"Maynard." Xenia Cooper's voice drifted through the phone, quiet and distant as she called his name.

Maynard froze.

"It's been eight years." Her laugh was brittle, devoid of warmth. "So, you do remember him. You remember that Vernon is his son. You even remember that you and Naylor are brothers."

Maynard's brow furrowed, his grip on the phone tightening.

On the other end, Xenia's voice pressed on. "Then tell me, why have you ignored us all these years? Naylor's gone-does brotherhood mean nothing now that he's dead? Why? Why did you leave Vernon and me to fend for ourselves in the nightmare that is the Cooper family?"

Maynard stood stunned, silent.

"Maynard, who are you trying to fool with this act of devotion to Briony?" Xenia let out a cold, mocking laugh. "The truth is, you're the one who's truly heartless."

Her words spilled through the line and echoed in the silent chapel, each syllable tightening around Maynard's chest.

His breath quickened. His eyelashes fluttered.

Seconds later, he hung up, clumsily, almost desperate.

...

leave Pearbrook Mansion for

and media buzz began to fade

with bright smiles. "Congratulations,

a massive bouquet of blue hydrangeas

arrived first thing this morning-sent

winked

the flowers, then gently tapped Carey's

the rumors. Not that it kept her from being a

charge of the company,

others in the secretarial department even had

quietly rooting for Briony

their

film proposal coming along?" Briony

meeting. Director Quincy's interested-he wants to

her laptop. "He's over

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255