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
Galen had a rough night sitting in lockup. He wasn’t used to people pretending to ignore him. Or treat him like a nobody. He was a James connected to the well-known MacGregor family. But here, no one cared. He’d never felt so humbled before and he didn’t like it. He attempted to avoid talking to anyone else in the cell they’d thrown him into. But he now struggled with the conflict his fear, anger, and ego gave him. Not that he’d admit to having any if they asked. What irked him the most is he wanted to call his mother right now. His mother could solve any problem he faced. But he didn’t want to look weak, however, what else could he do? Right now, he could do nothing. No one would allow him to call home because they hadn’t booked him in and on the official record there. He knew Joseph Mandala was in a cell nearby. Galen didn’t know everything they were charging him with. He recognized it as more than just an assault. Because his bail went up with th
Lillian waved Claude on to speak. Her face was still numb but swollen. The microsurgery appeared successful, and she didn’t require bandages. Though her face similar to a chipmunk’s face, and she hoped the surgeon hadn’t bungled the job. Joseph paid enough for this treatment. “Madam, Mr. James called for you while you were in with the doctor. He claims imprisonment and requests a lawyer who can work. He’s in the main jail in Capo Santo as we speak. Mr. James also needs two-hundred and fifty thousand to secure his release. Then he can secure the release of Mr. Mandela.” “Claude what do you mean Galen is in jail? What did he do to get jailed?” Lillian said to Claude. She’d recovered enough from her face lift procedure to hear him out. She couldn’t believe what Claude said to her. “He hasn’t secured Joseph’s release yet. Claude, handle it. What led him to jail in that city now? Regardless of my baby’s actions, I must rescue him. I must get him out of there
When her father at last left, Conner rounded on her where she stood. He walked over to her. But he said nothing. He heard the outer suite door close behind her father, and she assumed Ian was. “That was petty Merina. You have changed and I don’t like it.” His disapproving stare had Merina turning her eyes away from him. “Well, shit happens Conner. You changed too.” Merina said. Her words were a mere grumble. Conner took her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him. “Oh, no. You understand this isn’t how it works. You aren’t allowed to feel misery. Real or imagined. I say what happens. This ends now. Your father has nothing to do with your life any longer. The man you should concern yourself with is me. Do you understand?” “Tell me how to make you happy.” Conner could see Merina now understood her place. They were standing where he’d last taken her. In front of the mirror. “Kneel. You need to learn a bet