Twisted (Torn Series) Page 0,19

never wanted to see her again. Naturally, she left and didn’t bother to take you with her. You seemed so happy to be here with us, and I wanted you to stay, but I knew you missed your home and your friends. I didn’t want to take you away from the life you had built for yourself, so I helped you get home, thinking I was doing the right thing.”

Tears welled up in my eyes, “Oh Aunt Jen, don’t ever think any of this was your fault. You barely knew me and I’m not your responsibility. I did fine on my own once she was gone and I’m happy now. I really am.”

“It doesn’t matter; I still should have taken care of you. Right after you left, my doctor found the cancer and I spent all my time in treatments. After a few months we thought we had it beat and I went into remission. I had so much to deal with, but I never forgot about you. The only thing I knew for sure was that you were in West Virginia, but your mother would never tell me where exactly. I searched for you for months, but your mom had nothing to her name; no taxes, utilities, insurance, nothing that I could use to track you down with.”

I didn’t know what to say; living all those years being abused by my mom when I had someone out there who cared enough to search for me was mind blowing.

My aunt cleared her throat before continuing. “About a year ago, the cancer came back with a vengeance. We tried everything, but nothing helped and I have accepted my fate. But I knew I had to find you before it was too late. Luck was with me when Andrea showed up on my doorstep a few months ago and started playing the loving sister when I told her I would be leaving part of my fortune to her. When I explained she wouldn’t get anything unless I found you, she put all of her time and energy into locating you, not knowing she was sealing her own fate.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at my aunt’s words. “I never would have guessed you were the manipulative type. I’m not sure whether to be proud or ashamed.”

She started laughing, but it quickly turned into a coughing fit. I grabbed a cup of water from her bedside table and held it to her while she sipped from the straw. Talking with me was making her weaker and I felt ashamed.

“Why don’t you rest and we can talk about this later?” I asked as I sat the cup back on the table for her.

“No, I’m fine. I don’t know how much time I have left and I need to say what you came all this way to hear. I’ve already setup an account with over six-hundred thousand dollars in it with your name on it. Your mother thinks she is getting the same amount, and hopefully she won’t realize she’s been tricked until I’ve passed and you’re long gone. I worry about her reaction to all of this; I want you to disappear for a while once you leave here. I can’t stand the thought of her hurting you over me, but I had to do this for you. I had to make up for my wrongs Chloe.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want your money Aunt Jen, I never have. I just came here to stop you from giving anything to her. Give mine to Jordan, he deserves it more than I do.”

She frowned. “Nonsense, you’re going to take that money if I have to force Danny to make you take it. I don’t care what you do with it; pay for your college education, buy a car, a house. It doesn’t matter, just never let her have a dime of it.”

I leaned down and hugged her frail body. No one had ever shown me any type of kindness to this degree and I didn’t know what to say, how to thank her. Here she was, on her death-bed and she was more concerned with my welfare than her own.

“Thank you, thank you so much. I don’t even know what to say,” I whispered in her ear as I pulled away.

“You don’t have to say anything, just do one favor for me and we’ll call it even,” she said.

“Of course, I’ll do anything you need, anything at all.”

“I know you will, you’ve always been such