Page 134 of Outcast’s Vow

SYLVIE

I’m now watching over the top of my computer screen as my father walks up to my ex, shakes his hand, and then proceeds to talk cordially to him. They’re all pleasant smiles, all affectionate words. I can’t hear what they’re saying from this far on the other side of the office, but the sight of them together like this is more than enough to make me sick to the bone.

There can be only one reason why Ethan is here meeting my father, and it’s got nothing to do with international shipping. I’m not being paranoid. I’m not being selfish. This isn’t a coincidence.

After a minute or two of conversation and a minute of me trying to hold down the contents of this morning’s breakfast, Ethan finally turns to leave. But before he steps back into the elevator, his gaze lands on me across the room like a heat-seeking missile. Our eyes lock. My heartbeat pounds in my ears.

Oh, he definitely sees me now.

And then, he smiles. A smile beaming with triumph. A taste of victory.

And then, he’s gone.

Now I really want to throw up. But first, I march to my father’s office. I don’t care about my work or the phone on my desk that starts to ring.

I need to talk to Father. Now.

I take the elevator all the way up to his top level. I storm through the doors and past his assistants and receptionists and anyone else that might guard his access without a second’s hesitation.

I slam his nice fancy office doors shut behind me.

“Why was Ethan here?”

Father is standing, reading some papers on his desk. He slowly glances up at me, cool as ice and unflinching at my sudden, dramatic incursion.

“Ah,” he says calmly, “you saw that.”

I want to stomp my foot. I want to tear my hair out. I want to make a scene.

Instead, I dig deeper.

“How could I not? What did you talk about? What was going on?”

Father simply shakes his head, then turns back to his papers.

His spoiled daughter having another tantrum.

He’s refusing to give me an answer because he knows that I know exactly what he and my ex were talking about, and I have been in denial about it. The truth is that I don’t need confirmation from him that my worst fears are in play. The reality comes crashing down on me fast, like a shutter door let loose, and now I no longer want to be sick.

Now I want to totally evaporate.

“You can’t do this.”

Back at that confrontation at college, Ethan asked me how my father feels about Baptiste. A man who grew up poor. Someone like Ethan – a boy who grew up rich – would be far more appealing to my father. And now my father has gone and done it.

It all makes sense.

“When?” I ask my father, crossing my arms.

He doesn’t look up from his papers.

“Tonight. After his initiation ceremony. You’ll be officially severed from the bond to Mr. Tremblay. That’s when you’ll be given.”

“His initiation?”

“Ethan is going to become a member of the Castaways, Sylvie.”

“Tonight?” I ask, my lip quivering.