Juliet sighed. “I mean,obviously, but why? Is something going on? Does it involve your old stalker? Don’t worry, we’ve had people watching him since his release. He won’t be able to do anything to you.” Then Juliet leaned forward. “So…I heard the news about you and Jake. Should I be concerned?”
“No,” Emily replied quickly. “Because things with him have…ended.” Her mother tried to mask her joy by folding her lips. “You can say I told you so.”
“I’m never going to say that to my own daughter.” She sounded repulsed by the mere thought of it. “Why would I rub salt into your wound like that?”
Emily’s eyes glossed over. Was this what years of no contact did? Juliet Pinault had become a big softie. She wasn’t used to this version of her.
“You should come home soon, dear,” she continued. “Your grandparents have been longing to see you. Every year it grows more depressing without you there.”
“I miss them too.”
Juliet laughed heartily. “Of course you do. They spoiled you rotten. We may not be the best parents, but your grandparents tried in our stead.”
She didn’t confirm nor deny what they both already knew.
Love had never truly lived in Emily’s household. It was rationed, given sparingly. The only warmth she’d ever tasted came in small doses from her grandparents, more from her grandmother than anyone else.
They’d been busy with their own lives, but hergrandmother had always found ways to slip her affection in through a hand on her shoulder, a word of encouragement or a sweet treat. Her parents had admitted to her that they’d never received the same compassion. Maybe that explained why they were so inept when it came to giving love. Her mother was trying now though and that meant a lot.
“I have some personal things to take care of first.” Like nailing Jake in his coffin. “After that, I’ll stop by,” Emily promised.
“I will hold you to it.”
“And Emily, about Jake…” her mother began, lips pressed tight again before the words slipped out. “Your father didn’t just get up out of the blue one day and decide to dislike the boy?—”
“I know?—”
“Allow me to finish, dear,” she cut her off, sounding more like her old self. “There were a lot of reasons, but one of the biggest was money. Your father funded him. One million dollars.”
“Hefundedhim?”
“Yes. Your father reached out to Steven, the CEO, to ask about your security as an actress at Starz. At the time, the company was going through transitions. It became unstable and your father wanted to make sure you weren’t walking into something risky.”
Emily sat back, stunned.
“He did it for you. But later, Jake reached out to him. Said he’d ‘take care of you’ in return for the money. Acted as if there was more to come and you were someone who could be bought.”
Her stomach turned.
“That’s when your father was more convinced. Jake wasn’t with you because he truly loved you. He wanted asafety net. Being with you and maybe even marrying you would’ve still given him status, access if things went wrong at Starz. He’d have you—andus—to fall back on even if we didn’t want to get involved, we would. Because you’re family.”
Jake had always been that kind of person, huh?
She felt foolish all over again for being with someone like that.
Juliet checked her watch. “It’s seven. I need to go. Your father’s waiting for dinner. I’d ask you to join us, but I have a feeling of what you’ll say…”
“Have fun.”
Juliet gave a small smile. “Farewell, dear.”
“Bye, Mother.”
29
“Areservation for Emily Pinault.”
“This way, please.”
