Chapter 4
Kylie answered the phone. “Hey, Mr. Walters.”
“Grandma’s got her eye on you for tonight. You up for it?” Trevor’s voice was as chill as the
evening breeze.
“Actually, I’m already at Starlit Villa, Kylie said, her tone light. I’m pretty pumped to see her.” She’d tied the knot with Trevor for the sake of Noreen, and if Noreen wanted to see her, Kylie was all in, no matter what. There was a brief pause, filled only with the hum of the phone line. Then Trevor’s voice came back. “Cool Just hang tight at home for about thirty minutes. Zach’s on his way to pick you up.”
“Sounds good, thanks,” Kylie said before tapping the phone to end the call.
She walked into the villa, her phone displaying the door lock codes Trevor had sent. It was smooth sailing from there.
As she slipped on her slippers, a shrill ringtone sliced through the villa’s quiet. Kylie glanced at her phone–Julie was calling.
A wry smile played on Kylie’s lips as she hit the decline button. She had a night with Noreen to look forward to, and she wasn’t about to let anyone rain on her parade.
Julie’s face fell as she glanced at her phone’s screen, a rejected call notification sitting prominently. “Honey, Kylie blew off my call” she huffed, her tone carrying a hint of frustration
–
Samuel, typically the picture of composure, couldn’t mask his annoyance. “What’d you say to her? Let it go. She’s been out of school for three months now, with no job and no income. Don’t send her any money. We’ll see how long she can hold out.” “You’ve got a point,” Julie conceded, her thoughts turning to Melanie. “She wasn’t raised under our roof, so we’re not as close. Mel’s the one who’s always got her head on straight.”
Samuel’s jaw set firm. I’ve already frozen her card. She’ll be back before we know it.”
Julie’s eyes hardened with a mix of anger and determination. “And when she does, I’m going to give her a piece of my mind about how to conduct herself.”
The Walters residence stood quietly in the night as a Maybach pulled up to the entrance. Kylie stepped out, glancing back at Zach. Thanks,” she said, her tone casual.
Zach raised an eyebrow, surprised. The whole ride from Starlit Villa, Kylie hadn’t asked about Trevor, which seemed off considering they’d just gotten hitched that afternoon.
Zach knew the score. In Jardora, a bevy of women coveted the Walters‘ golden ring. Kylie, in his book, had played the game and won, charming her way into the family’s good graces. The others just didn’t have her magic touch.
As Kylie moved to follow the butler into the house, Zach’s curiosity piqued. Just as he was about to make his exit, she called out, “Zach, hold up.”
He turned, expecting the inevitable question about her new hubby.
Instead, she zeroed in on the pearl pendant around his neck. “Is that a family heirloom or a gift?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Zach hesitated, glancing down at the pendant. “It’s a gift. I really like it. The person who gave it to me said it’s from ancient times
Kylie’s smile was faint, and her eyes held a hint of something more as she looked at the pendant. It had a clean, minimalist design, but there was a small, discolored spot on it that looked like a drop of dried blood.
She knew she had to repay Noreen’s kindness and, with her recent marriage to Trevor, she couldn’t let anything jeopardize that. She couldn’t just stand by and watch Trevor be affected by Zach.
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Chapter 4
“The pendant is definitely from an earlier era, Kylie said, nodding. “But it might not be a good luck charm.
“How so? I’ve always been drawn to it. You know about antiques” Zach asked, his thumb absentmindedly rubbing the smooth surface of the pearl.
“I know enough, Kylie said, her gaze still on the pendant.
Zach smiled. “The person who gave it to me said it was designed by a famous artist. It’s supposed to be a collector’s item”
Kylie leaned in slightly. “To be honest, I think this pendant might have been taken from someone who passed away. It could bring trouble to you and those close to you. You’ve only been wearing it for a few days, right?”
Kylie didn’t plan to hold back–after all, Noreen, who was in poor health, could be one of those close to Zach“.
Zach’s eyes widened. “Taken from someone who… passed away? How can you tell?”
He was now very aware of the pendant, his thumb rubbing over the spot that Kylie had noticed. ‘Is she just trying to freak me out? For that I didn’t say anything about Mr. Walters? Or is there something to her words?”
Kylie glanced at her watch. “I’ve got a meeting with Mrs. Walters so let’s make it quick. If you want my advice, take it off and give it back. If not, you might want to keep your distance from Mrs. Walters for a bit. She then made her way inside, leaving Zach to consider her words,
She’d said her piece and made sure Noreen would be safe–now it was on him to decide. A month would tell if her warning had been heeded or not..
Zach stood there for a moment, the pendant suddenly feeling like a burden around his neck.
Noreen greeted Kylie with a watery smile inside the house. “Kylie, darling, I was up all night after you said no yesterday, but I’m so glad you’ve come around. Let’s see that marriage certificate, Noreen said, her eyes still glistening.
“I’m really sorry, Mrs. Walters,” Kylie said, her heart aching at the sight of Noreen’s tears.
“None of that now. You’re family, honey; just call me by my name,” Noreen said, brushing away her tears. Her emotions were raw, a sign of her age.
“Okay. Here you are, Noreen.” Kylie handed over the marriage certificate, and Noreen’s face lit up as she looked at the photo.
“This is just perfect, Noreen gushed, her smile stretching from ear to ear. “Kylie, you’ll see, Trevor is a great guy, someone you can really rely on. You’ve made a wonderful choice.”
Kylie nodded, agreeing with Noreen’s assessment. She’d only met Trevor a couple of times, but she could already tell he was a stand–up guy. His dedication to his grandmother was a testament to his character.
“And Kylie, Noreen added, picking up an envelope from the side table, “Felicia left this letter with me. She said if you got married within a year, I should give it to you. If not, we’d just forget about it. Now that you and Trevor are hitched, it’s time for you to read it.”
Kylie’s curiosity was piqued at the mention of Felicia. “Have you heard from Felicia?”
Noreen shook her head, a hint of sadness in her eyes. “If Felicia doesn’t want to be found, she won’t be. She called me when she left a year ago, telling me not to worry about her.”
Kylie felt a twinge of sadness, thinking about how she hadn’t listened to Felicia’s advice in her previous life. The memory still weighed on her heart.
