Chapter 9

"I had a good lunch thanks to you, Mrs. Sterling. The next time we meet, I must treat you," Evelyn quickly spoke as Adeline entered her car. 

Beth smiled and waved goodbye to Adeline. She knew good things would come from this sit-down. 

Evelyn stepped back when the car door closed. Her smile disappeared as soon as the car drove off. "She's looking down on us. We can't all be born into a political family like she was and then marry a big businessman. I was a famous actress."

Beth could only smile since she couldn't think of any movie or show she had seen Evelyn star in. Who cared about the background actresses? Evelyn didn't have an award to show for her talents. 

"We can't be angry with how she acted today. She wants Liam to leave Veronica but it is not going like she planned. I wonder how bad Veronica was for Adeline to not like her or was it just her birth?" Beth asked, purposely throwing a jab at Evelyn.

Evelyn didn't like knowing part of the reason Veronica was looked down upon was because no one knew that she was once a good actress. Had she been paid more, she would have stuck to it and be iconic. 

"It can't be because of her birth. My upbringing was not bad. It's something that child did," Evelyn concluded.

Evelyn didn't grow up wealthy like her current peers but she didn't have to struggle like most of the people living in the city. 

"Veronica never liked to listen. She should have been smart to get Adeline to like her even if she had to act like a maid or cook. Angrying Adeline means having the other women in the Sterling family angry with her. She tried to act so above us but she was struggling,' Beth laughed.

Evelyn shook her head. "I cannot think about her now. I told you that I would spoil you today. I have money to get the shoes you want and you can sit beside me for my next interview. How much would anyone pay to have a scoop about her memory loss?"

"I would pay you a hefty amount. Do you still have the photo you took of her inside the hospital?" Beth asked.

Evelyn started to search for her phone but then something came to mind. "The public would have mixed reactions if it came out we sent the photo. News about her memory loss should be enough."

Beth shook her head. "It would be an exclusive photo. Veronica had nurses at her side from the moment she went in. I remember one of the names. We can leak it to someone else and pay another person to collect cash."

Beth noticed Evelyn wasn't for it. "You can give the money to uncle to put toward the building. That would make him happy."

"You're right. If she had given us the money, we wouldn't have to do this. I was so close to going to her art gallery to sell some of her pieces. I need to meet with her soon when Liam isn't around to fill her head with bad stories about us. Come," Evelyn said, opening their car door after the car parked before them.

Evelyn knew they had to move fast before Veronica was told about their heated conversations. She grew nervous as she thought about Veronica's memories coming back. What would happen once Veronica remembered everything?

Evelyn had not told anyone about it and wanted it to remain a secret forever. It would have stayed a secret had Veronica not woken up. 

"Aunt Evelyn," Beth called, confused as to why Evelyn did not move to enter the car. "We need to move for the car behind us to come. You are holding the line."

Evelyn looked around, now noticing the annoyed expression of the other guests waiting for their cars to be brought around. "Right. I was daydreaming a little."

Beth turned on her phone to check her socials. She had a growing following interested in her life from what she posted. "We should stop talking about Veronica since it bothers you."

"I will stop but I heard from your uncle that the police will come-"

"Why?" Beth exclaimed, worried. "We've already told them what we know."

Evelyn touched Beth's leg to calm her. "I won't let them speak to you again. It's already traumatic that you are reliving what you experienced with your parents deaths. You've said enough so only your uncle and I will speak."

"Thank you," Beth said, relieved. "We were all together that day and she had an accident."

"Of course we were. No one can point fingers at us because Veronica tried to make us sound like villains. It's not like we were on the boat with her," Evelyn said, moving her hand from Beth's leg. 

Had it been revealed that they were not all together, Evelyn knew Liam would try to turn this accident into something more. 

The story which proved their innocence wouldn't change. Evelyn tried hard to forget what she had done that day.

…

In the home Veronica shared with Liam, she exited her room to do a bit of investigating. She had seen the man with Liam using his phone and it gave her an idea. If she could just find another phone, she would search for what was reported concerning what led to her entering the hospital.

Veronica heard voices when she reached the stairs so she stopped to listen. 

"I won't be good at keeping secrets from your wife. I'm so happy to see her back that I keep talking. Couldn't you just tell her?" She heard Edna.

"I am going to tell her about her family and friends but not about the conflict. She just woke up from days of laying like she was dead. You remember how secretive and odd she was acting before. I should have questioned her but I thought she would have come to me when she was ready," said Liam.

Edna didn't think it would have mattered. "I asked her what was on her mind to make her look so dazed or sometimes angry. She said she was taking care of personal matters. For as long as I have worked here, she was always like that. Trying to keep when your mother troubled her from you. It's not my place to step in."

Most times, Edna didn't need to speak up since Veronica had been good at handling Adeline. There were many moments when Edna cheered for her in secret. 

"You will be able to speak to her like normal from tomorrow. If I can get her to forgive the way I acted, I will tell her what she needs to know tomorrow. Just hold on until then," said Liam.

Edna was happy to hear this. "I can hold out until tomorrow. I'll make a good sandwich. She always liked to eat one and have juice outside when she was having a bad day. And Mr. Sterling, I know my place as an employee but shouldn't you tell her about Sarah?"

"Don't say that name in this house," Liam replied, not wanting to hear about those who didn't matter.