Way Down We Go

Chapter Twenty Five

"He's such a fucking coward," I whispered into the darkness.

"Can't fault you there, sister." James said from the other side of the room. I glanced his way, barely able to see his form leaning against the door as I sat with my knees pulled up to my chest, staring at the TV screen as Henry tried to do damage control for the leaked picture of Francis' family. The meeting for all of Valois' partners who were uneasy about the lack of my money and the irresponsibility of the heir to the throne, had been recorded for me to see. That's where James and CC had gone. "Are you sure I can't take you to the hospital? You were bleeding out pretty badly when I found you."

"I'm fine." I hissed. "You helped me bathe then drowned me in anti septic and band aids, I'm fine." I insisted darkly.

"No, you're not." he answered casually.

Before I could let loose the anger his patronisation built up inside me, he came besides me and sat down next to me.

"He'll come to his senses soon enough." my paternal half brother nodded to the TV when Francis and Catherine could be seen in the background.

"I don't want him to come to his senses." I insisted. "I want him to feel what I'm feeling. If he wants his little whore, he's welcome to her." I spat.

"Want me to talk to him?"

"What is there to say? If he wants to up and leave, cheat on me every time something with a pulse looks at him, that's fine. He's gone. I'm not gonna beg on my hands and knees for a dirty little cheat. I don't wanna be with him if he's capable of doing that. I don't want him anymore, I love him -maybe I always will-, but I hate him."

"I get it. So, what are you gonna do?"

"Isn't that the million dollar question?" I rolled my eyes. "I don't know, I don't have to know. That's managements job. All I get is the puppeteer strings and a paycheck." I hissed at him.

"I've never seen you more angry."

"Is it surprising? The guy I thought I was gonna spend the rest of my life with's had affairs and sleeps around with little whores every chance he gets, according to his mother. I'm angry. I'm sad. I'm humiliated."

"You're mother, too." James insisted.

"I don't know about that. Look where she was, look where I am." I nodded to the image of the Medici woman.

"Want a hug?" he opened his arms out. I stared at him for several seconds. And, as if that icy gaze melted the ice in my heart, I leaned over to my brother and sighed as he wrapped his arms around my little frame. And then, I started to cry.

~~

"Mary," CC said, coming into my study, leading a man in white behind him. I stood up, straightening my teal satin dress. "Dr. Kolbe has some news about mom's condition."

"Dr. Kolbe," I looked at the little Hispanic man who had been treating our mother for her cancer ever since we came into her money. Small, olive skinned, little eyed, wrinkled skinned. Kind, but assertive. "How can we help you?"

I shook his hand and we all sat down in some chairs, but from the atmosphere, my maternal half brother and I could tell something was amiss.

"What's wrong?"I sadly asked, looking up at the person who was responsible for my bio mom's life.

"Well, Mrs. Valois, Mr. de Guise, you are aware of the routine checks we run upon your mothers' body every few weeks, to deter her state?"

"The one last November we're referring to?"