Forest Lake

Chapter 27

Mason POV

“I told you that you shouldn’t worry.” I said with a small smile as Emma and I left the principal’s office. “Money is the most important thing to this guy.”

I didn’t even need to pay him more. All I had to do was threaten him to leave the school, and the fucker caved. He was losing students as it was. He couldn’t afford to lose any more.

“But where would you get the money to pay him if he asked?” Emma asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

“Our inheritance money.” I said.

“What inheritance?” Emma asked, looking up at me, confused.

What did she mean “what inheritance”? She got the money from our grandparents when she turned 18, didn’t she?

“What do you mean, what inheritance?” I asked her, stopping in front of my bedroom. “The one we got from our grandparents.”

Emma’s eyes widened, and she stared at me, speechless.

Why the fuck was she surprised? Didn’t she get the money?! What the fuck did my mom do?!

“Tell me that you’ve gotten the money, Emma.” I said quietly, clenching my fists.

She shook her head, and I saw fucking red.

I grabbed Emma’s hand and started pulling her toward her bedroom. We were calling our fucking mother right the fuck now.

“Where are we going, Mason?” Emma asked quietly.

“Your room.” I said angrily. “We need privacy to call that woman who calls herself a mother.”

Emma gasped and tried to pull her hand out of mine.

What the fuck was she doing?

I gripped her arm tighter and looked at her.

She was scared.

Why was she fucking scared?!

“Why are you scared?” I asked her as I raced toward her room. “It’s not like I can do anything over the phone. The only fucking thing I can do is tell her that she is a terrible mother and that our next encounter won’t be a pleasant one.”

We reached Emma’s room, and I pulled out a spare key that Hazel gave me. I unlocked the door and pulled Emma inside.

“We can’t call her, Mason.” Emma said as soon as I closed the door.

“We are calling her, Emma.” I said sternly. “I don’t give a fuck if she is busy. I am talking to her.”

Emma started at me wide-eyed, pulling on the sleeves of her hoodie.

“Call her, Emma.” I said, taking a step toward her.

“She won’t answer.” Emma said quietly, her wide eyes never leaving mine.

Something funny tugged at my chest. Her words had a deeper meaning. She wasn’t telling me something. I always had a feeling that she wasn’t completely honest with me, and seeing her right now, I was definitely sure that I was fucking right.

She was hiding something from me.

“What are you hiding from me, Emma?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.

“No… Nothing.” she stuttered, biting her lower lip.

Oh, she is lying.

“Don’t lie to me.” I said, clenching my fists.

Emma took a step back, making my heart tug painfully. Why was she running from me? What didn’t she tell me?

“You are hiding something about mom.” I said, trying so hard to stay where I was even though I wanted to run to her. “Something happened and you didn’t tell me.”