Page 89 of Devotion: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 1)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Iturned towards the sound of a familiar voice and kept walking till I found it.

“There she is!”

I stared at the woman that I never wanted to see again. The woman that I hated with every fiber of my being. The woman that I blamed for the loss of my son and husband.

I swayed on my feet but Lachlan steadied me. I looked at him. It was never going to work anyhow, Layla or no Layla. He was too good for this mess. My family was a mess. I was a mess. I wanted to feel him one more time, but I fisted my hands, not allowing myself one more touch.

“How could you run off and get married without your parents?” Her voice was shrill and hurt my head, even more than usual in my current state. I looked at her and John. They were just strangers to me. John came into the picture way too late, and my mother was never my parent.

I shifted my eyes to Elise and Brandon who were there too. She looked a bit pale and I wondered if it was because she was scared of what I was going to do or how I was going to react.

“Well, aren’t you going to say anything?” I could hear annoyance in my mother’s voice. She hated when I remained quiet. I continued staring at her, relishing in knowing her agitation.

For the millionth time since I was born, I wondered what kind of woman would do that to her child. What kind of woman would seduce another's husband, including her own daughter’s?

“And what are you wearing?” she asked scoffingly but there was envy in her eyes. “You look like a common prostitute!”

I glanced down and back at her.

“Thank you,” I was thankful my voice was not slurry. “I’m going to bed.”

I turned around from all of them and started for the stairs. Lachlan was right beside me, and even though I hated that I was losing him, I was grateful because I didn’t think I would make it all the way upstairs in my state. I pulled my boots off and left them at the bottom of marble stairs and climbed up the stairs, his hand steadying me all the way to the top.

I went for the family wing, Ainslee called it that on my first day here, but instead of entering our bedroom, I went for the next door bedroom.

“Eve,” Lachlan called out to me when I left him at his bedroom door. “You missed the door.”

With my hand on the nob, I glanced back.

“I don’t want to sleep in your bed,” I whispered softly but I knew he heard me. I went in and closed the door, keeping him out. I went to the connecting door inside and locked it. Stripping down to my underwear and bra, I crawled into the bed.

I was ready for sleep to swallow me.

The next day I woke up close to noon with a horrible headache. I would have preferred to sleep in but I knew I couldn’t keep avoiding everything and everyone. I took a quick shower and was downstairs right on time for lunch.

I found my family with Lachlan, his uncle, and his Aunt Margaret all having late lunch.

“Oh, look who’s awake,” it was my mother’s annoying voice. Elise’s eyes told me she had a rough morning. I decided to keep my lips shut so I ignored her and went to grab a plate with some dry toast.

“Eve,” it was her shrill voice again grinding on my nerves. “You should really eat more than that. Your thinness is not very attractive.”

I bit into my lip, trying to ignore her, never even raising my eyes. I will do that for Elise. I hadn’t made eye contact with Lachlan, nor any of his family and mine. From the peripheral, I could see my sister’s stiff back, holding Brandon’s hand tightly, and Lachlan’s cold posture. That probably had everything to do with my behavior last night. His uncle and aunt were being polite and appeasing my mother.

I brushed my tongue over my lip, trying to focus on the sting of my bite and tuning out my mother.

“Eve,” it was John that addressed me. “Would you like me to make you something light to drink for your stomach?”

I never raised my eyes. “No, thank you, John,” I muttered and bit into my toast.

“John was always too good and lenient with Eve,” God how I hated that woman. “That’s why she is so rotten and spoiled. Throwing fits till she gets her way.”

“Why are you here?” I asked while my gaze focused on my sister. She was the only root I had.

My mother ignored my question and kept chattering, and I felt my blood boil. I couldn’t stand to look at her or hear her voice. I wanted to jump across the table and ring her neck.

I watched Elise and her eyes were pleading. I looked away, focusing on the view of the gardens out the window, trying my best to tune out her shrilling voice that was grating my nerves like a fingernail on the chalkboard.

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