Chapter 25

Impatient. The only word, Beth could use to describe her Monday. Her brain was truly annoying her, taking any and every spare moment to jump to a new conclusion about what was financially motivating Caroline. The blessed moments where she was forced to focus on her work, on her clients, became fewer and farther in-between as the day progressed. Which meant that all day she was impatiently waiting for the workday to be done so she could leave to talk to Jane.

There was, now that she thought about it, one other positive of the day - no contact with Caroline, her client or the crazy-bitch alter ego. Which was, honestly, a little concerning to Beth after what Darcy had said last night.

What if she suspected?

Maybe I was too cold, too standoffish. What if I gave something away?

On the other hand, if Caroline knew that she had been discovered, you would think that she would have upped her game immediately, that she would have approached or contacted Beth right away. Unless she had something else planned, something more devious.

Oh my God, Beth, just relax. Who knows what is going through her head, all you can worry about is what you DO know and right now, that is that Caroline still thinks she has the upper hand.

Right, Beth closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

Tapping her foot impatiently, she hit the home button on her phone to check the time.

Four-thirty.

And a text from Darcy.

Why hadn't she heard her phone buzz?

Probably because you are busy obsessing over what Caroline MIGHT or MIGHT NOT know, MIGHT or MIGHT NOT do.

Opening up the message, she let Darcy do what he did best - distract her.

-How's your day going, sweetheart?

She smiled at his endearment, even though his question was laced with the unspoken need to know if Caroline had contacted her in any way today.

So far, so good. Just about to head over to Jane's.

- Are you sure you don't want me to take you?

Yes, I'll be fine, I promise. I'll text you later and let you know when I'll be home.

- I'll be waiting.

She shivered at his words, the thought of what would be waiting for her when she got home tonight. It was crazy that in spite of everything going on, in spite of everything that he had done, the thought of seeing him, of being with him, still lit a fire deep down inside of her, giving her goosebumps in anticipation. She relished it, hoping that it would always be like this.

Checking her email one last time, she packed up her things, finally heading out for the day towards the answers she prayed were waiting for her.

On my way.

She sent the text to Jane before throwing her phone in her purse, turning off the lights in her office and heading downstairs to the lobby where her friendly, security escorts were awaiting her.

That she was looking forward to doing without.

Twenty minutes later, the car was pulling up in front of her old apartment as Beth's hands fidgeted in her lap, barely waiting for the car to come to a complete stop before opening the door and getting out - hastily apologizing to her security for not following protocol and letting them open the door for her.

Her foot tapped as she waited for the elevator, it tapped as the elevator ascended to her sister's floor, and it tapped while she waited for Jane to open the door.

"Hey!" Jane greeted her, giving her a hug before moving back and ushering Beth into the apartment.

"Hey," Beth responded, setting her purse and laptop bag down along the wall in the hallway, "thanks for moving things around so that we could do dinner and talk."

"Of course!"

"Do you just want to order Chinese?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Jane agreed, "why don't you sit down and I'll grab the menu."

"You don't have to; I'll just get my usual. I haven't had Chinese food in so long!"

Beth went into the living room, slumping down on the couch, letting out a huge sigh. Honestly, she wasn't even hungry; she was too on edge, dying to see if Jane knew anything about Caroline, but she had to have this discussion carefully. Caro was going to be Jane's sister-in-law; she couldn't just blurt out that she also happens to be a psycho and then ask her to divulge family secrets.

Her foot began to tap again, listening as she heard Jane call the restaurant and order their food. The minute or two she was on the phone felt like an hour to Beth, anxiously waiting to get this conversation started. Remembering that she should probably let Darcy know that she was here - safe and sound - Beth pulled out her phone and sent him a quick text that Jane was just ordering them dinner and that she would call when they were done.

Beth exhaled deeply as Jane finally entered the living room, just realizing that she'd been holding her breath ever since she heard Jane hang up the phone.

"So what's going on? Did you talk to Darcy? Did you go to the police?" Jane asked immediately as she sat down on the couch to face Beth.

Wow, is my stress that obvious? …Probably.

"I did talk to Darcy, but we haven't gone to the police," Beth answered.

Beth watched her sister's brow furrow in confusion, anticipating the question that was about to follow.

"Why not? I don't understand."

Beth froze, staring into her sister's questioning gaze. She'd known the question was coming. For how much she had been looking forward to the conversation all day, she hadn't actually stopped to think about how exactly to tell Jane about Caroline; how to break the news as gently as possibly that Charles' sister was they cause of her distress. And now, that the moment had come, her mind blanked, words choking in her throat, unable to articulate an answer.

"Beth? Why didn't you go to the police? What's going on?" Jane persisted, her voice sounding more worried as she reached over and grabbed Beth's hand.

The touch of her sister's hand jarred Beth from her daze, bringing her into the moment and the required necessity of her answer.

"I'm sorry, Jane," she began, her words hoarse for a moment before her throat warmed up to the idea of confessions, "I talked to Darcy, but we can't go to the police. At least, not now, not before I talked to you. What, umm, I have to tell you is going to come as a shock and I debated trying to keep this from you, at least for a time, but circumstances being what they are, I just want you to know that I'm sorry and if I could prevent any of this from affecting your life, I would."

"You're starting to really worry me, Beth, just tell me. Whatever it is, I can handle it," Jane pleaded, hardly hearing Beth's apology through her desire to know what was going on.

Beth broke her gaze from Jane's, looking down at their hands for a moment, before continuing, "Darcy's ex, the one who's been threatening me… it's Caroline."

Saying it out loud was terrifying and empowering at the same time; terrifying because this vague concept of a woman was now finally made concrete, yet empowering because that same knowledge now gave her the power to deal with the situation.

Jane stared at her for a moment before comprehension dawned, her mouth opening on a gasp covered quickly by her hand. Beth held her breath as she watched the color drain from her sister's face.

"I'm sorry, Jane, I didn't know and then when I did, I wanted to keep it from you - at least until after the wedding. I don't want to hurt you or hurt your relationship with Charles, but the more I thought about it, and talked to Darcy, the more I realized that you need to know. I'm so sorry," Beth rambled on, biting her lip to stop the words from tumbling out, trying to give her sister a moment to process the information bomb she'd just dropped on her.

Jane still wasn't responding; her hand had come up to cover her gaping mouth, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Jane…" Beth prompted softly, really starting to worry if this had been the best idea.

Jane's eyes darted to hers, finally seeing her sister's concern.

"I'm sorry, Beth, I just… I don't understand… How… Why?" Jane's soft, troubled voice permeated the frozen silence that had overtaken the apartment.

"I know, sweetie," Beth said, squeezing her sister's hands again, trying to reassure her, "I don't understand either…"

"So, she's the one who…hurt Darcy? God, I just don't understand…" Jane asked, her brain struggling to accept that it was Charles' sister who had done those things.

"Yes."

"And this whole time she's been back, she's been the one harassing you?"

"Yes."

"Oh my God, and she was…is… your client!" Jane said in shocked concern, "Beth! How can you continue to work with her? Aren't you afraid of what she might do?"

"I don't know. I just found out who she really is; I don't know how I'm going to continue to work with her, but I'm going to have to find a way, at least through this coming weekend," Beth responded, not having really thought about dealing with Caro as a client.

"I don't understand. How could Darcy not tell you? Especially once he knew that you were working so closely with her?"

This was even harder than she thought it was going to be.

"He was trying to protect me," Beth offered, but continued as she saw her sister's unsatisfied expression, "Jane, you have to understand how much she traumatized him all those years ago. He just wants to leave that part of his life behind him, which is why he didn't tell me initially - what purpose would it have served? She was in Europe, had had no contact with him for years, the only thing telling me about her would have done would have been to cloud my impression of Charles and his family."

"Ok, I can understand than - leaving the past in the past, but when she came home? Why not then? When she specifically requested you to work with, why not then?"

"Again, it had been years since they'd even seen each other. Why would he think that she came back for him? Why would he think that she only wanted to work with me to get close to me, to be able to harass me? There was no indication, a concern, I'm sure, based on their past relationship, but no legitimate indication that after so many years she would end up doing something like this. From every aspect, she had come home because you and Charles are getting married and she wanted to be a part of that, and what better way to get to know your in-laws than to work with them?" Beth rushed on, trying to make Jane see the situation from their perspective. "On top of all that, what would have happened with my job, had he told me? I probably would have cut her off as my client; I would have had to go to Phil, yet again, and tell him that for personal reasons I couldn't do my job. I know Phil thinks of us as family, but that can't happen again without serious consequences. Why would Darcy choose to jeopardize my job, my work, with no basis?"

Boy, having to explain and justify Darcy's point of view was really giving her some perspective on what he must have gone through.

"Ok, Beth, fine; I'll accept that, but when she started threatening you? There is no good reason why he didn't tell you," Jane responded in frustration.

"Maybe you're right, there probably is no good reason," Beth acquiesced with a sigh, "but, just like before, he was trying to protect me, as ironic as that might seem."

"How does keeping you in the dark protect you?"

"It wasn't just about protecting me; it was about protecting you and I; it was about protecting you and Charles, and him and Charles; it was about protecting everyone he cares about from his past and his mistakes," Beth replied, her sister still looking at her with disbelief, "just hear me out, please. First, she only approached him, tried to talk to him and he thought he could handle it - typical man. He swore that she didn't want him back, that there was an ulterior motive, which is why when she first started contacting me, I didn't tell him - so that part is on me."

"I can't believe you wouldn't—"

"I know, please, just let me finish," Beth cut her sister off, otherwise she'd never get through this. "When it finally progressed to threats, Darcy tried to convince me that he could handle it, that the police didn't need to be involved, and that's when we fought about the restraining order."

"How could he want to protect you, but then not do what it necessary to protect you?" Jane interjected angrily.

She wasn't getting it. She's blinded by her own desire to protect me, God love her.

"Jane, then who would you have chosen to come to your wedding?!" Beth practically yelled, jumping to the point since it looked like Jane wasn't patient enough for Beth to try and explain the consequences to her gently.

Jane was taken aback by her outburst. Her initial shock dissipating as the reality of Beth's words sank in.

"Oh…no…" Jane whispered, just as a knock sounded on the front door.

Deciding to let that little reality check sink in, Beth stood up.

"I'll get the food, you stay…" Beth mumbled as she headed to the door, paying the delivery man and bring the food back into the living room.

Setting the bag down on the coffee table, Beth looked at her sister, who was staring up at her in a daze.

"Oh my God, Beth, what are we going to do?" she whispered, clearly stricken at the thought of one the sisters not being presents on her wedding day.

"Shh, Jane, it's going to be ok, that's why I'm here. We're going to figure this out," Beth reassured her, opening up the bag of food and taking out a carton of lo mein noodles for each of them.

"This is why we haven't gone to the police, because one of us wouldn't be able to attend your wedding, and I can't…won't…do that to you or Charles," Beth continued, taking a bite of her food.

"So, that's why he finally decided to tell you…" Jane mumbled, opening up her carton.

"Well, not exactly," Beth said, raising her eyebrows at the that unfortunate fact, "I found out, before he could tell me."

"How did you find out? Did Caro…" Jane trailed off, fork paused half-way to her mouth, waiting for Beth's response.

"No, she didn't say or do anything," Beth reassured her, "it was right before your party. I went upstairs to look for the party favors, and went into Caro's bedroom by mistake. She has a drawing of Darcy on her wall…" Beth took another bite of her dinner, trying to mask the nausea that still accompanied that memory. "She doesn't know that I know."

Jane didn't need to know everything about the drawing; it's definitely not pleasant to admit out loud that her future sister-in-law has a drawing of my boyfriend, naked, on her bedroom wall.

"Oh, Beth…" The sympathy in Jane's eyes almost brought her to tears.

"It's fine. It was a long time ago; I can't blame him for it. Either way, this is where we are. I know who she is, but she doesn't know that I do," Beth powered through, "right or wrong, this was the exact situation that Darcy was trying to save me…us…from. Now, we have to figure out how to stop her, without going to the police, otherwise either you or Charles are going to be without a sister on your wedding day."

"I don't understand how Charles could be ok with what she did," Jane said, perplexed, her mind still drifting through all the implications of Beth's confession.

"Jane… Charles doesn't know," Beth said softly, "he can't know; at least not right now."

"Wait, what? How could he not know? Oh, my God…" Jane trailed off to a moment of silence before continuing, "all this time, he's admired her, looked up to her, all the while she was using and tormenting those he cared about most."

Her last words came out choked, stifled by her shock and grief at how this news was going to affect her fiancé.

"No one knew about their relationship; Caro insisted it be that way. So, Charles has no idea and, before you ask, no, Darcy never told him even once she had left for Italy. Charles had just lost his sister, what would be the point in dragging his opinion of her through the mud? No matter how much she deserved it…"

"Are you going to tell Charles? I can't keep this from him."

Beth could see the pain written all over Jane's face at the thought of keeping something from her future husband.

Now, if only Darcy and she could think like that…

"Yes, Darcy is, but not yet. So, please, if you could just not say anything for a little while. We want to try to handle this with the least amount of damage to others' relationships as possible."

"I don't know, Beth…" Jane started. Beth sent her most desperately pleading stare, praying Jane wouldn't fight her on this. "I guess, for a little while…" Jane finally agreed.

"Thank you. I just think Darcy needs to be the one to tell him and that's a pretty big secret to have kept from your best friend, especially when it involves his sister; Darcy's worried it will irreparably damage their friendship," Beth confided.

"Yeah, I don't know… I'm sorry. I'm just still so in shock that it's Caroline that we are talking about; I don't even know how Charles will react."

"So, moving forward," Beth began on a new breath, ready to steer the conversation in a different direction, "we have a plan. Sort of."

"Ok…"

"Darcy is adamant that Caro isn't really back for or interested in him, no matter what she says to him or I; he is convinced that it is all part of a charade, that she is trying to get him back for another reason," she said, laying the groundwork, "I really was struggling to believe that because what else could she need him for, but then at your party, when I was talking to Mrs. Bingley, she alluded to the fact that Caroline had returned to the states for financial reasons."

Here Beth trailed off, watching intently for Jane's response. Then mention of financial struggles brought a flicker of recognition to her sister's eyes, a shadow of a thought crossing her face.

"If we can find out what that reason is, then maybe we can figure out a better way to deal with this situation than by going to the police or just waiting like sitting ducks for Caroline to move forward with whatever her plans are."

"I see…" Jane said.

Beth was really hoping her sister would have offered more information, but she should know Jane better than that by now.

"Jane, I know I've laid so much on you, and asked so much of you already, but I have to ask, do you know why Caroline is back?"

Jane's face shuddered away for a moment before she responded, "I…I'm not sure."

"I know what I'm asking of you. I know that these are your future in-laws and it's their family business whatever is going on, but I'm begging you; you know what she has done to Darcy, what she has done and threatened to do to me, we're just trying to end this with the least amount of damage as possible. Please. If you know why she is here, please, tell me."

Jane let out a deep sigh, her face falling momentarily into her hands, "I'm sorry. I understand why you are asking and I…I want to help. I don't know everything though; Charles never finished telling me the other night. All I know is that yes, she is back because she couldn't afford to stay in Italy any longer."

"Did her parents cut her off?"

"No, it wasn't like that. When they refused to back her art all those years ago, she left and they haven't given her any money since then. I think Charles' grandmother was supporting her, and then left her money, I'm assuming, after she died. I don't know what happened though, if the money ran out or what, but I do know that Caro came back because her art, while popular over there, wasn't making enough to support her lifestyle."

"So she came back to ask her parents to support her?"

"That's what I don't know. It certainly makes sense, but it's just not the impression I got from what information Charles did tell me; it didn't seem like she was back to ask them for money, or that she had asked them for money," Jane responded, perplexed.

Interesting.

There had to be more going on. Granted, Jane didn't know everything, but at least she'd been able to give her confirmation that Caro was, indeed, back looking for money.

"So, maybe she wants Darcy back so that she has access to his money…" Beth surmised.

"Maybe," Jane agreed.

"I'm so sorry, Jane. I know this is hard for you, how much you liked Caro and were looking forward to gaining her as a sister. I hate to have ruined that," Beth lamented, guilt washing over her for putting Jane in this position.

"It's not your fault, Beth. You are my sister, and as much as I'm angry and disappointed to lose that connection to Charles' family, I'm thankful that you told me; I don't want to grow close to someone who has been so deceitful and cruel."

"I know; I've still put you in a difficult place," Beth continued, "and I'm going to ask even more of you."

Jane's eyes widened, wondering what else there could possibly be.

"I want you to try and find out from Charles what Caroline's plan is; I need to know why she is after Darcy for his money instead of just asking her parents. Unless she's assuming that they will refuse again, which is a legitimate thought, but if that's the case, clearly, her lifestyle is more important than her art, so why not just change her subject matter to something that her parents are more comfortable with? I just have this feeling that there is a layer that we are missing, that you have access to."

Beth watched Jane bite her lip at the request. She knew she was asking a lot - to keep this from Charles, to share family secrets with her, to investigate into their family problems for the sole purpose of informing on her fiancé's sister.

God, she was a terrible sister.

No, Caroline is a terrible sister. You are doing what you have to do.

"Please, Jane. I know it's a lot, but it's the only way we can think of to put an end to this. If we can figure out what she really wants, then we can find some other way for her to get it," Beth pleaded. "Of course we've thought of other options, from going to the police, which would estrange either her or I from you and Charles, to explaining the situation to Charles and asking for his help. But, if money from their parents could solve her problems, she would have just asked them by now, don't you think?" Beth paused, taking in a deep breath before finishing her thought, "Knowing Caroline, knowing what she has done to get her own way, I don't want to make decisions or involve people before we truly understand what her plan is; I'm afraid of what will happen, what she will do, if we act based only on our assumptions."

It was true. Based on what Darcy had told her, what she had experienced with Caroline, she was devious. If they acted on an unconfirmed assumption, who knows what would be the response? No, they needed to be sure of what exactly was going on; they needed to be just as calculating as she. Unfortunately.

"No, I understand," Jane responded, grabbing her sister's hand again, "I don't want you to think that I feel bad for Caroline or feel guilty for helping you. I'm just still shocked that it was her. I know that you haven't even told me all the details of what happened between her and Darcy, and I'm sure I don't know the details of the things she has said to you, but until now, that ex-girlfriend has been almost like a concept in my mind, but now, to have that kind of person attached to reality, attached as my future sister-in-law, is overwhelming."

"I'm sorry, Jane." She didn't know what else to say.

"Don't apologize, Beth!" Jane replied with a self-deprecating laugh, "I can't even imagine how you feel, having all of this happen to you and the person that you love; having someone try to come between you two, and then to find out that that someone is going to be related to you… I just can't imagine."

"We're going to get through this. Now, I just need to figure out how I'm going to survive the rest of this week and Saturday in Caroline's presence without strangling her," Beth said, semi in jest to try and lighten the conversation.

"I'll try to find out from Charles before then. Monday is usually our night together until Friday, so it might not be until then. I don't want to have to lie to him, so I don't want to just call him up and ask because he'll wonder why. I figured he might tell me more about the situation tonight, but then I canceled on him because you needed to come over, so hopefully Friday night I'll find out," Jane said, biting her lip nervously.

"Ok," Beth said, relieved to finally have some semblance of control over this situation. "If you don't feel comfortable, or if you don't find out anything, don't stress over it, ok? We have other options. After the exhibit, Darcy can always talk to Charles and try to deal with Caroline that way; we'll figure it out."

"Ok," Jane replied with a semblance of a smile, "but, Beth… just please be careful until then, ok? Knowing now what I do…I don't trust Caroline. I know you don't either, but I've been in closer contact with her than you and I've heard more about her from Charles than you - things that aren't relevant to this situation, but… just be careful, ok?"

Beth stared at her sister, taken aback by her ominous request.

If Jane was concerned about Caroline, then she was even more dangerous than Beth had thought.

"Of course. It's just a few more days before I can really avoid her without issue; I'll be ok," Beth replied, standing up to take their trash into the kitchen, trying not to appear as shaken as she was by Jane's warning.

Pulling out her phone, she realized how late it was getting - almost nine-thirty.

Leaving soon - she texted Darcy.

"I think I'm going to head out soon. I'm sure Darcy is wondering how everything went." Or more like freaking out on the inside worrying about what the outcome of this conversation was.

"Ok. I mean, you're welcome to stay for a little if you want," Jane offered.

"I know. I just…want to get home to him. This has been so stressful on us…" Beth trailed off, biting her lip and hoping Jane would understand her need to be with Darcy now.

"Of course, I understand," Jane replied empathetically. "I'll do what I can to help, Beth, I want you to know. As…shocking…as all of this is, I'm glad that you told me and I hope that Darcy decides to tell Charles soon. It's not easy to hear these things about someone you'd hoped to grow close to, but I can't see myself wanting to be close to someone who thinks it's ok to treat people the way that she does."

"Thank you, Jane. I…we…really appreciate it," Beth said, coming over to give her sister a hug. "I guess I will talk to you on Friday then. Hopefully, we can get a handle on everything before Caro's show. I don't even know how we are going to make that work…" Beth shuddered at the thought, but quickly continued before she managed to worry Jane any further, "but, I'm sure we'll figure something out."

"Let me know if there is anything else I can do, sis." Jane hugged her back. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

Beth grabbed her things and headed back downstairs to the car that she knew had probably been waiting for her moments after she texted Darcy that she would be leaving soon.

"What did she say?"

Beth had barely made it through the door before Darcy's concise and demanding question stopped her in her tracks.

He was leaning over the entryway table, shirtless, wearing his sweats that rode low on his hips; his palms were planted flat on the wooden surface, fingers gripping the edge, agitation written all over his body. His eyes dark and brooding, stared at her as if he could see right through to her mind to learn what had happened between her and Jane.

This is tough for him - not being in control.

Beth reminded herself as she calmly took off her shoes and turned, walking over to Darcy. She stopped just in front of him, her hands coming to the sides of his face, pulling his mouth to hers. They both sighed into the kiss, the surrounding stress evaporating for that moment. She didn't want to torture him, though, any more than he was probably already doing to himself.

"Come with me. I'll tell you what happened," she whispered, pulling back from their embrace.

Grasping his hand that was still firmly secured to the table, she disengaged it in order to entwine her fingers with his, leading him into the bedroom.

"Relax. Lay with me," she instructed.

It had been an emotional night already; she wasn't about to get into this discussion with him already on edge. She waited for him to climb onto the bed, on top of the covers, before she stripped down and snuggled up next to him.

"Jane was shocked, as I'm sure you can imagine," Beth began, explaining how their conversation had begun, emphasizing how Jane was hesitant to keep this from Charles.

"I will tell him," Darcy responded, gruffly.

"I know. I told her," Beth reassured him. "Unfortunately, Jane doesn't know exactly why Caroline is here."

"Fuck," Darcy interjected.

"Just, wait. Let me finish," Beth said, coming up on her elbow, placing a steadying hand on his chest. "She knows that Caro is here because her funds ran out, something to do with her grandmother. Jane also said that she doesn't think Caro has asked their parents for any money which means that, as you suspected, she has some other plan for getting those funds; and by 'other plan,' I mean you. Jane said there was more to it than that, though, because why come back to you - a bridge that she clearly had burned, when there are other routes she could pursue, like her parents, her brother…something. So, we know it's about the money but Jane is going to find out the rest when she sees Charles on Friday."

"I see," Darcy replied tightly, his brain processing the facts that were now confirmed for them, as well as the news that they would need to wait four days before they would know more. "And what am I supposed to do until then, just wait for her to try some other shit?"

"What else can we do?" Beth returned, rhetorically. "Confront her? How is that going to affect the rest of our relationships? She has a plan, that's true, but part of that plan involved getting close to me by working with me; I don't think she will try anything the week before her exhibition. As much as she wants you, furthering her career is first in her mind, otherwise she wouldn't be going through all of this - she would just give up her art and ask her parents for money. She wants the exhibit to be a success, and revealing herself to me, or doing any serious harm to me before then is going to cause a problem for her. So, yes, until Friday, we hold off and regroup. Got it?"

She smiled a little at her dictatorial tone, knowing she was using it to try and relieve some of the tension in the air.

"Yes, boss," Darcy replied, returning her smile, "so, is there anything that you want me to do?"

"Hmmm…" She paused for a moment. "Well, I can think of a few things…" she finished seductively, knowing that he caught her drift, and matched the fire burning in her eyes.

"Now that, I'd be happy to do," he said hoarsely, the heat of desire searing through the both of them.

His gaze held hers as he leaned over and captured her lips, relishing the moan that she released as her mouth opened to welcome him inside.

And that effectively put an end to any and all thoughts of plots, ploys, and pushy ex-girlfriends for the rest of the night.