The Similars (The Similars #1)(68)

“How did he die?” I ask, feeling all eyes on me.

“Car accident,” Ransom answers. “Tragic.”

“I didn’t know he died, Damian.” Frederica turns to her husband. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asks accusingly.

“Jesus, Mom!” Tessa suddenly explodes. “Would you stop talking to Dad like this high school drama is important? He’s going to prison next week. For fifteen years. This is his freaking Last Supper, for God’s sake!”

Every eye is on the Leroys. Before anyone knows what’s happening, Frederica reaches out and slaps Tessa across the cheek. Tessa gasps. Theodora cringes. Damian recoils.

Ransom stands, flummoxed. “I’m sure this must be a difficult time for you and your family, Tessa. And perhaps our timing here tonight was ill-advised—”

“Don’t ever talk to me that way again, Tessa Caroline Leroy,” Frederica says, ignoring Ransom.

“I don’t know why you’re so mad at me. Not when she’s the one who did this!” Tessa points to Theodora. “She betrayed our family. After we invited her into our home. After we accepted her. That’s right,” Tessa says, addressing the whole room. “We didn’t try to pay her off, or get rid of her, like the Huxleys did to Maude.” Tessa eyes Madison, who scowls. “We told her she was welcome to join our family. We knew people might judge us. But we believed it was the right thing to do.” Tessa turns now and faces Theodora directly. “I thought you cared about me. We talked like we were sisters. And then you did this to us?” Tessa’s fighting tears. “You went into my father’s office, you broke into his computer, and found those files. You gave them to the FBI. And then you helped him”—she points at Jaeger—“write a story about our family. An exposé that millions of people read.”

I’m floored. Theodora was the one who exposed Damian Leroy for fraud? She was the one who tipped off the authorities? Gave the FBI the information to indict him?

“I didn’t break in,” Theodora says evenly. “Those files were on his tablet for anyone to see.”

“That’s your excuse?” Tessa hiccups. “That you didn’t do anything wrong…?”

“He’s a criminal, Tessa. I know he’s your father, but he cheated thousands of people out of their money. It was wrong.”

“And I suppose that’s for you to decide. Who gets caught and who doesn’t. Who’s guilty and who isn’t.”

My stomach sinks.

I turn to Levi. “That was her task, wasn’t it?”

“In part, yes,” he answers under his breath.

“Why? Why does Gravelle want to do this? Break up families…”

“He wants to right wrongs. Recalibrate the scales of justice to their proper positions.”

“I don’t understand.”

Levi shakes his head. “Not now, Emma.”

“Then when?” I demand. “Stop brushing me off.”

“Emmaline?” my father says. His face is tight, anxious. “I thought we discussed this over the holiday. I thought we came to an agreement. But clearly,” he adds, eyeing Levi, “I was wrong.”

“Wrong about what?”

“You assured me that you and Levi were not friends.”

“We aren’t,” I respond quickly.

“It doesn’t look that way to me.”

“I moved our place cards so we wouldn’t have to sit next to each other. How much clearer could I be?” I grumble.

“What your daughter means to say”—a trace of a smile plays on Levi’s lips—“is that we don’t like each other.”

No, we don’t like each other, I think. What we feel, or what I feel, anyway, is far more than that juvenile word could ever convey.

“I’m sorry, Levi. This is a family matter between me and my daughter,” my father says. “I cannot emphasize this enough, honey. You know I completely support clones and believe they deserve the same rights as everyone else. But for other, personal reasons I don’t care to get into here… It is not a good idea for you to spend time with Levi or any of the other Similars.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I snap. “Levi has made it clear that we mean nothing to each other. That he has other…people he’d rather spend his time with. It’s fine, Dad. I will stay far, far away from the Similars. Indefinitely.”





The Hologram


The rest of the dinner passes with a strained tension. My father and I don’t utter another word to each other. Nor do I talk with Levi or Pippa. Ransom starts making his way from table to table during dessert, thanking us all for coming. I notice that he hugs Bianca and shakes Bob’s hand before leaning in to consult with them. I have a feeling this isn’t idle chitchat. Compelled to hear what he’s saying to Madison’s parents and eager to escape my table, I head to the Huxleys’ table under the guise of pouring myself some water from a pitcher on the nearby sideboard. Madison is deep in conversation with Angela, complaining about how hard it is to choose between so many Ivy Leagues. Maude is discussing stock market trends with Angela’s mother. I strain to tune out Maude and Madison and focus on Ransom and the Huxleys.