Who's Who

Cynthia's POV

I stood inside the main hallway of Miles Estate.

I tapped the central security panel on the wall. I punched in my master admin code.

With three taps on the screen, I revoked Robb’s keycard access. I revoked Shae’s visitor pass. Neither of them could open the main gate or the house doors anymore.

Outside, the two cars drove up the long driveway. Robb’s black Mercedes led the way, with Shae’s red sedan right behind him.

They pulled up to the heavy iron gate.

Through the security monitor on the wall, I watched Robb lean out of his car window. He tapped his keycard against the scanner.

BEEP-BEEP. The scanner flashed red. Access denied.

Robb tapped it again. Harder.

Red light again.

Robb frowned. He got out of his car, wearing his expensive navy suit. Shae got out of her red car right behind him, holding a gold-wrapped box.

Robb pressed the intercom button on the post outside. Inside the house, the chime rang.

My phone buzzed. A text message from Shae came through. It was a short video.

I clicked it. The video showed Shae’s face smiling brightly. She held up the gold box with a pink ribbon.

"Hey bestie! Happy early birthday!" Shae said in the video. "I brought your birthday dress early! And Robb just got back from his business trip for your company! The gate scanner is acting glitchy. Open up for us, baby.”

I put my phone in my pocket. My hands were completely steady.

"Agatha," I said, turning to my nanny. "Ensure that the front doors are actually locked from the inside. Do not open them for anyone. Stay inside with Biscuit."

"Miss Cynthia, where are you going?" Agatha asked, her eyes full of worry.

"To attend to the two people out there," I said.

I walked out the front door onto the stone porch. The doors clicked shut and locked automatically behind me.

I walked down the porch steps toward the gate. I stopped ten feet away, keeping the heavy steel bars between us.

Robb looked through the bars at me. He was still trying to swipe his card.

"Cynthia! Finally!" Robb called out. "What is wrong with this stupid scanner? It keeps rejecting my card."

Shae rushed up beside him, holding the gold box through the iron bars.

"Cynthia, babe!" Shae sang out with a big smile. "Look! I brought your birthday dress early! It's bright pink! It's going to look so pretty on you for your party! Tell the security system to let us in!"

I stood straight and looked at both of them.

"The scanner is not broken," I said softly. "I revoked your codes."

Robb stopped swiping his card. He blinked.

"You did what?" Robb asked. "Why would you do that?"

"Because you are not coming inside," I said. "Either of you."

Silence fell over the gate. Robb stared at me like I had lost my mind. Shae’s big fake smile faltered.

"Cynthia, stop playing," Robb said, taking a step closer to the iron bars. "I just spent thirty hours traveling and doing meetings for YOUR father's business! I am exhausted! Open this gate!"

"You didn't do any meetings for my company, Robb," I said. "You lie. Every time you say you go on a business trip, you are lying."

Robb's face turned red. "What are you talking about? I run your family's assets!"

He pulled a thick black folder out from his jacket. He shoved it against the iron bars.

"I brought the rest of the management update forms you missed last week," Robb snapped, his voice getting sharp. "And the full transfer papers. Sign them right now so I can go inside!"

"No," I said. "I am not signing over my father's company. Not today. Not on September 15th. Never."

Shae stepped forward. Her sweet best-friend act vanished completely. Her eyes went sharp and mean.

"Cynthia, what is wrong with you?" Shae yelled through the gate. "Robb is doing everything for you! Do you know how lucky you are? Look at yourself! You are ninety-five kilos! You eat all day and cry! Robb stays with you even when you look like a pig! If he leaves you, nobody else will ever want you!"

I looked at Shae. In the old timeline, those words would have made me cry, and then she would make me apologize to Robb for ‘acting weird’. Now, I felt nothing. Her words didn't hurt me anymore.

"I know you two are sleeping together," I said plainly.

Shae gasped. Robb’s mouth dropped open.

"I know about the guest room," I said, staring into Robb's eyes. "I know you both want my father's money. I have all the evidence I need. Get off my property."

Robb lost his temper this time. He slammed his fist against the iron gate.

"You crazy bitch!" Robb roared. "You think you can talk to me like this? I am your husband!"

He reached his long arm through the iron bars of the gate. He grabbed my wrist hard. He pulled me violently against the gate, trying to force my hand toward the electronic lock panel on my side.

"Open it!" Robb yelled, twisting my arm.

"Let go!" I shouted, pulling back with all my weight.

Suddenly, a heavy engine roared down the street.

Two large, black armored SUVs sped up the driveway. They swerved hard and parked sideways right behind Robb and Shae’s cars, blocking them in.

The doors flew open. Heavy boots hit the gravel.

On the front of the lead SUV, a silver custom plate gleamed in the light.

It read: MCPHERSON SECURITY.

A tall, broad man stepped out. He wore a black

vest, cargo pants, and combat boots. His eyes were cold like steel. He was the same familiar figure. But seeing him this time made my heart flip.

Daniel McPherson was here.