Forever Luminescent

Chapter 41

WHEN SHE TURNED ON her phone, it blared in her hand and she dropped it in surprise. She winced at the obvious shatter, knowing her screen was going to look worse. The sound continued filling up her apartment, so she ignored the new cracks and loose pieces to stare at her mother's face shining like a mosaic.

Gwenn groaned but pressed her ear to the screen despite the burning feeling in her chest urging her to ignore her. She had ignored her for a full day. She couldn't put it off any longer.

"Mom," she answered. A shocked cry replied from the other end, turning into a desperate sob of relief.

"Gwenn, my sweet!" Meredith started. "I was so worried. You weren't answering my calls or Malcolm's. Last night was a nightmare. Russell, my coworker from Compass I'm sure you remember, accused me of using you to get information on him to win the Vice President position through his son. Can you believe the absolute insanity?"

The words flew out of her mother like a volcano erupting. Gwenn sat down between her kitchen and living room, letting the revelation fall over her like raindrops had turned into burning hot daggers slashing against her skin. With her back against the wall, she stared over at the couch with a blank expression, blinking slowly as if nothing could process in her brain.

"What?" she mumbled.

"That Wallace boy started spreading lies," her mother gritted out. "Now the company is having me under review. They think I'm not gonna go to the gala, but they have underestimated me once again."

Gwenn glanced at her bags piled by her legs. The dress needed to be hung and steamed, and she needed to start her makeup transformation if she were to attend that over-the-top Christmas gala.

"I got proof that Russell was a dirty cheat," Meredith continued. "And I'll be revealing that tonight. As for you, I was also told of a certain plot to find your biological mother and your being in Arizona, but since Wallace has been proved to be untrustworthy, I'm deciding not to believe those rumors."

The urge was heavy on her tongue. She could go along with the scenario her mother had so conveniently painted in colors she found bright and promising. But when she closed her eyes, all she could see was Ronan staring down at her with those broken eyes, his face paling at the realization that Gwenn wasn't what she seemed.

"Mom..." Gwenn sighed, pressing a hand over her forehead. "Wolf was telling the truth about that. I was looking for her."

The line went silent, and she feared her mother had hung up the phone, but a second later she heard a shuddering intake of breath.

"I don't have the energy to deal with this right now, Gwenn," Meredith let out. Her words were pointed and rushed. "We will talk about this after the gala. For now, make sure you get ready and be there on time."

The call disconnected before she could get another word out. Slight relief spread through her body as she heaved out a sigh. The rest of the night promised a nasty migraine, but there was one thing for certain: Gwenn was not waiting until after the posh event, she was getting her answers as soon as she stepped foot into that gala.

Hales Bay was a small town full of charm and a surprising amount of holiday cheer. Driving down Main St, she eyed the many Christmas lights wrapped around palm trees, wreaths hung at every window, and red bows topping every doorframe. The street proved to be as adorable as when she was in high school. If she wasn't on the clock to get to Vermilion Boulevard on the other side of town, she would have stopped and gotten coffee at Café con Leche like when she went out with her friends back then.

Soon the older brick buildings switched into modern, sleek architecture once she drove past Zion Auditorium. Shivers ran down her spine as she remembered the near death experience her friend Scarlet went through in there during their senior year. The large building faded behind her as she entered Preppy territory.