I Don’t Read Between The Lines, I Only Tell The Truth Outright Chapter 09

I Don’t Read Between The Lines, I Only Tell The Truth Outright Chapter 09

At 4:50 the next afternoon, the Weston Group recovered the 2.8 million, and Daphne covered the 600

thousand out of her own pocket. She resigned as head of the foundation and apologized publicly.

The Weston Group didn’t bury any of it, and for the first time, my father didn’t ask me to make an exception.

On the day the engagement closed, they were all waiting downstairs at my office.

My mother held the locket in her hand and offered it to me. “This is yours.”

I took it. “Thank you.”

Her eyes shone with tears. She probably hadn’t expected those to be the only two words I had.

Adrian set a ring of keys on the table. “Your old room is ready. We bought all new clothes in your size.”

“I’m not moving back.”

“Nora, we aren’t trying to trade you a room for coming home.” He paused. “It should have been yours all

along.”

Miles spoke next. “I looked up the medication I gave you. That was negligence on my part, and saying I didn’t know about the allergy doesn’t cover it.”

Eli stood at the back and worked up to it for a while. “Those birthdays, I was a jerk. I didn’t actually have anything going on. I figured you didn’t cry, so you didn’t need anybody fussing over you.”

I asked him something. “People who don’t cry don’t hurt?”

He looked at the floor. “They do.”

My father hadn’t said a word. After a long time, he set the card he had shut off on the table. “It’s active again.”

“I don’t want it.”

“I’m not telling you to spend it.”

“Then why give it to me?”

He had no answer for a while. “I don’t know how to make this up to you.”

“Then don’t rush to make it up. Start by not taking things away.”

My father nodded slowly.

My mother’s phone rang right then, and it was the housekeeper. Daphne had locked herself in her room and

wouldn’t answer anyone.

Every face in front of me changed, but nobody ran for the door.

Eli said it under his breath. “Is she doing this again?”

I turned to Miles. “Has she been off her medication?”

He froze and then called her doctor. The answer changed his face. “Three days.”

By the time we got to the house, Daphne was curled in the corner of her bathroom with her fingers locked up

and her breathing all over the place. Miles started working on her, and I had the housekeeper open a window

and clear everyone else out of the room.

30 minutes later, she came out of it.

My mother stood outside the door, wanting to come in and not daring to.

I looked at all of them. “She used to take one hard breath and every one of you would run. Now you know she lied once, and you think every episode is an act. Are those the only two settings you have?”

Eli couldn’t lift his head.

Daphne was propped against the headboard, and her voice came out hoarse. “Why did you come back?”

“I was afraid something would actually happen to you.”

“You don’t hate me?”

“I can hate you and still help you.”

The tears came down hard. “I’m sorry.”

I looked at her. “I hear that. Whether I forgive you is a separate question.”

She nodded.

After she was discharged, she moved out of the Weston house on her own and started regular treatment. My mother tried to stop her, and for the first time, Daphne didn’t cry.

“Mom, I have to learn how to keep you without getting sick.”

Before she left, she handed me the box with the locket in it. “This time it really is yours.”

I took the box. “All right.”

She stopped in the doorway and asked one more thing. “Can I still come to you sometimes?”

“If you have something to say, say it. Don’t go around it.”

She smiled through the tears. “Okay.”