Brie Newman's POV Continues....

Sasha had come unexpectedly to school one weekend.
She had no problem charming the headmaster and signing me out of school.
We happily spent the day together.
Sasha tried to make up for lost time by taking me to the beauty parlor, shopping, and to a movie.
The only thing that ruined the day for us, was this creepy sharp featured guy, that tagged along behind us.
Even when he gave us privacy, I was uncomfortable by his presence.
‘My body guard.’ Sasha had hissed disdainfully in my ear.
‘Your father seems to think I need to be watched. Just ignore him.’


We had lunch that day in a nice restaurant.
‘You’ll probably hear all kinds of bad things about me, Brie. Some of them are true.
I’m not a perfect person, though I always start out being the best I can toward everyone.
I thought I could start over with your father, but he’s made it clear that we’re through.
I can never hope to gain back what we had. I place most of the blame on myself.’
I didn’t think she did anything wrong. My father was just a fickle hard to please jerk.
Dad never deserved Sasha.
I also felt guilty because I knew my parents were seeing each other again.
Mom even thought Dad would remarry her.
I didn’t know what to say, so I just held on to her hand.


‘I’m not going to stay in a loveless marriage. I’m leaving Dex.’
Sasha cast a fearful glance over her shoulder.
Her guardian sat at the table behind ours sipping coffee.
She lowered her voice.
‘If everything I’ve planned works out, Dex will agree to a divorce.
I may even be in charge of the talent agency itself. When that happens, I want you to come live with me.’
She gave my hand a squeeze in return.
‘You’re the best thing that came out of my marriage to Dex. I love you so much, Brie.
You’re the only reason I came back. I could never leave you behind.’


Sasha must have seen the doubt on my face.
I did believe she loved me, but she didn’t come back willingly.
Dad found her at that hotel and brought her back.
A hard calculating look crept into her normally soft blue eyes.
‘Dex found me when he was meant too. The way he was meant too. I was ready to come home.
Someday, I’ll tell you everything, my darling Brie....There’s still a few things I need to do.
If everything goes as planned, we will both be free to do as we like.’


It sounded so nice, but even then a little pessimistic voice warned me that would it would never happen.
Less than a month later, Sasha was dead. She was found over dosed in the swimming pool.
The police suspected that someone had removed the ladder while she was struggling in the water and replaced it after she’d drowned.
My father was the number one suspect.
The body guard was a person of interest, but he disappeared without a trace.
Mom always said that Dad paid a pretty penny to get the cops off his back.
‘Money talks, bulldren walks.’ she’d scoffed bitterly.
Mom had no sympathy for Sasha.
She was mad because Dad let her know that he had no intention of ever reconciling with her.
On the day of Sasha’s funeral, my mother tastelessly threw a big party.
Dad, played the role of grief stricken husband and held a lavish funeral ceremony.
I wasn’t allowed to go and cried alone in my dorm room at school.
It made front page headlines when Remington Mansfield, the fashion designer, tried to attack Dad at the funeral.
He claimed that Dad was a sleazy drug pusher and even if Sasha’s death were an accident, he was still to blame.
Dad thought Stuart and I didn’t know anything about his side businesses, but we’ve always known.


I had to accept that Sasha’s death was a tragic accident.
When I last spoke to her, she was far from suicidal.
Sasha was hopeful of the future and had wanted me to be a part of it.
I just couldn’t accept that she was murdered either.
My father was a lot of bad things, but I didn’t want to believe he could kill anyone.
****
‘Leave your purse here with me until your old man pays my fare.’ the cab driver instructed.
He was doubtful when I told him Dex Newman was my father.
With a sigh, I left my hand bag and marched up the stairs to talk to the father I vowed never to speak to again.

Coming soon: Brie stumbles into Dex's shrine room.