkonherfacethroughthephone.
HowamIdoing,youask?Hm.Howwouldamotherfeelwhenherownsonrefusesto tactherformonths? ulsequickened.Istartedpacing.
snotlikethat,Mum.Ivejustbeen…reallybusywithwork,Istammered,alreadyknowinghowhollowthatexcusesounded.
Busy?sherepeatedYourestilloutthereworkingyourselftothebonewhentheresaperfectlygoodcompanywaitingforyoutotakeover.Andyet…yourebusy? Hervoicecracked,theemotioncreepinginfast.Notevenasimplehello,Julian.
Andjustlikethat,Iwascornered.Again.
Shealwaysdidthisalwaysfoundawaytotwisttheknifejustdeepenoughtomakemebleedguilt.Whydidshehavetodothiseverytime? Comeon,Mother…theresnoneedtocry,Isaidsoftly,tryingtocalmherdown.Irubbedmytemplewithonehand,thestressalreadysettlingintomybones.
Oh,Imnotcrying,shesaid,hervoicesharpeninglikeablade.

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Inan instant, thetoneshiftedfromfragileandemotionaltocoldandcommanding.Justlikethat,thetearsweregone.Ormaybetheywereneverthereto beginwith.
Imjusttryingtofigureoutwhyyouvebeenavoidingallourcalls,boy,shesaid,hervoicetakingonahardenededge.
Thatvoicemymothersvoicehadtheuncannyabilitytochangetoneslikeshiftingweather.Onesecond,shewasthesoft,emotionalwoman whomadeyoufeellikeherheartwasbreaking,andthenext,shewasageneralleadingtroopsintobattle.Fierce,commanding,andterrifyingwhensheneededtobe.Youdidnotwanttogetonherbadside.Trustme.
Isighedandranahanddownmyface.Whogaveyouthisnumber,Mom?Iasked,alreadyhavingastrongsuspicion.
WhoelsebutDamien?sherepliedwithcasualsharpness.
24 CHAPTEROST Ofcourse.Damien.
Iknewit.Thatslipperybastard.Ishookmyhead,bitingbackalaugh.Iwasntevenreallymadjustmildlybetrayedinanalmostcomicalway.Ithoughthehadmyback.Clearly,Ithoughtwrong.
ImgoingtokillhimwhenIseehim,Imutteredhalfjokingly,thoughIwasdefinitelygoingtomakehimsuffermaybehidehiscarkeys or changehisNetflixpassword.Mymotherdidntlaugh.Instead,sheseizedtheopportunitylikeahawkdiving forprey.Soyouwereactuallyavoidingus.Hertonetookanothersharpturn,lacedwithsomethingmorefragilenowdisappointment.Maybe Irubbedthebackofmyneck.Damnit.Mom,youknowthereasonwhy.ItsthesamereasonIleftthecityandcameherein thefirstplace,Isaid,tryingtokeepmyvoicelevel,tryingnottosoundlikearebellioussonwho
ranawayfromhome.
Therewasabriefpauseonherendbeforesheresponded,hervoicesofternow,almostpleading.Julian,mydearboy…doyouhaveanyideahowmanypeoplewouldkillfortheopportunitythatwashandedtoyou?Whywouldyouthrowthataway? Iclosedmyeyes.Herewegoagain.
Forthethousandth time,Mom,Isaid,myvoicetighteningwithfrustration,Idontwantthatopportunity.IdontwanttobetheCEO.IdontwanttositbehindapolisheddeskinasuitIhate,smilingthroughboardmeetingsandpretendingIcareaboutstockpercentages.
Thatsnothowthisworks,sherepliedwithcalminsistence,thekindthattoldme shedbeenrehearsingthislineformonths.Someoneneedsto takeover,Julian.Andyoureouronlychild.Thatsomeonehastobeyou.
Igrittedmyteeth.ThiswasexactlywhyIdidntwanttoanswerhercallinthefirstplace.Shehadntchangedhermind.Shehadntletitgo.ThiswastheonlyreasonshewascallingtotryandpullmebackintothelifeIhadworkedsohardtoescape.

Myeyesscannedtheroomforanysortofoutanyexcusetoendthiscallwithoutsoundinglikeatotaljerk.Thenmygazelandedonacrumpledpieceofpaperneartheedgeofmydesk.
Perfect.
Igrabbeditwithouthesitationandhelditclosetothephone,crumplingitslowlynexttothespeaker.
Hello?Canyouhearme?Thenetworkisreallybadoverhere,Isaid,forcingstaticintomyvoicewhilerustlingthepaperdramatically.
Icanhearyouperfectly,sheshotback,completelyunimpressed.AndIknowwhatyouredoing,Julian.
Crap.
3/4 CHARTERDET Icrumpledthepaper harder.Icanthear you!Curseyou,network!Isaid, exaggeratingmyfrustrationbeforedramaticallyendingthecall.
Iletthephoneslideoutofmyhandontothedeskandleaned backagainstthewall.Slowly,Iletmyheadfallback,bumpingitlightlyagainstthedrywall.Justenoughtofeelit.
ThelasttimeIspoketomymomwasthedaybeforeImetOliviaatthehospital.Idbeendodginghercallssincethen,dodgingthisconversationbecauseIknewhowitwouldgo.Shewouldguilttripme.Shewouldpaintherselfasthehelplessmotherwhoseonlysonabandonedthefamilybusiness.Shewouldmakemequestionmychoices,evenifforjustamoment.
Andnow,thankstothatblockheadDamien,shehadmynewnumber.
Tobefair,Icouldalmostunderstandwhyhegaveittoher.Mymomdidnttakenoforananswer.Sheprobablybackedhimintoacorner,emotionallyblackmailedhim,ornearlychokedthelifeoutofhimwithherwordsuntilhecaved.
Yup,thatsoundedaboutright.