Page 96 of Lie With Me

And cry.

And cry.

My heart beats wildly, thumping harshly against my rib cage as footsteps thunder throughout the trailer, jolting me awake.

I hadn’t meant to fall asleep.

They found me.

Scrambling from the bed, I nearly make it to thecloset when the door crashes inward, and a nasally man cries, “Valentina! Look who decided to come home finally.”

I don’t even see who it is before a searing pain slams into my face, and my world goes black.

Margo

“Darling, please tell me you slept last night?” Weylan asks through a yawn as he enters the solarium with two steaming cups of coffee.

“When we got married, I promised never to lie to you, my love.” Taking my cup from him, I angle my head when he bends to kiss my cheek. “I can’t get over how upset Tripp was when he left yesterday. Have I finally gone and pushed him away for good?”

“Well, let’s just hope Valentina hasn’t told him exactly what you said to her. Because if she makes it sound even half as bad as you did when you told me, I wouldn’t want to speak with you either. And I say that with love,” he quips as he sits in his chair across from mine.

“Yes, well. Neither of them are answering my calls. Tripp keeps forwarding me to voicemail, and Valentina’s phone goes straight through.” It’s beginningto unnerve me. My son and I have never fought for this long.

When he revealed Valentina’s past to us yesterday, I took that, along with the information she gave me, and told my private investigator to find me everything he could as soon as possible. My need toknowthings may annoy some people, but perhaps this could have all been avoided if I’d had all the facts in the first place.

“I know that look. What are you brewing up in that mind of yours?” my husband asks as he flips open the newspaper.

“Just thinking about how awful I feel. Really, Weylan, I do. I was too harsh on her. It was a lot to take in, and I should have waited to speak with her. Regardless, I don’t know if I can get over her profession.” Sunlight streams in through the windows. While I usually enjoy it, today, it—paired with my lack of sleep—is giving me a migraine.

“It isn’t up to us, Margo.” Weylan sets his paper down and looks at me sternly. “It’s Tripp's decision, and he’s made it. You heard what he said. She hasn’t been with anyone since him. He’s the happiest I’ve seen him since…ever! He was never as happy with Emily as he is when he’s with Valentina. Don’t make him choose between you two. Something tells me you’ll get your heart broken if you do.”

Valentina’s words from yesterday come back to me. Is that what I’ve reduced myself to? The dragon in a fairytale who goes around making everyone’s life miserable?

“My mother didn’t like you very much when she first met you. Remember that?” He picks up his paper and resumes browsing the finance pages just like he’s done every Sunday since we first got together.

“Your mother was a cow,” I groan.

Weylan flips a corner of the paper down to reveal a raised eyebrow. “You weren’t a ray of sunshine toward her either,” he deadpans before flipping the corner back up.

“How can you be so…soblaséabout this situation?” I set my coffee down on the serving tray between us and get up to pace the room. Pacing helps me sort my feelings. I can feel myself getting worked up again, my heart racing at an achingly fast rate.

He sighs, tossing his paper in my chair. “Margo, my darling. You’re getting yourself worked up over nothing. It’s really very simple. I love our son.” He spreads his arms out and shrugs. “That’s it. End of discussion. Am I happy that he fell in love with a prostitute? Not at all. But does Valentina seem like the type of woman who is trying to take him for his money? No! She’s a polite, smart young lady.”

“We don’t even know if that’s who she really is,” I argue. “They did such a great job at lying. What if it wasalla lie? What if we don’t really know her at all?”

“I trust Tripp’s judgment of character.”

“After Emily, I’m not so sureIdo.”

Weylan stands and pulls me into his arms. “He’san adult. We have to respect his decisions. We don’t have to like them. But we have to respect them. And you loved her, Margo, you really did. Stop trying to convince yourself you didn’t. She’s like the daughter we never had. I saw how much of a connection you two made. If everything Tripp said is true, can you imagine how yesterday must have made her feel?”

“Yes, Icanimagine it. Because it’s been all I’ve been able to think about. While I may not like the idea of our son with a woman who sells herself for money, what that poor girl had to endure is heartbreaking. It explains why she was hesitant to open up to me and why she was so quick to guard herself in my presence. She’s never had a mother figure to rely on. I’m torn, Weylan, I really am. I’m angry with her. With Tripp. And myself for everything I said to her yesterday. I don’t know what to do with it all.” Heavy tears fill my eyes as my husband hugs me tighter.

“My love, I have never known younotto do the right thing. You’ll figure out what that is. Tripp knows you love him and that you mean well. I think it’s best if you just give him a little time to figure things out. His priority right now is going to be Valentina.”

Loud buzzing fills the air as my phone begins to vibrate on the serving tray. I nearly shove Weylan away to rush to it, hoping it’s Tripp. Instead, my PI’s number flashes across the screen. “Yes? Do you have what I asked for?”

A man I only know as Dodger clears his throat. “Yes, ma’am. I’m scanning everything to your email now. Your information checks out. Valentina Renton grew up near Chester, Pennsylvania—just her and her mom, Lucille. Mom was addicted to drugs. Sold herself, and when Valentina was old enough, she started selling her too. A death certificate for her mother just hit the records yesterday. Paperwork to cremate was filed this morning, which means your girl is back there now. As for the other stuff from when she was younger, well, it’s some real nasty shit here, ma’am.Mystomach churned reading it. This stuff is way worse than anything you’ve had me dig up before.”

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