Page 34 of Bittersweet Legacy

“This will remain between us until the official announcement in the Times, is this alright?” my father asked, but his tone didn’t leave any place for argumentation.

“The New York Times?” I asked, horrified at the thought.

My father nodded. “This will be done the day of the party – Saturday, two weeks from now. Can you keep a secret until then?”

“No problem,” Caleb nodded.

William chuckled, “if the lovebirds can keep their hands off each other.”

“I’m sure we’ll be okay,” I scoffed.

William missed the sarcasm but not Caleb and my father based on their eerily similar glares.

I bit my lip and looked down. If I didn’t manage to control myself for just an hour what hope did I even have to make it out?

“Perfect,” Father clapped his hands together. “We can discuss more later. I have a phone meeting with Australia in a few minutes,” he said in an overly polite way to dismiss us.

I was engaged? Engaged to Caleb Astor? I wasn’t sure how things could get worse.

Chapter 9

I was walking down the corridor, head low, pretty much the picture of a prisoner walking down the green mile.

Two days ago, I thought I could run away after graduation and never look back – now I was engaged to someone whom I suspected was a sociopath.

Taylor had tried to warn me that once you were in there was no real way out, but now my evil father had threatened not only me but the people I cared about. I hadn’t told her about the engagement yet, I didn't even know how to. It was already too hard for me to acknowledge, saying it out loud would be admitting it was true.

I looked up as I stepped out of the school, expecting my brother’s Maserati to be gone but I gasped when my eyes locked with dark brown ones.

The dark hair, dark eyes, olive skin and easy smile… No, it couldn’t be true, it had to be a dream.

“Ben…” I whispered, taking a couple of steps down.

Ben Deluca was at the bottom of the stairs leaning against a stunning black bike. He was dressed in riding pants and a leather jacket, he looked even more intimidating and massive in these.

What could I even tell him? I was now dressed in that fancy uniform, with these fancy shoes, this fancy make-up. I wasn’t the Esme he once knew. I mean part of me still was, but I was still miles away from the girl he used to know. There was more and more Esmeralda in me than I cared to admit. I was Esmeralda Forbes and nothing could change that.

“Hi beautiful.” His grin widened, opening his arms in an invitation.

I let out a tearless sob and ran the remaining steps straight into his waiting embrace.

I sighed, closing my eyes, enjoying the familiarity. I knew I missed him; I knew I missed my old life but seeing him here… I realised I missed them even more than I thought. My heart ached in my chest.

Ben chuckled, squeezing me against him. “If I’d known you’d react like that I would have come earlier but since you didn’t even bother with a text for over two months.”

I pulled away to look at his face. “Ben, how do you – how did you- what is…Ah!”

He ran his hands up and down my arms soothingly. “Okay, I know. One question at the time. How did I know you were here?”

I nodded. “Yes, Yes. How did you know?”

“I went to see your father, Esme…. Or should I say uncle?”

I grimaced.

“I was worried out of my mind when I didn’t see you at school on the Monday, especially after what I witnessed.I managed to catch him before he moved out.”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

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