Chapter Seventy-seven Evan Sterling's POV (Present Time)

"When I left Charlestown, I went back home to Castle Ridge. My aunt left the property vacant for me. And all of my parents' things, although sorted, were still there. I … I was very um ... sad, and needed the connection I could find with my parents for strength. I started to go through my dad's and then my mum's things. I found a video and audio she recorded of some of her patients and I later discovered a pattern. She kept audio recordings of teenagers that ran away from home because their abusers were a parent or guardians. That was where I saw Mary Antoinette's video—" She paused, looking at me. I nodded, understanding the silent message. Mary Antoinette, although not poor or homeless used Estera’s mom’s clinic for anonymity to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy. A pregnancy if I was asked to bet must be for her father. Damn it! I should have seen it! The sighs were there. I have always thought she was too docile with him!
"Antony… Was it him?" I said aloud. Estera nodded.
"Shit!" Cole cursed.
"What?" Estera jerked a glance at him.
"The bastard told me to help with an extra bed in his daughter's room according to him he and his wife would take turns to stay with her. I told him we have nurses for that, but he insisted. He even tried to bribe me with a donation to the hospital. I thought that was extreme, but then I figured perhaps under that awful personality there might just be a caring father. He would be staying the night with his daughter and his wife would take over from him in the morning! And I agreed!"
"You don't think he is still … I mean, she is a grown woman!" Estera said with a widened gaze.
"I would not put it past him … " I mumbled and took out my phone.
"What are you doing?" Estera said in a panic.
"Well, since the two of you already know my supposed marriage with Mary Antoinette is a sham, you might as well find out the rest of it. I don’t touch her, and she frequents a particular private establishment every other day somewhere outside Charlestown. I have had her watched because Antony has a piece of damning evidence against Edward Sterling—and by watched … I mean recorded. I’m not proud of it, but it is what it is.”
"Christ! Evan, why are you sounding like this? This is your life! Your family!"
"Yes, Estera. It is my life, and forgive me for being detached emotionally, knowing I’m just a character in someone’s fucked up game! I just happen to find out a little too late—"
“Darling … ” Estera whispered, barely audible. And this time, unlike the time at the hospital, I could read her emotions clearly -- it was empathy for me, and it made my heart constrict.
"What evidence do they have against Edward Sterling," Foster asked and I levelled a cold gaze at him. I figured since Estera trusted the fucker and insisted on him being part of this, I have little choice but to let the two know.
"He was involved in money laundering amongst other things—” I said. Estera gasped. Foster sat down.
"My God!" Estera exclaimed.
"And since we are on the subject, you should know why I didn't come after you the first time you left … "
"Evan—" Estera said and I could see fear flash in her eyes.
"Edward showed me a video where you walked into his office, made sure I saw the part he handed over a package to you then skipped to when he bent you over his desk and fucked you,” I said. My voice was icy cold and I was certain my eyes shone with the same sentiment.
"WHAT?!" Both Foster and Estera exclaimed.
“Oh, my God!” Estera whispered in astonishment.
“I went looking for you at your aunt's chalet and found both of you gone. So, I went back and agreed to their terms, knowing very well I was married to you. I expected you to come back at some point to ask for a divorce, but you didn’t…"
"Baby—" Estera whispered and rushed to me. She cupped my jaw with tears streaming down her face and added, "So, when you saw me at Jacob’s party, you believed that I slept with your father?"
"Yes," I replied. She visibly shook.
"Evan … that was not me. I fought them and ran. I would have slit my own throat before I let him do that to me! That wasn’t me, Evan!”
"I know that now, love. My mother was big enough to let me know after I discovered … After I realized I was your first."
"Oh, God!" she whispered and pressed her face against my chest. I took a deep breath and wrapped my arms around her.
"She was the one who told Edward who you were. She put you in danger. I don’t think I can ever forgive the two of them—"
"I'm so sorry, baby. I misjudged you. I didn't know. I should have known they would have done something to keep you away from me—"
"Well, that shows you are far smarter than me."
"Does Mary Antoinette know?"
"She should. I don't know. But I made sure the business agreement between us stays that way -- a business. I have evidence of her being with another man. I never bothered to find out who. But I have people always watching her and Antony. Now I want to know who the man is."
"That is not all though—" Estera said, drawing back from me.
"Yes?” I urged, searching her gaze. She walked closer to Foster, who was now standing awkwardly at the side of the sofa.
"When my parents received my admission letters to about three universities, they videoed me coming home from school and made me stop on the front porch, making me guess the surprise news they had for me. I saw that video again and watched it. And right across our house was the man following Antony Dallas around the hospital today … "
"Gaius?" I said. She nodded.
"He told me the man was his bodyguard," Foster said.
"He is that, but more like his henchman—" I said frowning.
"Evan … a few days after that my parents were killed in an accident. A car the police assumed was driven by a drunk hit theirs and caused them to fall into a ditch on a mountain we call Tumbledown Peak. The road led from town to Snowspeal, where we live. It was not snowing nor was it a rainy season. My father was driving; he was one of the best drivers I know. He took that route almost every single day and more than once a day. That road had rail guards! The supposed drunk driver made certain they flew into that ditch. After watching that video and seeing that man lurking around our home, I doubt what happened to them was an accident, Evan—”
"Jesus!" Foster muttered. Funny enough, I felt completely calm. I wasn't even shocked. Because I knew Antony was capable of doing something like that especially if he was trying to bury a piece of evidence that would incriminate him in an act as damning as incest. And that line of thought made my heart lunge in the wall of my chest. Estera and my boys were in danger. I had to act fast.
"Foster, do you guys have a camera in the room Mary Antoinette is?"
"Yes, why?” he said as a frown furrowed his eyebrows, and then he exclaimed as if he had just had an epiphany, “Oh!"
He then deftly brought out his phone and walked to a corner of the room to make a call.
I dialed Dan's number and said, "Dan, yes, good evening. Remember the copies of the videos I gave you? Yes? I want you to bring them to me in New York. And Dan, you can’t tell anyone." When I ended the call I held Estera's gaze.
"If Antony was involved in your parents’ death, and was and is committing incest with his daughter, you just broke the shackles around my neck and now I will help you get justice for your parents."