The Confident Woman

by Nikkea Sharee

  The present to him consisted of things that he refused to acknowledge and finding a way out of it. He hadn’t heard from Herschel since the day the man visited his home. His hope was that that problem would simply go away, even though he was well aware that simply was not the way life worked. He hadn’t allowed himself to think about the child that he now was aware bore his name. In his mind, if he didn’t lay eyes on the child, then it could remain a figment of Vera’s imagination.

  “Nigel, the past has come to bite your present in the ass. I will tell you this, until this is resolved and properly, I’m contacting the family attorney and preparing to make changes to your inheritance and my will. This is ridiculous and you refuse to handle it like an adult, so perhaps this will force your hand.”

  For the first time in his life he was shocked. While Dalia wasn’t necessarily the type of mother that showed affection, she had always ensured that she and his father were more than generous financially. Her words were a jab to his ego. As the executive of her father’s estate, Dalia alone had control of the family’s wealth. Knowing that the majority of his cashflow was tied up in investments, this was the only thing Dalia knew that would make him see the light.

  Nigel had an annuity that she had set up which he regularly leaned on. He couldn’t fathom that what he had done would be enough for his own mother to threaten him in such a way.

  “You don’t mean that.” He moved to an uncomfortable distance from her. Enough for her to smell the stench of liquor on his breath. Close enough for her to see the stubble that was starting to appear on his chin. She could see the red speckles in his eyes which spoke to both his level of exhaustion and annoyance with this situation. “You go ahead home, mother, and think long and hard about everything you said today. And if you believe what I told you I did to Vera over a small alimony, think of what I am willing to do over access to everything I am entitled to. You just think about that.”

  Finishing the last sip he had in his glass, Nigel left his own mother standing in the kitchen looking befuddled. Thinking about what he said and all that it meant. The undertones were blaring. For a moment she was afraid as she heard the front door slam as Nigel exited the premises.

  While he had not been explicit in his words, somehow she felt as though he had just threatened her life. And that was enough for her proceed as planned. She needed to knock him down a notch.

  25

  Nigel sped away from his home without looking in the rearview to see if his mother had exited behind him. Things were getting out of hand and he was desperate to gain it back.

  All communication with Vera was handled through her attorney. His lawyer was unresponsive in the manner he would have liked and now his own mother was in the mix threatening his livelihood. With all of the new worries going on in his world, he had forgotten all about the loose end that was Herschel.

  There was anger that was pent up inside the man that he wanted to get out. Never in his life had he dealt with this amount of pressure. Not from business deals gone wrong to love interests that soured. This by far was the worst moment in his life.

  Vera had been a good wife to him when they were together. It didn’t matter to him that she didn’t necessarily deserve anything he did to her. It mattered only that he was not getting his way. After all this man had done to carefully plan an escape from his marriage, he was now tangled in his own web of deception.

  His phone vibrated next to him as he drove aimlessly down the road. The simple sound of the vibration angered him. It didn’t matter who would be on the other end of the phone, it would be some form of bad news. That’s all that came his way recently and he was tired.

  For a moment Nigel contemplated driving his car off the nearest cliff and being done with it all. He didn’t see the joy in life anymore if he wasn’t going to be able to have his way. Selfishness seamed to wrap its claws around his heart and pump ever so slowly.

  Out of nowhere a dark cloud filled the sky and a crack of thunder let him know a storm was headed his way. Great, he thought, more bad news. Still the man continued to drive in hopes that soon enough the answers to all of his problems would come his way.

  As far as Nigel was concerned, this conundrum he was in was everyone’s fault except his. Feeling helpless in that moment he started to become more and more upset. He was seeing red. His mind was such a flood of disorder, he didn’t know which problem to fix first.

  One thing was certain, he couldn’t stand to be threatened. In his opinion everyone was going to pay one way or another for crossing him, starting with the weakest link.

  His phone rung again. This time after confirming the caller he answered, “Yeah.”

  “Hey Nigel. I wanted to confirm whether or not you wanted to proceed with the audit with your accountant and if so, do you wish to be present? I think it’s best that you get this matter out of the way as soon as possible.”

  Levi couldn’t have called at a worse time. In Nigel’s eyes, Levi was the weak link. He had no backbone in this case, whereas any other time he could just about make the best decisions without Nigel’s feedback. Letting Vera’s attorney control how the financial support was going to be determined was not apart of Nigel’s plans.

  “Why am I paying you, Levi? Do I pay you to throw money out of the highest window you can find in your office building? Do I look as dumb as you sound? No, I don’t want to go forward with any audit. I don’t give a fuck about a court order. I want you, my lawyer, to file an injunction or something! Why do I have to think for you? Do you work for Vera now? Are you trying to give her everything she wants on a silver platter?”

  Levi was taken aback by the man’s words. He had naturally assumed with the results of the test and the request to audit financials that Nigel would want to proceed in the most amicable way possible. He should have known better than to think that things would go that easily.

  “Are you sure you want to do that? It’s just that it may cause more problems than it’s worth. It seems as though Vera is prepared to push this thing to the limits.”

  “And so am I! You act like you just met me yesterday. I need you to handle this with the same energy that you handle my business deals. This is a business deal. Either she agrees to my terms or you block every single motion she brings to the table.”

  Levi contemplated firing Nigel as a customer in that very moment. It was clear to him now that his friend had no intentions of doing the right thing by this child.

  “O……k. So, what are your terms?” This question was purely sarcasm. If he knew Nigel there weren’t any.

  “My terms are, and I hope you are listening closely, nothing. She gets nothing. No information. Not a dime from me. I don’t even want to know what the little fucker looks like. I want this buried under the ocean. You make this disappear or I pull all of my accounts from your firm.”

  Levi, sick of the threats, responded in kind. “I don’t think this is a smart move at all. As your attorney I strongly advise you against this position.”

  “And as your multimillion dollar client, I advise you not call me back until you can tell me something that I want to hear.”

  Hanging up the phone in Levi’s face, Nigel felt slightly better that he was able to take his anger out on someone. He still had pent up stress that needed to be relieved. He knew exactly where his next stop was going to be as he turned off the main road in the direction of his favorite underground brothel.

  26

  Vernon walked into his sister’s home and greeted her and his nephew. He had become accustomed to his extended family over the last few years. The steps that he was taking to help ensure his nephew’s future was less trivial than that of he and his sister’s was well worth it.

  Sure, the siblings weren’t hurting financially. Still, with the wealth that they had acquired over the years they had yet to reach the comfort point that would allow them to retire from their illicit ways.

  “How’s it going sis?” He said as he picked his nephew up and sat him on top
of his knee. Playing with Nigel Jr. was always a welcome get away from adult life for him. He wished that for a moment they could both return to the innocence of this youth that was freely bouncing around inside of this child. If only he could bottle that energy up and take it like a vitamin each morning.

  “Well, you will never guess who finally showed her face today.” Vera had just gotten home not much earlier than her brother had come through the doors. Relieving the nanny from the robust energy of her child, Vera was happy to take over. She missed seeing his happy face.

  “Dalia? Timing couldn’t be any more perfect. I just got a call from Nigel’s attorney. He wanted to inform us that your ex husband not only plans to file a motion to block the audit order of his finances but dismiss paternity as a whole.”

  “I’m not surprised. I knew Nigel wouldn’t roll over easily. I bet after his mother gets to him, he will be even more ready to gear up for battle. Little does he know this isn’t just about the money. There is so much more at stake. Their entire family legacy. His mother wasn’t too happy to hear what her son is truly capable of.”

  “If anything, I have a feeling she’s already visited him, hence the swift decision to shut everything down. Sad for him, that’s not the way the law works.”

  “The law is the least of his concerns. It’s time to go to the next stage of the con.”

  Vernon raised an eyebrow at his sister. He halfway expected her to press the paternity issue before moving to the next stage.

  “Are you sure you are ready? I’ve made the arrangements as necessary for Herschel. He’s been contacted and has relocated. He sounded grateful to get away from his condo and said he would pack later.”

  “Good. And yes, I’m ready. It’s time to burn the castle down to the ground. We’ve waited long enough.”

  “Then proceed we shall.” Vernon looked down at his nephew who seemed oblivious to what they were discussing. “Sis, when this is all said and done do you think we will ever be satisfied with life?”

  Vera turned to look at her brother questioning where he was going with this. “Now what makes you ask that question? Don’t tell me you’ve gone soft on me.”

  Vernon laughed for a bit before responding. “No, far from that. But it’s a fair question. We have time vested into these plans. We have thought about every possible angle. And the thrill of it all keeps us going even when it takes years for things to get carried out. It’s just with this being our biggest con yet and it will have us straight financially for a long time, I’m wondering if we can ever just live like regular people. And I’m not talking about playing happy. I’m talking about truly being happy.”

  Vera stopped to think about what he was saying. It wasn’t something that she had allowed herself to consider. Just being happy with what she had. Her goals had always been tied to financial stability. Even during the time when she had been with Nigel, in the back of her mind she was always playing the con.

  “There are times when it’s just me and baby NJ when I am ready for our new life to begin. Right now my mind is swamped with this end game. I guess it’s more of a fleeting thought these days.”

  “I just don’t want you to be consumed to the point where you lose yourself. Over the years we have played cons like this but never when the stakes were this high. What’s going to happen next is going to make your face very public and I just want you to be prepared to move on when it’s all said and done.”

  Vera knew he was right. And for the years that she had been playing the con in the background, having a more active role was invigorating. But Vernon was right. And just as she had prepared herself for the pot holes that may come up, she needed to prepare for less exciting times. She had to prepare to step fully into the role of mother once the con was done.

  “When the time comes, I’ll be ready. For the moment, it’s show time.”

  “Look sis, you know that no one knows you better than me. I wouldn’t be doing you justice if I didn’t tell you the truth and make you think about all angles. NJ deserves a better life than the one we have had to piece together. Let’s get through this. I’ve been working on some things on my end as well.”

  “Things like what?” Vera raised an eyebrow at her brother. She had enjoyed reconnecting with him over the years. Being apart from him had been one of the hardest things that she ever had to endure. She was just grateful to have him in her life again once she and Nigel separated.

  “Never you mind. Just know that I would never ask more of you than I have asked of myself.”

  That was what she loved about Vernon. He was always the protector first. Ready to come at her aide regardless of how far fetched her plans was. He was always there be it near or far and even if he questioned her motives, he always believed in her.

  “True indeed brother. Well, I’d say we have given Mr. Washington all of the time in the world to do the right thing. It’s time to play hard ball. No restrictions. Gloves off. No Vaseline.”

  Nodding his head, Vernon acknowledged his sister’s words. It was not lost on either of them that not once had Nigel cared to find out more about his son. It didn’t matter much. Between the two of them, they would make sure the boy was well taken care of. In fact, the motive for Vera’s con had long transitioned from simply gaining wealth and payback to securing a good future for her son. She would do this by any means simple and plain. Nigel Washington was just about to learn how much so.

  27

  Dalia Washington was completely flabbergasted by her son’s actions. While it was true that they weren’t necessarily the closest knit family, never in her life did she think she would feel threatened by her own son. However, that was exactly what she felt after speaking to him the night before.

  There was something behind his eyes that told her that he meant every single word he spoke. In that moment she vowed to bring the ungrateful son of a bitch down to his knees. There was no way that he would get away with threatening her.

  Sitting in the lobby of her lawyer’s office, something on the television caught her attention. Within moments of focusing in on the screen she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs.

  There sat her former daughter in law in the most modest outfit she had ever seen her in, covered up to the nape of her neck, holding a press conference. While the volume was muted the caption is what brought tears to her eyes.

  Estranged Ex-wife of Social Engineer CEO files criminal and civil suit against sexual abuse claims on her former husband.

  Dalia sprung up from the couch she had been waiting at and ran over to the receptionist desk. “Where is the remote control? I need to hear the volume on the television now!”

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Washington. I’m not allowed to change the volume on the television. I don’t even have the remote,” the woman said in a near trembling voice. The woman could tell by the frantic tone in Dalia’s voice that this wasn’t going to be an adequate answer.

  “Are you dumb? Just go over to it and turn it up. I can’t reach it and I sure as hell am not getting on a chair to reach it, so I suggest you figure it out.” Dalia didn’t want to have to talk down to the woman, but this was urgent.

  Almost as if on cue, Dalia’s lawyer came out from the back. “What seems to be the problem?” Coming in on the tail end of the conversation, Rosetta Hardwell attempted to calm the situation.

  Without responding, Dalia stormed past Rosetta and went directly into her office turning on the television to the channel that was showing in the reception area. Turning up the sound, she sat back in one of the chairs opposite of her lawyer’s desk and turned directly into the screen as her lawyer entered behind her.

  “A few weeks ago, I was approached by a man whom had been at my home the night that my ex-husband and I separated, presenting me with information I had not known regarding my marriage.” Vera spoke slow and steady, eyes blood shot red which Dalia was certain was for show. “Five years ago my ex-husband, Nigel Washington, had paid this man to sleep with me the night of our seventh year an
niversary in order to prove that I had committed adultery against him so that our prenuptial agreement could be null and void. I have always maintained my innocence in this matter. However, Mr. Washington had our home surveillance equipment edited to make it appear as though the man and I were having an affair. I am only now discovering the true extent of my ex-husband’s lies and betrayal. I have had to live with the shame of what I now know is a lie. Thank God for the man who had a conscious and came forward. With the proof that was presented to me showing the payments made to this man for this farce, I am prepared to clear my name. And while nothing can erase the pain of what I have had to live with over the last few years, he must pay for what he has done. If for no other reason other than to make sure no other woman has to go through what I went through with this man. Thank you.”

  As Vera completed her speech, Dalia was in obvious shock. This was it. There was no recovery from what Nigel had done. If she was uncertain about her next moves before that moment, things were now clear. She had to separate herself and her late husband’s estate from this circus before it became the main show.

  Dalia was shaking as tears started to form in the corner of her eyes and travel down her face. She could not believe that after all she had done to protect her family from drama and public humiliation her son had single handedly dismantled their legacy.

  Closing the door to the office, Rosetta took a few napkins from a box sitting on the edge of her desk and handed them to her client. Emotions were a part of her job she did not enjoy. However, this was different. The two women had grown up together and while their lives had taken different paths, they still considered each other to be close friends. Dalia had always been a stickler for keeping her family business with people she trusted and her relationship with Rosetta went so far back that at the moment she was one of a few in her life that she did still trust.