find a needle in a haystack. He'll emerge when he’s ready.”
My heart shatters and I fall back against the wall, feeling his pain as though it was my own. My father’s death is still too fresh in my mind and it's like it’s happening all over again. Colton and Charles had a rough relationship and though Charles was a prick to him and he ran his mother and sisters away, there’s still a part of him that always held onto the hope of one day gaining his father’s approval, but now that will never happen.
Losing someone you love is one of the hardest things you will have to suffer through. Instead of having the time to grieve that loss, Colton was thrown headfirst into his father’s position without pause. Now, as the head of the Carrington family and CEO of many multi-million-dollar businesses, he has the whole world watching him. I don’t doubt that he’s feeling the pressure.
Ever since I came to Bellevue Springs, I’ve wanted nothing more than to hate Colton Carrington, and right now, I’m finding it an impossible task. He’s a broken soul and my heart is screaming to be the one who gets to fix it and if I can’t do that, then maybe he’ll just let me be close if only for a little while.
Maryne lets out a heavy sigh and I listen as papers are ruffled around on the table. “Okay,” she finally says. “Here are the options for the casket. I’m thinking that he would appreciate the Malaysian 14-karat gold with the red velvet lining.”
“I was thinking the same,” Harrison says. “It’s sophisticated. Charles would have appreciated that. Now, where are we with the florist and the guest list?”
A phone rings, cutting the conversation short. “Ah, this is probably the funeral home confirming the church.” Harrison scoops the phone off the table and steps back. He gets busy with the phone call as Maryne grabs a pen and starts marking off final choices, the same way she does when she’s planning one of the Carrington’s elaborate parties.
“Ocean?” Mom’s voice comes from behind. I spin around to find her walking down the hallway, watching me curiously. “What are you doing, honey?”
“I, uh … I really don’t know. I was trying to find everyone but then overheard them discussing funeral arrangements and well … why are they doing it? Shouldn’t Colton be involved? Out of everyone here, he knows Charles the most. Wouldn’t he want to be the one making these decisions?”
Mom’s lips pull into a tight line and I can’t help but notice the heaviness behind her eyes and realize just how hard today must be for her as well. She’s probably been living Dad’s death all over again, just like I have been. “No, sweety. He instructed Maryne and Harrison to take care of the funeral arrangements. Unfortunately, he doesn’t want anything to do with the process, but it’s okay, he’ll find another way to say goodbye. Besides, the poor boy has a lot to do with his mom and sisters not here. Charles has a lot of affairs to get in order and all that has just fallen on Colton’s shoulders.”
“I …” I cut myself off, not really sure what to say right now, but knowing that if I think too hard on it, I might just break. I’m thrown back in time to when Colton and I were standing in the foyer of the mansion and he was yelling at his dad about not wanting any of this. He didn’t want to be some stuck-up CEO, but now it’s too late. This empire is his and from here on out, he has to be the son his father always demanded of him. “Maybe I should offer to help with the funeral arrangements? I don’t want to be in their way but I can’t just stand here and do nothing.”
“No, sweety. I offered my assistance this morning and the offer was declined. They don’t want to go against Colton’s request and would like to settle it quickly and privately using the information they’d gathered from Charles over their time working for him. As sad as it is to say, apart from his direct family, Harrison and Maryne were the closest people he had in his life.”
“Yeah but don’t rich people usually have all this stuff sorted out in their wills and pre-arranged?”
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE CHURCH IS UNAVAILABLE?” comes hollered from the dining room, making both our eyes sweep back into