Chapter Eighteen
Slowly, she placed the mug down on the coffee table and sighed. Then, she perched on the edge of the couch and placed a hand on Sylvie’s shoulder. She gave her daughter a gentle shake, and Sylvie stirred, prying one eye open and then the other. Her eyes were wide and confused as they darted around the room, but then they cleared when they landed on her mother.
Hastily, Sylvie sat up, and the blanket fell down to her waist.
She rubbed a hand over her face and yawned. “Why didn’t you wake me up? I could’ve made the drive back.”
Amy frowned. “In the state you were in? I thought it would be better if you stayed here.”
Sylvie blinked and rubbed her eyes. “You’re sure Ashley doesn’t mind? She’s going to think we’re taking over the house.”
Amy’s lips lifted into a half-smile. “Don’t worry about that. How are you feeling?”
Sylvie pushed herself up on her elbows. “Drained, shocked. I just can’t believe how blind I’ve been.” Leaning sideways, Sylvie curled her fingers around the mug and gave her mom a grateful smile. “Thank you for this.”
“Honey, you don’t need to thank me. You’re my daughter, and I’ll always be here for you.”
Sylvie blew on her drink and grimaced. “I’m sorry I looked into it, especially when you tried to warn us.”
Amy dug her nails into her palms. “I know it’s hard not having all of the facts, but I thought it would be better if you didn’t rush any of this. It’s a lot to take in.”
Sylvie was studying her mother intently. “Is that why you left? Because you found out these things about Dad?”
Amy’s heart fluttered, and her chest tightened. “Sweetheart, your dad and I… Some things are complicated, but I want you to know that no matter what happened, and regardless of how I feel about him, he’s still your dad.”
Sylvie took a long sip of her drink. “I know that.”
Amy reached between them and placed her hand on Sylvie’s knee. She gave it a firm squeeze and offered Sylvie a small smile. “No matter what you find out, I want you and Lucas to remember he’s still your dad, and he does love you both.”
In his own manipulative way.
And even though he wasn’t fighting fair and was willing to drag Amy through the mud before giving her a divorce, she had no interest in playing his game.
Especially not when it came to her kids.
They deserved better than being collateral damage in Eric Taylor’s war.
Sylvie took another sip of her drink and frowned. “So, are you telling me I shouldn’t look into it more? I didn’t push it… I panicked when I was told the rumors appeared to be true, but I just couldn’t…”
Amy’s free hand curled into a fist at her side. “It’s for the best if you don’t. He’s still your father, and I just don’t think you want that knowledge on your shoulders.”
Or his sins on your conscience.
Sylvie was a good and hardworking woman, but she tended to forget how attached and invested she got, and Amy knew if her daughter kept digging, she wouldn’t stop until she exposed everything. In light of recent events, Amy doubted that discovering the truth about Eric was going to help, especially not in the midst of a divorce.
This wasn’t how Amy had wanted things to unfold.
In silence, the two of them sat while Amy struggled to come up with another argument in case Sylvie wasn’t ready to let it go. When Sylvie stood and ducked into the guest bathroom in Amy’s room, Amy took her mug to the sink and breathed a sigh of relief. After washing it, she set it out to dry and looked out the window, some of the knots in her stomach unfurling at the sight of Ashley with a flashlight, a pair of wide pants, a loose top, and a pair of gloves, with garden shears in her hands.
Why couldn’t Eric let her have one thing for herself?
He was determined to ruin Falmouth for her too, by not letting her stay away peacefully, but she wouldn’t let him.
She couldn’t.
As soon as Sylvie came back out, droplets of water sliding down her face and donning one of Amy’s loose blouses, Amy’s heart soared. She motioned to Sylvie, who stepped into the kitchen and into her mother’s arms. For a while, the two of them stood there, not saying anything. Amy wanted to hold her tightly enough to put all of the pieces back together.
But she knew she couldn’t.
