same manner. I'd put them first. I'd do everything I could to not be like my parents.
"As usual, appearance is first and foremost for the Rossi family. Everything else comes after." I hesitated, debating whether to ask my next question. "How many people know?"
"Know what?"
"Dad."
He sighed deeply. "Very, very few. We went to great lengths to remain discreet."
And didn't that make me feel grimier than ever.
"Please, I want to know who. I deserve at least that much."
Dad paused long enough that I pulled the phone away to see if we'd been disconnected.
"Just the Herons. No one else. Not even your biological mother's family knew anything."
My lips parted, and I reached for the counter to steady myself. How did they manage to hide it from her family? How old was she? Was she not close to her parents? Did they never see each other?
My stomach churned at all the endless possibilities flying through my mind. I was instantly nauseous and prayed to God that Avery didn't know and purposely kept it from me this whole time. That would seriously be the icing on the cake.
"Which of the Herons know?"
I held my breath.
And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
"If you're asking me if the Heron's children know, they do not. Just Michael and Lily." I exhaled a heavy breath and moved to sit on the couch. Thankfully just the parents knew. Leaning forward, I propped my elbows on my knees and dropped my head into my palm. "No one else will ever know."
"Where is she now?"
"Upstairs," Dad replied with annoyance. "I'm sorry—"
I cleared my throat. "No, my biological mom. Where is she now?"
His silence unnerved me. "It doesn't matter where she is."
"Yes, it does. It matters to me, Dad. I want to know."
He idled into his next string of words while I sat in a daze and stared at the ivory carpet. "I'm not sure where she is now. Probably long gone. I haven't spoken to her in some time."
I wasn't sure why that affected me so much when I had no real tie to her, but it did. I couldn't fathom how a woman could carry a baby in her belly for nine months and then give it up without batting an eye. I didn't think I would be able to. But then again, when a stressful situation arose, emotions ran amok, and people did things in haste because they thought they had no other option, only for it to end with regret later. I was so curious about her and I'd only just found out. I had to wonder if she had thought about me for the last seventeen years.
Dad cleared his throat. "Much to Joy's dismay, your biological mother stayed in contact for a little while after you were born. I allowed it."
"Why?"
"It was difficult for her and I felt bad. She was young, and had no one to turn to, so I gave her updates and sent photos so she could see you." He paused. "It was hard to let her go."
Tears lodged in my throat. My chest ached with heavy sadness for everyone involved. "And how did she manage to stay away for good?"
"What do you think, Ana? You're a smart girl."
I knew instantly. "Money." I shook my head. The love of money was the root of all evil and I hated it.
"How much was I worth to her?" I gripped the phone tight in my hand, waiting for his response.
"That's not something you need to know—or will ever know."
"Dad, I want to know."
"Ana, just know that I would've paid any amount for you. She couldn't give you a future on her own, not even if I gave her child support every month. She wasn't equipped mentally or financially to handle a newborn at that time, let alone emotionally."
"How do you know she wasn't able to handle a newborn? You didn't even give her the chance."
"Adrianna, what's done is done. You are priceless to me. I would do anything for you. Anything. I would've gone to the ends of the earth to protect and shelter you the way you deserved to be. She was a mess and I wasn't going to risk it."
"She was probably a mess because you took her baby from her. I bet her hormones were all out of whack."
"Adrianna, please…"
"I'm sure Joy didn't make it any better on her either. She probably saw her as competition."
His groan turned into a deep sigh. "She definitely didn't help the situation, aside from playing the role she begged for.