~ MARIA BELGRAVE ~ The evidence said I had several people betraying the company across almost every department. It’s not one person here and one there. No, I suspected I could create a corporate ladder for these people. But how far did this go up? Few would do this. Only one or two in the affected departments, please. But someone controlled it all. Someone who could enter every department with no one questioning their presence. I still didn’t have any names or numbers. But it’s a matter of time. I had to think it through. David and Jake left a while ago. They had responsibilities. Which meant I could breathe and think. I hadn’t told Josy about David and me because I was unsure of my feelings. I felt heard by David for the first time since I met him. Could it be progress? He said he’s willing to prove to me he’s serious. Or that I won’t find him changing his opinions and actions toward me. I don’t want him aband
~ DAVID HARGROVE ~ After speaking with my father, I needed time to think about everything. I wanted time alone. Without Jake in tow, I went to our condo. That’s what I thought of the condo I kept for Maria. It’s our place. Somehow, when I was here, everything was different. I felt different, if that’s possible. I left my bodyguards with the car and went upstairs. Inside the condo, I poured myself a drink and wandered about. The silence bothered me, and I corrected that once I found her portable speaker. The change I feel come over me as I stand there listening to the music while I stare out the large windows over the bay and the city. Taking a sip, I want Maria there, caressing my shoulder and telling me dinner is ready. A sugar baby’s expected to be a plaything to showcase. So, why did I hate trotting her out and allowing others to ogle and touch her? I disliked it when others spoke to me about her. I hated it when they crit
~ MARIA BELGRAVE ~ I attempted to influence the security staff, but they insisted on following protocol. Tonight, Josy, and our bodyguards caught me listening to the security guard in charge of the company’s security department. He was apologizing and explaining how this happened. “Maria what’s going on? Jacqueline, what are you doing here?” Josy’s voice was flat, and she didn’t look pleased or impressed. I interrupted Jacqueline and said to Josy. Josy, getting information from Jackie will make you surpass us all. She opened the door and entered. I was trying to explain to this gentleman here that she’s the grieving widow and she’s not thinking straight. That we should take her keys and the security pass card she used to enter the building. Then give her the pass to go home and reflect on what she’s done.” “Uh, the security pass card. Do we know how or who?” “Not yet. Now is the time to handle it.”
~ DAVID HARGROVE ~ “She tried it before, as someone had suggested. What were you thinking about when you left her alone?” David entered the room and confronted Jim. “Sir. They insisted and she promised not to leave her office. We were just picking up dinner and returning here.” He explained to David with all seriousness. David didn’t appear to accept Jim’s explanation. “You’re here to keep both women safe. She’s experienced attempts on her life at least twice in her life if not more three times. Maria won’t tell me about entire sections of her life. Now since she’s safe you can keep your position for now. But I will report this to your boss.” David said with a brown to Jim who gulped and watched David with a weary gaze. David turned to the security officers. “Where’s Jacqueline?” “We sent her down to security department with an escort. I wanted to avoid the risk of them being too close. I also wanted to questio
~ MARIA BELGRAVE ~ This ended in something I hadn’t expected. David walked out of my office with a grim smile on his face. A grim smile, what an odd expression. He struggled to abide by my rules. You could say this overjoyed and shocked me, even surprised me. He tried to keep his word. Which meant I must as well. I still struggled with that, but I missed having him around. The jerk was under my skin. “Alright, deal with her and the police. Go as hard as you can.” I gave my security people all the information I could give them. I hoped to avoid legal complications. The security officer went above and beyond for me. He brought in someone from the company’s legal department after the police confirmed my statement. The officer, who listened to the audio, found it strange. Has he ever seen a woman relentlessly trying to destroy someone, but always failing? But he couldn’t pass judgment on her, so he would arrest her
~ DAVID HARGROVE ~ I sat in my office for what felt like the first time in Belgrave Tech and spoke on the phone with Jake. All the while I typed out a list of instructions of tasks, I wanted Jake to do for me. They were a wild list of things that reflected where my life had taken a wild turn from. But I needed this done now to stay in control and on top. A push for a response on my claim. Results from every investigation. I needed it in my hands now so that I could confront the right people to put an end to all this. “Alright, everyone is set to enter the different departments in the morning and start a full investigation. I suspect something is happening with the HR Department heads. I’m sure someone is involved.” Jake’s voice said through David’s phone as he reported. I suspected this and feared that was the truth. “Yes. Maria has a theory on that. Make sure we have someone watching them. Don’t allow them to gain advanced
~ MARIA BELGRAVE ~ “What do you mean you don’t know where the files are?” I stood outside my office in the lobby in full view of everyone. We’d told no one about my identity, hoping it would spread among the building’s people. “They were here when I went for lunch, I swear. I know I locked the door.” Josy said to me in response to my question. I could hear her despair and upset as she opened other desk drawers and such searching for the missing files. It’s not anger that I felt toward Josy. It’s the shock that after Jacqueline’s invasion of my office while I was in there, someone else would invade to steal something. I revealed Jacqueline’s lie about taking an art piece to remember my father. She’d been there to steal the files. I couldn’t prove it, but it made sense to me. Jacqueline failed and gave an excuse for being there. The police in the end charged her with attempted theft because she’d not inherited the piece of art she’d mentioned
~ MARIA BELGRAVE ~ Following David and company down to his office was a simple, if embarrassing, affair. Yes, it shouldn’t be embarrassing, and I know it didn’t register as embarrassing to anyone else in the building. But it felt like that to me. As COO, he should come to my office not the other way around, but twice in one week my office became a crime scene. This was unreasonable. Thank God I’d left my laptop at home since Jacqueline was here. Sabrina had pestered David with calls, and she’d pestered Belgrave Tech to speak with me. She didn’t have my cellphone number. Thank heavens I’d not been stupid enough to give her my number. I’m sure it’s her trying to push me to not press charges on her mother. But I wasn’t the one doing it. The company was. It’s a security issue and out of my hands. “Josy, I require assistance with preparation before chaos ensues. Would you help me?” Jake asked her out of the blue. “What? Now? Why d
~ MARIA HARGROVE ~SEVEN MONTHS LATER I had a month, maybe six weeks, until I would give birth to a baby boy. The Hargrove family members were beside themselves, keeping David and me happy because of the baby. The baby impressed them when they learned of it. But their traditional attitudes found satisfaction when they learned our baby was a boy. I would be faultless in their eyes. The collaboration project wasn’t a collaboration as it started. Now, it spanned three divisions of Hargrove Tech. We would use it as a headquarters for all three divisions where we could share research and resources between divisions. With the ground broken and construction started, we were working with the division as they were right now. I’ve settled my business in preparation to hand it over for a time to Josy. So, I could give birth without worrying about the business. Then I could spend my time settling my baby into life at home, bonding with him, healing, an
~ MARIA HARGROVE ~ “Maria, welcome home. You arrived at the perfect time. I can’t believe I’m saying this. Jake has bought out Chris Skylar’s company! What is the world coming to?” Josy came rushing forward to meet us. “Oh, hi. I hope your honeymoon’s good, and you better have some pictures or video. No, I don’t mean naughty stuff either. Did you bring back any souvenirs?” “If you mean a baby? Yes, we did.” I smiled and waited for that to hit through Josy’s rambling. “No, I don’t mean a baby. I mean a new purse for me. Wait. You’re pregnant?!” Josy squealed. “David, you couldn’t keep it wrapped long enough to do a little tourist type thing?” “Josy. Honeymoon. I did what normal men do. I got busy.” David said with a smile on his face as Jake clapped him on his back as he congratulated us. “Let’s get you all home. I guess I can’t say two anymore. Now, can I?” Jake asked with a humorous half smile. He let the sec
~ MARIA HARGROVE ~ David was true to his word, and we did land in London, England. Not some other London. He’d teased me most of the way there in the most affection ways. But he wouldn’t touch me on the plane. When I asked him why? David said, “You were Maria Bell then. But now you’re Maria Hargrove. I expect others to respect you, and I must lead by example, don’t I? Isn’t that what all leaders are supposed to do?” He said this in a light tone, but I heard how serious he felt about it. There’s no way I could prepare myself for his words. It’s like a man uttering that he loved you without warning. Or proposing marriage. If David didn’t now have a track record of doing things like this, I would panic. “David, you would’ve not have that long ago. I’ve not changed. It’s you that’s changed and I appreciate it. No, I love it and you all the better for it. Just don’t let it slide back.” “I don’t won’t. But tonight, I want us to forget about the
~ DAVID HARGROVE ~ Maria didn’t waste time and that kept everything going with a smooth grace I found enjoyable. Other than my uncle’s outburst, it went well in my perspective. Maria’s smile hadn’t left her face all day, and I loved seeing it. Now, with dinner is over, speeches are over, cake cut, marriage documents signed, and first dances done. I’m more than ready to leave. We should head to the airport. I’m not thrilled to maneuver through the airport.I knew my private plane was ready this morning. We’d processed our documentation and flight plan days ago. Jake and Josy stored our luggage on the plane for us this morning. The wedding planner would take care of the clothing we used today and return it to our home. She’d have Maria’s wedding gown cleaned and packed into protective archivist clothing packaging. “Are you ready David?” Maria said from behind me. I turned around when I heard her question behind me. There she was, standing beh
~ MARIA BELGRAVE ~ The wedding ceremony was over. We’d exchanged rings, signed documents before witnesses, and all that. David was all smiles. It’s unexpected, but there it’s. His arm didn’t leave my back. He was true to his promise, and he didn’t leave my side. He gave me attention, as a person and as an object. David’s uncle glared at me after I told the wedding planner it’s fine to go on to the next stage. Which was removing everyone from the church and moving them to the reception hall for dinner and reception. I thought everything was fine. Everyone’s happy. “Are you insane, woman? It’s far too early. The hotel preparations won’t be finished for your guests, and everyone who arrives there will find themselves turned away. How embarrassing. Are you looking to embarrass your guests? How uncouth? David, I can’t believe you think she’s Belgrave. See her,” David’s uncle loudly exclaimed, stomping towards us. His cane banging hard on the har
~ MARIA BELGRAVE ~ Some may say spending the night before the wedding together is bad luck. But David didn’t want to leave me alone. He didn’t want to leave my side. His words were something about not trusting people and their double standards. David promised me that he’d stay beside me as long as he could, and he’d determined to do that. Along with the flood of attention he’d been including presents and surprises for me. It wasn’t the first time; he’d given me so many presents. But it’s the first time that the presents and attention were personalized. The personalization all had a theme though. They all faced the future and things she’d need to use in her life with him as his wife. Not just as a piece of jewelry along side his cufflinks. But his partner at work, social events, and at play. From a platinum fountain pen with her name engraved with her name and crystal encrusted, to a tennis dress that matched an outfit for him so they could
~ DAVID HARGROVE ~ “I’ve finished everything with the wedding planner and now we must wait for the day. Are you sure you are happy with everything David? Is there nothing you’d like to change?” Maria asked as she settled into bed beside me with a tired smile. She and Josy had spent weeks selecting the wedding planner. They spent an additional three months working with the wedding planner to complete all the details. Now she lay beside me. She was nervous since our wedding was three days away. I returned her smile. We took care of our business today and planned so we could have the time we wanted for our wedding and honeymoon. I think I felt just as tired as Maria. “Maria. You’ve done excellent work with the wedding planner, and I’ve no issues with what you’ve done and planned. I’ve focused on ensuring our businesses and future ventures wouldn’t cause any issues for Jake and Josy while we’re away during our honeymoon.” “Remind me why we’re g
~ DAVID HARGROVE ~ “Ah, there you are, Maria. Thank you for informing me first, instead of sharing it with everyone. Enemies seeking control make everything worse. Once Maria entered, I mentioned this to avoid asking why she was late. She seemed so eager to announce it. Maria paused. She was on the verge of speaking. She frowned at me, and I read it as confusion. “Maria. Are you alright? Is something wrong? Anything happen on your way here? “I’m confused because I don’t know how you feel about it. How do you feel about my explanation? Do you hate it? Should I bear the consequences alone?” I sighed in relief when Maria said this. She wasn’t holding back, and that meant we could deal with whatever happened. “Hell, no, Maria. I’ve said nothing like that. Your explanation’s perfect, but I want you to add a few things.” I said to Maria and directed her to sit beside on the sofa beside me. A smile settled onto my face as she sat do
~ MARIA BELGRAVE ~ I considered it insane, but it’s brilliant to spread the word that we required a creative wedding planner and welcomed ideas. Here we sat reviewing countless submissions, page by page, video after video. “Maria, these people went all out, even throwing a baby shower and revealing the gender, just in case you’re getting married and expecting a child. No pressure there and no assumptions. Ew.” Josy said after closing another presentation package with a look of disgust and tossed it into the rejection pile. She discovered several people like this, assuming and attempting to sugarcoat the situation. But it all appeared as judgmental in the end. “It’s okay. We told no one if I’m pregnant. Thought It’s not a crazy leap to assume why a man as rich as David is marrying his sugar baby in such a rush. Many people share this thought. Hell, I’m not sure how many know I’m the Belgrave heir.” That had me pondering whether I should rew