Page 5 of Snow's Charming
“She needs to be loved and cared for. And from where I’m standing, you don’t know what those words mean. No one raises a hand to Sesi—are we clear?”
“You aren’t family, Chary.”
“See, that’s where you are wrong, Jackie. Baseline is our brother at arms. Therefore, that makes Sesi part of our family. And just so you’re aware, she’s as pure as driven snow. There isn’t one ounce of brat in her body! Sesi, let’s go.”
Chary wrapped a protective hand around my shoulder and, for the first time since my father married, I felt safe. While following Chary’s fluidity, I turned on my heel, not giving my stepmother another glance or thought as we walked out of the funeral home. I then hopped on the back of Chary’s bike and headed straight for the house I grew up in. Never once had I thought I’d leave it. I’d pictured raising children in it, but I guess that was all a pipedream now. I never blamed my father for the circumstances I was in. Myfather had a big heart, so it was no wonder he fell for Jackie and wanted to leave the house to her. All I ever wanted was for my father to be happy. And if that woman had made him happy, so be it.
CHAPTER 3
Life’s a Bitch, Especially When You had to Live with One
Sure enough, when we pulled into the driveway, there was a Uhaul parked near the garage. Its doors were already locked. I walked up the pathway leading to the side entrance of the house and found Jerry, a butler Jackie had hired two months before Dad passed away, carrying a small shopping bag in his hand.
“Hi, Jerry! There’s a change of plans—I’m leaving tonight for the inn, and I’ve brought some help to haul out the furniture in my room.”
“That won’t be necessary. Mrs. Snow and her lawyer instructed me to pack only the personal items you’ve paid for yourself. Unfortunately, since you quit your job to care for Mr. Snow, there wasn’t much in your room belonging to you. I’m sorry, Miss Snow, I wish I could sneak out more for you than what is in this bag, but her lawyer stopped me.”
I took the shopping bag from him, and my stomach dropped as I noticed the bag was almostweightless. My eyes burned as the tears I’d been holding in for what seemed like forever surfaced. It all made sense now. Jackie’s speech about the Uhaul she purchased was merely an act. She locked it because the thing was empty, and she only rented it to comply with the will.
My father stated in the will that Jackie owned the contents of the Snow estate, and it was beyond my comprehension, but not having clothes or even a bed wasn’t why I was so upset. I was leaving without so much as even a photo of my father, my father, my family. How could she be so cruel? I simply couldn’t fathom why she wouldn’t even grant one photo of my father. That was all I needed, and all I wanted. Still, Jackie robbed me of my memories, and all for her enjoyment.
“Thanks for at least sneaking this out to me, Jerry.”
He pressed his lips into a small, tight smile.
“I understand we haven’t known each other long, Miss, but I wish things were different. You brightened each hall of the estate. Mrs. Snow only darkens every corner.” He said as he pulled me into a brief hug before continuing. “I placed photos of your last birthday with your father in that bag. They were the only ones I could sneak in there before the lawyer stepped in. The rest is a couple of tees, a pair of jeans, and three days’ worth of unmentionables before the bastard cut me off.”
“Thank you. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t even have a photo of my father. I appreciate your kindness.”
“You don’t deserve to be treated any other way. Did you know she wanted me to snap a photo of you opening the doors to the Uhaul to capture your reaction as you saw nothing inside?”
I let out a single sigh. I wasn’t sure what else to say to that. Anything I did would have made me look bad. And Father always said, if you’ve got nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.
“Don’t worry about the Uhaul. I will drive it around for an hour, which is how long it would take me to drive to the inn and back. And then I’ll return it in the morning as instructed.”
“Thank you for everything, Jerry. You and your wife Josie have been wonderful, and I will never forget your kindness.”
“Oh, Miss Snow!” Jerry said as he drew me back into a warm hug. “I won’t forget you either! Get settled, and if you are looking for a butler and a housemaid in the future, both of us would love to work for you.”
“Thanks, Jerry. That means a lot, but I don’t think I’ll need a butler or housemaid so soon.” I gave him a small smile before hopping back onto Chary’s bike.
The ride was brief—only 30 minutes out of town. It wasn’t long enough for me to collect the thoughts swimming in my head. That house was the only home I’d ever known, and now it was gone. My emotions were a mess. It was as if I was grieving everything all at once. Nothing seemed to connect to a tangent thought until the inn came into view. But really—was it an inn?It looked more like a mansion nestled into a mountain with tiny houses surrounding it.
“What is this? I thought I was inheriting a run-down inn, as Jackie so eloquently put it.”
Joker wrapped an arm around my shoulder after I slid off Chary’s bike. “You are inheriting so much more than an inn. It’s an empire, my dear. That’s the best way to describe all of this.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Wait—your father seriously didn’t tell you? I thought Chary was joking about all of that at the funeral parlor.”
“Tell me what, Joker?”
“I guess you were right, after all, Chary. He didn’t have the chance to tell her anything. So what do we do now since she was supposed to meet—” Joker asked as he gazed at Chary, but Chary cut him off with a raised palm.
“Don’t get into that right now. It’s more important she knows the other thing first.” Said Chary in a low growl.
I pushed away from Joker.
