Page 22 of Secret Admirer
If she was forewarned, nothing Anthony might say could change anything between them. “That’s just the beginning. He told everyone Victoria had died after he kidnapped her child from her arms because she loved a farmer.”
Her face whitened. “Whoa.”
If he told her the family history, maybe she’d take off her blinders regarding him. “Then there is Catherine, my other half-sister.”
She whispered, "What did he do to her?”
Rebecca would know his family wasn’t all sunshine and roses--it was better for him if she didn’t hold him up to some ideal. “He took Catherine from her mother and my French half-brothers and let them all think she'd died, but had her raised by his employees.”
Her gaze narrowed like she just couldn't understand. “Why?”
In the distance, he saw Anthony head toward the tables from the house. The text hadn't been a lie. He returned his attention to sweet Rebecca. “From what I understand, Catherine's mother wanted to leave him.”
“I’m having heart palpitations that you lived through someone like that.” Rebecca's mouth pinched. “Do you have a picture of what your sister looked like?”
He hadn’t expected that question, but he took out his phone and found the family photos album. “Sure--but she would have been a kid.”
He scrolled through his phone and found an old one of just his sister when she’d been six and handed his phone to Rebecca.
“Oh my God.” She rocked on her feet like she might faint.
His brow furrowed as he reached out to steady Rebecca. “What?”
She held up a finger and took out her phone as she said, “I know her. She lived next door to me growing up. She looked just like this when she moved in.”
He let her go. Rebecca didn’t seem like the type who’d trick them in regards to locating his sister, which is usually what mentions of Aurelia ended up being. “What do you mean?”
She handed him her phone with a photo of three girls and she pointed to one with big brown eyes. “That’s Melissa… my best friend who was texting me earlier.”
He stared at the picture. It could be Aurelia. But why would she go by Melissa? Rebecca flipped the screen to a more recent picture.
Melissa was the only well-dressed one of the three girls in the photo, at a Cuban restaurant. "See?"
He needed to meet Rebecca’s friend. He searched the image for the truth. “Don’t tell anyone here.”
Her voice hitched in surprise. “What? Why?”
He’d investigate first and then tell the others. He nodded as the plan formulated in his mind. “Don’t tell anyone--there have been hoaxes in the past that have been very painful for our family. Will you introduce me first thing tomorrow?”
“Anything for you, Bart.” She smiled as she put her phone back in her beaded pocketbook. "But how lucky, if this is true."
He kissed her cheek. Rebecca made him feel good. There was something real about her that made her appealing. If she helped him find his presumed-dead sister then he’d offer her anything as a prize. Even himself, if that’s what she wanted.
Chapter 7
Rebecca finished her shower and sighed. Last night, Bart could have touched her, all over. She’d have let him.
That goodbye kiss he’d planted on her in the limo, in front of her house, burned her lips, even now. She'd made it clear that he could come in, but he hadn't wanted to.
He hadn’t wantedher. Was she not good enough for him?
Ordinarily she’d have called Melissa and asked for makeup advice, but he was coming over later… to meet her best friend, to see if she was his sister. How magical!
Since she'd dared to chase Bart, her life had dazzled. She wrapped the towel around herself and sorted through the bags of clothes the driver had delivered last night after she’d left the limo.
Every outfit had the House of Morgan label.
She went through the bags and chose a light-blue blouse and knee-length black skirt that she could wear with her black flats. She tossed the beautiful clothes on the bed and shrugged into her comfy cotton robe for around the house until it was time to change.
