I watched as my father’s grip on the envelope tightened before he slid it across the table. “You’ll find almost everything you need to regain the identity you were born with inside this envelope. At this point, your mother and I are going to disappear. I knew this day would come for both of us, Ava . It’s very hard, but necessary. You’ll also find information on two bank accounts that have been established in your name. Plus, there’s the name of an attorney you can trust. He’ll know where we are, but no one else. It’s too dangerous.”
“You’re leaving now?” I was sick to my stomach. I’d thought I had more time.
“For now. There’s too much danger, and at this point, the only way you’re going to have a normal life is if we disappear. It’s best that you not know where we end up. I’d ask you to come with us, but that’s not fair to you.”
“You won’t tell me because your enemies will use me to get to you.”
“Yes,” he said. “It’s past time for the assassin to retire permanently. If what you’re saying is true, then there’s a focus on hunting me down.”
“Because you killed Clinton Cross’s brother.”
He took a deep breath. “It was business. I was hired to do a job.”
“Who hired you?”
“As I said. Almost every answer you’re seeking is inside the envelope. However, what we didn’t learn was why you were at a party at the Elite’s estate that night.”
“Who is Kennedy?”
“You are remembering.” My mother allowed herself to smile. “She was your dormmate. She worried about you quite a bit. She even called my old number a few years ago. Of course, I just listened to her mesAva .”
“What did she say?”
“That she wished she could talk to you, and that she was sorry.”
Sorry. The girl lured me to the party. I was certain of it. I took the envelope and wasn’t ready to rip into it. I needed time to say goodbye to my parents. I needed time to adjust to whatever was inside, to the fact that my name wasn’t what I’d thought it was.
And I needed a lot of time to reflect on how I felt about the three men. Did they know who I was? No. I didn’t think so, but at this point, nothing made any sense. I felt like I was on a merry-go-round that I might never be able to stop.
But running wasn’t an option. I’d lost too much time already.
Besides, I’d fallen hopelessly, deliriously in love with them.