Merina had the manners to appear on time for their meeting. He’d arranged this meeting not to discuss her career and business plan. Conner aimed to solidify the narrative of their collaboration since the beginning. That way, he could prevent anyone else from trying to charge her for espionage later or questioning that. “Ah, here she is now, gentlemen. The lady we’ve been speaking about, my wife, Merina O’Keefe. Merina, this is Chief Inspector Billings. He’s leading the investigation into the Mandela’s, and this is my head accountant, Gregory Van Clief. The Inspector blinked and raised a finger. “Ms. MacGregor? I’m sorry my connections didn’t pass on that you’d married. I’m happy to see you again. Somehow, I should have connected you to the MacGregor family.” “Hello, Chief Inspector. I wasn’t aware you were connected to the investigation, or I would have called you myself. Conner and I married in haste days ago. No, I tried to keep my fam
Ana sat down to dinner with Jeff almost an hour ago. She’d struggled with what to tell him. She had been silent during the meal, contemplating how to start the conversation. They were on dessert. Something she would enjoy. She couldn’t do it tonight. Jeff leaned back in his chair and watched Ana push her peach cobbler about in the melting ice cream. Ana knew he was considering her or something. “Is there a problem Jeff?” She wanted to distract him. Allow her a few extra minutes to plan her next steps and approach this situation. “I got a call from Conner O’Keefe a few hours ago.” Ana sank feeling as soon as he said this. “Oh, did he want to talk about business or something personal?” His topic blurred the lines between the two. Ana shifted in her seat and set her spoon down. Her attention focused of him even though her eyes stayed on the candle display in the center of the table. “Oh, umm. Should I be
“Who is your stepfather?” Jeff knew who her stepfather was. He wanted to hear her admit it. If he knew her family, Jeff would have treated her differently. He wouldn’t have tested her by taking her to places he considered were beneath him. “Jordan Foster.” Jeff watched her. She sounded embarrassed and almost ashamed to admit this. At least, she understood the error she’d made. “Ana. Why didn’t you tell me?” “I don’t tell anyone. His lifestyle isn’t mine.” Jeff knew Jordan Foster as a wealthy man, but few knew about his stepdaughter. It took Jeff the rest of the afternoon to get information on her. It proved challenging because of the lack of resources. She’d been a troubled teen who rebelled against her mother’s second marriage. Then, when she could get away from her family, she’d done so. Though her stepfather tried to force her to stay in touch. “Why did you attend a private school and work for a society girl?”
Lillian didn’t wait to return home to start her campaign against her soon-to-be ex-stepdaughter. How dare she make her life more difficult until Marina was supposed to submit to Galen while Conner should have married Gabriella? Lillian would marry Joseph. Lillian would have access to all the money and destroy the dead word. Or exes she’d gain over the last fifteen years. She seeks revenge on them for their laziness and lack of financial success. Lillian only requested that they maintain her desired lifestyle without her having to do anything. She wouldn’t accept a man retiring to live off his investments. That screamed door as he leeched of his savings. She didn’t want a man who didn’t sacrifice for her comfort. She’d learned long ago that worthy men sacrificed for her time. Not love. Love was a false emotion created by greeting card companies. She had no desire for love or marriage with a money-seeking man. “It’s unexpected how a few facts can generate sympath
The meeting went well enough, Conner thought. He caught sight of a new side of Merina. Now he had messages piling up from friends and business associates about information they’d heard. He’d spent his afternoon putting out fires. He’d assume these rumors and hints at financial disaster were Lillian, Joseph, and Gabriella’s doing. It all appeared to revolve around them. “David, you’re not crazy right?” “No, never had a problem. Why?” “Merina is as crazy as you are. As for the police officer stupidity. She knows she’s not a police officer. She has a much more flexible and diverse position. I can tell you that she’s an expert in her field and consults with the police when they call upon her. She works with law enforcement all over the world. That’s why she didn’t come home. The woman tracks electronic transfers of money and information. Agencies, businesses, and people hire her when they need help learning where the money went missing.”
Conner took Merina out to his country club for dinner. He wanted to know what everyone’s reaction to the rumors. He didn’t tell Merina that was his intention, but he suspected she knew. This afternoon, he started questioning what he’d been doing with her. It hadn’t changed. They climbed from the limousine when he changed his mind and thought it better to warn Merina what they’d walk into. “Meri, I don’t want you to overreact if we’re snubbed tonight. We know what Lillian’s been saying.” Conner said, before she cut him off. “Don’t worry about it. These people hold no importance to me. They may think they are hurting me, but in the long run they’ll be hurting themselves. It’s fine. All they are doing is embarrassing themselves. What will happen to them when Lillian is charged? If not alongside Joseph, then my father will take her to court for slandering him, I’m sure. If I can get her on record spreading the rumors or claiming she said th
Conner gave her a moment to arrange herself in the ladies’ room on the upper floor. They’d lucked out that the security staff hadn’t done their rounds while they were there. But the wicked thrill had given her heart a workout. Merina would admit to anyone but Conner that his performance was something she’d never tire of. Even now she could feel him giving her his all, and Merina’s knees were still a little weak from her orgasm. It went through her body and didn’t miss overwhelming any of her senses. Every nerve in her body tingled. Conner put naughty and made the forbidden tempting. “Are you ready to make your entrance as Mrs. O’Keefe?” “What we did makes me want to go home and sleep. I think you short-circuited my brain. I can’t form a sentence right now. Merina said. She’d make him rue this day, if he’d made her unable to defend herself in front of these people. Conner smiled at her as he took her arm. “Then you must stand close to me
They’d eaten dinner. Now everyone relaxed with dessert and after-dinner drinks. A woman, unfamiliar until tonight, married to a woman Merina never knew well during childhood, leaned towards her. “Is it me? Are they too preoccupied with others’ lives to acknowledge their own errors?” “You’re very observant. I’ve waited all night for someone to realize I don’t care about their opinions. Merina said to her. The smiling woman sought meaningful conversation. Which flew fast and furious most of the evening when anyone suspected Merina or Conner might overhear. “I understand. It seems since my work is profitable, but my name is slapped on none of it. Am I unworthy to gossip about here?” The woman hadn’t introduced herself yet. Not being included in the gossip didn’t seem to affect her much. Merina liked her dry sense of humor. “Oh, my name and work are similar. They don’t comprehend my work. Or they believe the gossip and believe I’m lying. So,
[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