Chapter 189: ~ 189
Chapter 189
~ Annie ~
Clinton hadn’t called.
Every time my phone vibrated, my heart did a treacherous little somersault, only to settle into a leaden weight when the screen showed a news alert or a random text. It had been days since I stormed out of his apartment—days since I saw him standing there with her. I couldn’t help but wonder if I simply wasn’t enough to compete with the shadow of Octavia. Or perhaps, in his eyes, I was still just the little girl from the estate, the one he could pat on the head and forget.
The realization hurt more than I cared to admit. With my design project for Candice on a two-month hiatus, the silence in the Harrington mansion felt deafening. I needed to move. I needed to breathe air that didn’t smell like Dorian Harrington’s expensive cigars or the sterile, haunting memories of a love that was never mine.
I dialed my sister Ayanna. She picked up on the third ring, her voice bright and bustling.
"Hey Annie! Sorry, Ethan and I were just finishing up lunch with some of his friends. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind."
"It’s fine," I said, forcing a casual tone while I paced my bedroom floor. "How’s Chicago treating you?"
"It’s wonderful. Busy, but wonderful. The wedding planning is reaching that ’controlled chaos’ phase. What’s up with you? You sound...quiet."
I looked down at my fingernails, picking at a stray bit of polish. I opened my mouth to tell her everything—about Uncle Dorian’s ghoulish proposal, about the plane crash in the news, and the way the walls of this house felt like they were inching closer every night. But I stopped myself. Ayanna was happy. She was weeks away from her dream wedding to Ethan. I wouldn’t be the one to poison her joy with the dark, twisted politics of the Harrington family.
"Nothing much," I lied, my voice steady. "I was actually calling to ask...would it be okay if I came to Chicago a little early? Like, this weekend?"
There was a brief silence on the other end. "This weekend? Annie, the wedding is still more than three weeks away. Not that I’m complaining—I’d love to have you—but why the sudden rush?"
I couldn’t tell her I was a fugitive from a choice I didn’t want to make. I couldn’t tell her that every time I saw Uncle Dorian in the hallway, I felt like a bird under the gaze of a snake.
"No reason, really. I just thought I could help out. You know, get settled, maybe spend some time with Ethan’s parents so they don’t think I’m a myth," I teased, though my smile didn’t reach my eyes.
"That’s actually very thoughtful," Ayanna mused. "Ethan’s mom keeps asking when ’the famous artist sister’ is arriving. Is Mom coming with you?"
I bit my lip. I hadn’t even broached the subject with my mother yet. "She...she should be. I mean, I haven’t officially asked her to pack her bags for this weekend yet, but that’s the plan."
"Why haven’t you told her?" Ayanna asked, a hint of a sigh in her voice.
"She’s been buried in work for the estate. You know how she is—Trudy doesn’t know how to relax unless someone forces her."
"Well, tell her soon," Ayanna urged. "Ethan wants to wire the travel funds for both of you so you can travel in comfort. We want you here, Annie."
"What if I come first? Just to get things ready?" I pressed. "Mom could follow in a week or two."
"I suppose that’s possible, but it’ll be a bit weird. You two usually travel as a pair. Is everything okay, Annie? You sound stressed. Is it that project for your friend?"
"Yeah," I caught the lifeline she threw me. "The mural design is just...hectic. A lot of back-and-forth. I think a change of scenery would help my creativity."
"I’m sorry to hear that. But hey, I have a surprise for you! A graduation gift I’ve been holding onto since you finished your degree. I felt terrible for missing the party, so I went a little overboard."
For the first time all day, a genuine smile touched my lips. Ayanna always knew how to pull me out of the trenches. "Well, if the gift is expensive enough, I might consider forgiving you," I joked.
She laughed, a warm, grounding sound. "Don’t worry, you’ll love it. Anyway, I have to run—Ethan is waving me over, and we’re heading to the cinema with the group. Take care of yourself, okay? Give Mom a kiss for me."
"I will. Love you, Ayanna."
"Love you too, sis."
The line went dead, and the silence of the room rushed back in. I took a deep breath. Phase one was complete. Now for the hard part.
Dinner that evening was a quiet affair. I waited until I was certain Uncle Dorian was occupied in his study before joining my mother in the kitchen. She was plated a simple meal, looking tired but content in the way she always did after a long day of managing the household.
"I’m leaving New York for Chicago this weekend," I announced, sliding into the chair across from her.
My mother paused, her fork halfway to her mouth. She looked at me with genuine surprise. "This weekend? Annie, that is very sudden. Ayanna’s wedding isn’t for weeks."
"I know," I said, shrugging with a feigned nonchalance that made my skin itch. "I just need a change of environment. New York is feeling a bit...cramped."
"Cramped?" She looked around the cavernous, high-tech kitchen of the Harrington mansion. "You just got back here, dear. How can you be bored of the city already?"
"I miss my sister, Mom. And she’s right—I should be there to help. She’s doing so much on her own. Besides, I want to see this ’mystery gift’ she has for me."
My mother sighed, a soft, weary sound. She reached over and patted my hand. "You have a point. It isn’t a crime to want to be with your sister. You’ve always been close."
"You’re coming with me, right?" I asked, watching her face closely.
She shook her head slowly. "Not this weekend, sweetheart. I have several things here at the estate that need my attention before I can take a long leave. The transition for the temporary staff, the accounts...Dorian relies on me to keep this place running smoothly."
My heart sank. I wanted her away from him. I wanted us both beyond his reach. "Are you sure? Ayanna really wants us both there."
"I’m sure. I’ll join you girls in two weeks. It’ll give you some one-on-one time with Ayanna before the madness of the wedding truly begins. Now, eat your dinner before it gets cold."
I stared at her for a long moment, wanting to scream the truth—to tell her that the man she worked for was a monster who wanted me to help him destroy a woman’s life. But I looked at her tired eyes and her peaceful expression, and I couldn’t do it. Not yet.
"Okay," I whispered, picking up my fork. "Two weeks. Promise?"
"I promise, Annie."
I turned back to my food, but my mind was already on the flight. I would be in Chicago by Sunday. I would be safe. I would find a way to get my mother out of here before Dorian realized I wasn’t coming back to give him the answer he wanted.
I was leaving the shadows of Manhattan behind. I just prayed they wouldn’t follow me across the state line.
