Page 43 of Illicit Heir

She shakes her head in disapproval again.

Jessica claps and chirps, "We need to get back out there. We have customers. But ya have money now." She points to the wad of cash. "We can fix everything, so let's be happy."

Jessica is definitely winning me over today.

Mum stays quiet and stares at the money.

The guilt flares inside me. If Mum ever finds out where this money came from, she'll think I'm a prostitute.

I might as well be a prostitute. I slept with him, and he gave me ten grand.

An ill feeling expands all around me. Guilt, shame, and horror at who Devin is and that he knew who I was resurfaces.

He set me up.

I still don't understand why.

Because he could.

The more I think about how he used me, the sicker I feel. I swallow down bile.

"Ya look like you're getting sick!" Mum exclaims and puts her hand on my forehead.

I move my head away. "What are ya talking about? I'm fine."

She continues pinning her gaze on me. "Your face just turned green."

"No, it didn't," I insist.

"It did, didn't it, ladies?"

My cousins stay quiet.

It makes Mum's suspicion reappear. She asks, "What happened here last night after I left?"

"Nothing happened," I lie, feeling more guilt for continuing to keep up this charade.

She continues to study us, declaring, "Something had to have happened. All of ya are being too quiet."

Jessica blurts out, "We're not being quiet. We're just listening to ya. Don't ya always tell us that we have to listen to ya more?" Jessica says.

Alison steps next to her. She points out. "Yea, ya talked to us about this the other day. Actually, every day ya tell us that we need to listen better. Now we're listening and you're upset with us, claiming that we did something last night, but we didn't. We cleaned up, closed up, and then went home."

"What time did you get home?" Mum inquires.

"Couple hours after. What's the big deal? Why are ya accusing us of lying?" Emily asks.

Mum doesn't look convinced. She finally puts her finger in the air, motioning to all of us. "If I find out that you're lying to me and that something happened here last night—"

"Nothing happened," I blurt out.

Tension resumes.

Mum continues, "If something happened here last night, and it has to do with this money, you're all in trouble for lying to me. Do ya understand?"

My stomach dives. Jessica once again interjects to my approval. She claims, "Nothing happened, Auntie. We aren't lying. You're overreacting."

"Am I?" Mum questions.

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