Page 33 of Bittersweet Revenge

He looked up after a minute and threw it back at me. “I’m not sure how to explain that, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that my sister would never do that.”

“Oh yeah?” I crossed my arms on my chest, looking at him mockingly. Did Esmeralda fool him as she’d fooled me? “What makes you so sure?”

“Because she is my sister and because I know her.”

It was my turn to snort. “Oh, do you now? What makes you an expert in Esmeralda? The few months she shared your roof? When you plotted together to make us believe you were enemies? Sorry to break it to you, Forbes, but it takes more to know a person.”

Archibald rolled his eyes. “Are we still on this?” He sighed. “Yes, I helped her escape. Was that what you wanted to hear?”

Was it? I wasn’t sure. “It’s a start.”

“But what you need to know is thatwedidn’t plan that,Idid.”

I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. It’d been clear from the start that Esmeralda's only goal had been to disappear. I’d only started to believe she could change her mind after our day in Port Harbor.

Archibald looked heavenward before glancing at the door almost wistfully. He wanted to go to her, but he knew that I would have security stop him before he ever reached the top floor.

“I know you won’t believe it, but everything that transpired between us in the beginning was the absolute truth. I hated her being here, making me worry and care. I wanted her to hate our lives, but she was always so damned good all the time, so caring.” He growled softly as if the memories caused him pain, and maybe they did. Good! It was the least he deserved for what he’d done to me.

“Despite everything she went through, she wasn’t damaged or broken. I hated her for this. When the engagement happened, I realized that I didn’t want her to suffer that badly. I didn’t want her to become the broken doll Sophia is or the shadow of a woman your mother has always been.”

“Is that what you think I will turn her into?” I asked. The question caused my heart to thud just a bit faster in my chest. I dreaded the answer because deep down, I knew what it would be. Whether I wanted to or not, I was going to taint her. If she really had that goodness in her, it would eventually wither and die.

He shrugged. “It didn’t matter either way. I just tried to keep her at bay, but the more she got close to you, the more I was trying to get close to her, to keep her safe, and then I grew attached. And when she decided to stay…” He shook his head. “I loved her too much already to let her suffer along with us.”

“She wanted to stay?”Fuck!I hated how my voice sounded - almost hopeful.

Archibald cocked his head to the side; he’d picked up on that and it made me even angrier at her.

“Yes, she did. And while she affirmed she wanted to stay only for me, I feared that deep down, she had another reason.” He pursed his lips, his eyes hard as he detailed me. And I knew what he was not saying. He had feared she’d stay for me.

How ironic could it be? One man’s fear was another man’s hope.

“I know she asked me to stay out of it, but I’m getting tired of you making her out to be a cold, conniving, calculating bitch without a soul. She is notus, Caleb!”

“Apparently, you’re not very good at listening either, are you?”

We both froze at the strained, velvety voice and turned slowly around. Her voice was deeper than usual, probably due to the water she’d inhaled. She was still so pale and she looked frail in her red dressing gown. She was leaning against the doorframe, clearly to help support herself.

She was furiously stubborn and endearingly strong.

“You should be in bed,” I snapped. Her lack of concern for her own well-being added some more fuel to my anger. “The doctor should be here any minute.”

Archibald turned to her, his face morphing instantly to concern and love. How nice was it to acknowledge how you felt? To not play games… He was admitting his weakness to me, but he couldn't care less… Maybe he’d accepted what I still refused to: that we shared the same weak point.

“You look like shit, sister of mine.” He chuckled, but his voice carried his relief.

She gave him a crooked smile. “Always so kind, brother.” She took a deep breath turning to me, looking at me seriously. “I didn’t try to kill myself, Caleb. You have to believe me.”

“I believe you!” Archibald offered as he moved closer to her, taking her arm.

She leaned on him, making me feel like a sick man for being jealous of the closeness she shared with her own brother.

“Esmeralda,” I sighed. I didn't even feel like fighting her anymore. “Just don’t.”

“No.” She stood straighter with her brother’s help. “I didn’t do that, Caleb. I remember more now and I only had the wine you left me.”

“You left her wine?” Archibald asked, judgment clear in his voice.

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