Stefano inclined his head. “I understand. I would feel the same. Do you have other concerns or questions?”
“Yes. When I was first told about Brielle, Jean-Claude made it clear she had washed out of the shadow rider program, and yet on her résumé, it clearly states she is a rider.”
Stefano nodded. “Brielle, that’s true. I was given your performances and times. I was told you were willing to be added to our roster and would take rotations as long as you worked alone. How is it you didn’t cut it in the program, and yet in looking over your training performances both before you left the program and again during your second training, you excelled?”
“No one cut me from the program,” Brielle admitted. “I left the program voluntarily. I asked to be removed. My sister was an excellent rider and I felt she would more than make up for my pitiful abilities. Or lack of abilities.”
“Your sister had virtually no abilities,” Stefano corrected. “She couldn’t find her way out of a paper bag. She had no interest in learning. She was very entitled.”
“That’s not true.” Brielle shook her head. “My parents constantly praised her and told her how amazing she was. They told me her times in the shadows beat every one she competed against.”
“She came in dead last every single time,” Stefano said. “I’ve got all the reports. You’re welcome to see them. The trainers’ comments are available in the reports. Just to make it clear as well, she put in applications at all the fashion houses to work in any capacity as a model, but was never hired. She didn’t have offers she turned down repeatedly. I believe you were subjected to lies from such an early age by your parents and sister, you got to a point you couldn’t tell the lies from the truth when you heard it. Is that what happened? You couldn’t tell when your sister lied to you?”
Brielle pressed her hand to her forehead, shielding her eyes. “I don’t know. Not at first. Not for most of my life. It wasn’t until she was so desperate to marry Elie that I began to suspect she was lying about some things. I didn’t know what those things were. Some of the things she said and did weren’t making any sense at all. It all got so tangled, and when I’d start to question her, she’d get hysterical and our father would come and he’d be angry with me for upsetting her. She was so fragile, going through so much, missing our mother. Trying to take care of the household and work her rotations as a shadow rider.”
“She didn’t work as a shadow rider,” Stefano said. “That was why she was never considered for marriage with an Archambault. You may have requested to leave the program, but your times were unmatched. Your ability to find your way in any circumstance was astonishing. You were good with weapons and excelled at hand-to-hand combat. The Archambaults had been watching you for some time. You volunteered where you were needed quietly, never making a big deal out of what you did to help others. You’re intelligent and compassionate and they felt they’d found a perfect match for Elie, especially considering his interest in you.”
“Why did you request to leave the program?” Elie asked her directly.
She stiffened. “Do I have to answer that question?”
“I was going to ask it myself,” Stefano said, “but yes, he has the right to ask any questions, just as you have the right to ask him what you want to know.”
Brielle remained silent for so long, Elie was certain she was going to defy Stefano and not answer, but eventually she twisted her fingers together until they were white. “It makes me sick when I’m in the shadows. I can force myself to overcome it, but I thought, since my sister could represent our family, I wouldn’t need to force myself to keep going in. I was afraid if my team leader sent me in with a partner, I might compromise them.”
“Yet you decided to train again,” Stefano persisted. “Why?”
Elie was nearly a full head and shoulders above his new wife. It was easy enough to see her sneak a quick glance his way. She was extremely uncomfortable answering these questions in front of him.
“I wanted to change who I was. I felt like a child afraid of life when I left for Spain. I didn’t want to be that person anymore. Although it was hurtful, I was used to rejection from my father and sister. Even the things Elie said about my looks were nothing that hadn’t been said before. The difference was, I decided to do something about it. I decided since I was going to Spain, I could have a brand-new beginning and explore the things I was interested in.”