Things took their time to quiet as dinner progressed. Conner had to give Merina respect because she’d kept her head on and stayed calm as they spoke on important matters that affected her. From how she’d lived after her mother died and Lillian took over her care. It didn’t exonerate Andre. He’d checked out as a parent and didn’t watch what happened to his daughter. His reliance on Lillian as at this point became a weakness for him and a torture for Merina. Merina wasn’t ready to forgive her father yet. But Conner had her listening and communicating with Andre, and he believed that was a win. Even if it was tiny. “I want to talk more with you, Merina. When our emotions aren’t as raw or close to the surface. You didn’t need those troubles. With my legal team uncovering things her that Lillian believes is tucked away or destroyed I’m gaining a perspective of who she is under the mask.” Andre said. The intensity in his voice made everyone aw
“She didn’t like the environment and quit. I’m afraid you were too rude. As for my wife, good luck Gabriella. I know better than to cross her. That’s why I married her. Merina’s perfect for me in so many ways. I won’t demand she back down when anyone abuses her. Now, Merina and I have agreed. Only I’m allowed to discipline her as I see fit. I don’t see a need. If anyone tries to bully or abuse her, she has my permission to deal with them herself. Good luck, she’s brutal.” Conner said to Gabriella. This odd outburst from Conner left her unsure of her emotions. “She didn’t like the environment and quit. I’m afraid you were too rude. As for my wife, good luck Gabriella. I know better than to cross her. That’s why I married her. Merina’s perfect for me in so many ways. I won’t demand she back down when anyone abuses her. Now, Merina and I have agreed. Only I’m allowed to discipline her as I see fit. I don’t see a need. If anyone tries to bully or abuse her, she has
Galen arrived at the hotel and finished checking. He followed several guests to the elevator. To see people on the elevator. Even though he stood on the first floor many didn’t get off the elevator. He almost didn’t get onto the elevator preferring to take a less crowded car. However, it the back he spotted the familiar head of his stepsister Merina in amongst the people on the elevator. As the door closed, he squeezed onto the elevator. He didn’t squeeze over toward her. Instead, he stayed to the other side of the car. What in the world was she doing here? That question ran through his mind on repeat. This wasn’t where she lived, and her temperament would put her in jail almost immediately. Instead of stepping off at his floor Galen stayed on the elevator to see if he could figure out where her room was. This was better than he thought. Another chance before his mother completely broke it off with Andre. That thought led to several pleasure filled images in his head. It appeared M
Merina wasn’t expecting Galen. He remained her final thought. She’d felt off kilter ever since Conner figured out who she was and his behavior. Conner, Ian, her father and now Galen were here at the hotel, twisting her life into knots. She’s the one who should twist their lives into knots as payback for how her life has gone out of control. She hated to think of Gabriella. Or how she tried to add to the mess. Merina thought very little of it. She didn’t have time. She struggled to make sense of what happened during and after dinner. Conner wanting to punish her, then defending her. That had Merina scratching her head. What was the purpose of this? Her father didn’t want her inside the family business, but Galen could be there? Her father told her she should investigate at O’Keefe Industries, yet he claimed he didn’t expect her to do it. Why did he attack Joseph, if he didn’t care? He wasn’t involved in any of it. Conner hit Galen and made sure he stayed where he was this time.
“Conner, I think they’re stepping off the elevator now. There are police officers with them.” Merina said to Conner. She’s stepped into the corridor and back into the suite. Conner could see her eyes were wide as she informed him of the extra guests. The outcome had a bad ending. He finished texting his father and Andre. They needed to be here for this. “Merina, go to the bedroom and wait there while I handle this.” Conner said. He looked up from his phone. Conner struggled not to glare at her. He’d te Galen was gone. He’d known well enough to investigate Galen. If he’d known what Galen’s true personality was, he’d have done something extreme with him to prevent this. Now he’d let the media types run with it. He’d ruin Galen and his mother. He’d investigated Summer’s claims that Galen had an odd obsession with Merina, and she couldn’t live at her family home because of it. What he disliked was his people couldn’t find where Merina lived back then. Now he has the answer. She’d been
“So, this caused her to file for divorce?” Conner asked Andre. Having missed much, things were now clearer. “No, Galen’s mother did to me, what she did to Ian. She left him for someone wealthier and more willing to be intimate. I was unaware that this was a habit she had formed. She always pursues men with larger wallets. Once she’s there, she drops the other. Lillian failed to deplete Ian of his money. But she’s trying to get mine. She’s just greedy. As for Galen, he can’t hold a stable relationship, and I believe my daughter now about how he’s treated her in the past. Does this relate to what happened here?” Andre asked the officer. He didn’t understand why they’d need it. “Background information. Character testimony. Your daughter went away to school?” The officer waved his hand to show to Andre he’d continue before he went back to writing his notes. “Yes, she finished her high school and went on to university. She has a criminal sc
“Merina. How can I know these things? You’re aware I cannot have you in the room for long, correct?” Andre knew he’d failed as a father to her for far too long. He didn’t know how to raise his daughter alone. Andre struggled for years with grief for his first wife. He’d failed as the husband or father. Lillian said it didn’t matter. She’d been fine with him, gone often. The reason he’d married her was to give Merina a female figure. Someone who understood her changing needs. Lillian twisted everything. Andre never suspected she’d fed him lies. From secret lovers, to using money earmarked for Merina’s welfare and future. Lillian lived with him as his wife while she sought her next husband. Now she wanted to empty his accounts and gain a controlling interest in his business. Lillian wanted to gut his financial portfolio even as she gutted him. “Why is that? You didn’t want to hear me.” Merina sat there and watched her hands. Merina’s words penet
“Merina, you were achieving things others spent months or years looking for. They didn’t find a tenth of what you’d did.” Andre threw his hands up and shook his head just enough to show how he struggled to understand how in the end there’s a different outcome be because she found a document or connection faster than someone else, she realized. “So that made it all better. I risked and lost everything. While you got the results you wanted. You must have enjoyed pushing me on with this crazy scheme. I must have seemed foolish to you. You expected the day I’d be imprisoned to relieve yourself of my burden.” Merina couldn’t take it anymore; she stood up and walked away from her father. She pulled back a drape and gazed into the dark city. “Merina, that’s not what I said. I never thought that or wanted it. I would never have let you stay in jail. Mind you I didn’t think you’d marry Conner either. Well, not without a fight. But thank you for making it po
[SIX MONTHS LATER] The family piled out of the limousine. Baby seats and gear carried by a happy Conner, Ian, and Andre. Merina noticed her father wave at a man in a wheelchair who was being pushed by a female attendant. That was Ana’s father. He appeared to be headed into the house from somewhere in the garden. Today was Ana’s wedding and the hive of action revealed how close the ceremony was to take place. Merina and Conner had to hurry to get ready. The two grandfathers were taking care of their two little bundles, which worried Merina a little. Merina caught sight of their fathers showing off the babies to everyone who showed any remote interest. With that, the wedding planner whisked her and Conner off for the final preparations. Hair, makeup, dress, champagne, photographs became a whirlwind of excitement and activity. Security was exceptional, with news of Jeff’s wedding and news leaking about his new album. “It’s a perfect day for your weddin
[SIX MONTHS LATER] “That goes into the front living room by the main table. Please place gifts at the entrance. There’s a table for them there. Until it’s time to open them and then, while we are in the dining room having lunch, you’ll bring them into the front living room. Oh, I must go, the special guests have arrived.” Joyce said to her housekeeper as her staff rushed through her home, performing the last-minute preparations for the party. Many guests were here already and gathered in the front living room. Joyce, Merina, and Ana were all surprised to receive acceptance responses from RSVPs for their invitations. Instead of rejections or being ignored all together. Merina avoided the public eye as much as she could for the long months that the arrests and crimes made news. She didn’t want to deal with the media and the questions. Joyce could understand for Merina it’s far more complicated. She could only imagine an interview being like walking th
Jeff wanted to celebrate. His plans were going as expected. Ana agreed to marry him. He wanted everything perfect. Later that week after the party, Merina held her housewarming for their condo rebuild. Despite Merina being a wreck, it went off without a hitch. He’d learned from Conner that they’d confirmed that afternoon that Merina was pregnant. However, they didn’t know how far along she was yet. They’d have those results in a few days. He showed Ana around his home, pointing out the details he had overlooked before because of other priorities. She’d returned to the house and come prepared not to feel impressed about what he showed her. This house stood for their future and his first step towards stability in life, which Ana came to accept. “I don’t understand. If you record your album at the studio at the production studio, why do you need this room here?” “I don’t write in the studio. I don’t enjoy writing with background noise as it
Doctor Sutton arrived in less than an hour after his father called. Their fathers sat in the living room, refusing to leave until they learned what Merina had. They’d made a bet that she might be pregnant. Conner admitted they weren’t doing anything to his knowledge to prevent the pregnancy. But with all the stress and anxiety, she could have worn her immune system down and caught something. He didn’t remember her avoiding food or being ill. But Andre claimed her mother didn’t have morning sickness, so that changed nothing for him on what the cause of her illness could stem from. “Conner, I thought I said not to bother the doctor about this? If I still feel like this tomorrow, I’d make an appointment.” Merina said. Her voice appeared groggy and disgruntled to everyone. “It’s alright Mrs. O’Keefe. It’s better safe than sorry. I’m Doctor Sutton and I’m well paid for nights like this. It’s fine. Do you have any idea why you feel well? What
For the first time, Merina stepped inside the condo. He’d found an experienced designer to remodel it into a fashionable, spacious home for their needs. She moved through it. The movers had already done their job. She had only her business things needed to move in, and she had a company licenced to do that coming in later that day to set up her office. They didn’t keep a physical office because they ran on word of mouth. That meant they could work wherever their secure files were. Now she walked through the top floor of O’Keefe Industries Office building where Conner set himself up with his condo a decade ago. He liked the ease of commuting, and they were downtown with a private elevator. Staff wouldn’t be knocking on their door at all hours. The chef and housekeeper were present as day staff. They’d leave after they served dinner most nights. They had space to grow and entertain. But Conner insisted this would be their home until they had children.
Medina observed men with their differences in appearance and demeanor. “It’s like they’ve left all serious business at the door.” They’d seen Conner drop an ice cube into Dan’s lap and then they were wrestling. Jeff proposed to Ana in an unusual manner, but she still had to respond. The position he put her in. Merina was like Ana. She didn’t know how she’d respond. Conner gave her a choice that wasn’t a choice. “So, you won’t punish me or give me grief for working? You won’t belittle me in front of other people for having goals in life that don’t include what you want?” Ana asked. Her questions revolved around how he’d treated her and how he wouldn’t do it again. “That’s right. I promise there won’t be any extra details.” Jeff said to Ana. He aimed to calm her thoughts, enabling them to move forward, and for her to feel at ease enough to agree.“What about your photos with other women?” Will they end too?” Ana hated seeing those photo
Merina sat eating dinner with everyone. They ate in a more relaxed setting. They forgo the dining table for the living room. Staff disappeared, leaving Merina unsure as everyone began eating. Conner had something planned. She knew he must. That was Conner. Conner had reasons for his actions, often known only to him. It didn’t take long for Merina to notice Ana’s change in mood and her disposition changed toward Jeff. He’d worked some kind of magic on her. Merina heard something, unable to distinguish between Ana’s joyful cries and Joyce’s sounds. Conner held her back, saying they’d have fun later with everyone. Two of his friends came without lovers. When she asked how this worked. Conner said they enjoyed watching and acting as coaches. He claimed it gave an impartial opinion on how to become more creative. He offered to call someone in to show her how it worked. But Merina couldn’t see herself as the hostess getting off and ignoring her guests. Th
Jeff smirked as he followed Ana into the guest room. “What are you doing?” Ana said. Her tone demanded an answer as her eyes flashed with fury. “They told me to use this room. It’s not like we haven’t seen each other naked before. Live a little Ana.” Jeff caught Ana’s arm as she tried to leave. “Hey, you don’t want your friend and host to feel horrible, do you? We’re all adults here.” “Some more than others it seems.” Ana pulled her arm from his hand, but he didn’t step back. Jeff let his height give him the advantage. “It’s time to stop this, Ana. Sometimes I forget to drop the persona because people prefer it over the real me.” “I’ve always kept that I didn’t care for the persona or the job. You never got it, did you? I wasn’t dating you for others to see me with you. I didn’t see you for your money or your capabilities. Yet, you tell me you believe I’m lying to you. Fine, I have lied to you about two things. But only two t
Ana watched the men come toward them. A worried woman trailed behind men ready for battle. “Ana, we need to talk.” Jeff said. “You need to hear me out.” He looked stern and foreboding when he said that. Joyce came around the men and tried to avoid notice or interrupting the drama. “Nice romantic setting. It’s a pity we can’t distract the gaggle of ganders behind him. They don’t need to see this.” Merina nodded, where she stood off to the side in Ana’s peripheral vision. “We didn’t plan this, but it’s like an Edwardian romance scene. This’ll become lost on them. I believe. They won’t see the chance to use it to their advantage.” She said, her voice was low to not interrupted Ana’s words. “Sad, I agree with you. It could have become a fond memory.” “Jeff, I don’t need that. You’ve made it clear that I filled gaps in your life, but there weren’t many. But heaven forbid that my time doesn’t align your schedule. Then I