Page 32 of Brax

“But do you love him enough to let him go?” asked Julia in a soft voice.

“I know you love him, honey, but there needs to be a give and take in this relationship,” said Ajei.

“I don’t know what to do,” she said, looking out the window.

She watched as Hayes emerged from the offices, the other men following him. When he entered the cafeteria, she stood and walked toward him. He said something to her, and she nodded.

Leaving the building, the team watched them head toward Victoria’s cottage, watching them closely.

“I guess she told you guys what happened,” said Brax.

“She did,” nodded Stephanie. “We tried to convince her to either let him go for the time being or figure out a way to meet him halfway.”

“That’s more or less what we said to him,” said Luke.

“He’s being tempted, isn’t he?” asked Ajei. Luke nodded. “I knew it. He’s such a good-looking guy, and it has to be difficult for him.”

“It is difficult, but we all did it and ignored the temptations,” said Eric. “I think the difference is that he hasn’t figured out that what he has at home is what he really needs and wants.”

“Maybe it’s not,” whispered Stephanie. She looked up at the others, sadness filling her expression. “I feel terrible for both of them.”

“Same,” nodded Julia. “Love is hard, but young love is awful and rips you apart. Joseph and I were ten years apart, and it killed me seeing him in so much pain, yet he couldn’t bear the thought of me being so young.”

“How did you change his mind?” asked Stephanie. Julia grinned.

“I took him for a boat ride.” The other women all laughed, nodding their heads.

“Maybe that’s what Hayes should do with Victoria,” smirked Ajei. “Take her for a boat ride and show her that everything is alright.”

“I’m not so sure that will work for her. There’s a paranoia in her about leaving this property and someone taking her or harming her. After what all of us, we kids from the schools, went through, it’s understandable.” Stephanie just looked down at her hands.

“Hey. Are you okay?” asked Julia.

“I keep thinking about this woman. Ines. I can’t imagine the pain, the agony that she has suffered because of what that doctor did to her to create me and the others. It’s unconscionable. I’ll never understand that kind of evil,” she said, shaking her head.

“He thought he could bring his wife and daughter back,” said Marilisa. “Even though he had one daughter, a healthy daughter, he wanted his wife and baby back.”

“Wait. Why wouldn’t he have chosen his daughter to take DNA from? She would have been a match and probably ideal,” said Kelsey. The women all stared at one another, and then the light went on for Lucinda.

“Ideal unless she wasn’t her father’s biological child.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“Mrs. Carter, thank you for taking our call so late,” said Riley. “You spoke to a few men who were part of our team a few weeks ago.”

“Yes. How could I forget three handsome men talking to me,” she smiled. Riley nodded, giving her a smile.

“Mrs. Carter, I know this will feel awkward, but I’m hoping that you’ll trust me with this information.”

“Now you really have me curious,” she said, staring at the screen.

“Mrs. Carter…”

“Ashley. Just call me Ashley.”

“Alright. Ashley, are you certain that you were the biological child of Felix Rubenstein?”

The woman stared at her for a moment, then took a deep breath, staring at the screen filled with curious faces.

---