Chapter 28
Aiden
I hated leaving her there but had a little peace of mind knowing that Millie had returned home as soon as I was getting in my car. I left her there to deal with things as I gave her the space she needed to do it. I had bigger fish to fry.
I drove home knowing that I was going to confront my mother and things were going to get ugly when I did. She had it coming, though I couldn’t help being angry at myself because I'd told her.
I’d only wanted her to like Ella, but Ella had been right. I should have let her like Ella for all the reasons I did. I’d talked the big talk about not caring about a woman’s social standing, and how I wanted someone with talent and a brain in her head. Ella had been all of that and more, and I’d still found it necessary to defend her and point out that she had famous parents in the process. No wonder it had hurt her. I’d made her feel as if she weren’t good enough, but I’d do everything I could to make sure that she knew she was all I wanted and needed from there on out. No matter what, I’d make things right.
I pulled up to the main house not wanting to waste time walking from my usual parking place in the back garage near my guest house, and I even took the front steps three at a time to cut down on time. I found my mother in the office, which was even more convenient since that’s where I was headed. I wanted to see a copy of the original deed for myself and having the chance to speak to my mother was on my agenda as well.
“Aiden darling, I was wondering when you’d be home. You were out all night again, I was worried.”
“You told Nola Blue about Ella. I’ve just come from there, and things got pretty ugly.”
“I’m so sorry you had to witness that. She’s lied to everyone it seems. Nola assured me that she knew Ella’s father. It seems that Layla had a fling with some roadie from Scott Blue’s band and the guy was some kind of alcoholic. She and Scott have been taking care of Ella since and Ella likes to play this little game of pretend to make herself feel better.” Mother actually believed that shit. She’d believe anything anyone with a bank account told her.
“It’s not a game of pretend, Patricia. It’s the truth, and Ella had to endure Scott Blue’s rejection. I’m not letting them get away with it. I don’t care what it costs them, she’s suffered enough, and it’s time they come clean about a lot of things.”
“Well, she assured me that it was the truth. She was even glad that you were buying the house, even though I’d told her your intentions.”
“You what?” I stopped and looked at my mother not knowing if I had heard her right. “You told her I was the buyer? She told you what you wanted to hear.” I shook my head and continued going through the files until I came across the one for Ella’s house.
“I didn’t think you were that serious about her.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“I was serious enough to buy a fucking house.”
“I still don’t think it will last. You’re buying her a house, and she’s going to take that and run.”
“Well, you’re wrong. I’m in love with her! When she found out what you did, she threw the house back in my face and broke it off. She said she doesn’t want anything from me. I’m only hoping I can make things right, and you better hope that I can.”
Her mouth had gone slack and her eyes ringed with tears. I hadn’t seen mother so upset, but I didn’t care. I hurried out of the house with my papers in hand and left tread on the drive as I headed back to the Blue mansion, hoping Millie was able to stop her.
When I arrived, I knocked on the door, and Millie opened it. “Did you get the proof?”
“I think so.” I had glanced at the papers enough to see that my mother hadn’t been honest with me either. I passed the file off to Millie, and she hurried me into the front room just past the foyer.
Ella was in tears as Scott and Nola had it out. “She was my best friend, and you betrayed me.” Nola was going to make it all about Scott’s betrayal, and Scott was still in defense mode.
“I knew you’d clean me out and I knew Ella was in better hands with her mother. We were going to be together when I got clean, and then you ended up pregnant. Layla told me to stay.”
“Oh, and that makes it better?” Nola swung her arms around dramatically.
“Well, I wish I hadn’t listened,” he said as I stepped up beside him with Millie as she presented him with the papers. “What’s this?”
“It’s the original deed to Layla’s house. You were the original buyer.”
“Yes, so what? I wanted my daughter to have a place to live. I didn’t know that Layla would get herself in so much debt though, not enough to lose it. If I had known she’d borrowed against it.” He stopped talking and stared off into space as if the thought of it was all too much. But he’d said enough. He’d been told the same lie.
“Nola took the house, not the bank. She had Ella sign some papers under distress knowing that if she didn’t get her to sign it over, Ella would inherit it.”
“Nola?” Scott looked at her to deny it, but instead, she lifted her chin.
“Layla had the audacity to ask me to take care of Ella, to admit that she was yours. Her deathbed confession she called it. She slipped into her coma right after, and since I couldn’t get back at her, I decided that little Miss Ella could pay. I gave your mother the best years of my life being her friend and the whole time, the whole fucking time, she was in love with my husband, and you were their dirty little lie. She’d told me that he was afraid I’d clean him out. Do you know how much it hurts to find out the only reason someone sticks around is because they don’t want to lose their precious fortune? So yeah, I took your fucking house.”
“Wrong. The house was always hers. Your papers didn’t hold up, so the house had always been Ella’s. Instead, you stole from me. You stole the money that I bought the house with, and I have a feeling if I dig a little deeper, I’ll find what you did with Ella’s inheritance.”
“It doesn’t matter, I’m going to clean out Scotty Blue here, and he can pay for it.” Nola curled her lip and gave a menacing grin.
“No, you’re not,” said Halle. “We’re not going to let you.” Sadie stepped up beside her mother. In a gesture of solidarity they walked across the room and stood next to their father.
“How could you take his side after all I’ve done for you?”
“Don’t worry, mother, you’ll continue to do it,” said Sadie. “It’s part of your job, remember? And you’ll also remember who pays your salary.”
“Your father is the one who lied, and this is the treatment I get?” Nola folded her arms in front of her.
“You could have confronted him at any time, but instead you lied.”
“Those lies provided well for you.”
Halle shook her head and curled her lip. “Like the sex tape lies you spread about me? What else have you orchestrated for ratings at our expense? I suggest if you want to remain our manager, you let Sadie and me start making our decisions.”
I couldn’t believe the twins had actually stepped up against their mother, but something told me they’d simply been waiting for the perfect opportunity.
“I’m sorry, Ella.” Scott Blue crossed the room and sat next to his daughter who was sitting with tears streaming down her face.
“Well, I guess if that’s it, I’ll be going to my room.” Nola held her chin up high and turned to head up the stairs, but Millie stepped in her way.
“I’d like for you to pack your things. You’re no longer welcome in my house.” The woman must have had the authority to declare that because Nola didn’t fight her on it. Instead, she cocked her brow upward and tucked her chin as she took the first few steps.
“No, Mama Blue,” said Scott. “I’d like for her to stay.” Nola’s eyes softened as she turned to Scott and for a moment I thought he was about to declare his love and desire to mend things. “I think it won’t hurt anything for her to take Ella’s place in the guest room for a while. After all, she’ll want to be close to the girls and her job.”
Nola’s lip curled, but she didn’t protest. She went up the stairs, and the twins hooked their arms with their father’s and led him out onto the patio.
Millie went upstairs soon after leaving Ella and me alone.
After a few minutes of silence and her staring at the floor, I decided to make my exit. “Well, it turns out the house was yours all along. So, enjoy it, Ella.”
I hoped she’d stop me, but as I walked out the door, she let me go.