Page 124 of Trial of Deceit

“I’m sorry,” he said again, then stepped forward.He hesitantly put his arms around her, his tense stance loosening when Reine didn’t pull away.

A few seconds passed before Reine’s arms circled his waist.“I’m sorry, too.Mi just emotional with all wa happen over the past few days.Mi still don’ fully process it, and mi tek it out pon yu.”

“Iguessme can forgive yu,” Jediah joked, causing Reine to chuckle.He smiled, then kissed atop her head.“I have something to show you.”

Reine pressed her chin into his chest.Her brow raised.“What’s that?”

“Come.”He broke the hug, then led her down the hall.

They stopped before a heavily guarded door.Reine threw him a curious glance, but kept quiet as the guards opened the door.Jediah made her enter the chamber first.He clenched his jaw as she gasped.The door closed behind them.

A small cage was in the middle of the chamber.It could be observed from all angles.It was big enough to fit a chair, a small table, and the woman who was supposed to be dead.

Malia, who had her back turned, looked over her shoulder.Noticing her children, she gasped and quickly put down something — the glass of wine she’d requested — onto the table before standing.She moved toward the cage and locked her hands around the metal posts.“You’ve gotten so big…”

Reine stepped backward.She bumped into Jediah, who stood his ground.“W-why is she in a cage?”

“I couldn’t put her in a casket,” Jediah answered.

Malia’s gaze shifted to him.Her eyes narrowed slightly, her fingers flexing on the metal posts.“Remember, Jediah: I’mnotyour enemy.”

Reine gulped.Her wide-eyes were still locked on Malia, frightened as if she was staring at a ghost.“Why did you bring me here?”she asked Jediah.

“We have something to tell you,” Jediah said.

“W-we?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“The biggest secret you’ll have to carry for the rest of your life.”

Reine’s brows furrowed.“Huh?”

Jediah fixed his icy glare at her.He couldn’t allow himself to see her as his little sister.She was just another Richardson — a vital member of this family, one needed to keep it afloat.“You say you’re not a baby, right?”he asked, to which Reine slowly nodded.Jediah’s focus lingered on her for a few seconds more, causing her to shuffle on her feet, before he looked at their mother and nodded.

Malia looked at Reine.Her eyes softened, then tears sprang to them.“I’m sorry,” she whispered.“For leaving you.And lying for so long.I’m sorry for everything.”

“And what else?”Jediah urged, and Malia’s brows crinkled.“Tell her everything you told me.”

Malia sighed, then dragged her focus to Reine.“Tell the guards to get her a chair, or take me out of this cage.It’s inhumane.”

Reine looked at Jediah for the first time.That childlike hope was in her eyes again, the one she wore every day at Malia’s graveside until she truly understood that her mommy would not be coming back.

It broke Jediah’s heart all over again.Instead of allowing it to sway a decision he would have to firmly stand on, Jediah siphoned Reine’s hope away.He moved to the door.He knocked it, then it opened from the outside.He told a guard, “Open the cage.”

As a guard entered the chamber to comply with Jediah’s order, Malia gave Jediah a grateful smile.“Thank you,” she said, relief lacing her tone as the guard left the chamber and closed the door behind him.

Holding his mother’s stare, Jediah mustered a nod.“Don’t make me regret this,” Jediah said, ignoring how Reine’s brows furrowed as she glanced between them.“Please.”

Chapter thirty-six

SinceJediahgavehismother her greatest desire, life was going good.

No, great.

Ashari and Jediah were closer than ever.The entirety of Jamaica was open for Jediah to roam.Still, he remained on edge.It’d been some months since he transferred power to his mother in February.With much convincing, Ashari had finally gotten Jediah to agree to a trip to a Kingston restaurant for a romantic getaway dinner.

---