Reaper, page 17
“Don’t worry. I have taken care of it.” Her voice is confident and reassuring, but it seems too good to be true.
“Why haven’t I met you?”
She frowns, her eyebrows pulling together. “You have. We saw you nearly every day before the accident.”
“Oh, right.” I swallow hard. Sometimes I forget I used to live a different life. My memories of the past vanished one day when I was twelve years old. All I got told was that I was in an accident. I stopped asking Mom what happened because she would get upset whenever I brought it up. Sometimes I can’t help but wonder, what if I hadn’t lost my memories? What would my life be like?
I make my way to my room to get my things together. I pick up my clothes and shove them into my largest bag. In a smaller bag, I pack the essentials I need from the bathroom. How sad that most of my possessions fit inside the two of them.
Wayne smiles at me as he stands by the door. “I’ll take them. Carmen is in the back of the limousine.”
Feeling awkward, I hesitate. “It’s okay . . . I can do it.”
His hands fold over the handles of the bags. “It’s my job. I insist.”
I let go of them in defeat and waste no time pulling the faded yellow door shut. Anything has to be better than my life here.
When I sit in the leather seat, Nana says, “It’s a long drive, but you used to love it there. Your mother always said it was paradise.” Butterflies explode in my stomach at the thought of revisiting a past I no longer remember.
I’ve been staring out the window the entire time we’ve been driving, though the lights and sounds of the busy city dwindled long ago.
Nana grins broadly. “Wayne, let’s stop by Royal Bakery.”
After the limousine stops, she turns to me. “They have a large box of an assortment of pastries for me. It’s already paid for. Just say it’s for Carmen. They know who I am.”
The shop is small, with dark-blue and white stripes that decorate the bakery’s walls. I move forward and wait behind a few people in line. Looking at the display case, I smile at the sight of the macaroons, but my face drops when someone chuckles in front of me.
A guy looks at me with amused eyes. “I can tell you like them. What’s your favorite flavor?”
Heat spreads through my cheeks. “Strawberry.”
He shoots me a smile while running a hand through his thick reddish-brown hair. “I’m Theo.”
“I’m Mia,” I reply shyly.
We step forward as another customer takes their order and leaves.
He tilts his head to the side, looking puzzled. “I haven’t seen you around. Are you new here?”
I shuffle from side to side while I stare at the floor. Is it that obvious? “Yes, I am.”
His eyes roam over me before he takes another step forward and reaches the front of the queue. Once he orders and has his food, he smirks over his shoulder. “I’ll see you around.”
“What would you like to order, love?” the lady at the counter asks with a cheery voice.
My attention is still on Theo as he leaves the shop. “An order for Carmen.”
She pulls a large white box from the end of the display and hands it to me. “Tell her I said hi.”
“I will.”
“This is yours as well,” she says, placing a small white bag on top. She must see the confusion on my face because she adds, “It’s macaroons. The gentleman before you purchased it.” That was nice of him.
Wayne is standing by the limousine, waiting for me. He puts his hands out, gesturing for the box. I decide against arguing with him and hand it to him. I keep the macaroon bag and slide into the seat beside Nana.
“The lady who served me said hi.”
She smiles. “The ladies are great, and the food is . . . well, wait until you try it.”
We drive farther along until we’re on a mountain surrounded by a forest that overlooks the ocean. Loud pumping music distracts me. An expensive sports car turns out of a driveway. The car’s window is down, and I can see the man driving it. Once on the road, the car speeds up, the exhaust echoing as it leaves.
Nana purses her lips and narrows her eyes at the car. “That boy knows better than to speed.” Her face then softens as she glances at me. “Oh, I forgot to ask. Do you need to contact anyone to let them know you’re here?”
“Just work.” I realize how pathetic that sounds. “And my friend Nick.”
It’s not like I have close friends at school; they’re more like acquaintances. When I started working, Nick, and I clicked straight away. He’s hilarious, and even on the worst days, he still makes me laugh.
“I have you starting school here on Monday. It being your last year, I wouldn’t want you to miss anything.”
My body stills, the nervousness kicking in, making it hard to keep breathing at a normal rate. Meeting new people will be hard for me. I never fit in at my last school. It was a private school for privileged teens, and I wasn’t like them. We struggled with money, so I always wondered how my mom could afford it, but now I have an idea. “Did you pay my school fees?”
“Yes. From when you were young, I told your mother I wanted to pay for your education.”
The car stops outside a large gate with two stone pillars. When it opens wide, we drive through, and lush trees surrounding the property come into view.
We travel through the long driveway and then pull up outside the biggest house I’ve ever seen. It’s three stories, with large arched windows and stone cladding around the building.
When we stop, Wayne opens my door, holding his hand out to help me. A breeze carries the scent of trees, flowers, and salty air.
Wayne blocks me as I go to the back of the car to get my bags. “I’ve got it.” It feels strange having people help me when I’m used to doing everything myself.
As I walk inside the entrance, my eyes widen. It has a cathedral ceiling with exposed wooden beams. As I step toward the window, which looks to be at least six meters in height, I can see a spread of trees, other houses, and roads that lead to the ocean. Nana stands beside me.
“I’ve never seen a view as beautiful as this.”
“You have it from your bedroom as well.”
My heart pounds in my ears from a mix of shock and excitement.
“Wayne, can you show her to her room?” Her eyes return to me. “Lunch will be ready shortly.”
Wayne, who’s holding my bags, nods. I follow him up the spiral staircase, our footsteps echoing throughout. On the third level, we walk through a hallway. Several doors along are open, and I peek inside as we pass each doorway. The rooms appear to be bedrooms.
Wayne walks into one of the rooms, and I trail behind, taking everything in. He places my bags beside the bed. “This is yours.”
I’m in awe while scanning the room. It has cream-colored carpet, antique furniture, and a wooden bed with a gold bedspread. But the best thing is the view.
As soon as I see the windows, I’m drawn to them. Nana was right. The view is the same as that from the entryway, and there’s a patio with chairs outside as well.
“Carmen had a personal shopper pick out clothes for you. They’ve been washed and put away.”
I’ve never had anyone look after me like this. I clear my throat and swallow back the sudden emotions.
He points to a door on the far side of the room. “That is your en suite . . . I’ll leave you to it.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, and when he leaves, I collapse on the bed, my back meeting the soft material.
My phone pings with a message, and I groan at seeing my boss’s name lighting up the screen.
Can you cover the late shift again?
Because she’s rude, I feel relieved that I’m no longer working for her.
I won’t be back for a while. Family problems.
I can’t hold your job for you.
I understand.
Ten minutes later, my phone rings, and it’s Nick. News travels fast.
“Hello.”
“Is it true you left me here with Karen?” Her name is Carrie, but because of her attitude, we nicknamed her Karen.
Instead of letting him hear it from her, I should have called him right away. “I’m sorry. I would have contacted you earlier, but I just arrived.”
“What?” He sounds confused. “Arrived where?”
“My mom got arrested for a DUI. She’s in rehab.”
He scoffs. “I’m not surprised. Are you okay?”
“Yes. I’m at my nana’s house.”
“Huh? You told me you didn’t have any family.”
“I didn’t think I did, either. She was waiting for me at my house. Since Mom’s in rehab, I’m staying with her.”
“I’m so jealous, but you left me alone with Karen.” I know if the roles were reversed, I would have trouble getting through my shifts without Nick to keep me entertained.
“You’ll survive,” I tease.
“Barely,” he mutters, and I try my best not to laugh. “Where are you, anyway?”
“Three hours away.”
He lets out a mock sigh. “I hope you hate it, so you end up coming back.”
“I doubt it. She lives on a mountain, and I’m surrounded by views of the ocean.”
His groan is loud and dramatic. “I better get an invitation soon.”
“That would be great.” It would be nice to go somewhere with someone I know.
My stomach grumbles as soon as I hang up the phone, so I wander downstairs and walk toward the sound of music. The piano music is both sad and soothing. I’m surprised by how much I like it.
There’s a gasp from behind me, and Nana is staring at me when I turn. Her body is stiff. “Do you know this song?”
“I must have heard it before,” I admit, even though I don’t listen to classical music.
She closes her eyes, her hand moving with the tune. “It’s the ‘Moonlight’ Sonata by Beethoven. It’s one of my favorite pieces from him.” She shakes her head, but her gaze remains on the piano. “Your mother taught you how to play the piano from when you were five.”
I swallow the small lump in my throat. “I played?”
“You were amazing. This song was one you used to play.”
I blink a few times, not sure I heard correctly. “I used to play Beethoven on that piano?”
“Watching your mother teach you when you were young are memories I’ll always cherish.”
Her words slice through me because it’s memories I’ll never remember. “Thank you for the clothes . . . You didn’t have to get me anything.”
Her nose crinkles. “You will get more than clothes while you’re here. You will have access to your trust fund as well.”
I freeze. This is the first time I’ve heard of it.
“We have put aside assets and money for you. Your mother also has money, which is why I was surprised by your living conditions.”
“I had to pull extra shifts to pay for everything when she wasn’t there. It makes no sense to me.” I could have gotten better grades if I wasn’t working all the time.
“I’m not sure either. You can ask her when she gets out of rehab.” There’s a brief silence before she calls out, “Is lunch ready yet?”
“Yes, Carmen,” a deep voice replies. A tall man with black hair and stubble appears. He’s handsome and wearing fitted black clothes and an apron. He nods, greeting me with a smile before turning back to Nana. “Where would you like to have lunch today?”
“Out on the terrace, please.”
His eyes flicker back to me. “Can I get you some coffee or tea, or do you have something special in mind?”
“Coffee, thanks.”
Nana gestures for me to follow her. The fresh air hits my face when we walk outside and sit on two of the chairs overlooking the view. “Mom never told me about the piano.”
“I wanted her to take it when she left with you, but she refused. Your grandpa taught her how to play, so when he passed away, I think it was too much of a painful reminder for her.”
My stomach plummets because I didn’t get the chance to meet him. “Is his passing the reason she drinks?”
The chef walks out before she can speak and places a mixture of sandwiches, fruits, cheese, and crackers on the table between us.
She waits until he leaves. “It could be. It broke her heart. Then she almost lost you. In a way, she kind of did. We can only hope being at the rehab facility provides her with what she needs to get better. Now eat.”
I look down and cringe. I’m aware of how skinny I’ve become. At least now I can focus on myself for once instead of working out if I can afford more than noodles and tinned food for the week.
My stomach flutters with nervous energy because I don’t know what she expects from me and if any rules apply to my stay. “I spoke to my friend earlier. Would you mind if he came and visited me?”
She smiles, and it lights up her face. “Of course. Think of this as your home. You’re more than welcome to ask your friends to come to see you, and you can go explore the town before you start school.”
Picking up my phone, I write out a message to Nick.
This is your invitation to come and visit me at my nanas. Are you free tomorrow?
Fabulous! That works out well. It’s my only day off this week. I’m looking forward to seeing what all the fuss is about. Send me the address, and I’ll drive up tomorrow afternoon.
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Resources
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Acknowledgments
To my Heavenly Dad,
I miss you every day, but I’m thankful for having you in my life.
There are plenty of people who helped me make this book what it is. A big thank you to my Mumma, who is my biggest supporter, for always being there and taking time out to listen on the phone, to the chaos that is my life. If anyone wants to know who I learnt my potty mouth from, that would be my mum, Carol. I will no doubt get a playful smack from telling all my readers. 😊
Since I was born, we owned show championship rottweilers. They meant the world to my dad, so I wanted to show a different side of the breed that not everyone gets to see. The protective, loyal, sweet, and cheeky side.
To Merredy, my partner in crime, Brydie, my meme bestie, and Emma, the sweetheart. I love that, no matter how much time passes, our friendships always pick up where they left off. Thank you for always being there!
To Nicole and the beta readers, thank you for helping me make the story what it is today. Nicole, I’m forever grateful for your opinions. I value your input, and I get a kick out of your genuine excitement every time you get to read the first draft—even though it’s rough.
Thank you to Emily from Quirky Circe for your vision and stunning design work for both book covers and to the editors for their feedback, direction, and insight. I appreciate your patience with my terrible ability at meeting deadlines. And let’s be honest: you have your work cut out for you with grammar on my manuscript.
And to the readers and bloggers, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for taking the time to read, share, and review my book.
Until next time,
Bianca Lee Ward
About the Author
Bianca Lee Ward is an Australian romance author with a love of culinary adventures and a playlist for every mood. She enjoys exploring themes of identity, personal growth, and resilience in her work—with a little spice on the side. When she isn’t lost in storytelling or absorbed in her latest read, Bianca can be found watching true crime stories and documentaries.
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Bianca Lee Ward, Reaper
