The Austin Arrangement novel Chapter 57

A private detective shows up at a fucking auction,to tell me that he was hired to find information on me. Give me a fucking break!! I glared at him, and opened up the folder. The first picture that I saw was one that chilled me to the bone.

Every muscle in my body was tense, just seeing it in front of me. That night!! The night that fucking haunts me!! I couldn't even look at anymore. My Father had insured that this wouldn't come back on me-He told me not to think of it again.

"Look at the next page,Mr Austin."He ordered,and looked around him being careful that we weren't drawing any attention.

I turned the page and I saw a picture of the passengers car,the car that I had forgotten the colour, make and model because it had been so long.On the page was details of the crash along with details of the passengers involved.

No! This can't be right! It can't be!

I wanted to believe that it wasn't true, that what I was seeing was a lie. But the dates confirmed it. To this day I had known that I had taken a life that night,but I didn't know who's up until now.

I was angry that someone had found information on me to most likely hold over my head,but most of all I was fucking petrified of what came next. The worst thing imaginable."Who-Who hired you?"

"You'll find out when he wants you to,Mr Austin."He smirked,and looked behind me."That pretty little wife of yours is coming this way,imagine that smile of hers gone if she knew the truth about what you did!"

"Shut up!!"I hissed,unable to control the anger inside. I didn't like being threatened,especially when this was all about her. And she had no clue! The man walked away before Vanessa reached me.

"I'm sorry I took so long."She looked at me and smiled."Are you okay?You look a little pale."

"I'm fine. Let's go find our seats,dinner is about to start."I couldn't even look at her,not without feeling that shame for what I've done.

Dinner was a nightmare of me sitting in silence and avoiding her gaze,drinking Macallan after Macallan. I don't know how she felt about that! I went back on my word because I simply wasn't going to get through the meal without.

"I need to talk to my Father."I stood from my seat,feeling the light headedness of one too many. But I still picked up my glass and emptied the contents.

She looked up at me"Now,But I think we're almost done here. Do you want me to come with?"

"No! Wait here!"I walked away from the table,towards the bar where I saw my Father and Mother. I trusted him! But it feels like he's made it into one big joke."We need to talk,It can't wait!"

He looked curious of course,my Mother did too. But they followed behind me out of the function room and down the hallway. I was holding the folder in my hand,griping it tightly. I wanted to crumple it up and pretend that it didn't exist,but I knew that it wouldn't be that easy.

The truth was still the same,no matter if the papers existed or not. There's no getting out of this.

"Where are we going-What is so urgent that we need to do this now?"My Father asked,as he was growing impatient.

I opened a door seeing an empty room inside,so I opened it wider and we walked in. I threw the folder down on the desk that my parents were standing by."This is what's so urgent."

My Father picked it up and opened it wide so the two of them could look at it together. I could see the expression on the two of their faces change immediately seeing the pictures and the information attached.

"I was approached tonight,by a man who was hired by someone to dig up information on me."I walked towards my Father and took the folder from his hands."This is what they found."

"This can't be possible,I made sure to get ride of everything that would tie that crash back to you."My Father sigh."Does Vanessa..."

"No..."I interrupted him with attitude. "She doesn't know-She doesn't know what I've done!"I rested against the table,folded my arms and looked at my Father."I thought it was strange I ended ended up being forced to marry the woman who's life I fucking ruined."