Page 96 of Silent Oaths
“It’sbeen over six months,” she says coolly. “Andnow, suddenly, you all decide to drop by.Witha guest, no less.”
Hergaze slides toIsabeland lingers.Notlong enough to be rude, but long enough to be noticed.
“Whynow?”
Thequestion hangs in the air, and none of us answer.Notyet.
Wedidn’t come here for pleasantries.
Wecame for the truth.
34
THEODORE
Myjaw is tight.Ithas been since the moment we stepped foot inHollowPine.
Thisplace looks like a postcard, but it smells like secrets.
Andmy mother’s smile?Stillas sharp as the day she adopted us.
Shesits there in her ivory blouse and pearls, legs crossed, posture flawless, pretending this is a polite family visit and not an interrogation waiting to happen.
I’mdone pretending.
Istudy her for a beat longer, watching the way her fingers rest so delicately over her knee, not a single tremble or twitch to betray her.Shehas always been the master of composure.
ButIknow what’s behind that mask.
“Youhaven’t said a word about him,”Isay, keeping my voice even. “Lionel.”
Herexpression doesn’t falter, but there’s a flash in her eyes. “Yourfather,” she says, as if she needs to remind us who he was. “It’sbeen... difficult.”
Ialmost laugh.
Difficultfor whom?
Hergaze drifts to the window like she’s searching for the right performance to give us, but she doesn’t find it fast enough.
“Idon’t buy it,”Itell her, leaning forward, elbows on my knees. “Youdidn’t care about him when he was alive.Whystart now?”
Thatgets her.Ashadow crosses her face—it’s brief, but it’s there.
Julianshifts slightly beside me, andMaxwell, arms crossed, stares like he’s waiting for the show to finally start.
“LionelWhitmore,”Icontinue, “was manipulative, power-hungry, and cruel.Youknew it.Youwerein it.Sodon’t sit there and feed us some sanctimonious sob story like you’re the grieving widow.”
Herlips press together in a fine line.Notears.Nodenial.Justthat eerie silence she has always used to stay in control.
I’mnot letting her steer this anymore.
“Youknew exactly who he was,”Isay, quieter now. “Andwe know whoyouare.”
Sheblinks once, and her jaw shifts.
“You’reaSotelo, a bloodline everyone thought vanished.Butyou didn’t disappear, did you?Youjust changed your name and watched the rest of us drown in the legacy you tried to bury,”Icontinue.
Thetemperature in the room drops.
