Page 77 of The Estate
“My business. My grandparents’ home.” He gestured around them.
“You’re the one tearing it apart, jotting down every flaw for your report. Helping my parents kill this place. And for what? A pat on the head? A promotion?”
Cal’s voice cracked as he threw up his hands. “God forbid you actually stand up for something, Rachel. You know my vision for White Hall is solid—better than anything my parents are planning. But you’d rather follow orders. Twist the knife and call it duty.”
Rachel stared at him, heart pounding.
She had believed in his vision. She’d believed in him. But now—with Jess on the line—all she saw was betrayal.
Her voice dropped, bitter. “I feel like an idiot. Falling for the charm, for the passion. Thinking it meant something.”
She shook her head, a hollow laugh slipping out. “This whole time, it was just about saving the estate, wasn’t it? And I walked right into it. Served up my sister like some kind of saving grace.”
She looked him dead in the eyes. “I should’ve known. Sooner or later, it was always going to come down to this.”
Cal’s face was unreadable now—jaw tight, eyes dark.
Rachel didn’t wait for a response. She couldn’t.
Her breath caught in her throat, nausea coiling in her stomach. She turned and walked out, fast, like if she didn’t leave now, the world might collapse around her.
Her thoughts blurred, her chest tight. It was too much.
She needed air. Distance. Silence.
She just needed to go.
She was headed to the driveway when she heard footsteps behind her on the gravel. Whirling around, she got ready to carve Cal up into tiny pieces, only to see her sister there.
“Oh Jess,” Rachel sighed. “I’m so sorry Cal did that to you. You were so nice to help him solve his issues before. And all he does is try to bully you into saving his ass.”
Jess tossed her head and looked at the ground before meeting Rachel’s eye. “Listen, I love you. You’re a wonderful sister, and while I love your instinct to protect me, I don’t need you to.”
Rachel stepped back, “What?” Of course, Jess needed her to protect her. Look at what happened when she’d failed to do that. Rachel couldn’t chance any situations getting out of control and potentially hurting her sister again. Jess was just finally returning to her. She wouldn’t risk her again.
“Jess,” she said slowly. “I’m trying to make sure you don’t get hurt. You’ve lost so much, and you’re only now rebuilding your life. I won’t allow someone to manipulate you into a potentially hurtful situation.”
Rachel was surprised her sister didn’t look pleased with that explanation. If anything, Jess looked even more upset.
Clasping her hands tightly together, Jess tried again. “I appreciate what you’re saying, but I don’t need you to protect me. I know why you think you have to, but I don’t want it.” Jess exhaled firmly.
“Yes. I made a mistake all those years ago. And yes, it cost me more than I ever want to think about. I’m sorry for the effect it had on you and our family. I wish I could go back and make different choices. But I can’t change the past. I can just learn to live with my decisions. And most importantly, learn from them and move on.
“When I see you react like this,” Jess shook her head. “When I can see the guilt eating away at you, I feel responsible. And that makes me feel small, and I hate it.”
Rachel felt Jess’ words like a physical blow. A fist to the stomach. An elbow to her jaw. She had no idea her feelings and actions had that effect on the one person she desired to safeguard above all others. Between the fight with Cal and this revelation, Rachel wasn’t sure she could keep her lunch down.
“You have nothing to feel guilty about,” Jess continued. “It wasn’t your job to save me from Chris. So please stop feeling guilty about that. None of us saw him for who he really was. Not in the beginning. There was no way you or I could have known what he truly was. He hid the monster inside of him very well.
“But when you let yourself be controlled by that guilt, Rachel, like you just did,” Jess inhaled sharply, her eyes pleading. “It chains you down and makes you less than you could be. And it chains me too,” she finished quietly.
Rachel's breath left her as that verbal punch landed. It was as if there was now a gaping wound in her chest. A wound Rachel feared might never heal.
Obviously, Jess wasn’t done laying out some truths, because she continued. Her voice was softer, but the intensity of her tone was just as sharp. “And I see how you look at Cal, how attracted you are, and how happy you’ve been with him. You think I don’t know it, but I do. Hell, we all do,” she added. “And I hate that you won’t do a damn thing about it. You’re so busy keeping him at arm’s length and anticipating trouble.”
Rachel wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold on through the emotional tornado sweeping through her. The situation with Chris was one thing, but it had nothing to do with her feelings about Cal. “I don’t understand, Jess. You’re not making sense.”
Jess inhaled sharply, putting her hands on her hips. “What happened with Chris, and Mom and Dad, since then…” Jess glanced away for a moment. “When Mom and Dad passed there were so many things you took care of. You had to handle everything because I wasn’t there. And then when I left Chris, you were the person who held me up. You helped me put my life back together.
