Page 143 of Goldsin

“Or what?” I take a step forward, making sure she sees the barrel of the gun pointed right between her brows. “Now speak.”

I need to get as much information out of her as possible before I kill her.

“What do you want to know?”

“You said I helped you. How?” My finger twitches next to the trigger, ankle pulsing in pain with all the weight I’m putting on it. It’s not broken, but I’m pretty sure I sprained it when Adrian’s body fell on mine.

“I knew since the day you were born that you were going to be a pain in my ass. So I made you useful. I planted your mother’s diary so that Valentine would find it and give it to you. All at the right time.”

My mother’s diary?

I feel my legs shake.

“Was the diary fake?” I demand, desperation clawing at me.

She scoffs. “I don’t have that much free time to write a whole diary filled with such disturbing details.”

“Then why did you give it to me?”

I already know the answer. But I need to hear it from her.

“Because I knew you were going to kill them.” She stands. “I needed those powerful people out of the way so they wouldn’t challenge Julian for the position.”

Disgust filters in, flipping my stomach.

You were going to kill each one of them either way. They deserved it, I tell myself.

The blood on my hands suddenly feels thicker than ever before. I was a key player in her scheme.

She made me her queen.

“You manipulated me into killing people for your own selfish reasons?” I spit at her, anger vibrating my whole body. “Is that all you have to say?”

“Selfish?” Her voice is shrill, piercing my ears. “Everything I’ve done has been to ensure my son’s future as the leader of this family.”

“What about Adrian!” My voice breaks as I scream. “Did he mean nothing to you?”

“Adrian was a necessary sacrifice.” She talks about him like he’s nothing but a recent acquaintance. “Julian is the one I chose to lead our family. I made sure of that.”

“How could you kill your own son?” I seethe.

She doesn’t lower her gaze. Doesn’t even feel the need to look at her son’s body lying there.

She tilts her head, considering my question, as my stomach turns over. “I simply love Julian enough to keep him alive.”

Her words petrify my insides.

How can she say something like that? What kind of mother is she?

“Julian will never forgive you for this.” My voicetrembles with rage—with sadness for the neglected boy lying on the floor.

When Julian finds out about this, he won’t be able to look at his mother the same way again. It’ll ruin the memory he has of her, but fuck if I care. She deserves far worse than this.

“Perhaps not.” She stands and takes a step toward me, and I steady my grip. “But sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good.” Her gaze is unwavering, blue eyes staring deep into my soul.

Julian’s same eyes.

“You’re a monster,” I seethe, eyes filling with unshed tears.

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