Lie to Me (Pearl Island Trilogy #4)(55)
“Dear God.” Chloe stared at her mother. “You really did move back home.”
“I got evicted, Chloe. Evicted!”
“I don’t understand.” Chloe moved her hands down to her temples. “Why is he doing this? He’s normally trying to force you to stop seeing someone, not forcing you into another marriage.”
“Oh God, that’s the horrible part.” Diane started to pace, wringing her hands. “He says we’re broke. I thought at first he was exaggerating. I mean, I know LeRoche Shipping has hit some rough patches the last few years, but I thought surely it can’t be that bad. Certainly not bad enough to take these drastic measures. Now?” Diane bit her lip before continuing. “I’m scared to death. John really is desperate. That’s why I need you to get that necklace. You said it was a gift from Marguerite. She must have sensed we’re in trouble, and she gave you a replacement for her necklace to restore our good luck.”
“Diane, you need to forget about the necklace,” Chloe said. The mere mention of it brought back all her anguish over Luc. “I was wrong, okay? It wasn’t a gift from Marguerite. It has nothing to do with her. Getting it won’t change anything for us.”
“It has to.” Tears welled in Diane’s eyes. “Otherwise, I have to marry Harold to keep John from going bankrupt.”
Chloe massaged her forehead. “Can we start at the beginning?”
“John’s been having a string of bad luck financially ever since he lost Pearl Island to the St. Claires, but the last few years, things have been getting steadily worse. So, John started talking to Harold about taking him on as a partner. The man is worth billions. John swears with his help, he can save the company. There’s only one hitch.” Diane’s face lined with distress. “When Harold met me, he started asking me out. I tried to brush him off, but John ordered me to go out with him. I agreed because it was only supposed to be until Harold signed the partnership agreement and wrote John a big fat check. But then Harold started dragging his feet. Then, he brought in that man to go over all the books.” Diane pointed an accusing finger toward the backyard, indicating Mr. MacMillan. “John did his best to hide how bad things were, but Harold’s not stupid. That’s one thing I’ll give him. He may look like an oaf, but he is way too smart for any of our good.”
“He also seems genuinely nice,” Chloe said.
“That doesn’t mean I want to marry him.”
“Then don’t. Find some other rich guy to support you until this all blows over.” Or get a job, Chloe added silently.
“I can’t! Didn’t you hear me? It’s serious this time. John could actually go bankrupt, so this won’t just blow over.”
“Are you saying that if you don’t marry Harold, the partnership is off?”
“Exactly! When he proposed, I figured I’d say yes, drag my feet until the deal was done, and then break up with him. But Harold’s made it clear the only reason he’s willing to save LeRoche Shipping is because he’s marrying into the family. He actually told John if not for that he’d be walking away, because he thinks the company is in such bad shape. So, he’s not going to sign those papers until after we’re married. I won’t even be able to divorce him, because our pre-nup papers say the partnership between him and John will be dissolved if I do.”
“So, he knows you don’t love him? And he’s going to marry you anyway?”
“No, he doesn’t know that. Do you think I’m stupid enough to tell him?”
“If he asked for all those conditions, he must at least suspect.”
“I’m doing the best I can, okay?” Diane said defensively. “God, I don’t need you riding me, too.”
Chloe sighed. Pointing out that she hadn’t been pushing for her mother to deceive the man would be pointless. “All right, so I get why you’re marrying him.” I don’t approve, but I get it, she added silently. “But why all this pretense that we’re some close, loving family? Polite and cordial, yes, we’ve always upheld that farce for the outside world. But loving?”
“Well, I had to say something when he started asking about you. What was I supposed to tell him?” Diane took on a petulant pout. “That my daughter is so selfish she barely makes time in her life for me?”
“Diane, please,” Chloe sighed, not in the mood to listen to that old song.
“As for my relationship with John, I couldn’t very well tell Harold that his future business partner is a narcissistic bastard who couldn’t care less about his own children.” Diane covered her face and burst into tears.
Chloe fought the urge to comfort her. That would only increase the tears. “So, you painted a rosy picture of the LeRoche family.”
“John encouraged it,” Diane sniffled. “He says it’s obvious Harold values things like that. The man’s an orphan, and a completely self-made billionaire. He’s all about work ethic and integrity and he wants a family. He knows we’re too old to have children, so he loves the idea that I have you. I think he has visions of becoming a dad to you.”
The words slammed into Chloe on so many levels. First the idea that this obviously nice man wanted to be her dad filled her with wild possibilities that seemed as farfetched as plucking a star from the sky. Empathy for him followed quickly, since she knew how it felt to want exactly what he wanted. To be part of a family. A loving family.