Chapter 85

After James helped me gain my bearings, the two of us carefully made it back to the car where we spent the majority of the ride back to the house in complete silence. I guess, part of me was grateful for that. I didn’t exactly know what to say.

I’m sure there was a list of questions sitting, ready at the forefront of my mind just waiting to be asked. However, I didn’t have the energy to speak. But, regardless of the silence, James curled his hand around my own and refused to let me go no matter how much I jostled in my seat.

Tonight had been utter hell. Even though the issue with David had been laid to rest, at least for the time being, there was no stopping the hurricane of feelings that were rushing through me.

So many things had to be addressed.

But for the time being, I simply allowed myself to take in the warmth and comfort that would normally come from his touch.

‘There was a split moment where I truly believed that I would never feel it again,’ I thought to myself.

For the first time in what felt like ages, the pull within me wasn't surrounded by pain. I relished the feeling of inner peace while I could.

It was no surprise that neither of us knew what to say, having just experienced such a mind-bending ordeal. He and I would find the time to sit down and go over everything that we’ve been struggling to deal with.

As the car pulled into the driveway, I figured that James and I would at last get the chance to clear the air between us. Unfortunately, as soon as we opened the doors, we were met with a horde of James’ relatives.

“They’re back!”

Lana and Kristen were the first to jump up from their seats and rush to greet us. “Are you alright?” they asked.

“What the hell happened?” Ellison asked.

Diana shook her head in disbelief. “We came here as soon as Lily filled us in on what’s been going on.”

I held up my hand as a means to silence everyone. Many of them were shocked by my firm approach but were willing to give me respect and attention for the moment. I turned to one of the staff members and requested a first-aid kit.

“I need to take care of James’ wounds first.”

Not wanting to leave his side, I took it upon myself to take care of treating the injuries on his hands.

“It’s a bit of a long story,” I said to them quietly.

Right as I finished patching him up, I made a move to sit back into one of the open chairs, but James looped a firm arm around me and practically yanked me onto his lap. He tucked me into his side and let out a breath.

“Let’s tell them everything.”

Over the course of the hour, James went into depth about how the Evelyn-look-a-like appeared and disrupted our lives. Everyone is stunned beyond words. But when he came to explain how this mystery woman shoved me down the stairs, we were faced with numerous murderous expressions.

“That bitch!!” Lana seethed.

“What about the baby?” Diana asked with worry.

A million shivers broke out over my body when James rested his hand over the swelling bump of my stomach. “The babies are alright.”

It took a solid second for everyone to register the shock that the two of us had already been through. Each of them was deeply excited to hear the news of the twins.

From that point on, I proceeded to explain my side of things. I told them how I left the house to stay with a friend in order to figure out what I was going to do if things didn’t work out.

“I met up with an old friend for lunch but afterward, I was ambushed and taken by the deranged orders of my uncle,” I said. “He wanted James to burn their marriage contract and leave me.”

“Of course, none of that was going to happen. David sent me the address to his house and I rushed there as soon as possible.”

“You said David Durant?” Ellison questioned. “That name sounds so familiar, I know I’ve heard it somewhere.”

“That man’s a fucking psychopath,” James muttered. “He pulled a gun on Mia.”

The room filled with gasps.

“Yeah, David may, or may not, be involved in the mafia,” I told them. I turned to face James. “Believe me, I had no idea what David was involved in. You know that my parents tried to keep him at a distance from me and Chris. And, well, now, I suppose I know why.”

He tucked a thick lock of my hair behind my ear and shook his head. “I promise, I won’t let what happened today ever happen again.”

James’ brows pulled together as though he was recalling something from earlier. “Why does David Durant hate our family so much?” he asked.

I noticed how Ellison and Diana shared a look with each other. It’s obvious that the two of them knew something but I was the one who spoke up.

“David told me that your family is responsible for my parent’s death.”

James gaped at me with shock. Diana slowly nodded her head.

“When the autopsy reports came in, it revealed that your mother had high traces of position laced in her system.”

“And my father?”

“Three bullets were found in his chest,” she noted.

James tightened his hold on me while I tried to hold back my tears. “Why are my parents dead?” I asked.

“We believe that it was Edward who’d been behind all of it. Your father had discovered a big part of Edward’s scheme to take over Crescent Moon and was determined to report him to my husband. Edward and his men intercepted him before he could reach the actual authorities. He’d taken your mother hostage as leverage to keep your father from talking and ended up poisoning her anyway. You and your brother were so young when it all happened, but we should have told you the truth before now.”

So it was true...Everything David had told me.

“David told me that you basically brushed their deaths under the rug because you didn’t want a scandal,” I remarked.

Diana lowered her eyes in what appeared to be shame mixed with regret. “He wasn’t entirely wrong there. Believe me, it was not an easy decision to make, but at the time...”

“That’s enough,” James said sharply. “It’s late. Mia needs to rest.”

With a few final glances from his relatives, each one left the house until it was just the two of us.

“James...I—”

He cut me off with a searing kiss that shocked every single one of my nerves.

“We will talk everything out as soon as we both get some decent rest.”