Page 17 of Best Kept Secret

I gave him a grateful half-smile.

"Why would your sister do that? That was a cruel thing to do," Donna snapped.

I felt smaller and smaller with every word. My chair felt too big, like I was sinking into it.

"My sister is dead, Mrs. Bodine." I set my napkin down and stood up, knowing I had to leave or I'd either start screaming or crying. "I can't ask her why she did what she did. She must've had her reasons. The truth is that I don't know Beau very well and neither did Asha."

"Then why are you still here? You could leave your niece and go?" Donna threw daggers at me. "You could—"

"Donna," Katya warned, "Us not knowing about Pari is not Mira's fault."

"She shows up now when she needs money," Donna hissed. "Not before, when she—"

"This is not about money." I interrupted her, feeling tears prick my eyes. "Beau, this is not about money. You understand that, don't you?"

At his name, Beau looked at me bewildered. "What's not about money?"

"Me coming here."

He frowned. "I don't understand."

"I came here wanting your help fighting for custody," I said desperately. Did they all think I was some kind of gold digger here to sell my niece for some money?

"And lawyers cost money," Donna pointed out.

"Mama," Beau's warning was more forceful than his brother's. "What the hell is goin' on here?"

"Bodaddy," Pari squealed as she held up a fork full of mashed potatoes. "I done it."

"You did, darlin'." Beau kissed his daughter's forehead, and I knew I'd lost her. What had I done bringing her here? These people were not like Beau. His family was like mine. Cruel. Judgmental.

But Beau…he was good, right? And they were only angry with me because I kept them away from Pari.

You were going to lose her anyway, either to Anil and Seema Sen or Beau. This is better. They all love her. They don't like you much. But they love her. This is the right thing to do for Pari, so pull up your big girl panties and stop whining.

"We were just sayin' that Mira only told you about Pari because she needs something," Donna accused.

"Mama, cut it out." Beau kept his voice level so Pari wouldn't think he was angry, but I could hear the edge in his tone. "Mira, I know why you're here, darlin', and I'm grateful that you're here. Pari is lucky,verylucky to have you as an aunt."

"Absolutely," Trevor added. "Mira, Pari is healthy and happy, and that's because of you."

"Why don't you sit down and finish dinner?" Nova suggested softly.

"Please, darlin'," Beau insisted.

I sat back down.

I had expected Beau to be difficult, but not his family. I hadn't expected them to look at me with such suspicion like I'd done them wrong.

Katya and Trevor smoothly changed the topic. I remained silent, pushing the food around on my plate. I knew I didn't belong here. This world of wealth and ease, of seamless transitions from one privilege to another—it wasn't mine. I wasn't polished like Katya or effortlessly elegant (or mean) like Donna. I was just…me. The girl who grew up in a house where the walls echoed with anger, abuse, and disappointment. The girl who learned early on that love was conditional and that no matter how hard you tried, it was never enough.

The truth was, I didn't know how to fight for Pari. I didn't know how to stand up to these people who had everything I didn't—stability, money, family, power. All I had was love for a little girl who wasn't even really mine. And that love was starting to feel like it wasn't enough.

I caught Beau's eye for a brief second, and he smiled reassuringly before he turned back to Pari, who was telling him about the flowers she saw in the garden. He had no idea how hard it was for me to sit here, feeling like I was on trial, knowing that, in their eyes, I was nothing more than an outsider. An interloper.

And maybe they were right.

I felt the knot in my stomach grow tighter, the sense of dread settling in deeper. They were all waiting for me to leave—expecting it, even. And part of me was starting to believe that maybe that was what I should do.

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