Page 56 of Bittersweet Legacy

She shrugged, sitting down beside me, mirroring my position. “Don't get me wrong, I love having you here, I love having a friend who is real, but if you hate it so much why are you staying? You’re 18 and it’s not like you were made of money before. You can just sell a few items from your wardrobe and you’ll be set.”

I looked down at my hands that were shaking slightly. I knew that if I admitted my true feelings about my life here that questions would follow, and I wasn’t sure I trusted her enough yet to go there.

“Esme?” she asked, and I saw her hand settle on top of mine as my head was still cast down. “Did… did they threaten you?” she asked with worry so palpable in her voice that I couldn't stop my eyes from getting teary.

I looked up, blinking back the tears “If it was only me…” I whispered, my voice breaking.

“They threatened other people, didn’t they?” she asked, cocking her head to the side, the solicitude in her face caused the tears to fall quietly.

I nodded silently, not daring to say more, part of me feared that if I started to cry, I would never be able to stop.

“I could help you.”

“No,” I shook my head. “No, you can’t, I don’t want you to.”

“Why? Because you don’t trust me?”

I wiped my tears with the back of my hand. “It has nothing to do with that. I just don’t want you in this mess, it’s too dangerous.”

She smiled. “Not if we go about it discreetly, not if we’re smart. Tell me.”

And I did, I told her everything that happened. The threats toward Luke, Ben, Juliet. I knew I was taking a chance on her, I knew I was also getting her into trouble, but I needed to confide in someone, and as much as I liked Sophia, I couldn’t do that to her, she didn’t need any added burden.

Taylor remained silent for a while, nodding every so often – I could see she was thinking.

“It’s messed up isn’t it?”

She pouted, shrugging her right shoulder. “No doubt, but not unfixable.”

“What do you mean?” I hated the little sliver of hope making its way into my heart.

“All the threats are nothing money can’t fix and luckily enough I have lots of it.”

“Your father has lots of it,” I corrected her; the nuance quite critical here.

She smiled brightly. “I’m my father’s little Angel, Esme. His money is my money.” She sighed. “I’ve got something for you.”

“OK…” I tailed off at the abrupt change of subject from my personal crisis to a gift.

She took a small box from her drawer and threw it softly on the bed.

“A phone?” I asked, turning the box in my hand. “Samsung S336C?” I looked up at her with confusion.

“I couldn’t give that to you before you opened up.” She admitted coming to sit back beside me. I knew something wasn’t right, you’re not the kind of girl to accept everything so quietly – it was clear from the moment we met. I know you’re not allowed to have any access with the outside world and I even know that when you get a phone, it will be tapped like probably all these people you mentioned phones are, and, since we’re friends… most likely mine too.”

“How?”

“You know your father is the owner of one of the biggest communications companies in this country, right?”

“I do now.” I muttered. I really should have looked at the stupid file I was given, but to be honest I didn’t care about the Forbes legacy and all it entailed.

“This is a burner phone, I sent one of the staff to buy it at Walmart. No way this will be traceable to you but don’t think about calling any number you know with this. If you do, it’s good for nothing.”

My joy deflated at an alarming rate. What good would this phone be if I couldn’t call anyone? Well to be fair I didn't know most numbers by heart, but still.

“You have to have them call you from an untraceable line.”

I narrowed my eyes to her with suspicion. “How do you even know all that?”

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