Chapter 197

I had to discover the truth about my father's death. After considerable deliberation, I realized I needed Wayne's help, but first, I needed a plausible excuse.

My phone rang while I was still contemplating this. It was Lindey, and she didn't mince words. "Jace is going to be the death of Matthew and me! If he actually dates Tanya Twain, we'll die before we allow it."

Her reaction didn't surprise me. I tried to remain calm. "Lindey, seriously, you shouldn't let this upset you so much. Relationships, marriage… it's not something parents can control."

"Of course we can't control him! Otherwise, we wouldn't have let things go as far as they did with you two. But if he thinks he's bringing a pregnant widow into this family? Absolutely not," Lindey snapped.

Her words added to the pressure I was already feeling. I didn't know what to say, or if I even wanted to. Jace and Tanya had betrayed me. Why should I defend them? I wasn't here to forgive and forget. I wasn't about to play peacemaker for Lindey's benefit. Frankly, my restraint was more than they deserved.

"Rea, Matthew's so upset he hasn't eaten. He's practically on a hunger strike. He'll only listen to you. Could you come over and talk some sense into him?" Lindey finally revealed her true reason for calling.

Fate had provided the perfect opportunity. Going to the Johnston residence might eliminate the need for Wayne's assistance altogether. I might be able to access Matthew's car and find the information myself.

I agreed to come. After a few more minutes of her Jace-related tirade, she hung up.

However, simply appearing at the Johnstons' didn't guarantee success. To ensure everything went as planned, I called Wayne.

"Rea," his gentle voice greeted me.

"Wayne," I replied, maintaining a respectful yet distant tone. I had to be cautious. I didn't want to encourage his attachment, yet I needed to exploit his feelings. I was being a complete hypocrite, and I knew it.

"Your father's distraught and won't eat. Your mother's asking me to come over, but I don't think I can handle this alone. Can you meet me there?"

He paused, then agreed. He didn't seem surprised, likely already aware of the situation.

When I arrived at the Johnston residence, Wayne was already there, standing by the door as if waiting.

"You know why my father's upset, right? I doubt we'll change his mind," Wayne said as I approached, implying Matthew still wanted Jace and me to reconcile.

I offered a sarcastic smile but remained silent. Wayne didn't press the issue. We went inside together. Lindey looked surprised at our arrival, but I pretended not to notice. "Where's Matthew?" I asked.

"In the study. He hasn't come out all morning and won't let anyone in. He stayed there all night. If he hadn't yelled at a few people who tried to check on him, I'd think he was trying to kill himself," Lindey said, her usual blunt self.

"Mom, Dad's not that fragile. Don't think like that," Wayne attempted to calm her.

"I'll go talk to him," I offered.

Lindey nodded, and I headed upstairs. I knocked several times, but there was no response. My worry grew, so I called out, "Matthew, it's me, Rea."

Finally, I heard footsteps, and the door creaked open. The sight that greeted me stopped me cold.