Michael spent most of the afternoon getting Julie a faster appointment and succeeded before the business day ended. Finally, an appointment opened first thing in the morning. Michael spent a sleepless night. He was too concerned about Julie to sleep. Michael ended up sitting in bed staring at his wife, worried if he slept, he wouldn’t wake up to help her if she needed him. How had he ended up like this? He’d never missed sleep over anyone before this. Michael thought about how he waited a lot longer than he’d expected for Julie to become pregnant. He’d put a lot of effort into making it possible. His concern moved from impregnating Julie to her concerns about receiving decent care while pregnant and not suffering through the subjective opinions of the doctors and nurses masquerading as professional opinions. He understood Julie’s concerns. The entire medical system bogged down with opinions, blaming or belittling women, and he had los
Julie entered the country club again. Why she returned here, other than she missed being abused by other people. Not likely. Michael claimed that Edward Phillips wanted to pay for their dinner and apologize to them for his embarrassing behaviour. After Julie agreed to attend reluctantly, Michael told her what he thought happened to cause this. “I have a feeling the other members of the board of governors found out about your success and believe he’s made a mistake driving you from the club. I suspect they’ll try to encourage you to use their facilities to entertain business contacts and it’ll be lucrative for them in the long run. You’re a minor celebrity, but one who’s rising. They’d be foolish not to cultivate your membership.” “Michael, I only have a membership because I’m riding on your coattails. I think it’s more they are worried about you leaving and taking your business with you. Leon’s too, for that matter, and with his connection to Aria. Y
“You’re sure you want to confront your father? What if his security won’t allow you in to see him?” “Then I’ll have my answer. If he’s not willing to speak to me in person and it’s not his staff being jerks to me, then he won’t receive an invitation to our wedding and won’t be walking me down the aisle.” “Who will walk you down the aisle then, Aria?” “I think I’ll carry on how I’ve been living my life. I’ll walk myself down the aisle to the only man who cared about me for who I am, and now what I could do for him.” Leon had to admit Aria had come a long way in the last three months. He’d not expected it to happen this fast or at all. The rehabilitation centre was a last-ditch effort, and so far, it worked. Even meeting Juliette a few times wasn’t so bad. Each time they were in each other’s presence, it took longer for them to confront each other and get their backs up. Michael hoped to attend Leon and Aria’s wedding as a show of suppo
Edward Phillips blathered on now and in Michael’s opinion acted offended, as if it was his wife Michael gave an apology to but ignored her as he’d said this. “Michael, we’re all friends here and I thought I was giving both of you an apology right now.” “I’m surprised your marriage has lasted this long, Edward. Because the apology you just gave me would be what you would give me if you were apologizing to me and my pet cat for accidentally tripping over it. Is that how you see your wife? As a pet or an object? That might have flown six months ago with me, but here’s the rub. I’ve learned a hell of a lot of things in those six months and the months building up to it about my wife and myself. I’m sure many of you will agree I can be an ass, and I still am an ass. But I’m that ass who realized his mistake about his wife. You sir, I think you need to wake up and see I’m not like that anymore, but you still are. Aria has done a lot of damage to Juliette’s reputation before she e
“Oh, no, Rebecca won’t make it for the meeting today. Uh, how do I say this? They arrested her and her father on a variety of charges.” “Oh really? It doesn’t have to do with what happened last week at that board meeting dinner, does it? My husband told me all about it. Who would have thought they could or would try to pull such a thing? Sex tapes that weren’t even real. Who does that today? We all know about his wandering. How Rebecca could think that Michael would be that easy to manipulate or that Juliette didn’t know about it amazes me. For that matter, I’m astonished that she’s still with him. My husband told me he bought the house because Juliette’s pregnant. Do you think she got pregnant, so he had to stay with her?” “No, I don’t. Not with the way she left him after the mess at that party with those divorce papers. I got it clarified just yesterday. I can’t say who told me, but they saw her sign the divorce papers, she took the blame for their divorce.
Michael’s day started out normally. He’d finally returned to the office for the day. His mood had completely changed. Michael saw how his world view shifted since his eyes opened. He now acknowledged things were different than he’d earlier believed. Even now he took an interest in the fact checking as he never had before and found so many things weren’t as he believed they were. Julie’s existence in his life held more influence over him now than ever before. But he realized it wasn’t new, it was only his recognizing her influence. She did the trivial things that eased his life and success throughout the day by cutting out the tedious work he’d have to do. The fact is, she didn’t demand recognition or reward for doing these things. That floored him. Anyone else he knew would expect payment of some sort. Instead, she didn’t ask for anything but to go unnoticed and she had. Until she wasn’t there, and his life suffered for it. Michael ha
Julie didn’t know what Aria planned. Or if this was part of Aria’s rehabilitation. So, Julie went along with Aria out of morbid curiosity. She half expected Aria to leave her with the bill for the coffee. Julie had no expectation for a decent conversation of any kind. “What’s up Aria? I don’t see the usual crowd you run with or Leon, so what’s up? But thank you for the coffee.” Julie carefully called out Aria to see what she’d do. “That’s why I asked you to have coffee. I know I’ve been beyond horrid to you. After a lot of work with a few specialists and getting off those medications…” Aria’s voice trailed off. Julie could see the changes in Aria’s manner and appearance. Before this, she wouldn’t allow the public to see her in anything less than some over-the-top outfit and what Julie saw as too much makeup. Oh, she applied it well, but Julie saw it as a mask. Perfect on camera, but too much for reality. Julie’s focus was on gett
Aria couldn’t help it, she was excited. Everything felt bright, new, and the only reason Aria could attribute it to was Leon pushing her to be the better person. Sure, she hated apologizing to people and admitting she’d screwed up. But Aria learned things about herself. Things she didn’t believe she had in her. Aria believed she’d been weak. If she allowed anyone else to step into the spotlight with her, then they’d push her into the shadows, and everyone would forget about her. Her weakness would show how powerless she really was. She’d finally learned that wasn’t the case. Her fears and jealousy were unfounded. Created by her father and his people to control her to help her father’s reputation and career. She was his embarrassment, so he could look like a patient, kind, and loving father. Willing to forgive her for anything. Even her mother pawning off Aria who was another man’s child as his. Lies all around from both her parents. Aria hated everything aroun