Ryan’s thoughts were moving too fast for him to grasp. Tia Jane knows Oliver’s real name? How did she find out? Did Maggie or Peter tell her? Did Trevor? How did he know?
Eventually, his mind cleared enough for another thought to bloom. Oliver is Tia Jane’s daughter? Impossible!
Ryan was not the only person on the crowd caught off guard. Nobody said a word. The room was silent. Eventually, Oliver broke the silence.
She pulled away from the Lady. “I’m sorry, but what are you talking about?”
“It was fate for us to meet when we did.” Tia Jane’s face was all smiles. “When I left you last night, it was to speak with a man I’d hired to find my child. He sent me to a bookstore, and there you were. All grown up.”
“There must be some mistake.” Oliver looked around the room helplessly. “I’m not the only employee at Hopeful Readings. You must be looking for one of the other girls.”
Ryan stifled a chuckle. Even in her blubbering state, Oliver had advertised her shop.
“Lady Austin.” A man came up and put his hand on her shoulder. “Perhaps you are not well? This young lady cannot possibly be your daughter. As you said, she would be eighteen. This… child cannot be more than fourteen.”
“I’m eighteen.” Oliver couldn’t stop herself.
“Lord Easton, do you doubt I would know my own child.” Tia Jane smiled down at Oliver. “After all, I named her.”
Ryan had often wondered who would name a girl ‘Oliver’. If Tia Jane had named her, it would make a lot of sense.
Oliver’s eyes narrowed. “I have fond feelings toward you, Lady Austin. However, if you are my mother, they might change. Are you sure your claim is correct?”
“I have never been more sure of anything in my life.” Tia Jane cooed. “Except, of course, my love for your father. He was such a kind man. Our friends used to call us T&T. Thomas and Tia. I was heartbroken when I had to leave his side.”
Ryan was starting to believe what she claimed. Oliver hadn’t even told him what her father’s name was. If Tia Jane was right, then there was no doubt she was his fiancé’s mother.
Oliver’s face was turning red and Ryan suspected she was about to lose her temper. But, a moment later, she burst into tears. Tia Jane wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her while she cried. If any of the guests felt self-conscious, they didn’t make themselves known.
***
After she’d calmed down, Holland was led into a guest room where she could rest. Once the party had died down, Tia Jane joined her.
“Why did you have to leave?” She sniffled. “Dad… dad never moved on.”
“I know.” Tia Jane stroked her hair while she cried. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“Why did you go?”
“When you were almost a year old, I got a letter from an old friend.” Tia Jane looked sad to have to talk about the past. “My mother had recently passed away, and the letter said my father was in poor health. Like you, I loved my father. But, when I returned home, I found him playing golf. He was perfectly fine.”
“Then why didn’t you come back?” Holland asked through tears. “You didn’t even visit when dad got sick.”
“My father begged me to stay. He didn’t know anything about the letter, but he was glad it had brought me home. He put me in charge of his company to keep me here.”
“Who wrote the letter?” Holland’s tears were dried up in her sudden anger. “Who pulled you away from us?”
“Holly, please don’t be mad at him.” Tia Jane tried to calm her daughter. “He was only thinking about my father. Well, maybe our company, too. A little. They were business partners.”
“Who. Was. It.” Holland said through clenched teeth.
Her mother sighed. “Henry Gale. Your fiancé’s father. But Ryan didn’t know anything about it. He was only two at the time.”
Rage blinded Holland. The Gale family had ruined her life. Had killed her father. And for what? A stupid company? To think she was helping that same company stay out of bad hands.
“I have to go.” She said softly. “I have to work tomorrow.”
“Holly, please. Don’t blame Ryan. He’s a great boy.”
Who’d do anything for his company. She wanted to say. Who’s willing to lie for it, just like his father.
“Why don’t you stay here for the night?” her mother was saying. “I’ll have someone drive you to the shop in the morning. I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to all these years.”
Holland shook her head. “No, I need to get home.”
Tia Jane took her daughter’s hands in her own. “Holly, this is your home. You belong here, with me. I know I haven’t been much of a mother to you. But I do love you. I want to know you.”
“Then come to the bookstore.” Holland pealed herself away from her only family and crossed to the door. Before she left, she turned back. “It’s all I have. It’s my entire life.”
The door echoed loudly behind her as she walked through the deep halls of the house. Every maid she came across bowed as she passed. When she opened the front door, she found a car waiting at the bottom of the steps.
“Miss Hope?” The driver bowed before opening the rear door. “I am too take you back to Hopeful Readings.”
Holland reluctantly accepted the ride. As the driver started the engine, she looked out the window and saw Tia Jane watching her from a second story window, smiling sadly.
I’m so confused. She thought as the countryside zipped by the window, replaced with tall residential buildings. I’m still mad that she left. But… I don’t think I hate her.
I hate the Gale family. She revised. I hate that stupid company.
When the car pulled up outside the bookstore, Holland’s anger had built itself so high, she didn’t see anything around her. Only through memory did she make it inside and up to her apartment.
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