Heaven And Hell novel Chapter 73

"I did not come here to apologize for Michael, Keller. In fact, you're the one who found me. Need I remind you that?" She sniffed. "Anyway, you must see the truth. He's not lying, for goodness sake. He might seem to have done the most idiotic thing in the world to you, child, but it isn't what you think!"

"Then why hasn't he talked to me ever since yesterday?" I bit off, feeling a pain in my chest at the thought of Michael avoiding me.

Lady Cutting quirked an eyebrow, grasping her cane lightly between her gloved hands. "Do you really believe that, gel?"

"...Yes."

"Ha!" she scoffed. "You hesitated. Tell me, my dear, are you sure you think Michael doesn't care a fig about what you felt yesterday?"

"Yes."

"You said that too fast!"

"Oh for God's sake!" I wailed. "Can you just leave it? I don't want to hear any more of this crap. Michael never came to me again; he never apologized after I left him in that hall yesterday. He's probably with Natalie right now, so to speak."

I couldn't help but sneer at the mention of her name.

"Natalie's not here, Keller."

I stared at her, processing this. "What?"

"Are you daft or just deaf?" she barked. "I said, Natalie's not here! Not anymore."

"Why?" I asked in a small voice, staring into Lady C's blue eyes.

"Because," she emphasized, looking terribly impatient and annoyed now, "she gave up Michael. Michael pushed her away from him, not returning her mad love for him. He ordered her to leave the premises. You see, young lady, my grandson doesn't love her. He loves you."

"What?" I demanded, totally confused. She was saying so many shocking things, I couldn't get a hold of them quickly.

"You! He loves you!" she practically squealed, flailing a hand in the air. "Good heavens, child! I cannot believe my son fell in love with a beautiful yet deaf young woman of seventeen." Then she muttered to herself, "I suppose I'd just get you a hearing aid for Christmas."

"I'm not deaf!" I exclaimed, my eyes wide. I placed a hand on my forehead. Maybe...maybe Michael thought I needed time. Which I did, actually. But he shouldn't have waited for me to feel peace! I wanted him to come to me. I breathed deeply.

"Do you love my grandson?"

I slowly looked up at the dowager, staring at me intently now. "Yes."

"Good. Because he came to me for help in taking you back." I practically leaped with joy. "He thinks I'm going with the plan we made, but what he doesn't know is that I am going to alter everything and change it round. Here's what I want you to do."

When she started telling me what I should do, I couldn't help but feel stunned.

Vivian was in a Chanel gown made of white-gold silk that accentuated her figure and her tan, and an edgy, dirty white Alexander McQueen dress for Emerson that made her silver eyes sharper and had her looking more gorgeous with her hair done up in a high chignon.

The boys were a bit late, but then we heard footsteps.

"Remember the plan," Viv reminded Em and I.

Emerson grinned, while I nodded.

"Good luck, babe," Emerson said to me, kissing my cheek. "I'm sure my idiot of a brother will really change for the better. Haven't seen him since yesterday" -- Michael didn't eat dinner with us, nor did he eat breakfast with us earlier -- "so I'm curious about what he looks like."

"Fred says Michael doesn't look the same. In a way." We all looked curiously at that thought, but we shrugged and waited to see for ourselves.

"Oh! Here they come!" Em whispered frantically. She began talking about the weather, of all things, with Viv and I. Dutifully, my best friend and I obliged by adding our own thoughts to the topic at hand.

"Hello, ladies," Frederick called, beaming at all of us. He gave me a quick wink and turned to face the two boys walking side-by-side quietly. My heart sank as I saw Michael. He had a huge red mark on his left cheek, adding a huge blue and purple bruise to his cheekbone. His eyes were slightly watery and red, but other than that, he straightened his shoulders and lifted his chin.

When he saw me staring at him, I swallowed my love for him and pretended to look at him contemptuously, hatred filling my eyes rather than the love I truly felt for him.

I wanted to scream that I didn't want to go through with the plan anymore; that I simply wanted to be with him. But I held back, keeping up with the plan. This will work. You won't really hurt him. This will work.