Page 87 of Electric Kiss

“Well, at least I wasn’t the only one not invited. The child didn’t invite her brothers.”

“And that was your fault, too,” Imelda yelled. “All the heartache this family has suffered is from your actions. Even your own misery was because you were a scared bully.”

“I’ll remind you that you are on Turner land,” Cynthia haughtily cautioned.

“And I’m a fucking Turner. Right to the end. You cannot take that away from me. I married a Turner, and I bore the children that will take over this island and do a better job of making it prosper than you ever did.”

“I did the best I could. Father never left me any instructions after Freddie died.”

“Karma is for the next life, but it looks like it made an exception for you. You should’ve been a nicer person, then perhaps you would have had a nicer life. How is vegetarian life going for you?”

Cynthia blanched at the comment.

“That’s right. You’re not the only one who has spies. I would never lower myself to your level and poison another living creature. What do you think you were going to gain by killing me?”

Without her clocking it, the frisbee game had inched nearer the rear of her cottage, and Teddy was the only one tossing the piece of plastic around. Erica held Isobel in her arms, swaying and distracting her from the tense vibe no doubt wafting out from their conversation.

“I wasn’t trying to kill you,” she whispered, twisting her sapphire ring.

“What did you think would happen when I got so ill? What do you feel when you know I missed out on my children’s lives because you had this drive to be an heir? Now that you have the island, was it worth it?”

Imelda flung her arms out to the side in exasperation. She could feel her voice lifting as she spoke. Any answers she was given would be meaningless because Freddie would still be dead, and she still would have lost out on decades with her children.

Cynthia remained quiet, looking up to the eaves of the cottage and then back to Imelda. It struck her that Cynthia was a different woman from the one who had walked across the grass to see her.

“What do you want? Why are you here?” Imelda demanded.

Silence came again. Cynthia’s lips folded in like she was bracing herself. Then it dawned on Imelda what Cynthia wanted.

Needed.

“You want me to forgive you,” she said.

Cynthia’s eyes snapped up to Imelda’s face. There was barely a nod, but she saw it.

“I forgive you,” Imelda said boldly.

A collective gasp went up from the peanut gallery. Imelda swiped her eyes along the row of her children and their loved ones and nodded to them. Like a formation of soldiers, they all turned and marched off in a line. Daisy looked back as Nate grabbed her hand, and Imelda smiled at her daughter. She nodded and then turned her gaze back to Cynthia Turner, who seemed to shrink before her eyes.

“You will give me and my children the freedom to roam this estate. You’ll hand over the reins of Copper Island within the next twelve months. You will do this openly and willingly and won’t interfere with how Archer wants to set up the future of this island,” Imelda said.

Cynthia opened her mouth to speak, but Imelda held up her hand.

“I know what is most precious to you, and that is the Turner name. If you don’t do as I ask, I will take them away from Copper Island, and we’ll set up a home elsewhere. You have proven through your actions that my four children are resourceful and can earn a living without the Turner name.”

Imelda knew Freya wouldn’t leave her family, and if Freya stayed, then Luke was staying. If Luke was staying, they were all staying. The same went for Heidi, but Cynthia didn’t know that.

“We got a deal?” Imelda pushed.

There was a wave of relief in Cynthia’s eyes when she nodded fully.

“I’ll hand it over. Whenever Archer wants to meet with the lawyers, let Bailey know, and he’ll arrange everything.”

“That’s settled. If you behave yourself, I’ll see you have an invitation to Luke and Freya’s wedding.”

Cynthia’s eyes widened.

“Thank you.”

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