In an instant, Marina’s eyes went wide, terror flickering in them as a bolt of lightning split the night outside.
For the first time, Jonathan finally saw real guilt flicker across Marina’s face. Maybe she’d played the part of “his Rina” for so long that she’d started to believe it herself. That would explain why she’d spoken with such conviction just now, as if she truly believed she’d been wronged–by him, or maybe by Niamh.
But…
The way Jonathan looked at her was cold and sharp, his gaze like a pair of invisible hands itching to tear her apart.
Prescott had told him–the investigation was clear. Marina had never been
committed to Aldenville Juvenile Rehabilitation Center. Not once.
She wasn’t his Rina.
She never had been.
“All the help I gave you… all the favoritism… all the dignity I afforded you… it was always meant for Rina.” Jonathan’s voice was calm, almost gentle, but every word wormed its way into Marina’s ears, making her tremble all over.
“Without Rina’s identity… you’re nothing to me.”
He let the words hang in the air, then turned and walked out of the hospital room.
Left alone, Marina collapsed onto the floor and sobbed uncontrollably.
At the far end of the hallway, Prescott stood waiting, brow furrowed.
It wasn’t long before Jonathan appeared, his smile cold enough to chill the blood.
“Did you get in touch with the people from the Vipers‘ Nest?”
“… Already did.”
“Good.”
Jonathan didn’t say much, but Prescott understood far more than what was
spoken.
The night was pitch black, thunder rolling as rain poured down in sheets, as if the sky itself was weeping.
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519
Prescott drove, following Jonathan’s instructions, and pulled up outside Aldenville Juvenile Rehabilitation Center
On a stormy night, the place looked more terrifying than any prison.
Prescott watched as Jonathan got out of the car without an umbrella, letting the downpour soak him to the skin–just like he had earlier that day.
By all rights, Prescott should have stopped him, but he didn’t. He figured Jonathan needed to say goodbye to his past, to his old self and the feelings he once had
Marina hadn’t been Jonathan’s first love. Which meant that someone else was.
Prescott had once asked if he wanted to investigate the piano competition from all those years ago. Maybe things had changed, people had come and gone, but there could still be clues left to find.
Jonathan had recognized Marina as his first love because she’d won the piano championship He remembered the music his first love played, and he was convinced only a champion could have performed like that.
But the winner had been Marina, so Prescott suspected there might be some misunderstanding.
If they re–examined the list of contestants, there was a good chance they’d find the
real Rina.
But Jonathan refused.
He told Prescott he wouldn’t look for Rina anymore.
Now, standing alone in the pouring rain outside the juvenile center, Jonathan let himself be drenched. Gradually, the rain eased, and the sky began to lighten. Time would move on, unstoppable. No one should be trapped by the past forever.
It was time, Jonathan thought, to look forward.
“I’m already moving on. That’s why I’ll never agree to Jonathan’s suggestion of starting over..”
In the old house on Trinity Lane, Niamh was on the phone with Lana Guthrie,
chatting away.
“That’s more like it! For a second, I thought you’d let him sweet–talk you into coming back” Lana fretted on the other end
“Trust me, that’s not happening Besides, from now on, I’m the largest shareholder in The Thomas Group With assets like that, you really think I’ll have trouble finding
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a decent man?”
Lana burst out laughing. “Now that’s the spirit. I guess I can finally understand why you were so hung up on Jonathan before–honestly, a face like his is dangerous!”
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