“Mother,” I said. My voice was raspy, broken, but underneath it was steel. “You said…” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “You said once that if I ever came to my senses, you’d be there. You said you wanted to make up for leaving me and father behind.”
“I did,” my mother said, her voice softening. “I still do. What do you need?”
“Help me,” I whispered. “Process my immigration papers. Get me a visa. Get me a flight. I’m done, Mother. I want to leave. And I want to disappear.”
“It is a tragedy,” Arthur said, his voice gravelly. He set down his wine glass with a heavy clink. “A damn tragedy. My great-grandson. Gone before he even took a breath.”
He looked at me, his gaze softening. “I am truly sorry, Karylle. I know how much you wanted that child.”
“Thank you, Grandfather,” I said quietly, keeping my eyes on my plate. I pushed a pea around with my fork. I had barely eaten a bite.
Then, Arthur’s gaze snapped to Nathan, and the softness vanished. It was replaced by the cold fury of a titan.