Page 22 of Entwined
Occasionally, when the weight of it all became too much, I would slip away to my former childhood home. It wasn’t far, just a short walk from the mansion, but it felt like a world apart. I had kept the house in pristine condition, hiring a cleaning service to come weekly and keep the cobwebs and dust at bay.
There was something soothing about the familiarity of the place—the comfortable couch where I could curl up with a book, the pretty wallpaper that brightened up my somber mood. Here, in the quiet of the house, I could breathe.
Vaughn wouldn’t find me here. He rarely ventured outside the mansion, preferring to keep his domain close, where he could control every detail. At twenty-four, my behavior might have seemed more fitting for a woman much older, but grief had aged me in ways I hadn’t anticipated. I was now a widow, a title that felt heavy and unnatural, like a coat two sizes too large.
All the money Colson had left me couldn’t make up for his absence. It was a hollow fortune, and thinking of him always set me off, the grief coming in waves until I was sobbing, curled up on that same couch, clutching the book I couldn’t bring myself to read.
I tried to keep busy, tried to distract myself from the emptiness that seemed to follow me everywhere. I even attended some of the teas the society women threw, though I found little comfort in their company. They welcomed me with polite smiles and sympathetic glances, but I could sense the underlying curiosity, the thinly veiled gossip that always followed me wherever I went.
The world of the wealthy is a strange place, full of opulence and privilege, but also jealousy and deceit. The society women were no different, often speaking in hushed tones about others they considered friends. I would sit there, sipping tea from delicate china, listening to their chatter about scandals and affairs, feeling more and more like an outsider.
I didn’t want any part of it. I had no interest in their gossip or their petty rivalries. I didn’t want to become one of them, a woman who measured her worth by the number of jewels around her neck or the size of her estate.
But the truth was, I didn’t know where I belonged anymore. Colson had anchored me, given me a purpose, a place in the world. Without him, I was adrift, struggling to find my way in a life that felt foreign and unforgiving. The gardens, the house, even the teas—they were all attempts to fill the void, to carve out a space where I could exist without being swallowed by the grief. But nothing seemed to work.
Each day was a struggle, a battle to maintain some semblance of normalcy in a life that had been anything but. And as much asI tried to avoid it, the reality of my situation was always there, lurking in the background, waiting for a quiet moment to remind me of everything I had lost.
“Joey, no.” Easton's voice was thick with concern as he sat on the edge of my bed, watching me fold clothes into my suitcase. “Why would you move away?”
I sighed, trying to keep my hands steady. “I’m not moving away for good. I’ll be back, but I need to be somewhere that doesn’t remind me of your father at every turn. Easton, it’s been three months, and I still can’t bring myself to step into our bedroom. It’s too much.”
He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, eyes heavy with empathy. “Are you staying in the triplex?”
I nodded, tossing a few t-shirts into the case. “It’s just sitting there, empty, waiting for me. We were supposed to spend the winter there, but…” My voice faltered, the words catching in my throat.
“He got sick,” Easton finished for me, his voice gentle. “Can I stay with you?”
I paused, blinking in surprise. “You want to stay with me?”
I hadn’t expected that. The thought of having Easton with me felt like a lifeline, something solid to hold onto when everything else was crumbling. Over the years, he was the only person I had truly let in, the only one I trusted. Even during my time at Yale, I hadn’t formed lasting friendships. High school had left me too wary, too guarded. I buried myself in my studies instead,graduating Summa Cum Laude, but always keeping people at arm’s length. Easton was the exception.
“I’d love that,” I said, a smile breaking through the gloom.
But before the moment could settle, Vaughn’s presence darkened the doorway. He leaned against the frame, arms crossed, a sneer playing on his lips. “Where do you think you’re going?” His voice dripped with venom.
“Away,” I replied coolly, zipping up the suitcase. “I’m staying at my apartment in the city.”
He let out a bitter laugh. “Giving up so easily?”
I straightened, meeting his gaze with a steady one of my own. “I’m not giving up. I’m looking for some respite. You can do whatever you want, Vaughn, but remember, this is still my home.”
“For now,” he shot back, stepping further into the room. His eyes flashed with anger. “I don’t care if your name is on the deed; this is still an Ashworth property. And you—you’re not an Ashworth. Just because you fucked my father, doesn’t make you part of the family.”
Easton shot up from the bed, fists clenched, but I placed a hand on his shoulder, urging him to stay calm. “Vaughn’s having another temper tantrum,” I said, my tone measured and unbothered.
Vaughn had been testing me ever since I was appointed Co-CEO, pushing every button, hoping I’d crack and give the board a reason to doubt me. But I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction. The company’s stock had not only stabilized sinceColson’s death; it had risen, surpassing previous levels. My position was secure, and Vaughn hated it.
His face turned a shade of red that almost made me laugh. “Fuck you, Joey,” he spat. “No matter what you do, you’ll always be the poor little wannabe.”
I couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at my lips. “In case you haven’t noticed, Vaughn, I’m not the wannabe anymore. I’m theI have. People kiss my ass to be friends with me.”
Easton’s lips twitched, barely holding back a smile. I knew it was arrogant, but Vaughn needed reminding that I wasn’t that poor girl anymore. I was a billionaire now, thanks to his father. I didn’t need to bow down to anyone, least of all him.
“You think?” Vaughn growled, stepping closer. “They make fun of you behind your back. They know you don’t belong, Josephine.”
I refused to show any sign of intimidation. “Regardless of what they think, I have billions of reasons not to care.”
Vaughn’s jaw tightened as he searched for a retort. “You’ve become a real fucking cunt. I don’t know what I ever saw in you.”
