I wish I could share with her what had transpired but no, we'll leave things as they were, letting her believe for at least a little while longer that her family had just been relocated somewhere.
Eventually I'd tell her the truth, then again maybe not, I didn't see the benefit in it for her.
Vito and I had already pooled our considerable resources to ensure that none of this was ever leaked to the press. I didn't want her finding out some other way, not before I had a chance to tell her first, if ever.
"Oh, sorry, then I got lots of nice things for the peanut, wait until you see...."
She went on and on about her day so far and all I heard was the joy, the lack of tension in her voice.
I would do it all over again to ensure that she found this peace always.
No one else better fuck with her because I'd learned that I had no tolerance for anyone who did.
She'd started out as....... revenge I guess, and had become so much more, she was everything, her and peanut. I am going to spoil the hell out of them both, there wasn't anything she'd ever want for first and foremost love, I'll make sure she had that everyday for as long as we lived. For everyday she'd gone without it I'd see she got double.
For all the heartache and misery she'd suffered as a child I would see to it that it was remedied tenfold. I will uncover every dream she's ever had, and if it was at all in my power, see to it that they came true.
"Baby, I want you to buy something...better yet let me talk to mom a minute."
She passed the phone off to my mom, I could hear her and Paulina chattering away in the background.
"Hi son, what's going on?"
"Mom I need you to do me a favor."
"Anything!"
"I need you to buy Delia something totally frivolous and obscenely expensive, don't let on what you're up to or she'll fight you tooth and nail, but if you should happen to be at the Jeweler's, or even one of those handbag places you like so much, if there's anything that she seems to like get it for her."
"That's my kind of favor, you're such a good kid."
"You raised me right I guess, let me say bye to my baby."
I said bye to her after telling her to have fun and that I'll see her later for dinner, not one mention of her ex relatives, and I didn't feel any guilt, so far so good.
After I hung up, my whole attitude changed.
It was time to go face Celine for the last time, I didn't have much to say to her, besides she was so strung out it probably wouldn't mean much anyway, but I needed this closure, needed to put what she was behind me.
It's funny, throughout this whole ordeal I never once thought of what she'd done to me, not once, it was as though it didn't matter, but what she'd done to Delia, that deserved a hell of a lot worse than she was getting.
At the hotel the back door had been left slightly ajar as prearranged, I couldn't have it known that I was anywhere in the vicinity, that would raise way too many questions.
I slipped quietly up the stairway to the third floor where the security cameras had been jammed to avoid my being caught on video.
The extra room key was where it was supposed to be, everything smooth and coordinated, the Escalnte brothers are a little scary with their attention to detail not to mention the way thus command such loyalty from others.
She was already enjoying the goodies we'd had supplied for her and barely noticed the door opening.
"You, if it isn't the big bad Chase Thornton, how many lives are you planning to destroy today?"
I didn't bother answering her bullshit question, I was here for one thing only.
"How are you doing Celine, you don't look so good."
"Screw you."
"No thanks, I like my dick exactly where it is, besides my wife is the most amazing lay I've ever had."
"That insipid bitch, hah." Her words were slurred and she was barely cognizant.
"I'll let that one slide." Yeah I was feeling generous because I could see our plan was working splendidly.
"Whatever, you two deserve each other anyway, losers."
"You didn't think I was such a loser when you were after me to marry you."
"That's because I thought you were fun......" She was busy getting high while we chatted, was she always on drugs, or did she start down this path after the rehearsal dinner fiasco? I guess I'll never know.
I laughed my ass off at the fun reference but didn't reply, this wasn't about that anyway, I'd stopped beating myself up over her using me a long time ago. No it was time to turn the screws and get the hell out of there, she was nothing, and looking at her here and now, her mask completely off and what she was plain to see I was thankful once more that she'd not gotten her hooks in me.
"So anyway I'm just here to tell you about your sister and her good fortune, I'm sure you'd be happy to know that she is the heiress to a multibillion-dollar corporation, that her father and uncles are doing everything in their power to see that she's ready to run the corporation within a year? So now not only does she have my money and name behind her, she also has the Escalantes.