To say that Laura was angry would be a kindness. She was ready to process a lot of people and I was totally beside him in this. But it has not changed a bit the fact that the bitterness she felt for me just seemed to have increased in the face of all this wear.
The only curious thing during that period had been Hyatt ... I do not know what kind of black magic Sun had used, but the child seemed delighted. The first time he asked to sleep at her house, I resisted, because it did not know how Ty would receive this invasion, but ... they seemed to be doing well and somehow found a middle ground.
But this little point was not the rest of my problems disappear. And that was the balance of my week: Almost no contact with Laura who seemed increasingly emotionally distant, hard work Revisiting obscure topics meticulously hidden by Eleanor, trying to keep his head out of the water with an unstable company in the market because of rumors increasingly absurd and an audit nonsense that simply did not end.
- I just wanted to know how you were. - Derek sat across from my desk, after being announced by Rose.
- Working as a workhorse. - Let me frouxar tie.
- That's what I heard. You have been cooped up at work and just get out of that room when you have some meeting or ... family gatherings. And Rose said you turned the night here in the office.
- Derek, if you want to say something, say it. I have no time to indirect.
- Greg, man, you're my best friend and knows that ...
- Do not try to soften. Just tell.
- I just wanted to see how you were after the matter in the magazine.
- My photos leaving the restaurant handcuffed with Laura? I know, Derek. It is a few days late, no?
- Greg ...
- I asked for all friends in newspapers are discreet on the subject and what they do? - I laugh with hate - not only publish to invent. It's good to know we can trust ...
- I'm not talking about that, man. You ... - had a panic principle in its expression - you did not see?
- Derek ... - sighed, tired - I'm having a terrible week. I did not see what?
- You did not see the matter with Laura?
- Laura? - My brow furrowed and I felt my insides squirming in anticipation of the unpleasant news that would surely come.
- His former secretary. - He gave me an already open magazine on the specific page.
The headline was clear enough, but I took the time to read the first few lines yet.
- Son of a bitch. - I whispered.
The article was a real manifesto accusing me of treason and sexual harassment. Laura appeared dressed as a nun, with a low, sad look, explaining how I took advantage of my position and, when she refused my advances, I put in a lower position in the company, forcing it to resign.
- Tomorrow, when the market opens, Baxter Inc will take a punch, Greg. - Warned softly - If your photos stuck and this divorce story were enough to make the company an unstable investment now ... it ... during an audit.
- It's all rumor, Derek! I have a contract for goods regime with Elizabeth, she will not be entitled to any part of the company, does not change anything for investors.
- It is not typical for you to be so innocent, Greg ... It is called "facts market" is called "speculation market." Any rumor or gossip builds wealth and destroys empires. Besides ... You know Liz will drag you in a civil case for as long as possible.
- And all this time the company will be unstable, I know, I know.
He scratched his neck staring at the edge of my desk.
- You said I was straight, but will not like what I have to say.
- Do you think I have to talk to Eleanor.
- I think it's time to bring heavy weapons. Yes. - He emphasized - You have a responsibility, Greg, with this company and all the people who work here or who depend on it at any level. Besides being the legacy of his family.
- I resolve this situation with Laura ... I just need to find out where she is.
- Was hired by Saint-Michel. - He shrugged and I felt I was going to vomit.
- By whom?
- For the Saint-Michel. - He repeated as if he really thought I had not heard.
But I heard.
I heard very well.
I could hear Laura in my memories:
"You seem to have lost the reason, Greg."
Elizabeth's family company hires a woman who accused me of harassment?
"This is not a discussion because of the color of the curtains or what house to live, Gregory! This is a very serious thing."
That would be bad for the company to the point of forcing a reconciliation with my Elizabeth. My wife beside me doing the rumors nonsense of a maid fired sounding desperate attempts. A combination of power and Laura entered or pro team or was fired from Saint-Michel with a burnt name in the market. It was the most obvious move at the time and ...
"I wanted you to see."
The photos and the matter of prison that I fought so hard to keep secret only worsen the case. Why newspapers linked to Baxter Inc would not have done me a favor and more: why have worsened the situation?
It made no sense.
Unless someone was behind it.
"You do not realize, but she ... she handles you all the time."
Someone who wanted me stuck to the company and to Elizabeth.
Someone who knew all this problem was very serious, but it could be solved with a few of my decisions.
"She's everything bad that's with you. With us."
Eleanor was a snake. And every second your poison burned more.
Laura was right. Laura was always right.
Manipulating my actions, treating me as if I was your possession ...
Derek thought I needed to ask her help and before his situation, his reasoning was the most accurate. The problem is that, unlike me, he had not realized it was just she who orchestrated all this hell. And this conclusion he reached so easily was the same as she wanted me to catch up.
Eleanor was a cancer. And it was time for me to get rid of it.
I pressed the button on the phone and asked Rose to come in. Derek looked like I was worried that I would explode. Little did he know that was exactly what I would do.
- Yes sir?
- I need to convene a press conference, Rose. - I decided sharply - ASAP.
Chapter 15
Elizabeth sat on the couch in front of me and squeezed his fingers as if he feared losing them.
I feared that the plucked as punishment.
If I were given to such barbaric and primitive treatments it was undeniable that she deserves. What kind of eccentricity or carnal exaggeration could affect a woman to bring another man to the sheets even being married to my Gregory?
It was clear that cradle was not the only thing that mattered to the dignity of a person. But it was one of the elements. And before have at least cradle than nothing, as the other.
The most hell is that her offspring was identical to my Greg. The same hair, the same eyes. Making me think ... It had been exactly the same thing when Greg and Amanda were born. I hated myself and I hated Audrey to mix our sacred blood with the impure Holt. But there it was: a pair of identical twins to my husband. All the same genetic traits. I took them home and let me love them and it did not take long to realize that some divine force that interfered design, separating the blood impurities so that my Gregory was a Baxter. Completely. It was his way of speaking, walking, acting. It was my grandson. No doubt.
Amanda already ...
Amanda was Holt. This became very obvious very early. It was according to this that I acted and pautei the creation of the two. Amanda did not matter, it never mattered. Gregory was the heir.
My creation.
Audrey gave birth and Mathias helped somehow, but Gregory was mine.
More than he could imagine.
And if that ridiculous brunette had never appeared in his life ... his whole story would be flawless.
But I think that great men should be allowed a mistake or two. It
is part of their growth.
And how timely this mistake was showing! If Hyatt was not a Baxter ... the new young could be ...
Cot was an important part and even if it had the first years of life away from me, it could still be fixed. He was half Gregory. And that made him half my.
Expunge half Laura would not be impossible. Just give me a lot of work.
But that would be later ... Now, I needed to hold the hand of Elizabeth and calm her. Poor stupid girl. A mere pawn she was, no doubt. But it was important to stay with Gregory, at least for now. At least to ward off Laura.
- He called a press conference yesterday. - He whispered.
- I know. - I stared coldly. She thought I did not know? - Everything is ready. Will be in the auditorium of the Millenium Hotel, tomorrow morning.
- And you think he will ...
- Explain to the press he has no plans to divorce, undo criticism of their integrity and prove that it has no relationship with Laura? Think. It's the only thing he can do.
- You are really expert at creating dead ends.
- On the contrary. I am expert to show people what is the perfect outlet. Even if they refuse to see. - I drank a sip of bitter coffee - or accept.
- I'm worried, Eleanor. Laura always managed to mess with Gregory in a way ... She handles it! Just it arises in the subject and he loses the reason. It has always been like that.
- Nonsense. I know Gregory better than anyone. He has a passion for her curves, but it's nothing that a little common sense can not solve.
- He was ready to ask her to marry him!
I blinked in his direction with disbelief.
I knew that.
And I knew who had told me and why.
The question was ... how did she know? Who had told her and why?
If she had the same source I ... I twisted my nose in disgust, deducing the motive.
- I was with her for two years, Eleanor, despite all their efforts and would ask her in marriage.
I touched the pearls around my neck.
Elizabeth was a ridiculous little person. But she had a good point.
Laura should not be underestimated. And it was exactly what I had done for the past few weeks.
It was time to strike again. And I think I'd better do it soon.
***********
I answered the bell and when I saw Eleanor in all its elegance stop at the entrance of my house, closed the door back in her face without even wish you good day.
- Now, Laura! - Growled the other side of the door - I know I'm not your favorite person in the world but a little education!
Two seconds.
The woman was in touch with me there are two tiny seconds, and I was bubbling with rage wanting to hang her with her pearls.
- Education? - I opened the door admitting to myself that I was not going to be silent. I had to yell at her back - Education? With the history we have, Eleanor, it's a miracle if I do not throw sulfuric acid in you! - I remembered - Or you me, what is more likely.
- Do not demote me to their level. - Scoffed.
I threw the door in her face again.
It was fun to do that.
I could go on all day.
- I came to talk about Gregory. - He explained, poisonous, with the door separating us.
- Of course it came. - I grumbled - offends my intelligence that you think that I had not already deducted that part.
- I do not have the habit of talking to a piece of wood, Laura. - Exclaimed, authoritarian - Open the door!
- I do not have the custom to receive in my house who threatened my son, Eleanor. Go away. I am not interested.
- The exaggeration. Not even know what I'm talking about!
- I do not care. Go away.
- So that was the education that your father gave you?
I shoved his fist on the door and heard a start of fright on the other side.
I wanted to use my father's name to annoy me to the point of opening the door. The motherfucker was very used to manipulate everyone around her.
- You wash his mouth to talk about my father, you witch! What part of "I'm not interested" you are having difficulty to understand?
- Do not want to have to apologize for the door, Laura ... But since you force me.
I hesitated.
It's a lie.
She will not apologize. She has a plan. You will see. You're just preparing the boat ...
- Force. Ask your apology if you want, but the door is closed.
Eleanor gasped exaggeratedly, wanted me to hear his exhaustion.
- Very well then. It was brought to my attention that it was inappropriate to have taken the home of young, without your permission.
- Tyler. - I hissed - It has a name.
I could feel his brain cooking.
Come on, Eleanor ... say the name you hate so much. It is his great grandson, now, no matter what you do.
- Tyler. - He muttered unwillingly - I apologize for that. Next time I talk to you before.
- Next time? You're crazy.
- The boy is my grandson, Laura. - I could imagine her stomping on the floor on the other side. I think the powerful Eleanor Baxter never had to face a closed door in life and that should be taking your patience in a perfect speed. - The situation now is completely different! I think we can find a middle ground, I do not want to be missing in his life.
- You're crazy! His case is serious, Eleanor.
- What will happen then? Will stay with Gregory angry that he did not choose you and will disappear again? I am part of his life! We are all united, there is no solution. I wanted everything to be at least civilized between us so I could see my grandson.
I knew that the phrase had been said on purpose, but had to fall still ...
- For Gregory did not choose me? I think this choice was not his, Eleanor, his poison came late this time.
- I do not know what happened between you! - Muttered - Of course I was not sad when he decided to stay married to Elizabeth, but it brought me concern because ...
- What did you say?
I saw a horror movie once ... oozing encompassed the person's body and made it implode, withering deformadamente about herself.
It was a good description of how I felt.
- I Said I'm worried! If Gregory stayed with you, he let me see Tyler, but now that he is with his wife, worries me that you disappear and ...
She was explaining her fears, but I was busy being subsumed by a like and withering deformadamente about myself.
My heart throbbed quietly, blaming me for my decisions and suffering alone inside my chest.
Greg was going to be married to Elizabeth. So, was it?
- Laura, do you hear me? - Knocked on the door - will ignore me? Great. I expected something. Anyway, we are organizing a small ceremony of renewing vows to Greg and Liz. If you and Tyler could come, maybe we could leave everything behind and try to start again. I'm not hypocritical to say "as friends", but perhaps not as enemies. On here.
She thrust a paper under the door and I did not have to bend down to identify what would be a far-fetched invitation to the event she had just mentioned.
And there it was: the boat had been given.
That's what she came here to do. Do not apologize or try to approach Ty.
He came to tell me who won.
And it was not always like this?
***********
- I was crazy? - His eyes were filled with tears when faced me. The mouth open in a silent scream.
I sat on the bench near his wheelchair.
- No, Audrey. - I squeezed his knee - I am.
- Laura ... - she put a hand to my face - But ... but what ... - she tried to put the words in order, but her brain did not seem to have accepted what he saw - Gregory told me that Eleanor you He paid to go away and I did not believe. - He shook his head - I could not believe that you have accepted, I mean. It is very typical of my mother want to solve problems throwing money in people.
Knowing that she had tried to convince Greg and failed was not so nice as well, but I was counting the victories he could.
- I am. - He shrugged, indicating that it could not be different: there was not much change there.
- Gregory come to see you?
- Not as much as before. - She smiled shyly - but okay! - He shook my hand - I know he is very busy.
- Do not make excuses for him, Audrey.
- He's my son, Dom What do you want me to do.?
- I want you to stop encouraging this kind of behavior!
- But that's not my job. - Had something maternal in the way she spoke to me that made me feel protected - is yours. - Blinked.
- Pardon?
- And your job. You two have always been so. He was the only one who could calm down and you were the only one that could shake him. No Gregory, I think you would be nervous, very hardworking and lonely girl. And without you, I think he would always be accommodated boy who leaves people the play from one side to the other, eternally passive.
Dry swallow, interpreting the size of those few words.
- But I'm talking too much! Why do not you tell me what happened. Morri curious all these years!
I took a deep breath.
That narrative would involve discoveries, bad decisions, threats, even worse decisions and leaks. Omit some more grotesque elements to preserve Audrey, others I omitted to preserve me, so that the story ended up with some obvious holes in it - be blessed - not questioned.
- Oh, Don. - She murmured - Need ... - fell silent when he realized the urgency in his own voice - Could you ... could you bring him here? - Refraseou, referring to Tyler - you would like to meet you. I would like to see you.
- This week? - I smiled and she put her hands to her mouth. Audrey was a person that easy to please that made me want to do it all the time. Nothing ever looked bad for her ... now I could understand: there is nothing worse than losing a child. Anything. So, no matter what life threw him in the face ... nothing would never be so bad. - I'm sorry I did not come before, Audrey, I just ...
My Life in the End Page 32