Camille hadn’t even been gone a full two minutes and already Paige was perched in front of her sister’s computer. The same as yesterday, she signed into Camille’s email account and sent William a message:
Dearest William:
It was really great talking to you this morning, and I wanted to let you know that I’ve made my decision. I’ll meet you at the hotel we spoke about at 11. I won’t deny that I’m a little nervous, but what’s important is that you and I have made such an amazing connection. I realize it’s only been through emailing and phone conversation, but I feel as if you are my soul mate. It’s also hard to believe that we’ve never even met and only ran across each other more than a year ago by accident. But I guess that’s social networking for you, huh? Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow.
With love,
Camille
Paige sent the email and signed into William’s email. She typed a quick response from him to Camille that basically said he was excited to finally meet her and that she wouldn’t regret it. Paige hit send and repeated what she’d done yesterday by printing out both the incoming and outgoing messages for the two of them. Then she deleted both from Camille’s account again.
She turned off Camille’s computer, but when her phone rang, she was glad she’d brought it with her into Camille’s office. However, when she picked it up and saw that it was Owen, she scowled and considered letting it go to voicemail.
Still, she went ahead and answered. “Hello?”
“Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” he said in a panic.
“I just haven’t.”
“I’ve been calling you for two days, and I’ve been worried sick. If I hadn’t gotten you today, I was driving over to your sister’s house.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “But the truth is, I’ve been feeling so down and depressed, I haven’t felt like talking to anyone.”
“Well, I still wish you had at least let me know how you were doing.”
“I know, and I apologize.”
There was a moment of silence and then Owen said, “You know I still love you, right? I love you, and I miss you terribly.”
Paige knew it was best not to say anything, so she didn’t.
“Did you hear me?”
“Owen, please let’s not do this, okay?”
“Baby, I really thought we had something special, and not being with you really hurts.”
Paige hated whiners and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “Well, it’s like I’ve been saying, Owen, I’m really sorry about that and I wish things could have turned out differently.”
“Then why don’t we start over?”
“That won’t be possible.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t love you,” she said bluntly.
“Wow, even after all you’ve been through, you’re still the same ol’ selfish Paige.”
“No, I’m just being honest.”
“You know, it’s never good when people play with your emotions and then they just walk away like you never even mattered to them. People should be very careful when they do things like that.”
His tone had changed, and Paige wasn’t sure how to take it. “I don’t know how many times you want me to say I’m sorry, Owen, but I really am.”
“You should be,” he said and hung up.
Paige set her phone down and didn’t know what to think of Owen or his phone call. He’d sounded normal in the beginning, but it was almost as if he’d switched his entire tune toward the end of their conversation and had found the nerve to hang up on her. Jerk.
She picked her phone back up to call one of her clients, but as soon as she did it rang again. This time it was her mother, and Paige groaned. “Hello?”
“So are you feeling better?”
That was just like her mother to jump straight to the point with no greeting, no anything. “I am.”
“What are the police saying?”
“Nothing. They have no DNA matches and no suspects.”
“Camille told me you checked in with them this afternoon.”
“Then why are you asking me about it?”
“Because for all I know you could have heard something different just a few minutes ago.”
“Whatever, Mom.”
“So how long are you plannin’ on staying at your sister’s? Because I would hate to see you cause problems for her.”
“Mom, what in the world are you talking about? Did Camille say something to you?”
“No, Camille, God bless her soul, is very naïve when it comes to you. But I know who you are, Paige. You’re a bad seed, and that’s why I’ve never been able to love you the way a mother should.”
Paige paused for a few seconds, tears streaming down her face. “Mom, how could you say that to me? How could you say something so cruel?”
“Because it’s the truth, and I’ll feel a lot better once you’ve moved back home. Camille has a wonderful husband and two beautiful children, and the last thing they need is you hanging around there.”
Tears flooded Paige’s face. “Mom, I was raped,” she shouted. “Remember? I was raped and beaten with a gun, and you have the nerve to talk to me this way?”
“Well, if you were, then I’m really sorry about that.”
“What do you mean, if ?”
“Well, it just seems awfully strange that this so-called rapist was nice enough to use a condom, and of all nights, you forgot to turn on your security system.”
“Are you saying I’m lying?”
“No. Just pointing out facts. Not to mention, I would hope that not even someone as low as you would fake something so serious.”
“You know what, Mom? Go to hell.”
“No, you go to hell! As a matter of fact, you can go anywhere you want as long as you get the hell out of my daughter’s house.”
Paige was crushed. “But Mom…I’m your daughter, too.”
“Biologically maybe, but that’s where our relationship ends.”
“What?” Paige asked, her heart beating frantically.
“Look,” her mother said. “All I want is for you to pack your things and leave Camille’s house. You hear me?”
Paige pressed the end button on her phone and threw it onto the desk. She couldn’t remember when she’d been so upset. Her mother made her sick, but what worried her was that if Maxine truly believed she was up to something and was going to cause trouble for Camille and Pierce, it wouldn’t be long before she mentioned it to them. For all Paige knew, she’d already hinted around to her favorite daughter as a warning. But that wasn’t her mother’s style, though, and had she already spoken to Camille, her words would have been straight, no chaser, and Camille would have quickly asked Paige about it. Still, Paige couldn’t take any chances on her mother messing things up and had to act faster than planned. Instead of a month or so, she would have to drop a major bomb within the next two weeks.
Paige looked back at Camille’s computer screen and casually browsed through some of the “real” incoming messages Camille had already opened. She could tell they’d already been read, because they were no longer displaying in bold print. The latest email was from Nordstrom, so Paige opened it to see what Miss Thing had purchased for PJ or Crystal, because she doubted she’d purchased anything for herself. But as she scrolled through the order confirmation, she saw an order for three cashmere sweaters, one in black, one in hot pink, and one in mustard. Then she saw a notation that said, “Ship to: Paige Donahue,” and realized Camille was sending her a gift. For a moment, Paige felt a bit guilty, especially since she loved cashmere anything, but it was only for a moment, because seconds later she closed the email, clicked the “Keep As New” button, signed off Camille’s computer, and never looked back. Her sister’s gesture was kind, but it wasn’t enough to make up for all the years her parents had worshiped their little darling yet treated Paige like some orphan. It wasn’t enough to stop Paige from getting what she wanted. It wouldn’t stop her from taking Pierce.