A Masquerade Affair

by Elin Magdelene

  Of course she had been furious when she had learned of it. He had told her he was going on a “business trip.”

  When he returned, he’d informed her, “Elvira, about the trip I just made... I went to meet your parents.”

  “You went to see my parents without informing me about your plans?” she had asked.

  “I went to see your parents because I needed their permission to marry their daughter. How do you think they would have felt about me hearing it from the media? What would your father have thought of me?”

  It sounded like an honorable gesture but it didn’t change the fact that he went behind her back.

  “Do you think he’s going to think any highly of you knowing that I had a child for you and kept it a secret all these years?”

  “I didn’t tell them that but I think you should. I am doing what I can to keep it from the media but I don’t know how long before the word gets out there.”

  “Whose fault is it going to be if the media gets hold of it, Richard? You could just have let things be as there were before you met Brian.”

  “I would never turn my back and pretend I don’t have a son. You may have done that for nine years but I won’t.”

  It was unfair but it came out before he could stop himself from lashing out.

  He saw her flinch then she got up and went to her rooms without another word. He had convinced her to move in with him while they made the wedding arrangements―for safety reasons.

  As she left his study he remarked, “That’s all you seem to do, Elvira―take off when we’re having a discussion.”

  She turned to him, “This is not a discussion. This is an argument and I won’t stand around arguing with you when you’re being ridiculous. Walking away is the logical thing to do in this case.”

  Two hours later, there was a knock on her door and he walked in.

  “That was a lousy thing to say to you, Elvira. Please accept my apology.”

  She was reading a book but she raised her head slightly to acknowledge him, “Apology accepted,” she responded and turned her attention back to her book.

  “They are your parents, Elvira. I will support you in whatever decision you make regarding Brian.”

  His pledge of moral support warmed her heart. She closed the book and stood up so that her eyes met his.

  “You know I’ve kept it from them for such a long time, I’m worried even my mom will not be happy to hear she has a grandchild. My dad will definitely be outraged.”

  “They love you, from what I gather, and that will never change. Try them. Whatever their response, you’ve got me on your side.”

  Richard took a step towards her. He needed to give her a hug, assure her of his support. Couple more steps and he was standing before her and his arms wrapped around her in a comforting embrace.

  Vivi felt warm and secure as she hugged him back. Suddenly she felt like she was ready to face the ghost of her past. She loved and missed her parents and the time was now to reconcile with them.

  Still wrapped in his embrace she announced, “I will go to find them tomorrow. They need to know about Brian.”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  He let her go and kissed her lightly on her forehead, “Get some rest. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow.”

  She flew over to meet with her parents the next day. Richard was with her and she was greeted warmly by her parents. She had only communicated with them on the phone and made excuses when they had asked to visit her. They had respected her wishes.

  “I’ve missed you so much, Vivi. Please don’t stay away this long,” her mother told her.

  “I’ll try to come home more often, mom. I promise,” she replied.

  “That’s easy to say right now but once you’re married and start having kids you might not be able to keep that promise,” her father replied.

  She looked over at Richard who had been quietly observing the family reunion. His expression was inscrutable.

  She looked at her parents and hesitated. There seemed to be no easy way to tell them so she blurted out, “About that, dad, what if I already had a kid?”

  “I see no wedding band so I will have to assume that you were not being serious,” he told her looking from his daughter to Richard.

  “You have a grandson, dad. He is nine years old and his name is Brian,” she calmly responded.

  Her parents were clearly taken aback but she saw her mother recover easily. A smile began to form on her mother’s face momentarily, only to be overshadowed by her dad’s reaction. He seemed hurt or angry or both as he stood up.

  “I’m going to my office and when I get back, I want you both gone,” her father told them.

  When he left the room she turned to her mom, “I’m sorry mom.”

  “No, I’m sorry I did not go to find you all these years. I think deep down my maternal instincts warned me that something was not right. But I was afraid of what I might uncover. Sorry, I wasn’t there when you needed me most.”

  Lily went over and gave her daughter a warm embrace.

  “I missed you, Mom.”

  “I love you, Vivi.

  “Love you too, Mom.

  “Always remember that no one is perfect; not even your father―the pastor,” her mother said to her.

  When her mother finally let her go, she realized Richard had left the room at some point to give them privacy.

  “Tell me about my grandson,” her mother said.

  Vivi did and before long they were laughing and hugging just like old times.

  Before she left, Vivi went over to her dad’s office, knock lightly, and went in after he gave his permission. She assumed he thought it was her mother.

  “I thought I asked you to leave?” he asked when he saw her.

  “I’m leaving, dad. I just wanted to apologize again for letting you down. I hope you can forgive me someday.”

  She’d left quietly hoping that he would come around soon. She wanted her dad at her wedding.

  Brian was with them for the week of the wedding. The shared custody arrangement seemed to be working well.

  Days before the wedding, her mother arrived. Lily had said she couldn’t wait to see her grandchild.

  Brian was upstairs in his bedroom when her mother arrived so she went to get him. Vivi met father and son engaged in a pillow fight. It seemed almost unbelievable that the stern powerful CEO of Mcgallan Corporation would be having such fun with his son. Parenting seemed to come naturally to Richard.

  “Mom, watch out,” Brian called out as one of the pillows came swinging towards her.

  “Thanks for the heads up Brian,” she told him as she tossed the pillow right back at his father.

  She got caught up in the pillow fight until she accidentally tumbled on Richard as he fell onto a sofa.

  He stirred into her eyes, the voice of their son “come on guys” faded into the distances. Neither of them moved nor spoke. Then she saw his face come closer to hers. Realizing their son was standing nearby she slid off him.

  She looked at her son who was looking curiously at them, “Brian maybe you should change into something else to meet your grandma.”

  “Why? That looks good to me,” Richard replied, standing up.

  “That looks kind of creased, Brian.”

  “Relax, Elvira. He’s meeting his grandma not Michelle Obama.”

  “I definitely agree with you, Richard,” replied her mom who had come up to find them.

  Moments later, Brian was enveloped in a loving hug. She saw tears roll down her mom’s cheeks as she held her grandson close. Vivi reached for the tissue silently and her mother took it.

  She was glad that she had listened to Richard’s advice to come clean to her parents. She looked over at him and he must have sensed her gratitude because he walked over to her and his hands slid protectively around her. She leaned her head on his chest, glad that he was on her side. It dawned on her that she always wanted him there, right by her side always. She
couldn’t deny anymore that she was in love with him; she’d always loved him since she first met him.”

  On her wedding day, Elvira awoke early and looked through the window onto the driveway. Was her dad really not going to attend her wedding? She reached over to the bedside table for the picture she had of him and her mom.

  Minutes later, her mom met her still holding on to the picture frame.

  “Dad is not coming, is he?”

  She knew this was just an arrangement between Richard and her but she’d hoped her parents would be there for her. She wasn’t sure how Richard felt about her but for her, since the day of her mother’s arrival, she knew she wanted to be with him for always.

  “I’m sure he will show up. He might be stubborn but he loves you,” her mother responded.

  She had breakfast with her mother, Richard’s mother, Meggie, and Emmy in her suite then she got dressed for her wedding. She was glad they were all there for her but it couldn’t make up for her father’s absence.

  At the church, she stood with her mom waiting on the signal from the pianist when her dad walked through the doorway.

  “Dad,” her face lit up as she ran towards him.

  “Hi, princess,” he answered, as she was caught in his embrace.

  “Thanks so much for coming,” she told him feeling like the prodigal child.

  “I’m so sorry Vivi. What kind of pastor will I be if I don’t practice what I preach? Besides, I would not miss that father and daughter dance for the world.”

  When she was a kid, they had practiced their father-daughter dance for her wedding day.

  “Do you still remember it?”

  “How could I forget it?”

  Vivi hugged her parents close. It had been such a long time since they had had a group hug.

  “I’d have to say you should thank that groom of yours for making me see reason. He can be quite persuasive.”

  Her dad explained that Richard had gone to see him at his church a day before the wedding. She looked over to where he stood in the church and her heart warmed to the man who had stolen her heart years ago. He was formidable but caring in his own way and she was proud that she was about to wed him.

  Vivi walked towards him on the isle, knowing without a doubt that she wanted their marriage to last a lifetime. Did Richard feel that way also? She had no doubt he desired her but could it be more than that?

  After their vows, when the pastor said “I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride,” she saw desire flicker in Richard’s eyes seconds before his lips ravished hers, teasing and coaxing.

  It had been her dream wedding and there was nothing she would change about it. She closed her eyes as she leaned her head back, enjoying the therapeutic bath which was one of the amenities the hotel offered.

  They were at the hotel where they’d first met. Richard had purchased it. The suite they had shared years ago was now the honeymoon suite at the hotel. It brought back so many memories; she felt butterflies flutter in her stomach in anticipation of their first night as a married couple.

  Was that why she was taking a longer than necessary soak in the bathtub? Was it wedding jitters or was she afraid of her own response to him. Surely she couldn’t stay in the bathroom all night?

  She stood up and reached for a towel then she snuggled into her robe and walked into the room.

  Richard was standing in the room when Vivi finally walked out of the bathroom. She looked beautiful and flushed in her silky red robe. Her hair hung loose on one shoulder. He had heard her blow dry her hair minutes earlier.

  She stood moistening her lips as he walked towards her. Was she even aware of how provocative she looked? Richard thought as the distance between them decreased.

  Without a word he reached for the belt on her robe. With a little tug it came undone. His eyes feasted on her unfailing beauty.

  She was more beautiful then he’d remembered. Could it be that giving birth to their son had enhanced her beauty? Her curves had been exquisite but now they were voluptuous and her orbs were fuller.

  He touched one lightly and then the other, “You’re very beautiful, Vi, he whispered.

  It was the first time anyone had called her that and she realized that he’d just given her a nickname. Something about the way he said it made her shiver.

  Richard’s hands slide beneath the robe and he pulled her to him. It felt so right to hold her so intimately after so many years.

  Vivi reveled in his warm embrace, leaning her head against his thudding heart. Her heart raced to meet his. Would his heart meet hers half way? Her hand came to rest on his heart, meeting his eyes.

  “You don’t know how much I have longed for this moment in the past years,” he murmured as his lips sought hers.

  His lips, when they claimed hers, were proprietary, hot, and inviting. Hers was accepting, warm, and as sweet as the honey he’d poured into her cup of coffee on the flight to their honeymoon suite.

  She breathed in the spicy clean smell of his aftershave. Her arms came around his neck as he pulled her even closer. He was hers to have and to hold so she intended to enjoy their time together even if it were to only last up to the birth of their third child. She would accept whatever the future holds, just for this moment with him.

  “Richard,” she whispered his name as her robe fell to the floor.

  “Elvira, my beautiful spitfire.”

  He carried her to the magnificent bed and laid her in the middle of the bed. She felt warmer with every touch of his exploring hands. The aroma from her soothing hot bath blended with the aroma emitting from the scented candles bathing the room in a warm glow.

  She reminded him of a medieval queen upon whom her loyal servants waited. Tonight, he would succumb to her bidding, giving her all the pleasure he could possibly give her.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Vivi stood few feet away watching women swarm over to Richard. They were attending a ball and she had excused herself to go to the ladies room where she had been awakened from her fantasy world. It was like a de’ja vu. She remembered the last time she had watched this scene play before her was at his mother’s charity ball.

  Who really was the lady who had made her to face reality and why? It was just one day before they would be returning home from their honeymoon.

  She had been happy and hopeful of their future until she heard the woman say, “There you are, Vivi―Richard’s wife right?”

  “Have we met before?” Vivi asked trying to be polite although she knew she hadn’t met before.

  “Not formally but it is sure nice to meet you finally. Who could have thought Richard would have gone through with his plan?”

  Vivi felt chill go down her spin, sensing this would not be a favorable conversation, “What plan?”

  “Richard always said he would do the right thing and marry the woman who had his first child to avoid inheritance conflict among his children.”

  Richard had explained that it was his reason for proposing marriage to her so why did it hurt coming from another woman? Was it because she’d hoped that he had an emotional reason for his proposal? Well, she can put to rest that inkling of hope and close the chapter on her fantasy.

  As she stood looking at the women flirting with Richard, the woman who had called herself Nikki murmured, “He’s still quite a magnet attracting the most beautiful women in the hall. I’d say he still have eyes for them too.”

  Vivi watched Nikki disappear into the shadows. She walked toward Richard and saw him walk away from the women vying for his attention. He had eyes only for her as smiled in a way that made her legs feel like jelly.

  When he said to her, “I’d say we call it a night,” she nodded and allowed him to lead her out of the room and towards their waiting limo.

  It was obvious she was the envy of all the women in the room. She saw the looks that came her way and the looks directed towards their entwined hands as they exited the room. When they had walked into the ballroom earlier,
she’d been confident but she left feeling like Cinderella leaving the ball after the clock struck twelve.

  When they returned home after the honeymoon, Richard worked long hours to get caught up with work that needed his immediate attention. He felt guilty that he was not spending enough time with his new bride so to make it up to Vivi he returned home early one afternoon, intending to surprise her.

  Vivi had decided to start her private practice since she was not working at Mcgallan Corporation. She had been spending long hours in her home office so he headed there to find her but she was not there. He learned from a house staff that she was not home.

  He called her chief bodyguard who informed him that she was having lunch with a friend at one of her favorite restaurants. He wasn’t sure why he’d asked if it was a male or female friend but he didn’t like hearing that it was a guy. He stormed out of the house and was on his way to the restaurant.

  The ride to the restaurant felt like the longest ride Richard had ever taken. Was she having an affair? If so how long had it been going on? Is that why she seemed to be withdrawn since their return home? Why hadn’t someone given him a heads up?

  He knew her bodyguards owed their loyalty to her and they were not his spies but didn’t they owe him some loyalty too. After all, wasn’t he paying their salaries? He didn’t want to be a controlling husband but he would tell them to inform him whenever she left the house.

  Richard did not wait for his security to open the door to the limo. He was out as soon as the vehicle came to a stop.

  “Thanks for meeting with me, Randy,” Vivi said to her colleague.

  They had been friends in law school and sometimes sought each other advice on cases. He was one of the few college friends she’d invited to her wedding. She was glad the he worked in in San Francisco.

  “Of course, I was surprised to hear from you. I had assumed you may have forgotten about the friends you met along the way.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Just that you are the wife of a very wealthy man and I don’t suppose he would want you meeting with me.”