36. Taking a peek

Slow classical music played from the old, Victrola phonograph that Zoe Doyle had inherited from her deceased grandmother. It always helped to soothe the fatigue that overwhelmed her. She turned her head to meet her youngest son, Felix fidgeting with the keypads on his phone, probably playing one of his silly games.

Zoe rolled her eyes. She could never understand the obsession with teenagers and playing games that would kill every tiny brain cell in their heads. No wonder he kept failing at Math. He had swapped every bit of his IQ for stupid games.

Felix wasn't like her. Definitely not the way she wanted him to be. He wasn't ambitious. He was also way too skinny for anyone his age. If anything, he was like his own father. He even looked and acted just like him. Same droopy brown eyes. Same tortilla brown hair. Even the same skinny form. Always easygoing with the world. Never incisive. It always made Zoe wonder how she was able to last seven years of marriage with his father.

Zoe shook her head. There was no need for reminiscing. She knew she was stronger than that. She had survived two pointless marriages, individually bearing one son from each union, without letting sentiments get in the way. Zoe dangled the glass of liquor in her hand. It wasn't the faults of any of her ex husbands why her marriages crashed. She had only loved one man and Zoe didn't think she could love another again.

A humorless laugh escaped her lips, making Felix pause his game to give her a concerned look in his plain brown eyes. She ignored him again. It was something he was used to. Her being distant and detached from the world. With a shrug, he continued his game. She was relieved that he didn't ask. There was nothing worse than admitting to one's 14 year old son that she was still in love with a ghost. How pathetic would that be?

Daniel Hammell. The ghost of her past that haunted her thoughts. If she had taken the many chances life had tossed at her, then Daniel would have remained hers. But Yolanda just had to charm him with her sweet-girl antics when she already knew how much Zoe loved him. Zoe could never let it go. Everyone naturally loved Yolanda, she was perky and beautiful. She had everything. Sadly, Zoe always felt at the background of their parents' affections and it broke her heart when the only person she ever loved, ended up falling for Yolanda, just like every damn person around her.

Ira Phillips walked through the door, with a briefcase in one hand and a scowl on his face. Now, he was her golden boy. He even had traces of her electric green eyes in his blue-green irises. Ivy league and ruthless about anything tied to his passions, Ira was a product of her first brief loveless marriage that she had weaved herself into, right after college.

At least, Ira's existence was worth getting married young for nearly two years to his unfaithful wealthy father, Kane Phillips. On the plus side, the hefty divorce settlement made his infidelity less hurtful and helped to build the expensive lifestyle that both her sons seemed to enjoy.

"What's with the look on your face?" Zoe had questioned her older son, when he came in with a rather pissed-off look.

Irritation clouded his words. "Can you pick up your phone once in a while? Larkin called me on my phone and he wants you to visit again this weekend. Apparently, he's been calling you all day and you've been ignoring him."

Zoe took a slow gulp of her drink before glancing at Ira. "I saw his calls but I didn't want to talk to him."

His small nose wrinkled and the lingering annoyance swelled up in his tone. "I don't like talking to him either. You should deal with your problems with him and stop drinking every damn time. It's embarrassing. I need you to be sober for once, when it comes to making decisions about Larkin. You're being sloppy again."

"Fine, I'll talk to him. Happy now?"

With a quick eye roll, Ira snorted. "Very. The last thing I need to put up with, is his nonsense talks and your inability to stay away from alcohol for five minutes."

Zoe's eyes flashed, her words almost slurring. The alcohol's effect had started to kick in. "I said I'll talk to him. You don't have to flip out on me, just because you don't like him."

Felix shot them an unimpressed look, giving a notion that didn't agree with Ira's bitter words. "Oh, come on, Larkin's not that bad. A little closed off, but who wouldn't. He lost his parents. Dude can't even walk properly."

Ira shook his head. He and his brother were only a decade apart, but the way Felix acted so naive annoyed him. "That was only a year ago. He should get off his high horse and stop expecting people to clean up his messes."

"Watch your mouth. That's my sister's death that you're belittling." Zoe glared at him.

Ira's sarcastic laugh made Zoe glare even more. "Really, mom? Your sister? The one you hate so desperately? You hated her so much that you dyed your natural blonde hair to brown, so you won't look like her."

Zoe blinked at him, trickling her fingers down the waves of her brown hair. "I don't hate her." But her soft words weren't enough to convince even herself.

Felix interjected. "If you don't hate her, then why do you treat her son like trash?"

Zoe blinked again. What could she possibly say to salvage her situation? She was too depressed and angry at herself to give a sincere answer. Yolanda took everything she ever wanted. The man. The company she strived to build. The beautiful house. Despite it all, she was still her sister and losing Yolanda and Daniel at once put her in a state of depression and untapped anger. So much anger.

Fate had brought Daniel to her on many occasions. At first, it was in college when they met in class. He was handsome and caring, even dating briefly in college. It was the kind of puppy love you'd see in movies, but it was almost forgettable. Why wouldn't it be? He was twenty, young and naive but Zoe had bigger plans for herself. Right after the break up, marrying Kane Phillips was all she wanted. Zoe didn't love Kane as much she wished she could but his family came from money and it was enough to keep her going. Thankfully, the marriage didn't last and Zoe went on with her life.

Her paths crossed with Daniel again when she started working in his family company. By that time, she was a divorced single mom with eyes on the Hammell's family heir, her first love. It was definitely like fate wanted them to meet again. It had to be. Loving him was easy and he was clearly interested in her too. They were trying to make things work but then everything changed when Daniel met Yolanda.

Her face stormed at the memory. They both betrayed her and Larkin was a product of that betrayal.

Ira scoffed. Teal colored eyes gleamed. "I'll tell you why. It's not a secret that you loved our sweet late Uncle. I bet Larkin knows about it and he's making fun of you, whenever he gets the chance."

Zoe hissed. "Watch your mouth." She couldn't recognize the man smiling smugly before her. This wasn't the boy she raised. He had grown into a bitter man with a cynical heart. The thought tore a shiver through her.

"Or what? You'll drink yourself to death? Since the moment our uncle died, you turned into this alcoholic at home and it's too embarrassing to bring anyone over."

Felix's mouth sagged. "Ira, I don't-"

"Stay out of this, Felix." Ira's eyes blazed. His brawny build had stiffened. "She needs to hear every bit of what I have to say. Mom has no idea the things I prioritize while she's busy drowning in self loathe."

Zoe stared at her son. Words hung in her mouth. She always knew how ruthless Ira could be. That was what she loved about him. His drive. But now it seemed like his coldness had extended to her and this side of him was too scary to describe. "What the hell are you talking about?"

A short silence cut through them. Zoe's voice raised. "Tell me what you mean. I have done everything for the both of you. Especially you, Ira."

With narrowed eyes, Ira replied. "Well I guess it's not enough. Not if you don't care about anything else but that dead man."

She pushed herself out of the seat and lunged towards him. With only few inches apart, he could see the blazing anger in her moss green eyes that almost matched the colour of his. "Don't ever talk about Daniel like that again."

Damn it. Life was still playing cruel tricks on her. Zoe knew she'd always love Daniel Hammell, even after everything. And worse, Larkin had his exact face. Beautiful curly blond hair, intense green eyes and a jawline that could turn heads, Larkin was his splitting image. It was painful to look at her nephew and his existence made their betrayal harder to swallow.

At least, her alcohol helped to ease the pain.

"Oh mom, you're doing it again. It's like you forget that he's dead. But that's not the only truth you've refused to accept." Ira paused for emphasis. "He was never yours. You were just swept up in your idealisms to see the truth and that messed up our lives because of it." And with that, he left the house without hesitation. Leaving his heartbroken mother to deal with the aftermath of his words.

★★★

Keeping herself distracted from the loud music and everything happening around her, Callie dropped the cup of booze she had taken and made her way to a recluse place that seemed to be a tea room. At least, the music wasn't so loud here. It was surrounded by framed pictures that seemed to fill up the room.

Most of the pictures were of a smiling white couple but there were really few ones with Viola inside. The ones that had her face was with a particular pale skinned, white woman with long, deep blonde hair and a warm smile.

"That's my mom." The voice behind her almost made her jump. She whirled around to see Viola leaning against the doorway. Viola took some steps closer, until she was almost seven feet apart from Callie.

Callie looked at the picture of the attractive white lady, then back at the dark skinned Viola and made a silent "oh".

A soft chuckle escaped her lips. "You look surprised. I'm adopted. People always make that face when they see how white she is."

Callie tried to explain. "I wasn't being judge-y or anything. I was-"

"Relax. I'm not going to bite." Her full lips curled up. "Not unless you push my limits."

Callie smiled back, and turned her head back to the picture. "I didn't know you were adopted."

Viola's eyebrow arched. "Were you expecting me to put a huge sign post on my head to tell people about it?"

Callie sent her a wry look, choosing not to dwell on it. "Is it true that you and Pierce are related?"

Donning a irritated look, Viola said. "Do me a favor. When I'm trying to be nice to you, don't mention Damien. It's already hard enough."

Despite how rude she had sounded, Callie couldn't help feeling bad for her. The beautiful rich girl had a weakness and it was a certain blue eyed boy that Callie couldn't stand. "You really like him, don't you?"

"Were you not listening to anything I said, Callista Blanco?" Viola glared at her. "Did I ask for your pity? You know you're not better than me just because he likes you."

Callie felt indignant. With Viola, it was like taking one step forward, and then twenty steps back. "No really, what is your problem? I'm trying to be nice."

Her arms folded, deep hues of her dark eyes ignited a spark. "I didn't ask for your niceness. In fact, you can kick it to the curb and let it burn in flames, cause it's not needed here."

Callie sighed, pacing around and fighting the urge not to yell at her. "You're insufferable."

Viola shrugged. "It is what it is."

Slumping into one of the wingbone chairs, Callie met her gaze. "You know I don't understand why you're giving me reasons not to like you. There's no point in doing that. You can be nice to me if you let yourself try."

"Maybe for you." Viola's head cocked, trickling her red curls against her neck. "But where's the fun in that?"

Callie scoffed. "Fun? There's no fun in anything. It's all about being human."

Not saying anything for a while, Viola chose a chair next to Callie to sit on. The quick grin on her face almost startled Callie. "You know you're not so bad yourself, when you're not a pretentious goody two shoes."

Callie nearly scoffed. Only Viola would say something like this and mean it as a compliment. "You're not so terrible too when you're not being a rude bitch."

The ringing laughter from Viola's mouth made Callie's lips crease into a smile. "That's the most honest thing I've heard in a long time."

Callie watched the laughing girl sitting across from her. If someone had told her that she and Viola would be having a proper discussion without pulling each other's hairs, Callie wouldn't have believed it. But somehow, it had become a reality she hadn't expected.

★★★

This is officially my longest chapter. I can now admit that. All the ones I've written before, don't even come close. I hope you got to enjoy it. I loved giving a peek into Aunt Zoe's life and seeing things from her view.

Xoxo
Jasmine

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