Chapter 167

Aria’s POV

With great difficulty, I managed to arrive at Markus’s manor without speeding or running any traffic lights or stop signs. Despite the adrenaline coursing through my body and my strong desire to get this over with, I still somehow prioritized my wellbeing first.

The gate to Markus’s estate was closed when I pulled up. I stopped and pressed the button on the call box outside my window.

A crackling voice came through the speaker. “We do not accept solicitors at this hour.” That didn’t sound like Markus’s voice. Perhaps one of his security? Or another of the staff.

“I’m not a solicitor,” I said. “My name is Aria, and I’m here regarding Markus’s check.”

The speaker went quiet for a minute. Then, after a time, the voice returned. “Enter.”

The gate beeped and then slowly opened, revealing the driveway beyond.

Leaning back in my chair, I put the car in drive and continued up the winding driveway to the house, trying not to be intimidated by the security or the many gargoyles Markus seemed to collect for his estate.

I parked near the front of the house, not seeing any other cars. An elaborate and expansive garage seemed off to one side. Markus’s cars must have been inside.

As I walked to the front door, it opened without my having to knock. A butler stood there, an annoyed expression on his already severe face. He waited for me to enter the house, then closed the door behind me.

“Follow me,” he instructed, then led me down a long corridor. To my right and left, the hallway opened up into massive rooms, filled with antiques and expensive modern conveniences alike, such as wide-screen televisions and interesting-looking mechanical devices.

I followed the butler out into a conservatory filled with plants, windows in every direction.

Markus sat in his wheelchair with a blanket over his lap. On a table beside him rested his checkbook, a glass of what appeared to be lemonade, and a small collection of pill bottles.

When he saw me, he smiled. Perhaps he wanted to come off warmly, but nothing about this man was warm. Even when he was trying to be kind, he looked uncomfortable and frosty around the edges.

“Ah, Aria. What a pleasure. You didn’t have to come to see me, you know. Your maintained distance would have been enough for me to assume you were keeping the check. Though, at my age, it’s always nice to have visitors.”

“I’m not here for a social call,” I told him. “As I told you before, I don’t want your money.”

At once, the hint of kindness, cold at it was, vanished, the veneer entirely falling away.

“Ah. So you’ve come to make an enemy of me instead. How disappointing. But, if that is your wish. I am no stranger to having enemies, so you will simply be one more among the number I intend to squash under my heel.” He held out his hand. “My check, please.”

I straightened a little. This was the part I was dreading.

“I don’t have it,” I said.

He looked at me blankly for a moment. “I beg your pardon?”

Swallowing hard, I said again, “I don’t have it. I lost it, so I can’t give it back.”

Markus looked at me for a moment longer, before bursting out into harsh laughter. “You lost it? Oh, Aria. While I can appreciate a good joke, I assure you such antics are not necessary with me.”

“I’m being serious,” I said.

“Of course you are,” Markus said, disbelief clear in his voice. “I assure you, you don’t need to go through with this… performance you are doing. You say you lost the check, but I’m sure it will turn up at some point in your bank account.”

“That’s not true,” I said. “I’m telling you that I lost it, so you should cancel it on your end and –”

Markus scoffed. “What’s the real problem here? Was the amount not enough? Perhaps you are trying to get another check from me?”

“That’s not –”

“Do you honestly think I’m not ready to write it?” He reached for his checkbook and then pulled it into his lap. “How much more would you like, Aria? I’m willing to pay whatever amount would please you, to get you to disappear. Would you like another 5 million? How about 10 million?”

“I don’t want any!” I snapped. “I’m not divorcing Liam!”

Markus stilled, hand frozen holding the pen just about a new check. He looked up at me in both annoyance and curiosity. His gaze seemed to be searching for something within my eyes.

I just stared straight back, letting my own determination show. I didn’t know what he was looking for, but all he would see was my steely resolve.

“Everyone can be bought,” he said.

“Not me.”

He frowned slightly. “No, Aria. Even you. I just haven’t found the right price yet.” Lowering his pen, he closed his checkbook and set it to the side. “I’ll pretend to be surprised when that check magically goes through.”

“If that happens, it won’t be me who does it,” I said.

Markus hummed sarcastically.

“I told you know,” I said. “What happens next is on you.”

Staying here was just a waste of time. Turning on my heel, I stormed out of the conservatory. The butler was waiting for me in the corridor. I walked past him, already knowing the way out. Even so, he followed along behind me.

I felt like I was being chaperoned, like they were worried I was going to steal something. It just added insult to injury.

When I finally exited the manor, the butler spoke from the doorway.

“I will give you five minutes to exit the property,” he said. “Then I will call the police to have you removed.”

“I’m leaving,” I told him.

He glared at me as he closed the door.

Not wasting time, not trusting him to wait a full five minutes, I entered my car, drove back to the gate, which opened right away from me this time, and then pulled onto the street.

I could only relax again when I watched Markus’s estate disappear in my rear-view mirror.

Liam’s POV

I stared at the check, not sure what to believe. Anger swelled within me at first. Why hadn’t Aria told me about this? When did Markus give her this check? Did she speak with him?

Joe quietly watched me. “It was on the floor. Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” I was quick to assure him. “You did okay, Joe. Something like this shouldn’t just be laying around. You were right to pick it up and to give it to me.”

Since our last fight had upset the kids, Aria and I had been extra careful not to upset them with our disagreements. I had no idea how that was going to play out tonight.

I’d need to keep my temper in check, and it was already flaring up.

For Aria to conceal this…

Had she been planning on cashing it? But then why was it on the floor…? And crumpled up like this?

I didn’t know, but a certainty of a different kind was swelling up inside of me.

Markus had told me on the phone that Aria had accepted a check from him. I balked, chalking up to being a lie.

But here was the check. I held it in my hands, tangible. Real.

My father hadn’t been lying.