CHAPTER1
Elana Taylor pressed a hand to her stomach before stepping into her parent’s’ palatial home in the gated subdivision of Charleston, South Carolina. Despite being a thirty-year-old woman, she dreaded being summoned home and feeling like an incompetent child again. Whatever the reason for this family meeting, it wouldn’t be good. The last family meeting had resulted in more charitable duties being assigned to her and her two younger sisters, Elizabeth and Brianna. While her sisters loved being in the spotlight where they could showcase their magnanimous deeds, Elana preferred to work behind the scenes, away from the watchful eyes of the public. Being the center of attention was not her thing. Besides, it was already hard to balance her own fledgling career with her charitable commitments. Elana glanced down at her black jeans and cream-colored shirt. Therehadn’t been time to go home and change since her father’s call had sounded dire.
Elana took a steadying breath and made her way to the library, which doubled as her father’s office. The ballet-style flats didn’t make a noise on the hardwood floors. The elaborate artwork on the walls seemed to look down on her. Home was supposed to be inviting, not feel like a cage. Elana stepped inside the stately double doors of the library. Her father, John Taylor, glanced up from behind his colossal mahogany desk and stood.
“Hello, Father.” Elana forced a smile.
He dropped the paper he was holding and furrowed his brows. “Elana. You’re late.”
Shifting her weight, she dropped the smile. “Sorry. I was finishing up a project at work. It’s an ad campaign for the library.”
Her mother, Victoria, stepped into the room dressed in a pristine blue suit. “I thought that project was due two days ago?”
Elana bit the inside of her cheek. “They granted me an extension.”
Her father sighed and walked around the desk to place a kiss on her forehead. “Dear, you must manage your time better. You know what I always say…”
Elana nodded. “It’s always better to be early than late. And that applies to deadlines and dinner.”
He smirked, pleased that she had remembered his sage words.
She lifted her chin. “I see that Elizabeth and Brianna aren’t on time either.” She’d never been close to her younger sisters. Her mother was always pitting her against them.
The echo of high heels resonating off the hardwood floors had her turning around.
Brianna and Elizabeth both grinned. One was carrying a tray with scones, while the other held a tray with a pot of hot tea, and teacups and saucers. They wore designer dresses and their blonde hair was perfectly fixed. Unlike Elana’s.
“We’re not late. We’ve been here at least an hour, waiting on you, silly.” Brianna smirked.
Elana bristled and felt her face heat with embarrassment. She hated being reminded that she wasn’t as organized as her siblings were. She smoothed down her blouse and focused on her father. “So, what’s this meeting about?”
Her mother turned and gave her a sweet smile. “It’s about Grandma Cecilia.”
Elana’s eyes went wide. “Is she okay? Did something happen?”
Her father scannedher mother’s face before looking at her. “Physically, she is fine. But mentally, well, she’s not as sharp as she once was. Just yesterday, she put her keys in the refrigerator. Who knows what she’ll do next? She might forget and leave the stove on and burn her house down.”
Elana studied her father. “She has Anna, the housekeeper. She has always taken great care of Grandma Cecilia and won’t let her burn the house down.”
Her father studied her. “Not anymore. I fired Anna today. Mother won’t need her anymore.”
Elana was at a loss for words. When she found them, she blurted them out. “You what? Why would you fire Anna?”
Her mother walked over and patted her hand. “We won’t need Anna anymore, sweetheart,” her mother said. “Grandma Cecilia is going to an assisted living facility. I’m sure she’ll be happy there around so many people her age.”
Elana couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You’re putting Grandma Cecilia in a nursing home?”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Not a nursing home. It’s assisted living. It’s like a resort for old people.”
Elana glared at her younger sister. “I can’t believe Grandma Cecilia agreed to this.”
Her mother poured a cup of tea into the exquisite china cup and handed it to Elana. “That’s where you come in, dear.”
Elana swallowed hard and gazed around the room. She got the uneasy feeling she was being used for something sinister.
Elizabeth grinned at her. “Grandma Cecilia appreciates your opinion.”
Elana studied her beautiful younger sister, who always had it together. At age twenty-four, Elizabeth had started her own decorating company and was doing well. Even twenty-two-year-old Brianna had gotten her real estate license and was making money hand over fist. Elana was still driving the car she’d gotten when she graduated high school and had only gotten one raise since she’d started working at the advertising agency. She’d always suspected her parents had decided to have more children when they’d figured out Elana would not be as successful as they’d hoped.
