word lodged in my throat and I had to squeeze my eyes shut to stop the tears from climbing. I wanted to shout at him he wasn't really my brother, that he was actually my half-brother. But I didn't. There was too much confusion and chaos in my life now to react unjust toward someone who truly didn't deserve it. Not after he put his emotions and feelings into the one word that held so much weight for me about how he truly felt.
Fifty-Seven
I didn't bother saying goodbye to my parents, not while they were having a screaming match in their bedroom that was based on the foundation around my birth.
Instead, I left a note on the table in the foyer, and made sure Xavier told them I was gone. I didn't think they'd have a problem, it was a blessing in disguise, really.
I hit the highway with my phone face down and on silent, headed down to Cape Coral. I turned up the music, lowered the windows, and for the next few hours, I drove in peace with nothing but miles of black asphalt in front of me as the wind carried my worries away.
It was sheer bliss until I pulled into my complex and parked my Escalade.
I'd missed fourteen calls from my dad, and a slew of text messages from Kova and Avery that I didn't bother opening. A stream of anxiety rushed through my veins with thoughts of a death. I was instantly overwhelmed with dread.
No one called that many times unless it was an emergency.
Before I got out of my truck, I called my father back. Kova could wait. Fourteen missed calls was extremely nerve-racking.
The phone rang for a split second before he picked it up.
"Hey, Dad," I said.
"Ana? Are you okay? Where are you?" He was frantic.
"Yeah… I'm totally fine. Why? Is everything okay with you? Why did you call so many times?"
"You left without saying goodbye, before I could explain things to you."
I sulked. Another person who needed to explain things and eventually apologize to me.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I hope Xavier told you I left?"
"Yes, but sweetheart," he said, his tone coming down a notch, "you shouldn't have left the way you did. You were not in the right frame of mind. What if you had an accident or something? You could've been hurt, and Adrianna, if anything ever happened to you, my life would be over."
My heart softened for him. He truly felt bad. "I just felt like things would be better if I was gone, so I hit the road. I have a meet coming up anyway, so I could use the extra conditioning. It's not a big deal."
"It's a big deal to me."
A small smile tipped my lips and I climbed out of my truck. Grabbing my bag, I made my way up to my condo while Dad went on to apologize profusely until I had to cut him off.
"Dad, it's okay. It's fine, I'll deal. It all makes sense, really. I just wish I'd known the truth from the beginning."
"That's the other thing…" He trailed off. I had the key in the deadbolt and halted, grabbing my stomach from the sound of those four words, wondering what else he could say that would cause worse damage. "I know I said I never planned on telling you, but that wasn't the whole truth either. I just hadn't planned until you were at least eighteen, maybe twenty-one, and not with so much on your plate."
My shoulders dropped in relief. I quickly unlocked the door and went inside.
"Well, that honestly makes me feel better. I hated the thought of going through my whole life not knowing I'm someone's dirty little secret and constantly questioning why my mother detests me so much. Seriously, Dad, it all makes sense now." I bit my lip. I tried hard not to be sarcastic, but I knew it came out that way.
"Sweetie, you're not a dirty little secret. It breaks my heart to hear you say that. Things were done to protect this family. I hope one day you'll come to understand that."
A tremble racked my body at the reality of my life and what their utmost concerns were. It was a grand spectacle of wealth and power. A who’s who and whatnot. Emotions did not mingle with the formula and were left to be dealt with after, if they ever were.
It was in that moment that I realized I would never treat my children in the