I can hear Mum now.
It’s not you, it’s them.
But I’m the common denominator.
And Zachery Greville was supposed to be my safe option!
Before I leave, I kick dry leaves over the evidence of my weakness before grabbing my backpack and heading home. It’s time to work on something I can control.
Jaxson
I stand silentlyin the trees, keeping my presence hidden. I know better than to approach, my being here would probably be seen as an act of war, but watching Kathryn Frazer’s icy cold exterior shatter has a bigger impact than even I could have anticipated.
To do nothing is hard, but I’ve done what was requested. I found her, and she is not physically harmed. Mentally, on the other hand…
I run a hand down my face. We may not see eye-to-eye on many things, haven’t for years, but I would never want any harm to befall her. She’s my best friends’ sister. Has always been tenacious and tough, yet the woman in front of me is none of those things today. It feels wrong to be standing here watching such a personal moment.
I turn away, offering her a semblance of privacy, only turning back when I hear her move. She stands, her shoulders back, her chin up, as if the past thirty minutes were a figment of my imagination.
I smile.
I wait and fire off a message as soon as Kat leaves.
ME:
She’s on her way back.
My phone vibrates with a thumbs-up emoji.
I turn around and head back to Caleb and April’s house on the neighbouring estate. I did the right thing. Making my presence known would have exacerbated the process. She clearly needed this time. My stomach flips, and I grimace. I know something happened yesterday, but I don’t know the details. But whatever it was, her siblings are worried about her. And, Kat wanted to let it out in private, no witnesses. I’m trespassing. But when I received the call this morning to keep an eye out,I couldn’t ignore it. The last thing I expected was to find Kat screaming out her anguish in the middle of the woods.
I make my way back to Lofton House. It borders the Frazer estate and will soon become Caleb and April’s main residence. But for now, it’s my office as I focus on drawing up the plans for its renovation.
CHAPTER 3
KAT
Ten Weeks Later
My jaw clenches as my email pings with yet another notification.
I shrug and roll my shoulders to ease the tension in my back and neck. It reminds me that I need to book a deep-tissue massage with Carla.
I fire off a message, and my phone chimes almost instantly.
CARLA:
See you at eight at the hotel.
I give her message a thumbs up before turning and opening my email. I grimace as fifty new messages from the past ten minutes download.
At least I knew this was coming and have set things in motion.
Not that the board knows this. I’m sworn to secrecy. And looking at the messages, they’re the ones blowing up my phone and email.
There’s a knock at my door.
“Come in.”
