He just gave a low laugh.
"There's a secret."
"Something Debbie never knew."
"See, Debbie—" He beckoned with one finger, and Jemima leaned in. "Her mother always had a chance at recovery. Eighty percent success rate if she went overseas for treatment. But I never agreed to it."
"And I made sure no one told her."
Ice crawled up my spine.
My hands were shaking so badly I nearly dropped the phone. His voice, cold and flat, kept drilling into my ears.
"I blocked every piece of information. Made sure Debbie never found out."
"Because I needed her."
"To never be able to leave me."
"Debbie, you see—"
The rest—
I couldn't hear anymore. Tears blurred everything. I clamped a hand over my mouth, choking on silent sobs as the memories crashed over me.
Mom, trying to scrape together my college tuition, had followed the village women into the mountains to gather herbs. She'd fallen. And she'd never woken up.
So many years now.
She'd always been the wound I carried.
I still remembered how I'd nearly destroyed myself back then.
Then Otis appeared.
The untouchable young heir, standing in front of me, pulling me into his arms so tight it hurt.
"Don't be scared, Debbie."