She wanted to bask in the joy of the meeting she’d just come from—the sense of accomplishment still lingering. But all of that faded now. Her need to protect her daughter took center stage.
Chapter Thirty
Bianca
Her phone only rang halfway before she picked up.
“Bianca what’s going on? Is everything okay?” Harry’s voice carried with it a touch of panic.
“I need you to find Mila’s location. She’s gone missing.”
“What do you mean? What happened?”
“Your girlfriend, or fiancée, or whoever she is … she told Mila about Gerard being her father.”
Harry went silent for a long moment. “Jen did?”
“It wasn’t her fucking place,” Bianca shouted. “And I think she’s been sending me text messages. Stalking me like a psychopath.”
“What kind of text messages?” he asked.
“Sinister, creepy ones. Why don’t you ask her about it,” Bianca said. “In the meantime, can you find my daughter, please? I need to try to fix this.”
She’d always been careful about not referring to Mila asmy daughterbut always saidour daughter, in order to keep the peace. But today she didn’t care about being considerate of his feelings or thoughtful. At this moment Mila washerdaughter, and that was it.
“I’ll find her location,” he said calmly.
Bianca ended the call. Pain rested heavily on her chest.
Remi pulled the SUV into the beach parking lot at Bodega Bay and shut off the engine. Without uttering a single word, Bianca stepped out and walked slowly toward the water, the wind tugging at her dress. The waves were aggressive as they crashed against the shore. Mila sat alone in the sand, knees pulled tightly to her chest, staring out into the ocean as if she was waiting for it to speak to her—to give her the answers she so desperately needed. To help her make sense of the chaos that had just unraveled in her life.
Bianca sat next to Mila, not close but a short distance.
For a moment neither of them spoke, only the sound of waves filled the space between them. Finally, Bianca broke the silence. Her voice was soft and laced with regret.
“I know you hate me now. And I don’t blame you. I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am. If I could change what happened, I would. If I could change how I kept it all a secret, buried for years, I don’t know, I still might.”
Mila didn’t respond. She just kept her gaze fixed on the water.
Bianca continued, choosing her words carefully. “Your dad and I made the decision that it was better for you not to know. Not until we were ready to tell you. We didn’t want to complicate your life. You were Harry’s daughter in every way that mattered, and he didn’t want that to change. Neither did I.” She paused. “Harry loves you more than life itself, Mila. That’s never been a lie.”
Mila’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Who does that to their best friend, though?” she asked.
Bianca inhaled. “Someone very young and stupid.”
Remi and Zoe joined them, forming a circle in the sand. Remi settled between Mila and Zoe and took each of their hands in hers.
She looked at Mila, then turned to her daughter. “Zoe, you and Mila were already sisters…have been since before you could walk.”
Zoe nodded slowly in agreement.
“And Mila, you and your mother … you were building something, healing what was broken between you. You were really starting to bond. You shaved your head. Not just because your hair was falling out, but in solidarity. Against cancer. Against rape.”
“That was before—”
“Before you found out the truth. I know,” Remi said gently. “And you have every right to be upset. We all do.” Her eyes drifted to Bianca. “This has disrupted all our lives, for sure.” She turned back to Mila. “And your feelings are valid.Ourfeelings are valid. We’re hurt. We’re mad as hell. But maybe … just maybe we don’t have to let it destroy us. Maybe we can still find a path forward.”
They all sat in silence.