Page 117 of Sold to Her Enemy

“He’s an excellent lawyer,” Grace says.

Alice grins. “It’d be worth it once. I have a good replacement waiting in the wings.”

“I’m not your replacement! I don’t even know if I’m going to work for you.”

Alice has offered, which is so generous and motivates me to study at night, but I don’t know what I want right now.

I thought I would have it figured out by now, but it’s been nice to have a place to destress...

“So what should I do?” Poor Clark is stressed, and his expression makes us laugh.

“Tell them to go away.”

“They’re shouting comments about associating with criminals.”

“I have no knowledge of where my parents are,” I murmur.

Grace squeezes my arm. I give her a small smile and try to calm my racing heart.

I took my phone out of my pocket and scroll for headlines to see if there was any reason for the press to descend here.

“That bitch,” I mumble before I can get the words out of my mouth.

“Who?” Grace asks.

Melody gives a neigh in her stall. I pat her rump and step away, headed for the small coffee station by the tack room that gives me a view of the front lawn.

“Ava was asked about my appearance at her concert.” I don’t know why it took so long for her to comment on it, but she just got back from a tour in Europe. Some journalist decided to bring it up, asking her about me.

“Listen to this. ‘I’ve never been close to Mckenna. Honestly, it’s disgusting how she’s thrown herself at my brother all these years. I don’t know why he thinks he can trust her, but I guess everyone’s allowed to make mistakes. I’ll be here for my big brother when he realizes that Mckenna Moran is not someone you can trust.’”

“She’s awful. Don’t worry about her.”

“How am I going to be a vet with everything attached to my name?”

Grace gives me a hug. “It’s going to be okay, Mckenna.”

I want to believe her, but I spent so much time under the stress of my parents, under the cloud of their tarnished reputation.

And now, when I’ve put distance between my past and them, trying to build a reputation for myself, I can’t even do that.

Alice’s phone rings. She answers it while cleaning up the equipment. I rush over to help her.

“You tell them I don’t care who Mckenna’s parents are. I’m happy to be working with her, and she will be an outstanding vet. Tell them we have no further comment on the matter.” Alice ends the call. “That’s what I think of those vultures, Mckenna. Do you have any idea how they found out you’re here?”

“I didn’t exactly hide it, but I didn’t think people were still interested in me. I should have known better.”

“I’m going to call Brett, just in case.”

I’m blinking back tears because this is the support I wanted so desperately when everything happened and didn’t get.

“Thank you.”

Grace squeezes my hand. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, but I’m here now. You deserve to be happy, Mckenna.”

I nod, not able to speak due to the sudden tightness in my throat.

Looking after these beautiful creatures makes me happy. Living here in Oregon, the first time I’ve truly lived on my own, has been a healing balm to my soul.

---