Page 65 of Bittersweet Revenge

“You’re just a boy, Archibald Forbes. You’ve got much less power than you seem to think.”

Archie leaned toward her, molten anger vibrating off of him. “And I think you’re underestimating me greatly,” he replied darkly.

She scoffed. “I hope you’re right, but I think you’re both overestimating your odds here. This will be your downfall. You are biting off far more than you can chew. Mark my words. The best thing you can do is make yourself inconsequential like I did.”

“That is not in my nature.” He grabbed my hand. “Not in our nature.”

She shrugged. “I hope for Esmeralda’s sake that you’re right.”

“So what happened next?” I asked her. We didn't have all day and I didn't think that Archie asserting his power on the librarian would be productive in any way.

“I went to school. I was in the middle of my second year when I was called back. I thought it was to make the engagement official, but that wasn’t the case. Your father had a huge party where he announced his engagement to your mother.”

“And you felt betrayed and cheated,” Archie offered.

I gave him a side look. God, he was so obvious. I really regretted not bringing Caleb. He was much more calculating.

She started to laugh. “Cheated? Lord no! I was so happy, I could’ve cried! I mean, I felt bad for your mother. I really did. She didn’t know what she was stepping into and I didn’t warn her.” She looked down at her hands resting flat on the table. “You see, I was just too happy to be free. I would have never been allowed to step away. As backward as it seemed, he was the only one able to grant me my freedom.”

Her words took me back to the cemetery when Caleb, as drunk as he’d been, had told me he was giving me my freedom back. Was that what he had meant?

“My father wanted me to go after your father and ask for compensation or force him into marriage, especially since…” She blushed, looking away. I knew what she didn’t say though. My father had taken her innocence. “But I refused and my father disowned me.” She took a deep breath. “I took this chance and went away, changed my name, and started afresh.”

“If you wanted to start afresh, why did you come back?” Archie asked, crossing his arms on his chest. That was a fair question.

She nodded. “I know it’s strange, but it’s my home. Once my father moved, I wanted to come back. As you both know, Brentwood pays extremely well. I’m making more here in a quarter than I'd make in a full school year anywhere else.” She shrugged. “I didn't care about William and his wife. He owed me and I wanted the job.”

“What about my mom?”

She turned to me, her face softening. “I was not lying when I said I didn't know your mom. I moved here only a few months before her accident.”

I threw a quick side glance at Archie. Accident? Right.

“She came to see me once here. She had told me she was aware about the engagement and that she was sorry. She’d looked so tired and weary. I told her I was sorry about not warning her. She was so nice, saying it didn’t matter, that everything would be okay very soon.”

“Why not tell me that last time?”

She shook her head. “Because it’s a part of my life that I’d rather forget and because it has nothing to do with you. It was a long time before you, Esmeralda. Why bring back a past that has no reason for being?”

I was about to comment that it was a question of trust, when the main door opened to reveal the janitor.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” He looked at the three of us. “Is everything okay in here? The school closed over thirty minutes ago.”

I looked at my watch, surprised by how quickly time had gone and shocked that Caleb hadn’t tried to come in all guns blazing.

“It’s okay, Javier. We’re done anyway.” Ms. White smiled at him before turning to me. “Are we good?”

“For now.” Archie stood up and walked out without a look back.

I wasn't sure why he was so upset. It was not like he didn't know what a prick our father really was. I didn't expect it to come as a shock.

I was about to leave when Ms. White caught my wrist. “I don't know what you are looking for, but stop now. Give up.” The urgency of her tone made my heart race.

“Why?”

“Because you don't know what or who you’re messing with. I would be sad to see something happen to you and it will… If you continue down this path, it will.”

My heart started to hammer in my chest. Something was already happening to me. The failed attempt on my life last month was proof enough.

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