My adoptive parents had been called as well.
Seeing them made my chest tighten more than seeing Riley had.
My mother stood immediately.
“Tessa.”
She looked at my cheek and covered her mouth.
“What happened?”
Riley answered first.
“She is exaggerating.”
Mason’s attorney placed a hand on the table.
“We have video.”
Riley went silent.
My father looked at her.
“You hit her?”
“She stole a necklace.”
Eleanor leaned back in her chair.
“No.
She wore a necklace I gave her.”
My mother turned toward me.
“Why would Eleanor Cross give you—”
Her eyes moved to Mason.
Then to my belly.
Then back to me.
I watched understanding arrive piece by piece.
“You married him.”
“Yes.”
My father stood so abruptly his chair scraped backward.
“You actually went through with it?”
I almost laughed.
“You asked me to.”
“That was before—”
“Before what?”
He stopped.
Before they expected me to survive, perhaps.
Before the unwanted adopted daughter returned wearing a family heirloom and carrying the Cross heirs.
Riley pushed away from the table.
“This is exactly what she wanted.
She manipulated all of you.”
I stared at her.
“You sent me.”
“I didn’t force you.”
“You stood in Dad’s study and said, ‘Send Tessa.
She isn’t really ours anyway.’”
My mother started crying.
Riley rolled her eyes.
“Oh, please.
Everyone was upset.”
“No,” I said.
“You were relieved.”
Mason’s voice cut across the room.
“Why?”
Riley looked at him.
“Why what?”
“Why were you relieved?”
She gave a short, incredulous laugh.
“Because I didn’t want to marry a stranger.”
“Neither did Tessa.”
