I huff out a breath. “My love for extreme sports has died down and I definitely do not wish to risk my life again. That fire inside me has been extinguished, forever maybe.  In my mind, it was only yesterday I was this daredevil party animal and suddenly I’m not that person. I can’t explain it. This is how it is now, Celia.”

“Apologies for being insensitive and asking so many probing questions.”

I shrug. It’s not surprising that she’s curious; most people are. Thanks to the intense media scrutiny into my life, everyone knows exactly what I have gone through and everyone has an opinion or wants to know more. I thank my stars that no one other than Gabe knows about my voice message to him. He’s the only one I trust at this point and if it ever came out that I suspect a conspiracy behind the accidents, then it would be all over the news. As it is, I’ve had little time to delve more into this issue. I’m already up to my ears in handling my father’s will, the jewelry business, our design firm and the bloody vast Kittridge estates. But someday, soon, I’ll have to remove time to get to the bottom of this issue.

Celia sniffs and I tune back to hear what she’s saying. “Damien, did you know my parents have been ensconced in the country for several years now? My Dad refuses to visit London any more after his surgery.”

“How is he?” I ask her. I honestly have no clue what’s wrong with her father or what surgery he underwent.

“He’s better on most days. But living with one kidney is not easy.”

I look away from her. It’s not like I remember any of what she is talking about, so I have nothing to offer.

“I simply hate living alone in that big house all by myself. Besides, your mother too is so lonely. The poor woman has suffered such a great loss. You know, I spend most of my day at Kittridge House with her. It feels so good to not be alone.”

She licks her lips and gives me a coy look. Celia always knew how to steer a conversation exactly down the road she wanted. And I wait for her to come to the crux of this particular exchange.

“Your mother insists I move in with her at Kittridge House. In fact, she mentioned that perhaps you’d also consider living there now that it’s...yours.”