Chapter 8

Cristo and I were now a few hours away from New York on the road. The car was parked beside a familiar house in the early morning. The frost from the night drive turned into dew against the warmth of the slowly rising sun that was just peeking from behind the clouds.
I didn’t want to leave the warmth of Cristo’s hand in mine. My mother’s house would always tug at a cold spot in my heart, and even the summers couldn’t soothe it. There was no comfort there. NOo love, no joy, and certainly no redemption.
Second thoughts. Why was I taking on the burden of making things right? Why did she never try?
Of course, she would never acknowledge her own wrong-doings. What parent ever did? I wasn’t sure if it would matter, me going in there and trying to fix things to be amicable. I knew my mother would manipulate her way into my life one way or another.
She was the kind of person I wouldn’t want around my own child. Certainly not the kid I would’ve had if Mark and his mother hadn’t killed them.
“Lilith,” Cristo called to me softly. I would loko at him if I could just stop staring at my mother in the window of her kitchen. She looked fine, cooking away sleepily. Why was she up so early in the morning? Did it even matt–
Oh…
“I didn’t think she could land a boyfriend,” I grunted. “He’s either a saint or just as terrible as he is.”
I watched the unfamiliar man hold my mother from behind and kiss the back of her head while she cooked. She smiled and turned her neck to kiss his jaw, returning back to cooking as he let go to help her out. I felt gutted and angry. She was the last person to deserve a love like that after cheating. She didn’t deserve children, especially me.
She didn’t deserve amicable endings.
“Take me home, Cristo,” I sighed.
He only nodded and turned the car around.
 
The moment we reached his apartment building, something felt extremely off. I couldn’t tell what the nagging feeling meant, but I was too emotionally exhausted to try and decipher him. I looked at Cristo to see if he seemed as perturbed as I was.
He looked at me, seeming worried.
“Does something feel weird to you?” he asked. I nodded and looked up towards his penthouse. There was only one way to find out, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for it.
We headed inside the building. Cristo paced anxiously within the elevator, waiting for it to open up to his lobby. It felt like forever when we finally reached the top.
The doors opened up to…people. A lot of people. I froze behind Cristo as he stepped out with a hard look on his face. I could feel the hair on my body stand on their ends, my fight and flight response kicking in. I saw Jenna and her brothers towards the back, the three of them looking worried. There were other kids there, too. Cristo’s aunts and uncles, his parents. And his grandparents.
Selene stood there looking distraught. John looked like he was going to give out any moment. It was obvious he wasn’t going to last very long. I knew how badly Cristo wanted to go to John and hold him, but it couldn’t be done with how everyone sat and stood around waiting for him.
How did they know he would be there?
I got my answer soon when I saw Blair trying to hide behind a pillar. Stalkerish as usual, and I knew she must’ve set this all up. I still couldn’t understand what was going on, though.
“Lilith, you should go,” he whispered.
“No,” I said firmly. “I’m staying with you.”
“You don’t need this.”
“I want to be with you through this,” I hissed. His hand reached back to grab mine, giving it a squeeze.
“Thank you,” he whispered, and we walked out of the elevator towards his family.
Cristo’s grandfather, Johanne Caron, was like any old man, except that he’d taken care good of himself. It was obvious where Cristo got most of his genes from. Despite having his mothers skin and nose, he had his grandfather’s piercing silver eyes that would still you on the spot.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Crisot demanded. “You weren’t supposed to know I live here.”
“How we found out doesn’t matter,” his grandfather replied sternly from the leather couch. He sat back casually with his ankle resting on his knee as his grandmother, Melissa, sat next to him, elegant, fragile, and cold in the eyes. He had thrown his arm on the backrest behind her with his hand on her clasped ones in her lap. They looked like the perfect couple, but if you looked closely beyond the exterior, there was much more. These were friends with a common scheme. Only god knew if there was any real love between them, but they both loved money and that was good enough.
It must be nice to have a relationship where nothing else between them mattered. They just wanted money. I bet the two didn’t even care if the other cheated.
“Cristo, you’re aware your father doesn’t have much time,” Johanne Caron started, sounding sorry. But it was laced with sarcasm and mockery. “You ought to be spending more time with him.”
“Text my lawyer,” he said softly with his lips barely moving. He handed me his phone and stepped forward towards them, shielding me behind his back. “I didn’t think you had enough heart to be concerned for us, Johanne.”
“You call him Sir Caron, young man,” Melissa snapped.
Cristo almost growled, “You’re lucky I even acknowledge his presence, Melissa. Now explain why you’re here.”
The grandparents exchanged knowing looks before Melissa picked up a black file lying down next to her, emblazoned with a glimmering red CONFIDENTIAL in the center. She opened it up to a stark white sheet of paper clipped to it, holding it out for Cristo to read. Walking forward carefully, Cristo took the file from them and read its contents. I couldn’t look at his face to see what was going on, but I’d texted his lawyer who was just a few minutes away.
“I’m not sure why you think this can happen,” Cristo announced. “I already have someone to challenge this contract.”
“So you’ve accessed it, I see?” Melissa snarled and turned to John. “You’re aware this holds a penalty, right?”
“It doesn’t,” Cristo shot back confidently. “You didn’t mention anyone but my father in the non-disclosure agreement. There were other witnesses present.”
“Those witnesses will be of no use to you,” Johanne laughed. “They’re all bound by contracts to me themselves. The security your mother had with that day had to sign one before walking in.”
“Except that one of them died of natural causes, and the other is legally illegible for such contracts to be applied to,” Cristo informed them. “We have statements from both of them confirming this contract being signed under duress.”
“Impossible,” Johanne snapped.
Cristo shrugged, “It’s not, really. Most of the security companies of the elite send guards with pseudonyms. You didn’t mean to overlook that, did you?”
I could see the man’s hand visibly turn white on the couch as he gripped the leather. Melissa didn’t seem off her guard, but there was some hesitancy in her eyes.
“It’s their word agianst my contract,” Johanne chuckled. “It’s nothing worth investigating. You know I will have my way no matter what.”
“You’d be surprised,” Cristo grunted warningly.
“Try all you want,” Johanne warned, “but I’m your only way out of this contract. I’ve come to offer a deal.”
I could see Cristo’s shoulders tense, but I knew this was just another trick of Johanne. I could only hope Cristo wouldn’t fall for it.
“Go on,” Cristo prompted with a cross of his arms. “I’ll listen.”
“Blair Halls?” Melissa called out. “Please come out here.”
Blair finally stepped out of the shadows. She looked good as always, but she didn’t seem too thrilled to be there. In fact, she looked guilty and almost scared. What was going on?
“I know your mother has been trying to find a way to ensure there was money coming in from somewhere at all times,” Melissa said with fake concern. “She made a smart decision when considering Blair, although I’m not sure what prompted her to swing towards Suzan in the process.”
“Probably that she didn’t cause any drama,” Cristo said seethingly. I could tell her was glaring at Blair with venom in his eyes.
Melissa tutted, “And then you go around with your own matchmaker. It’s scandalous enough to cause more damage than what Blair’s already tried.”
“You have no business in any aspect of my life,” he said firmly. “It was clear enough until today that you wanted nothing to do with me and my mother. Why would you want anything different now?”
“Profits, my boy,” Johanne announced as the elevator opened up slowly behind me. “It’s all about profits.”
“And what is this deal you’re proposing?” Cristo demanded, although I was sure all of us already knew. “Get it over with and leave this place.”
“Marry her,” Melissa smiled and gestured to Blair. “You will marry her to help us fulfill an obligation to the Halls family. Once that’s done, we nullify the contract.”
“I’m not sure I’m convinced,” Cristo said. “There’s ought to be a catch.”
“No catch,” Johanne promised. “The rest will be between us and Blair’s family, but only if you accept this right now.”
“I’m sorry, Johanne Caron,” the lawyer finally walked out and towards Cristo. He put a hand on my elbow to bring me forward, urging me to stand beside Cristo. “I’ll have to stop you right there, you’re under no obligation to proceed with this contract as I’ve witnessed duress. I’m Bryce Williams and I’m Cristo’s lawyer on this case.”
“Your people have no power in my world, boy,” Johanne snarled. “Whatever I put into effect can never be undone. I’ve seen to it.”
“Times have changed,” he replied curtly. “With due evidence present, you’re not continuing with any agenda of yours without a court battle.”
“A few witness statements aren’t enough to validate anything.”
I glanced at Bryce’s confused face as he watched the couple silently. And then he spoke, “There is a video, Johanne Caron.”
Johanne and Melissa went white in the face and I knew that we were a step closer to winning this battle against them. Of course, I knew they would still put up a huge fight to keep themselves intact, but this would be a huge blow to their image which was something they couldn’t afford.
“I’ve brought security with me to help you all out of here,” Bryce announced. “Johanne, Melissa, you’ll be questioned further for trespassing and forcibly entering Cristo’s private property decides to press charges. The reception has evidence of you threatening them for access.”
A group of men dressed in security uniform suddenly marched out from the elevator behind us. I froze in shock as they surrounded us and rounded up Cristo’s families to escort them out. There was a lot of protest and telling, demands to not be touched and hands put in the air in surrender. The commotion was astounding and Cristo grabbed ahold of my arm and dragged me away from them immediately and towards his bedroom.
He closed the door behind us after Bryce followed us in, and the men fell into a quick discussion. They were speaking too hurriedly for me to make sense at all, but I caught something about leaving his aunts and uncles out of the mess.
“That’s not possible, they have their own contracts signed by him,” Bryce explained. “Your case being investigated will lead to their cases being looked into by default.”
“But do they have to be detained?”
“I know they were forced to tresspass but I don’t think you’ll receive information to further your case in any other way,” Bryce persisted. “We have video evidence but Johanne has money. Old money.”
“Does he really have that much power?”
“Against you alone? Probably. But if we can convince your family to participate and free themselves from his hold, a lot more people will be saved.”
“I can’t guarantee that it’s a risk they’re willing to take.”
“It’s why lawyers like us exist, Cristo.” Bryce patted him on the arm. “Have some faith in us.”
Cristo nodded. Just then there came a knock at the door, and we opened it to an officer who gave Cristo a knowing look. “We’ve detained most of them,” he said. “Sadly, your grandparents got away. It seems that the rest of your family intends to protect them.”
With a sigh, Cristo nodded and looked at Bryce with a sad look that only broke my heart, “I see what you mean now. Do what you have to.”
“You’ll be out of this stupid contract in no time,” Bryce assured him and turned to look at me. “You take care of him, yeah?” Nodding a farewell to the officer, he walked out the door. The officer squinted at me, a little confused.
“You’re familiar,” he stated. “Have I seen you somewhere before?”
“Stalker case. Marcus?” Cristo said.
“Ah,” he nodded. “I remember that. Still detained with more cases of restraint orders on him.”
“Jesus…” I breathed. What was with me getting caught up with psychopaths? But looking at Cristo and how he’d managed to stand up for me and himself, I didn’t feel too worried anymore. He looked exhausted, but I felt so much pride surge up in my chest as I watched him converse with the officer about the next steps to take.
It took a good fifteen minutes before Cristo and I were finally left alone. The silence around us was astoundingly loud, and the house just felt so large and empty. It was then did Cristo realize that there wasn’t much of a family he had outside of his father, and maybe Jenna and her siblings.
There was just so much controlled by money, but Cristo wasn’t one of those things. That mattered a lot to me.
We went outside to sit on the couch where his grandparents previously were, their warmth long disiipated off the surface of the seats. There were no traces of anyone’s presence in the apartment. I was half-expecting Blair to pop out of hiding once more, but I was sure she had been whisked away into detainment, too. I wondered if Cristo would let me have my revenge with her for all the hell she put me through.
“The day’s not even close to ending,” he sighed, “but I already feel exhausted.”
“I don’t blame you,” I patted his thigh. “But…I think it’s good that this whole ordeal is out of the way now. The worst of it is over.”
“I can’t believe they tried to force me to marry Blair,” he groaned, head falling into his hands. “I’m tired of this life, Lilith. I can’t stand being around such people and doing business with them. Everyone knows everybody and it’s toxic. No meaningful relationships, no appreciation for art, nothing. It’s all so superficial and…I just can’t breathe here.”
I grabbed his hand in mine and turned his face towards me, looking at him with determination. “You know…” I suggested carefully, “we could get away for a bit. Just a bit. Make some connections outside of this place and find better people to work with and be around. I know I’m enjoying the process of it with the matchmaking club and all.”
Cristo smiled at me, “I had fun doing that too in the initial days of my start-up. I’m still in touch with most of those people.”
“Then what are you waiting for?” I pressed on. “You have your whole life ahead of you, Cristo. Don’t let this hold you back.”
His eyes gleamed at me hopefully until the light suddenly dimmed. “My dad,” he sighed and turned away from me. “I couldn’t even hug him. He looked awful.”
I nodded, “You have to be with him, Cristo. But I’m sure he appreciates you taking the stand that you did today.”
“He must be tired, still.”
“You should go to him.”
“I shouldn’t.”
“You don’t get to decide that,” I scolded. “He loves you, Cristo. He cares about you right now, more than he cares about his own wife. Go to him.”
His hand squeezed mine as he looked at our intertwined fingers, “Will you come with me, then? I want them see who I truly care about.”
My heart jumped in my chest at his words, realizing he really was serious about me. Deep down, I knew I wanted him just as much even if it took a little time to feel comfortable with it. I leaned over to press a quick, soft peck to him cheek, smiling at him as he turned to look at me.
“I’ll go wherever you go,” I whispered.