Chapter 87

Third Person POV

Lionel was shocked beyond words.

He had arrived at the address. Perhaps expecting Irina to be waiting outside. Nothing could have prepared him for the place he arrived at.

Thoe horrible letters of the sign mocked him.

Moonlit Vally Sanitarium

‘A sanitarium,’ Lionel thinks in a daze. ‘She is in a sanitarium.’

It was gut wrenching. To know that the little girl who trailed after him and Katya was here. Ugly emotions crashed into him.

‘How did this happen?’ Lionel thought fearfully. ‘Why is she here of all places?’

If he thought seeing the place she was trapped in was bad…seeing her pale, scared face was worse.

She leapt out of her chair. A burly orderly forced her back down. Lionel bare his teeth at seeing the rough treatment of his pseudo little sister.

“Do not put your hands on her.” Lionel growled.

“Sir, it’s only protocol. She could be danger-” The orderly commented.

But Lionel would not hear of it. “The only danger here is me if you touch her again.” Lionel warned.

A childlike happiness shown out from beneath the dark circles under her eyes. “Lionel, you came.” She murmured in awe.

Guilt clutched his heart. ‘I should have checked in on her.’ He thought painfully.

His and Katya’s relationship had not been…healthy. Her death left its mark on him. The terrible truth was that Lionel found it difficult to be around Irina afterwards.

She had always looked at him with shining eyes. As though he were some hero that could fix everything. Lionel did not know how to shatter that admiration.

So he phased himself out of her life. Ghosted her with excuses of mourning in private. Of looking after Vera.

In time she stopped reaching out. Lionel was guiltily relieved. He figured her family would take care of her.

Clearly, he was wrong.

He knelt in front of her. Like he did when they were children and she came to him in tears. Bruised arms or skinned knees from chasing after her sister in their older kid games.

“I’m here.” He says gently.

Irina’s lip wobbles. “But you weren’t.” Tears leak out of her bright blue eyes.

Lionel’s breathe shutters at that silent accusation. “I know.” He replies quietly.

“I needed you. You abandoned me.” She throws out harshly.

“I didn’t mean to.” Lionel answers. “It was just so hard after Katya…”

Her blue eyes were like were like diamonds; clear and hard. Unforgiving. Accusing.

“Hard for you?” She shrieks. “She was my sister!”

Lionel winces at her volume. “You’re right. I should have realized.”

“YES, you should have.” Irina snarls. “I had no one.”

Lionel frowned. “Surely your family supported you.”

She shakes. “They were all too busy fighting about Katya’s will. She wasn’t even cold in her grave before the vultures descended.”

“I had no idea.” Lionel says gravely. His guilt worsening.

“I had no one.” Irina repeats coldly. “And the one person I looked to for support…couldn’t even be bothered to pick up the phone.”

“I’m sorry.” He says weakly. “I’ll fix this.”

“Do you even know why I’m here?” She asks resentfully.

“No.” Lionel admits.

“I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t take another day all alone. So I decided to end it.”

It’s a punch to his gut. Leaving him breathless as he realizes what she is saying. What his selfishness has done to this poor girl.

“Irina.” He says in a strangled voice. “You tried to…”

Her face is blank. “More than once.” She says softly.

His head falls into his hands. The weight of his guilt physically holding him down now. He takes a deep breath.

“I was a disgrace to the family name for my weakness.” She spits. “So they threw in here. To hide their shame.”

Lionel lunges forward. Putting his hands to her face like a parent would a child. She leans into it.

“I will get you out of her.” Lionel vows. “I’ll take care of you.”

She stares deeply into his eyes. Searching. “You will?”

“I swear.”

Her angry facade breaks. Reminding him of all the times he comforted the spoiled, young heiress as a boy. He lightly pats her red hair.

‘I’ll fix this.’ He thinks to himself. ‘But first I need to get her out of here.’

The next few days are busy. Lionel contacts the Farkas family. Putting all his weight behind the threat to release Irina into his custody.

They don’t put up a fight. Lionel almost regrets that. He had been looking forward to putting them into their place for abandoning the girl.

Then comes the process of having one of his many vacation homes readied for her. Her countenance brightening as he helps her pick out décor and snacks. It’s almost like the old days…

Katya’s absence still lingering between them even as neither mention her.

Lionel’s main struggle came as he realized he was breaking his word to Nan to come back soon. He felt bad about that. Knowing that Nan must be missing him as much as he misses her.

‘She’ll understand,’ He thought. ‘Once they meet, I know Nan and Irina will love each other.’

Irina had always craved attention. Wanting someone to treat her kindly. Katya had never really been that sort of person.

Nan would be great. She could show Irina the true warmth of sisterhood. His little family would be whole once more.

Irina is moody the day the around clock nurses arrive. She tries to protest. But Lionel is much too eager for home to give in.

“Irina.” He says sternly. “You will be brought back to the property in a few days.”

This calms her down some. “I’ll get to stay at the mansion.” Her eyes light up.

But Lionel shakes her head. “Vera and Patti are there. I don’t want to…stress everyone out.”

She frowns. “You mean you don’t want me to hurt myself while they are there.” She pouts.

Lionel does not respond. There is no kind way to agree. So he says nothing.

“They’re my nieces. I wouldn’t do anything to upset them!” Irina says angrily.

“It’s not just them. I need to let my girlfriend know we will be having a guest.” Lionel finally says.

Irina freezes. “Girlfriend?” Her voice is wiped free of any emotion.

Lionel sighs. “Yes.”

Lionel had not been looking forward to telling her. Irina had always seen his and Katya’s relationship as untouchable. She had not liked when he dated other people before marrying her sister.

He had no idea how she would react to the news of him moving on from her sister. But he couldn’t put it off any longer. He would not hide his love for Nan.

He left Irina there. Not seeing the anger in her eyes. Or the scent of jealous hatred radiating off of the girl.

Seeing Nan after being away for days was a balm to his guilty soul.

He arrived late in the night. Heading straight to her bedroom. She sat up to welcome him.

But frowned at the exhausted look on his face. She patted the place on her bed beside her. He sat down without a word.

“Lionel, what happened?” She questioned gently.

The dam he had been keeping his emotions behind burst. It call came pouring out. That horrible first meeting and everything else that followed.

Nan is silent.

‘How did I not know about this?’ She thinks. Concern blazing with each barely concealed hitch of his breath.

Lionel looked close to tears. As though he was being crushed beneath the weight of the world. That thought was painful and jarring.

It also scared her to think that there was such a huge part of him she did not know. A part that his wife still owned. Nan decided she needed more information.

“Lionel, can you tell me more about Katya?” She utters.

Lionel froze. “What?”

She weighed her words carefully. “I think there is a lot about her you haven’t processed. Maybe it would help to talk about it.”

It was as though a wall came between them. All sign of his distress were hidden away. Nan did not know how to react.

“I’d rather not.” He said curtly. He got up from the bed.

“Lionel.” Nan called back.

“I still have arrangements to make. Don’t wait up.” And then he was gone.

‘How can a dead woman have so much power over him? Nan thought helplessly. It unnerved her.

‘Maybe I should put some distance between us for a while…just so I can think.’ Nan thought with hurt.

Unknowing of the perfect opportunity she was presenting Irina with.