Kat looked up at her. “Yes. I was attacked and left for dead. I wanted to die. That was the only thing I knew when I woke up. But by that time my family was there, they swooped in and covered everything up. They didn’t want him to know I was alive. They had everything sealed and moved me back to heal. It took a while. Then they told me I could never have children. He took that away from me. The only thing I ever really wanted in life, and it was ripped from me. I couldn’t go back to teaching; I couldn’t face all those children. Children whose parents treated them terribly, who didn’t appreciate the miracle they had in their hands.” She clenched her hands into fists when she saw how much they were shaking.
“I had some money so I told my family I had to leave. While the attack didn’t happen there, it was too much. Seeing family and friends with babies, I couldn’t take it. I took what I’d learned from my family about law enforcement and online courses and started tracking Anthony. I changed my name and my attitude. I wanted him to suffer as much as I had.”
Looking over at Anthony she said, “I’m sorry. I hated you for so long. All that time looking in the wrong direction until one night. It was after your first date with Lexi. I noticed someone else watching. I couldn’t believe my eyes. He looked so much like you. If I couldn’t turn my head and see you I would never have believed it. I followed him; he must have known something was up because I lost him. I split my time between following Anthony and Lexi. I knew he’d have to show up at some point. I was there that night Lexi was attacked. I was pretty sure it wasn’t Anthony, but I couldn’t be sure. This time I was able to follow him to the airport where he boarded a flight to somewhere in the northwest. I couldn’t get on the flight so I went back to see what Anthony was up to. That was when I learned about Lexi’s attack. I couldn’t believe what had happened while I was sitting there watching from outside.”
“And you said nothing,” Noah said.
“No, I didn’t. I didn’t have enough information.”
“What about later? Obviously, at some point you knew more.” Noah stood up and started towards her. “Tell us the rest. Now.”
“As you already know, he disappeared while Anthony was in prison. I couldn’t find him. So I focused on Lexi. I figured he might come back for her at some point.”
“I never saw you, all those years.” Lexi said in a small voice.
“I always dressed up with the kids, so I was in disguises a lot. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was when he finally did show up. I almost had him so many times, but he’d always escape. It’s like that bastard has nine lives or something.”
Evie was on her feet stalking towards Kat. “You just sat back and let Lexi be attacked for the second time. After everything you’ve been through, how could you let him do that to another women?” Evie tried to shake off Anthony’s grasp. “Do you understand what you’ve done? How many woman have died because you were so hung up on your own revenge you didn’t say anything to anyone? Hell, my grandmother was almost killed!” Poking a finger into Kat’s chest, “That’s all on you. You talk about all you wanted was kids, well, what about those kids who have lost their mothers because you wouldn’t say anything? What about that?”
Kat was crying, her head hanging down. “I know. I was obsessed. I wanted nothing more than making him pay. Make him suffer for taking my chance to have children away from me.”
“Why? Why didn’t you say anything sooner? Lexi didn’t have to be attacked again. Hell, Anthony might not have ended up in prison! You could have been helping us. Instead you just stood there, doing nothing,” Evie screamed at her.
Kat stood up and got in Evie’s face. “Don’t you think I’m living with that every single day of my life? Not just what he took from me, but everyone else. He needs to pay and I want to be the one to make him suffer. I want to hurt him just as much as he’s hurt all these other women. I want him to beg for his life as I slowly kill him. I want my face to be the last he ever sees.” Exhausted, she sat back down on the chair.
Kat sat there while everyone started talking at once. Everyone knew now, there was nothing left to hide. Well, just one thing. She looked over at Jackson.
*
Evie followed Lexi into the kitchen when everyone started arguing with each other on what to do next. “How are you doing?”
“I don’t know. I can’t believe she’s been this close to me this whole time and never said anything.” She rubbed a hand over her belly. “And now that I’m pregnant, I can’t even begin to know what she has been feeling.”
“What about the fact she’s been lying?”
“It’s easier for you to hold onto the anger. You forget I’ve been where she’s been. I can completely understand where she’s coming from.”
“So what you’re saying it’s okay what she did?”
“No, I’m saying I understand. She was tortured, almost killed, and can’t have children. The first two alone can change a person, but you add the third and yeah, I can understand.”
“You’re going all soft on me.”
“No, just trying to show some compassion. I’m not saying I still want her as my bodyguard. I still think she is more interested in killing Jeremy than protecting me, but that also means I’m not going to kick her out on the street.”