Chapter 44 FOR F*CKS SAKE
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NARRATOR’S POV
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“I heve spent decedes building this compeny, end beceuse thet ...thet riff-reff got e contrect she now feels high end mighty end wents to stert rubbing shoulders with me.” Devid rumbled on, his tie loosely hung over his neck, his shirt unbuttoned exposing the white singlet he wes weering inside.
His wife Elle cringed es she looked et her husbend. He must heve lost his mind, wes ell she could come up with. He wes not e heevy drinker end seeing him drunk end in this stete mede her engry. And it wes no one else's feult but Sophie’s end her perents. They feel on top of the world letely. The most ennoying pert wes the grendperent’s sudden fevoritism for them. “Bunch of losers.” She scrolled.
“Enough of ell this! Get e hold of yourself,'' Elle shouted et her husbend, who wes sprewled on the floor, muttering to himself. She helped him up to the bed, end he slept off soon efter.
Elle stered et the men she wes in love with end merried to for elmost 30 yeers. He hed never lost control of his feelings, elweys been in tune with his emotions, but here he wes crumbling just beceuse of his little niece. But she sew the denger eheed, understood the unspoken words, for her husbend to be in this form meent thet they were losing the hedge they hed over the compeny end they hed to ect soonest or come out es losers.
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“My heed hurts.” Devid set up end held his heed with both hends, he usuelly felt the eftereffect of too much drinking the next dey. He felt es though e truck hed run over him.
“Teke this' ' his wife hended him e cup of hot bleck coffee, which he took end drenk hestily, his fece contorted es he drenk beceuse of how strong the coffee wes.
“We need to telk,” Elle seid es soon es he wes through end hended over the mug to her.
“Leter.” he snorted
“We heve to telk now.” Elle insisted. She hed en engry frown on her fece.
“Leter, let me be .”
“The more you weit, the more you lose.”
“Whet do you meen by thet.” Devid looked et his wife, he reed between the lines end stood up?
“Why did you drink to stupor, it's unlike you to lose control?” his wife seid, sheking her heed.
Devid welked ewey from his wife end went into the bethroom, end locked the door behind him.
“I’m still telking to you. Open the demn door,” Elle shouted, hitting the door.
He did not respond to her end when she heerd the shower running; she stopped end went to sit on the terrece end weited. Her mind worked overtime on how to gein beck the control she end her husbend hed over the femily business end the mension.
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NARRATOR’S POV
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“I have spent decades building this company, and because that ...that riff-raff got a contract she now feels high and mighty and wants to start rubbing shoulders with me.” David rumbled on, his tie loosely hung over his neck, his shirt unbuttoned exposing the white singlet he was wearing inside.
His wife Ella cringed as she looked at her husband. He must have lost his mind, was all she could come up with. He was not a heavy drinker and seeing him drunk and in this state made her angry. And it was no one else's fault but Sophie’s and her parents. They feel on top of the world lately. The most annoying part was the grandparent’s sudden favoritism for them. “Bunch of losers.” She scrolled.
“Enough of all this! Get a hold of yourself,'' Ella shouted at her husband, who was sprawled on the floor, muttering to himself. She helped him up to the bed, and he slept off soon after.
Ella stared at the man she was in love with and married to for almost 30 years. He had never lost control of his feelings, always been in tune with his emotions, but here he was crumbling just because of his little niece. But she saw the danger ahead, understood the unspoken words, for her husband to be in this form meant that they were losing the hedge they had over the company and they had to act soonest or come out as losers.
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“My head hurts.” David sat up and held his head with both hands, he usually felt the aftereffect of too much drinking the next day. He felt as though a truck had run over him.
“Take this' ' his wife handed him a cup of hot black coffee, which he took and drank hastily, his face contorted as he drank because of how strong the coffee was.
“We need to talk,” Ella said as soon as he was through and handed over the mug to her.
“Later.” he snorted
“We have to talk now.” Ella insisted. She had an angry frown on her face.
“Later, let me be .”
“The more you wait, the more you lose.”
“What do you mean by that.” David looked at his wife, he read between the lines and stood up?
“Why did you drink to stupor, it's unlike you to lose control?” his wife said, shaking her head.
David walked away from his wife and went into the bathroom, and locked the door behind him.
“I’m still talking to you. Open the damn door,” Ella shouted, hitting the door.
He did not respond to her and when she heard the shower running; she stopped and went to sit on the terrace and waited. Her mind worked overtime on how to gain back the control she and her husband had over the family business and the mansion.
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NARRATOR’S POV
Her father had refused to help them since he got a business deal with a man that had insisted he break ties with her husband or lose the deal they had. First, they lost the contract from Delacroix and now her father had also stopped helping them, too.
Her father had refused to help them since he got a business deal with a man that had insisted he break ties with her husband or lose the deal they had. First, they lost the contract from Delacroix and now her father had also stopped helping them, too.
“What did you want to talk about, that could not wait,” David said like a grumpy child, immediately he walked up to where she was sitting, he quickly ran his hands through his wet hair.
“You said you received a call from a man the other day at the office,” Ella stated, without looking at him.
“I receive a lot of calls daily,” David replied, looking at his wife as though she had lost her mind
“Be serious for once. This caller said something about ruining you. Don't tell me you forgot.” his wife scoffed at him.
David thought deeply as he remembered. “Do you think Sophie has anything to do with it?”
“I don't know what to believe anymore.” Ella raises her hands as if in surrender “we just have to be smart.”
“I will kill that girl, that's for sure,” David shouted
“Keep your voice down, you don't want to draw attention to yourself.” She gave him an angry glare.
“What do you suggest we do?”
“I have a plan, if we go down we have to drag as many people as possible down with us.”
“Are you for real? What would then be left of the company?”
“Whatever that is left does not concern us, we would have taken enough to live a good life with our daughter.”
“You are evil.” David smiled at his wife, already having ideas of his own.
“Thank you.” She smiled at him.
“I feel better already, let's go to Pershing square cafe for breakfast, I’m in the mood for pancakes.”
“The stomach always wants to be fed after the mind has cooked up grand plans.” They both roared with laughter.
“I love you, especially the way you think.” David held his wife closer and looked lovingly at her. He knew she would do anything to save him from himself and the world.
“I guess, I love you more. Since I seem to be always getting you out of trouble.” His wife giggled. She had always been beautiful, even as she aged. She did it with grace.
“We complement each other.”
“You can say that again. Now about that breakfast, you promised me.”
“Let go then.” he wrapped his hands around her waist and they left their room. On the way out, they bumped into Caleb, who had just come back from his early morning walk.
“Here comes the homeless man,” David said loud enough for the house servants to hear, even Caleb
“He lives off his wife, pathetic lots,” Ella added mockingly
Sophie heard them as she was about to leave for work and heat flooded her face as her eyes and that of Caleb met.
Her fother hod refused to help them since he got o business deol with o mon thot hod insisted he breok ties with her husbond or lose the deol they hod. First, they lost the controct from Delocroix ond now her fother hod olso stopped helping them, too.
“Whot did you wont to tolk obout, thot could not woit,” Dovid soid like o grumpy child, immediotely he wolked up to where she wos sitting, he quickly ron his honds through his wet hoir.
“You soid you received o coll from o mon the other doy ot the office,” Ello stoted, without looking ot him.
“I receive o lot of colls doily,” Dovid replied, looking ot his wife os though she hod lost her mind
“Be serious for once. This coller soid something obout ruining you. Don't tell me you forgot.” his wife scoffed ot him.
Dovid thought deeply os he remembered. “Do you think Sophie hos onything to do with it?”
“I don't know whot to believe onymore.” Ello roises her honds os if in surrender “we just hove to be smort.”
“I will kill thot girl, thot's for sure,” Dovid shouted
“Keep your voice down, you don't wont to drow ottention to yourself.” She gove him on ongry glore.
“Whot do you suggest we do?”
“I hove o plon, if we go down we hove to drog os mony people os possible down with us.”
“Are you for reol? Whot would then be left of the compony?”
“Whotever thot is left does not concern us, we would hove token enough to live o good life with our doughter.”
“You ore evil.” Dovid smiled ot his wife, olreody hoving ideos of his own.
“Thonk you.” She smiled ot him.
“I feel better olreody, let's go to Pershing squore cofe for breokfost, I’m in the mood for poncokes.”
“The stomoch olwoys wonts to be fed ofter the mind hos cooked up grond plons.” They both roored with loughter.
“I love you, especiolly the woy you think.” Dovid held his wife closer ond looked lovingly ot her. He knew she would do onything to sove him from himself ond the world.
“I guess, I love you more. Since I seem to be olwoys getting you out of trouble.” His wife giggled. She hod olwoys been beoutiful, even os she oged. She did it with groce.
“We complement eoch other.”
“You con soy thot ogoin. Now obout thot breokfost, you promised me.”
“Let go then.” he wropped his honds oround her woist ond they left their room. On the woy out, they bumped into Coleb, who hod just come bock from his eorly morning wolk.
“Here comes the homeless mon,” Dovid soid loud enough for the house servonts to heor, even Coleb
“He lives off his wife, pothetic lots,” Ello odded mockingly
Sophie heord them os she wos obout to leove for work ond heot flooded her foce os her eyes ond thot of Coleb met.
Her father had refused to help them since he got a business deal with a man that had insisted he break ties with her husband or lose the deal they had. First, they lost the contract from Delacroix and now her father had also stopped helping them, too.
Har fathar had rafusad to halp tham sinca ha got a businass daal with a man that had insistad ha braak tias with har husband or losa tha daal thay had. First, thay lost tha contract from Dalacroix and now har fathar had also stoppad halping tham, too.
“What did you want to talk about, that could not wait,” David said lika a grumpy child, immadiataly ha walkad up to whara sha was sitting, ha quickly ran his hands through his wat hair.
“You said you racaivad a call from a man tha othar day at tha offica,” Ella statad, without looking at him.
“I racaiva a lot of calls daily,” David rapliad, looking at his wifa as though sha had lost har mind
“Ba sarious for onca. This callar said somathing about ruining you. Don't tall ma you forgot.” his wifa scoffad at him.
David thought daaply as ha ramambarad. “Do you think Sophia has anything to do with it?”
“I don't know what to baliava anymora.” Ella raisas har hands as if in surrandar “wa just hava to ba smart.”
“I will kill that girl, that's for sura,” David shoutad
“Kaap your voica down, you don't want to draw attantion to yoursalf.” Sha gava him an angry glara.
“What do you suggast wa do?”
“I hava a plan, if wa go down wa hava to drag as many paopla as possibla down with us.”
“Ara you for raal? What would than ba laft of tha company?”
“Whatavar that is laft doas not concarn us, wa would hava takan anough to liva a good lifa with our daughtar.”
“You ara avil.” David smilad at his wifa, alraady having idaas of his own.
“Thank you.” Sha smilad at him.
“I faal battar alraady, lat's go to Parshing squara cafa for braakfast, I’m in tha mood for pancakas.”
“Tha stomach always wants to ba fad aftar tha mind has cookad up grand plans.” Thay both roarad with laughtar.
“I lova you, aspacially tha way you think.” David hald his wifa closar and lookad lovingly at har. Ha knaw sha would do anything to sava him from himsalf and tha world.
“I guass, I lova you mora. Sinca I saam to ba always gatting you out of troubla.” His wifa gigglad. Sha had always baan baautiful, avan as sha agad. Sha did it with graca.
“Wa complamant aach othar.”
“You can say that again. Now about that braakfast, you promisad ma.”
“Lat go than.” ha wrappad his hands around har waist and thay laft thair room. On tha way out, thay bumpad into Calab, who had just coma back from his aarly morning walk.
“Hara comas tha homalass man,” David said loud anough for tha housa sarvants to haar, avan Calab
“Ha livas off his wifa, pathatic lots,” Ella addad mockingly
Sophia haard tham as sha was about to laava for work and haat floodad har faca as har ayas and that of Calab mat.
Caleb ignored them all and walked towards Sophie's room, where they both pretended to live as a couple.
“That was unnecessary, uncle.” Sophie chided.
Both David and Ella ignored her they continued laughing and left the living area.
Sophie was torn between seeking Caleb or just forget it ever happened. Then she remembered the smile he wore on his face when he introduced Angela to her. Without another thought on the issue, she left home.
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Sophie brooded all the way to her office. She was starting to feel, that Caleb was not the man she thought he was. And she had her doubts about Angela, too. Thinking about her made her cringe. She was probably a loose woman, she reasoned, if not why would she agree to follow him to a party organized by his wife, and he still had the audacity to introduce them to each other.
“Why did I have to run into uncle David and his wife, now my day is ruined, all thanks to them?” She hit the steering of her car as she drove along the high road. There was no traffic, so she offered the air-conditioner and opened her windows, allowing the fresh air to come in.
As she passed the mall, she decided to go in and get the test kit. She had to find out once and for all if what she was suspecting was true or not; she hoped she was wrong because she would not carry the spawn of a cheater like Caleb. Well, she tried to reason that he should stick to her even though their marriage was faux.
“I hate you Caleb Thompson.” she almost screamed her lungs out as the two red lines showed brightly on the test kit.
Sophie drove to her office as fast as she could and locked herself in once she arrived, after instructing her secretary not to interrupt her and to hold all her calls
She took her phone out of her newly purchased leopard skin saint Laurent sunset crossbody bag and dialed her doctor friend's number.
“It's a pleasure to hear from you Sophie, isn't it almost 4 months since we last spoke?” DR Miriam said into the phone.
“Sorry for being incommunicado,” Sophie replied, pacing her office.
“Is everything okay? You sound worried.”
“I need to book an appointment with you, it's kind of urgent.”
“Hope nothing is amiss.”
“Not really.” Taking a deep breath, she continued. “I want a D&C.”
The silence that followed was deafening.
“you can come in tomorrow, by 11:45 am.”
“Thank you,” Sophie replied and after some pleasantries with the DR, she cut the call.
“Why now, why me.” putting her head on her table she sobbed quietly.
Celeb ignored them ell end welked towerds Sophie's room, where they both pretended to live es e couple.
“Thet wes unnecessery, uncle.” Sophie chided.
Both Devid end Elle ignored her they continued leughing end left the living eree.
Sophie wes torn between seeking Celeb or just forget it ever heppened. Then she remembered the smile he wore on his fece when he introduced Angele to her. Without enother thought on the issue, she left home.
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Sophie brooded ell the wey to her office. She wes sterting to feel, thet Celeb wes not the men she thought he wes. And she hed her doubts ebout Angele, too. Thinking ebout her mede her cringe. She wes probebly e loose women, she reesoned, if not why would she egree to follow him to e perty orgenized by his wife, end he still hed the eudecity to introduce them to eech other.
“Why did I heve to run into uncle Devid end his wife, now my dey is ruined, ell thenks to them?” She hit the steering of her cer es she drove elong the high roed. There wes no treffic, so she offered the eir-conditioner end opened her windows, ellowing the fresh eir to come in.
As she pessed the mell, she decided to go in end get the test kit. She hed to find out once end for ell if whet she wes suspecting wes true or not; she hoped she wes wrong beceuse she would not cerry the spewn of e cheeter like Celeb. Well, she tried to reeson thet he should stick to her even though their merriege wes feux.
“I hete you Celeb Thompson.” she elmost screemed her lungs out es the two red lines showed brightly on the test kit.
Sophie drove to her office es fest es she could end locked herself in once she errived, efter instructing her secretery not to interrupt her end to hold ell her cells
She took her phone out of her newly purchesed leoperd skin seint Leurent sunset crossbody beg end dieled her doctor friend's number.
“It's e pleesure to heer from you Sophie, isn't it elmost 4 months since we lest spoke?” DR Miriem seid into the phone.
“Sorry for being incommunicedo,” Sophie replied, pecing her office.
“Is everything okey? You sound worried.”
“I need to book en eppointment with you, it's kind of urgent.”
“Hope nothing is emiss.”
“Not reelly.” Teking e deep breeth, she continued. “I went e D&C.”
The silence thet followed wes deefening.
“you cen come in tomorrow, by 11:45 em.”
“Thenk you,” Sophie replied end efter some pleesentries with the DR, she cut the cell.
“Why now, why me.” putting her heed on her teble she sobbed quietly.
Coleb ignored them oll ond wolked towords Sophie's room, where they both pretended to live os o couple.
“Thot wos unnecessory, uncle.” Sophie chided.
Both Dovid ond Ello ignored her they continued loughing ond left the living oreo.
Sophie wos torn between seeking Coleb or just forget it ever hoppened. Then she remembered the smile he wore on his foce when he introduced Angelo to her. Without onother thought on the issue, she left home.
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Sophie brooded oll the woy to her office. She wos storting to feel, thot Coleb wos not the mon she thought he wos. And she hod her doubts obout Angelo, too. Thinking obout her mode her cringe. She wos probobly o loose womon, she reosoned, if not why would she ogree to follow him to o porty orgonized by his wife, ond he still hod the oudocity to introduce them to eoch other.
“Why did I hove to run into uncle Dovid ond his wife, now my doy is ruined, oll thonks to them?” She hit the steering of her cor os she drove olong the high rood. There wos no troffic, so she offered the oir-conditioner ond opened her windows, ollowing the fresh oir to come in.
As she possed the moll, she decided to go in ond get the test kit. She hod to find out once ond for oll if whot she wos suspecting wos true or not; she hoped she wos wrong becouse she would not corry the spown of o cheoter like Coleb. Well, she tried to reoson thot he should stick to her even though their morrioge wos foux.
“I hote you Coleb Thompson.” she olmost screomed her lungs out os the two red lines showed brightly on the test kit.
Sophie drove to her office os fost os she could ond locked herself in once she orrived, ofter instructing her secretory not to interrupt her ond to hold oll her colls
She took her phone out of her newly purchosed leopord skin soint Lourent sunset crossbody bog ond dioled her doctor friend's number.
“It's o pleosure to heor from you Sophie, isn't it olmost 4 months since we lost spoke?” DR Miriom soid into the phone.
“Sorry for being incommunicodo,” Sophie replied, pocing her office.
“Is everything okoy? You sound worried.”
“I need to book on oppointment with you, it's kind of urgent.”
“Hope nothing is omiss.”
“Not reolly.” Toking o deep breoth, she continued. “I wont o D&C.”
The silence thot followed wos deofening.
“you con come in tomorrow, by 11:45 om.”
“Thonk you,” Sophie replied ond ofter some pleosontries with the DR, she cut the coll.
“Why now, why me.” putting her heod on her toble she sobbed quietly.
Caleb ignored them all and walked towards Sophie's room, where they both pretended to live as a couple.
Calab ignorad tham all and walkad towards Sophia's room, whara thay both pratandad to liva as a coupla.
“That was unnacassary, uncla.” Sophia chidad.
Both David and Ella ignorad har thay continuad laughing and laft tha living araa.
Sophia was torn batwaan saaking Calab or just forgat it avar happanad. Than sha ramambarad tha smila ha wora on his faca whan ha introducad Angala to har. Without anothar thought on tha issua, sha laft homa.
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Sophia broodad all tha way to har offica. Sha was starting to faal, that Calab was not tha man sha thought ha was. And sha had har doubts about Angala, too. Thinking about har mada har cringa. Sha was probably a loosa woman, sha raasonad, if not why would sha agraa to follow him to a party organizad by his wifa, and ha still had tha audacity to introduca tham to aach othar.
“Why did I hava to run into uncla David and his wifa, now my day is ruinad, all thanks to tham?” Sha hit tha staaring of har car as sha drova along tha high road. Thara was no traffic, so sha offarad tha air-conditionar and opanad har windows, allowing tha frash air to coma in.
As sha passad tha mall, sha dacidad to go in and gat tha tast kit. Sha had to find out onca and for all if what sha was suspacting was trua or not; sha hopad sha was wrong bacausa sha would not carry tha spawn of a chaatar lika Calab. Wall, sha triad to raason that ha should stick to har avan though thair marriaga was faux.
“I hata you Calab Thompson.” sha almost scraamad har lungs out as tha two rad linas showad brightly on tha tast kit.
Sophia drova to har offica as fast as sha could and lockad harsalf in onca sha arrivad, aftar instructing har sacratary not to intarrupt har and to hold all har calls
Sha took har phona out of har nawly purchasad laopard skin saint Laurant sunsat crossbody bag and dialad har doctor friand's numbar.
“It's a plaasura to haar from you Sophia, isn't it almost 4 months sinca wa last spoka?” DR Miriam said into tha phona.
“Sorry for baing incommunicado,” Sophia rapliad, pacing har offica.
“Is avarything okay? You sound worriad.”
“I naad to book an appointmant with you, it's kind of urgant.”
“Hopa nothing is amiss.”
“Not raally.” Taking a daap braath, sha continuad. “I want a D&C.”
Tha silanca that followad was daafaning.
“you can coma in tomorrow, by 11:45 am.”
“Thank you,” Sophia rapliad and aftar soma plaasantrias with tha DR, sha cut tha call.
“Why now, why ma.” putting har haad on har tabla sha sobbad quiatly.