Deceived by You

by Marilyn Williams

  “I’m not suggesting what he’s done was right, but the only way you two can heal is if she is no longer in the picture.”

  “Sounds like words directly from my father’s playbook. What did he promise you?”

  She looked over her shoulder as if to verify no one was within earshot. “Look, I have my seat because of him.”

  “Maybe so. It doesn’t mean you owe him your loyalty.”

  “It doesn’t matter because you got what you wanted. I hope she’s worth it.”

  “And if I were fighting for you, it would’ve been, right? Because that’s what this is really about. Your jealousy.”

  “Now you’re being ridiculous,” she scoffed.

  Before Justin could say another word, the motion of his father storming out of the boardroom caught his attention. His eyes trailed his route directly towards Ava. Without haste, he rushed out of the room.

  “This is all your fault, you BITCH!!!” Chris towered over Ava who appeared frightened and confused.

  Justin flipped a chair to its side and jumped over a table to break in between them. He grabbed his father’s arm, pushing him away from Ava, causing Chris to fall back onto the sofa. “You stay the hell away from her!”

  “You’re pathetic!” Chris spat. “I never thought my pussy whipped son would turn against his family.”

  “Stop blaming everyone for what you’ve done! Your greed jeopardized this company.”

  Chris rose to his feet, standing only inches away from Justin’s face. “There’s no coming back from this, son. When that whore breaks your heart and takes you for all you’re worth, it’ll be too late. From this day forward, my door will remain close to you. Your grandfather is turning over in his grave for what you have done. You placed the company he built from the ground up, in the hands of my bitch of an ex-wife.” The anger in Justin spiked through his veins like a roaring river. His hand formed a tight fist, and before he knew it, he had made contact with his father’s jaw.

  “Justin!” Nina shouted as she ran to Chris’ side.

  He turned to Ava. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I’ve grown accustomed to your father’s antics.”

  He held on to her hand and turned to his father. “I know you won’t take this lying down and plan to retaliate. Whatever it is, I’m ready. Just know, I’m done tearing myself into pieces over the dissolution of our relationship. This version of Christopher Harrington I want no part of. When the man who taught me the importance of integrity returns, you know where to find me.”

  Chapter Thirty

  The following three weeks were quiet. Justin had not heard a peep from his father. He became cautiously optimistic he had sulked off quietly.

  His mother took control of the Steele Pharmaceuticals until they found a permanent CEO. She issued a press release stating his father stepped down and took an early retirement. She kept it short and sweet without further explanation. She then had all drugs Chris had pushed through taken off the market and extended the clinical trials of their current medications.

  With bated breath, they’ve resumed their lives as they awaited Chris’ next move.

  Chapter Thirty-one

  “Who in the hell do I need to contact at the EPA?”

  Ava lifted her heavy eyelids. The sound of shoes shuffling across the floor had awakened her from a peaceful dream. Sometimes she hated being a light sleeper. The slightest sound could wake her from a deep sleep. She scanned the room through groggy eyes, and on the far side of the bedroom, Justin paced back and forth. He wore a bluetooth in his ear and a scowl on his face.

  “That’s not sufficient, Becky. We can’t afford another setback!” He paused and raked his hand through his hair.

  The stress on his face was evident. Rebecca didn’t call with pleasant news. Ava lifted herself off the bed and wrapped her robe around her body.

  “Enough with the excuses! I’m flying to Atlanta, once again, to do the job I pay you to do.”

  Ava watched wide-eyed as Justin removed his bluetooth and threw it across the room. She moved closer to him. “What happened now?”

  He closed his eyes and shook his head. “We’ve been shut down.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “An anonymous report…,” he said, emphasizing the word anonymous with air quotes, “was made to OSHA. They claimed the superintendent forced them to work in unsafe work conditions.”

  She furrowed her brow. “That’s ridiculous.”

  “The contractors we use have a near-perfect safety record.”

  “So, OSHA shut down the worksite because of one anonymous tip?”

  “No,” he frowned. “It gets worse. Someone also contacted the EPA. A concerned citizen reported we had dumped hazardous waste into the lake.”

  “What?! Seriously?”

  He nodded his head and sighed.

  “That’s straight up sabotage.”

  “Yep, courtesy of my father.”

  Ava sat on a nearby chair. “That is something your father would do. You took away his livelihood. It makes sense he would want to do the same to you. What are you going to do?”

  He expelled a heavy breath and sat in the chair beside her. “I’m flying to Atlanta this afternoon.”

  She leaned over and rubbed his arm to provide a dose of small comfort. “What can I do?”

  “I can’t say for certain how long I’ll be gone, so I would love to have a quiet breakfast. Just the two of us.”

  “I’m sure Corrine has already left for the day.”

  “She was running through the halls before Becky called.”

  “Are you leaving straight from here to the airport?”

  “No. I’ll leave after my meeting at noon. So, you and I have about three hours before I’m gone for who knows how long.”

  He rested his face in the palm of his hands. He wore the weight of the world on his shoulders. Ava moved behind him and gently rubbed the knots of tension. “I can’t help but feel this is my fault.”

  Justin lifted his head and glanced over his shoulder. “Don’t say that because I’m not about to apologize for choosing you over him. He started this damn war, and it’s up to me to finish it.”

  His words didn’t absolve her feelings of guilt. “Any request for breakfast?” She slid her hands up and down his back, applying pressure along the way. When her hands reached the nape of his neck, he reached over his shoulder and tapped her hand. Indicating for her to stop.

  “I’m already dressed. You freshen up while I make breakfast. How does blueberry waffles sound?”

  “We have fresh blueberries?” she asked, doubtful.

  “That’s one perk of having mom staying with us. She has groceries delivered once a week.”

  “You have enough on your plate. I can make breakfast.”

  “I don’t mind. It’ll help take my mind off everything.”

  She watched as he sauntered out of the room. It hurt her to see him torn apart. He hadn’t said it, but she knows underneath the pain, he hoped he and his father would reconcile. When he speaks about Chris, she reads between the lines, and his wish is for him to one day accept their relationship and they would become a happy family.

  As Ava turned the faucet in the shower, the events that had unfolded since she arrived in San Diego played in her mind. Justin had assumed because he loved her, so would his father. When she’d mentioned her concern about the blame he would place on her, Justin had asked her to stop expecting the worst. The problem was she couldn’t because she knew better. In a way, she couldn’t blame Chris for blaming her. If she was a parent, she might feel the same. However, she would never inflict hurt and pain on her child.

  Ava removed her clothes and stepped underneath the stream of hot water. The more she thought of Justin’s pain, the more upset she became. The cycle of chaos must end, and it was up to her to stop to it. Ava knew what she had to do.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Ava and Justin had breakfast together and said goodbye
before he departed for the office. She didn’t tell him what she had planned because if she had, he would’ve objected. The moment his car sped down the driveway, Ava jumped behind the wheel of her car and set off for a long overdue confrontation.

  When she arrived at the Harrington estate, she found the gates with the obnoxious golden letter H opened. She drove through and parked. When Ava exited the car, Lindsey had emerged from the home carrying a cardboard box. It had been a while since they’ve seen each other. Ava was surprised to see how much her belly had grown.

  “What are you doing here?” asked Lindsey, placing the box in her trunk. Her eyes were red, like she had been crying for hours.

  “Is he here?”

  “Yeah, out back barking orders at the gardeners.” She shut her trunk, resting her hand on her belly. “I wouldn’t go in there if I were you. He’s in rare form.”

  “I’ll take my chances.” Ava walked away towards the front door.

  “How’s Justin?” she yelled.

  Ava turned on her heel. “What gives you the right to ask about him?”

  She pushed her sunglasses up the bridge of her nose. “I was honest with Justin, and he knows it wasn’t my idea to lie to him.”

  “But you were complicit in the lie. Honesty means nothing if its purpose is to cover your ass.”

  Lindsey shifted her weight by resting against her car. “What’s done is done, Ava. I can’t change any of it. Chris and I are over. He wants nothing more to do with me or our baby. It was a mistake to get involve with him. My hope is one day you and Justin forgive the part I played.”

  Ava twisted her lips into a smirk and rolled her eyes. “I can’t speak for Justin. If he overlooks how you stabbed him in the back and conspired with his father to break us up, that’s his decision to make. But, let’s be clear, his decision will have no bearing on you and me. I will never trust you. The pain you and his despicable father inflicted on him has been monumental. It’s best you look elsewhere for forgiveness, because I don’t want to hear any of your excuses.”

  Ava walked away without a backward glance. She entered through the unlocked front door. At the end of the hall, she ran into James.

  “Miss Sinclair, I wasn’t aware you had an appointment,” he said.

  She removed her sunglasses from over her eyes. “I need an appointment to see Justin’s father?”

  “Under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t. Today he has requested no visitors.”

  “That’s too bad, James. I’m here, and I refuse to leave until I see him.”

  He frowned as his eyes darted down the hall. “Wait here, please.”

  Ava waited two seconds before she followed him. She wasn’t about to give Chris the chance to refuse. It’s a good thing she wore sneakers because she followed behind the loyal servant unnoticed. She waited for him to enter the living room. Once she heard Chris’ voice, she moved right behind James.

  “Don’t bother telling him to get rid of me, because I’m not leaving until we’ve talked.” Ava’s eyes didn’t waver as she watched Chris rise from his chair. He placed the glass he nursed on a nearby table. He made a dismissive gesture towards James, who promptly left them alone.

  “Say what you came to say and get the hell out of my house.”

  Ava placed her purse down and sat in a chair beside the fireplace. He needed to know this wasn’t about to be a quick one-sided conversation. “We know it was you, who made false reports to OSHA and the EPA.”

  He turned with a smug smile. “I won’t deny it.”

  “This feud between you and Justin must end. It can’t happen until we lay it all on the line, no holding back, and admit what this conflict is really about. Your distrust of me.”

  “Are you sure you want to have this conversation? Justin is not here to protect you?”

  “I don’t need his protection. I’ve stared down bigger monsters than you.”

  Chris expelled an arrogant chuckle and added more scotch to his glass. “And why do I distrust you, Miss Sinclair?”

  “You believe I orchestrated Justin’s disappearance, although you know from speaking to the police Brandon acted alone.”

  “I never blamed you for Justin’s torture. That’s your conscious bothering you.” He brought his glass to his lips.

  “My conscious is clear.” She narrowed her eyes. “If your contempt of me is not about Brandon’s actions, then what is it?”

  “You’re not good enough for my son. I’ve known for some time you have an agenda, but I underestimated you.” He waved a finger in her direction.

  “Underestimated, how?”

  “Convincing Justin to have me removed as CEO was not something I’d anticipated.”

  Ava shook her head and scoffed. “Instead of concocting conspiracy theories, let’s discuss your actions. Have you once considered the damaged your lies and underhanded tactics has affected your son? It’s much easier to blame me for the destruction of your relationship, because you can’t face what you’ve done.”

  Chris finished his drink in one gulp. He slammed the glass down and sat across from her. He remained silent as he glared into her eyes. A long moment of silence transpired before he spoke. “When you run your own billion-dollar corporation and must make tough decisions, then we can talk. I never intended to hurt my son. With time, he would have understood why I had to lie about Lindsey’s baby, and we would’ve moved forward. But you’ve entangled my son in your web, and he’s blinded by what he believes is love. The discord between my son and I is your doing, not mine!”

  “In what universe?” She jumped from her seat. “Did you expect Justin to do nothing after you threw an exorbitant amount of money in my face?”

  He stood with hatred in his eyes. “You don’t deserve my son! He deserves someone with class, independence, and not a passenger on his coattail to success. You may be well-educated, but that is where it begins and end with the desirable attributes.”

  His words cut like shards of glass. Ava fought back tears as she refused to allow a single one drop in his presence. “As brilliant of a businessman Justin is, he does not factor into my success. Everything I’ve achieved, I did so with hard work and determination. The love I have for him has nothing to do with his net worth. I suggest you get used to us being together because I’m not going anywhere.”

  Chris’ face reddened. The cords in his neck were on full display, as his glare became tight and his nostrils flared. He moved towards her with an apparent agenda. Ava crept backward and glanced around the room for an object in case she had to defend herself. The closer he moved, the further Ava backed away. Her hands gripped the edge of a wooden table as her eyes focused on his changing gait. His movement came to a halt as he struggled to move his right leg. His balance wobbled before he crashed to the floor.

  “Mr. Harrington!” she yelled, rushing to his side. She studied his face, and his eyes were wide, his mouth taunt like it was difficult to form a word. He stared at her like he was trying to communicate with her.

  “James! James!” she called out, but soon realize a house of its size, he may not hear her. She ran to retrieve her purse that sat on a chair on the far side of the room. She rummaged to retrieve her phone. She dialed 911 before rushing back to Chris’ side. He laid with his eyes closed, and his body limp on the marble tiled floor.

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Justin was halfway to the airport when he received Ava’s call. Her voice was hysterical, and her words barely made sense. Something about his father had collapsed, and the paramedics rushed him to the hospital. Before he could ask another question, she’d hung up stating she would meet him there.

  He rushed to Scripps Memorial Hospital. On the elevator ride, Justin thought of the last time he’d seen his father, and the rage that had engulfed in his eyes. The months of animosity between them no longer matter. What mattered was the hope the angry words exchanged wouldn’t be their last.

  Without haste, Justin dashed towards Ava when he exited the elevator. Sh
e sat in a row of chairs with her head down and a nervous bounce in her leg. “How is he?” he asked, standing over her.

  Relief washed over her face when their eyes met. She jumped up and wrapped her arms around him. He embraced her and kissed the top of her head. “Have you spoken to his doctor?” he asked.

  She pulled away and shook her head. “They won’t tell me a thing, because I’m not family.”

  “Okay, I’ll find a doctor.” He gripped her shoulder and noticed redness in her eyes. She appeared to have been crying. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.” Justin started to walk away when Ava grabbed his hand.

  “I would like to come with you. If you don’t mind.”

  “Come on.” He held onto her hand as they walked towards the nurse’s station. On the other side of the counter sat a young man pounding away on his keyboard. “Excuse me,” said Justin, getting the man’s attention.

  He looked up and greeted him with a smile. “May I help you?”

  “Paramedics brought my father Christopher Harrington in about an hour ago. Is it possible to speak with his doctor?”

  The young man punch something into his computer and squinted his eyes at the screen. “His doctor is with another patient.”

  “Well, can I see my father?”

  “We’ve taken him to radiology for a CT scan. You’re welcomed to wait in his room. I’ll notify the doctor you’re here and would like to speak with him.”

  “Thank you, and his room is?”

  “Oh yes. Sorry. Room 212.”

  He and Ava settled into the chairs in his father’s room. She looked a wreck. He rubbed her back to comfort her and at the same time ease his own anxiety. “Babe, what happened? Did James call you?”

  She wiped her eyes with a tissue. “After you left this morning, I went to see your father.”

  “What? Why?”

  “His treatment of you had angered me that I…”

  “You confronted him? What were you thinking going to see him alone?”