Page 5 of Secret Cinderella
Antonio widened his legs, his hands clasped between his knees. “Look, every half-sibling or full-sibling we have hates our father, except me. You’ll find much in common with the others.”
That was different. Jack’s eyebrow rose. “Except you?”
Antonio gazed around the well-used furniture of the room and walls with chips in the paint when he said, “I think in some ways our father was brilliant.”
Brilliant wasn’t a word he’d use to describe a man who never stayed long and never checked on any of them once Mom had ended their relationship.
Money wasn’t the way to get what he wanted anyhow, which was Charlotte. He went to get up as he said, “Well, I have to go.”
His mother held his hand and stopped him cold when she said, “Your siblings all want their inheritance and the rest of the Morgans are flying to Pittsburgh this weekend to meet us in a party atmosphere.”
The estate at the top of the hill. This was too much. He squared his shoulders and said to his half-brother, who looked nothing like him, “Our father used to throw fancy parties. We all remember them and I was only six.”
Technically that might not be true. Max and Lucy were both younger than him, but Antonio didn’t need to know all the details.
Antonio lowered his head. “Your sister Lucy escaped a hard life because your mother took off with the five of you.”
He turned toward his mother. “I remember my father leaving.”
Her face was taut and her freckles were vibrant, as usual, but she gave a curt nod and said, “You were six. Antonio’s right. I made the choice.”
So maybe the mind of a child wasn’t perfect, but he clearly remembered the door slamming and being driven to the two-story, three-bedroom house they were sitting in now.
Antonio sipped water from a Steelers mug. “Your half-sister Victoria had herbambinastolen from her. Your half-sister Elizabeth grew up in an all-girl school, never seeing her family. Your half-sister Catherine was given away for adoption and Aurelia, mysorellina, was kidnapped off the bus. We found out years later she too was given up for adoption.”
All those names sounded familiar but he heardhissister laughing on the deck, safe and sound. “That sucks.”
His mother was stoic, like a soldier, when she said, “And why I left your father, Jack. I wanted to keep Lucy safe, more than stay with your father who I knew never loved me. I remember hearing about Fiona and her daughter… I couldn’t let that happen to my baby girl.”
Seriously, how had his father gotten presidents to attend his funeral? He should be rotting. His mother running to protect her baby was unimaginable. He put his hands on his knees. “Good.”
Antonio, with his rich Italian accent, said, “Every Morgan half-sibling we have will be here this Friday night. The money you inherited will be in your account by the end of the week. We find that sticking together keeps us all safe.”
Together was an O’Conner thing too, as he’d never gone a day without seeing his siblings. “But I finish college next year. I don’t want the money.”
His mother squeezed his hand and he dutifully followed her back to the kitchen, leaving As Jack stayed with his mom, Antonio told the rest of the family, “Look, don’t live in debt. And don’t judge your half-siblings on the memory of your father. My sister Aurelia worked in a department store for a while before she bought the chain.”
The people who garnered too many mentions in podcasts or fashion nonsense his sister paid attention to… they were his half-blooded relatives. His mind, as usual, went to Charlotte. He’d never win her with money.
Finishing school and having her with him had been his goals for years. He shook his head. “I don’t want to do this.”
Antonio walked in with the blue mug and left it on the counter next to the fresh pizzas. He nodded like he’d go and said, “Well, I hope we meet again on Friday.”
His mother waved goodbye. Jack kept his silence as Antonio walked past the Irish blessing about the road meeting him that hung near the door and headed out.
The Aston Martin purred and the rest of his family outside quieted down, listening to the car drive off.
His mother took the mug off the counter and placed it in the sink as the backdoor opened. Max called out, “Jack!”
Lucy waved for him to join them outside as she said, “You’re the last home.”
He grabbed a paper plate and served himself three slices of hot pepperoni. He stepped out onto the deck. Green leaves rustled from the blowing wind as he said, “I didn’t know there was a family meeting. I wouldn’t have stopped for pizza.”
“Mom thought she’d do better talking to us in person.” William, his older brother, made a face like he’d just seen an angel. “Did you bring any home?”
The smell of the warm, cheesy pizza somehow made today real as the news seemed like some fantasy. He pointed to their mother who was making plates for the rest of them. “Yeah, there are more boxes in the kitchen.”
They all filed toward the table and chairs with their plates. Max said, “Better to have this talk over dinner.”
