CHAPTER 6: The Woman Who Came Back
CHAPTER 6: The Woman Who Came Back
Every ounce of warmth vanished from Ethan's face.
"I specifically instructed security never to let her through those gates."
Margaret lowered her eyes.
"They tried to stop her."
"Tried?"
"She arrived with three attorneys."
A cold knot settled in my stomach.
Ethan muttered something under his breath before striding toward the foyer.
The twins instinctively moved closer to me.
"Daddy's mad," Vanessa whispered.
"Not at you."
"Then who?"
I wasn't sure how to answer.
A moment later, voices echoed through the marble hallway.
A woman's sharp, confident tone cut through the house.
"You cannot keep my granddaughters from me forever, Ethan."
When we reached the foyer, I saw her.
She was elegant in the way magazine covers were elegant.
Perfect silver-blonde hair.
A cream designer suit.
Diamond earrings that probably cost more than my apartment.
She looked to be in her late sixties, standing ramrod straight with a leather handbag hanging from one arm.
Three lawyers stood behind her like an honor guard.
She smiled the instant she saw the girls.
"My precious babies."
Neither Abigail nor Vanessa moved.
Instead, both of them hid behind me.
The woman's smile faltered.
"Ethan," she said coolly, "why are the girls hiding behind the maid?"
The word stung.
Not because I'd never heard it before.
Because of the way she said it.
As though it described my value as a human being.
"I'm not hiding," Abigail corrected.
"We're standing with Miss Victoria."
The woman finally looked at me.
From my worn shoes...
To my inexpensive jeans...
To the faint bleach stains still clinging to my hands.
Disapproval flashed across her face.
"And who exactly are you?"
Before I could answer, Ethan stepped between us.
"She's someone my daughters trust."
"I asked her."
"My name is Victoria Hayes."
She gave a polite smile that never reached her eyes.
"I'm Eleanor Ashcroft."
She didn't offer her hand.
"I assume you're employed here."
"No."
"Then why are you in my son's house?"
"My house," Ethan corrected quietly.
She ignored him.
"I asked Miss Hayes a question."
"I was invited."
Eleanor let out a soft laugh.
"Invited."
As though the idea itself were ridiculous.
"I see."
The twins squeezed my hands tighter.
Ethan noticed.
"So do I."
His voice had become dangerously calm.
"What do you want, Eleanor?"
Her expression shifted instantly.
"I've come for my granddaughters."
"You saw them three weeks ago."
"Supervised."
"For good reason."
"They need family."
"They have family."
She glanced dismissively toward me.
"I wasn't referring to hired help."
The foyer fell silent.
Margaret stiffened beside the staircase.
Even the attorneys looked uncomfortable.
I expected Ethan to ignore the insult.
Instead, he surprised everyone.
"Miss Hayes is more family to my daughters after one day than you've managed to be in two years."
Eleanor blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
She folded her arms.
"This is because Emma poisoned you against me."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"You will not speak about my wife."
"I'll speak the truth."
"My wife loved our daughters."
"And isolated them from their mother's family."
Ethan took one measured step forward.
"My wife protected them."
"From what?"
"You."
The single word echoed through the foyer.
Eleanor's carefully controlled smile disappeared.
"You always were dramatic."
"And you always believed money excused cruelty."
I looked from one to the other.
This wasn't an argument that had started today.
This had been burning for years.
Abigail tugged gently on my sleeve.
"They're fighting again."
Again.
The word caught my attention.
This had happened before.
Many times.
Eleanor noticed the girls watching.
She instantly softened her voice.
"My darlings."
She knelt gracefully.
"Come give Grandma a hug."
Neither child moved.
Instead, Vanessa quietly asked,
"Are you still mad at Mommy?"
A flicker crossed Eleanor's face.
"I'm not mad, sweetheart."
"You yelled at her."
Silence.
"I heard you."
Abigail nodded.
"The day before Mommy went to heaven."
Every adult in the room froze.
Children remembered everything.
The things adults hoped they'd forgotten...
Were often the memories they carried forever.
Eleanor stood slowly.
"You misunderstood."
"No," Abigail answered.
"You said Mommy wasn't good enough."
Ethan closed his eyes.
Margaret looked away.
Even one of the attorneys shifted uncomfortably.
Eleanor's voice became sharper.
"I was upset."
"You made Mommy cry."
Vanessa's little voice trembled.
"She cried after you left."
My heart broke.
Eleanor looked toward Ethan.
"You're allowing this?"
"I'm allowing the truth."
She straightened.
"I won't be judged by children."
"No."
Ethan's voice was almost a whisper.
"You'll be judged by your own actions."
One of the attorneys stepped forward.
"Mr. Blackwood, perhaps we should discuss visitation privately."
"I'm not interested."
"Our client has legal rights."
"My daughters have emotional needs."
"The court may disagree."
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"I'll take my chances."
Eleanor looked toward me again.
"This woman won't be around forever."
The words were directed at Ethan.
But she wanted me to hear them.
"People like her always leave."
I felt the sting...
Until a small hand slipped into mine.
Then another.
Abigail looked straight at her grandmother.
"Miss Victoria didn't leave."
Vanessa nodded.
"She came back."
Eleanor's lips pressed into a thin line.
"She's being paid."
"No," Abigail answered proudly.
"She came before Daddy even asked."
I hadn't realized the girls understood that.
Apparently they had.
Children noticed far more than adults imagined.
Eleanor looked almost annoyed by their loyalty.
"Little girls become attached easily."
Before anyone else could respond, Margaret spoke for the first time.
Respectfully.
Quietly.
But firmly.
"Not these little girls."
Everyone turned.
Margaret folded her hands.
"I've watched them push away six nannies."
She looked at Eleanor.
"Three tutors."
"Two child therapists."
"And countless visitors."
Her gaze shifted to me.
"They've never reached for anyone the way they reach for Miss Hayes."
The room fell silent.
Eleanor scoffed.
"They're children."
"They're grieving children."
Margaret's eyes glistened.
"There's a difference."
For the first time, Eleanor seemed unable to find the perfect response.
Instead, she reached into her handbag.
"I brought presents."
She nodded toward one of her assistants.
Several enormous luxury shopping bags were carried into the foyer.
Designer dolls.
Electronic toys.
Imported chocolates.
Enough gifts to fill an entire Christmas morning.
The twins barely looked.
Vanessa leaned against my side.
"We already have popcorn."
The innocence of the statement made Margaret hide a smile.
Even one of the attorneys looked like he was trying not to laugh.
Eleanor stared at the shopping bags in disbelief.
"These toys cost thousands of dollars."
Abigail shrugged.
"Popcorn was nicer."
Eleanor looked at Ethan.
"This is absurd."
"No."
He smiled faintly for the first time all morning.
"It's priceless."
His phone suddenly rang.
He glanced at the screen.
The smile vanished.
"It's the hospital."
My pulse quickened.
"The hospital?" he repeated into the phone.
He listened.
Then every trace of color disappeared from his face.
"What do you mean... you found another letter?"
He slowly lowered the phone.
Everyone was staring at him.
Including me.
He looked toward the portrait room upstairs where Emma's smiling face overlooked the house.
Then he whispered words that changed the atmosphere completely.
"They found something Emma left for the girls..."
May you like
He looked directly at me.
"...and according to the nurse, it has your name written on it."
