The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 178

“Yes, yes, that’s all well and good,” she said, waving her hand like she was trying to wave away the last few words I had said. “ Come inside and I’ll tell you about some interesting investments. I’m sure you will agree they’ll be worth your time.”

I followed her into the house. The butler stayed at the door, closing it behind us. Despite Adelaide’s apparent friendliness toward me, Beauregard remained cold.

The manor felt like a museum, with high art on the walls and expensive vases up on pedestals. Nothing was child–protected, or pet–protected, and everything was pristine, with not even a speck of dust in sight. If I had brought Ava here, she probably wouldn’t have allowed us inside.

“We’ll have some tea, Beauregard,” she said, and I nearly jumped, not having realized the butler had followed us.

“At once,” he said and disappeared down the hallway.

Adelaide led me to a sitting room with a white couch and chairs, white carpet, and white walls. The only splashes of color were from the three landscapes displayed around the room, one on each of three walls. She sat at the high–backed single chair and gestured for me to sit on the couch. I did. The cushions were hard as a rock. I couldn’t imagine many people sat here, at least not for long.

“Before we get into the details of the financial matters,” I said, “I really was hoping you might be willing to talk to me about a couple of family things. Like I said, I’ve been trying to reconnect, and that includes about my own past.”

“I’m sure I don’t know anything about that,” Adelaide said.

“I just want to know about my parents,” I said. “They died when I was young, and my memories are so vague. I’ve been thinking of them lately, wanting to know more.”

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Adelaide paused. As I had worried she would reject the idea flat out, this gave me a sort of small, wavering hope that maybe she would answer.

“Your father was a good man. He had a lot of pride, and a good business sense. He was… gentle… in a way that was very unlike any other man I had ever met.”

She looked away, toward one of the paintings, like it held significance for her. I looked at it, and saw a house on a lake in autumn. The colors were vibrant, oranges, yellows, and purples. A softness came over her face, but only for a moment. It hardened again when she looked back to me.

“Your mother, my sister, tricked him into marriage.”

“How?” I asked.

“What does it matter? What’s done is done.”

“I want to know them better.”

“She wasn’t worth knowing.”

“My father, then.”

“Your father was a victim to her seduction.”

That seemed unlikely, given that they had three children together, spaced out by some years. But Adelaide seemed to harbor personal grudges. The ice in her voice chilled me.

I hadn’t wanted to believe that even a family as vicious as the Harpers would want to hurt their own, but with the way she is talking.

gically”

“They died tragically,” I said.

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“They hit a patch of ice,” she replied.

“There wasn’t any ice that sight. It was unusually warm.”

Her sharp gaze sliced to me. “What are you implying?”

“I don’t know,” I said, losing my nerve at the dagger’s edge in her eyes. If she was a killer, if I revealed too much… I wasn’t safe here, I suddenly knew that very keenly. I should have brought Jason with me.

“It’s a shame that your parents died like they did,” Adelaide said, holding my gaze. “But the manner in which they died is not as uncommon as you think.”

I swallowed hard. That sounded like a threat.

“I should go,” I said, standing.

“Yes, that’s probably wise,” Adelaide said. “Beauregard will show you out.”

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