Chapter 42: The Duty Of The Heir (Book 3): Chapter 42

Knoxville

Sitting across from Mariah at a small restaurant, my heart feels heavy with the recent turn of events. I can barely focus on my meal, the sense of loss too overwhelming.

‘Do you think he might come back to the plan? Is that possible?’ I ask her, my voice laden with sadness.

Mariah looks at me, her expression one of uncertainty. ‘I don’t know, Simone. Anything’s possible.’

I put my hands to my cheeks, feeling the weight of what I’ve lost. ‘I can’t believe it’s all over. It feels like a dream.’

Mariah tries to comfort me, but her words don’t quite reach me. ‘It’s going to be okay.’

‘They promised me so much, Mariah. A house, a luxury car… and now it’s all gone,’ I lament, feeling the sting of what could have been.

‘It might not be completely over,’ she says, trying to offer a glimmer of hope.

‘Do you really think he might call and change his mind?’ I ask, clinging to that hope.

She nods, but cautiously. ‘Maybe. It might not be right away.’

I’m desperate for reassurance. ‘Are you sure? I’m just so devastated. How did everything fall apart?’

Mariah’s face becomes more serious. ‘His grand aunt is flying to Wesbury this week. She has a way of fixing things.’

I feel tears well up. ‘But he thinks Aisling knows about us. He’s always been clear about not wanting to hurt his wife.’

Mariah is firm in her belief. ‘That old lady can work miracles, trust me.’

I try to find some solace in her words. ‘I’m praying that’s true.’

Mariah adds, ‘Maybe he’s overthinking it. It might not even be about what he thinks.’

‘I’ve tried telling him that,’ I say, feeling a bit of frustration. ‘But he doesn’t believe it could be something else.’

Then Mariah shares something else. ‘Did you know Aisling sent Ms. Anne devil-shaped cookies with a thank you note?’

I’m taken aback, the news adding another layer of complexity to an already complicated situation.

My eyebrows shoot up, the sudden twist in our conversation momentarily pushing away my tears. ‘Why would she do that?’ I ask, baffled.

Mariah gives a slow nod, her face serious. ‘She must know something. Duke might be right.’

My heart starts racing. ‘Does that mean she knows about me?’ The thought sends a shiver down my spine.

‘It’s possible,’ Mariah says, her tone grave.

I find myself glancing nervously out the window, paranoia setting in. The idea of Aisling knowing and possibly watching is unnerving.

Mariah notices and teases, ‘What, do you think she’s out there, spying on you?’

‘Maybe, Mariah.’ I half-joke, half-serious.

She laughs, but I’m not entirely convinced it’s funny. ‘She might start looking for me, Mariah. To shut me down.’

‘You might be right,’ she concedes, her laughter fading.

Panic sets in. ‘I should deactivate all my social media.’

Mariah is more practical. ‘Just tighten your privacy settings. She won’t be able to find you.’

I let out a heavy sigh, my mind racing. ‘But if Aisling really knows, who could have told her?’

‘We need to figure that out,’ Mariah agrees, her expression thoughtful.

‘Is it about the IVF, or is it me she knows about?’ My anxiety is building, each possibility worse than the last.

‘I wish I knew,’ Mariah says.

‘Could someone from the hospital have leaked it?’ I ask, trying to piece together the puzzle.

‘It’s a possibility,’ Mariah muses.

‘But who?’ I press, needing answers.

‘We need to look into it,’ she advises.

I shake my head, thinking about the nurses we work with. ‘They’re professionals. I can’t see them doing something like this.’

Mariah nods in agreement. ‘For now, they’re just suspects.’

‘What about Leonard? He’s close enough to Duke, and knows enough to piece things together. And let’s face it, everyone has their price.’

Mariah appears taken aback. ‘Leonard? But he’s been loyal to Duke’s family for years.’

‘Exactly,’ I reply, voice laced with bitterness. ‘To Duke’s family. Maybe not so much to Duke.’

Our eyes lock, and in that unspoken moment, the weight of our shared secret, and the potential fallout, becomes all too real.