by Marie Skye
She crossed her arms and gazed at me. “I would’ve dropped this file off an hour ago, but you were asleep at your desk and I didn’t want to disturb you. You’ve been looking exhausted for a few days now. That Grayson must be keeping you up at night. Inconsiderate sex fiend.”
I smiled. That was part of the reason, but I also think it had to do with the stress of this whole thing. “Hey, how about we go out for lunch. Get some fresh air. You’re always cooped up in this office.”
I shook my head. “I can’t, Edith. I have a lot to do.” I pointed to all the paperwork in front of me. Besides, spending time here at the office kept me distracted from thinking about the upcoming court appearance.
She frowned. “Fine, but let’s do a dinner or something with the rest of the girls. We haven’t had a night out with the girls.” She looked thoughtful for a moment. “Actually, all that partying doesn’t do it for me anymore. Let’s just do a dinner.”
I smiled. “Yes, let’s arrange something soon.” She gave me a smile as she left my office, shutting the door behind her.
I worked a few more hours, well past after everyone left. It was nearing eight when I decided to finally wrap it up. I started closing things out when a knock came on my door before it opened. Claudia peered her head around the corner, and I froze. “What do you want? No, scratch that, what are you doing here?” I held up my hand. “Don’t answer, I’ll call security.”
“Just wait, okay?”
My hand hovered over the buttons, and I finally hit line nine for security.
“I just want to talk - woman to woman - and then I’ll leave.”
A voice came on the other end of the phone. “Mrs. Mandrake, is everything okay? Are you in need of assistance?”
I sighed. “No, sorry I misdialed.” I hung up, glaring at Claudia. “You have two minutes and then I will call them back.”
She stepped closer, and I stopped her. “You don’t need to come any closer. I can hear you from here.”
She took a deep breath. She looked nervous. “I know all of this can’t be easy for you.”
I cocked my head. “Which part? The part of you blatantly accusing my husband of physical abuse or creating a fake relationship in your head?”
“We did have something, Emmalin. He’s lying to you. Just like he lied to me. He fed me lies - said he wanted to be with me and I believed him. What we had was real. He deserves to pay. He shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it just because he got caught.”
I laughed. “So, just so we’re clear. You want him to pay for a fake affair. Again, something your delusional mind made up.” I crossed my arms. “How about we just pay you to go away and then we can call it good?”
She lightly laughed. “He said he wanted a family and that you couldn’t give him more children. He said he wanted someone who could fulfill his life with what he wanted.” I steeled at what she was saying. “He told me everything. The struggles you both had.”
She crossed her arms and gazed out the window. “Grayson is good at keeping things. Just like how he kept his sisters drug problems out of the media.” She turned toward me. “Could you imagine what would happen if everyone knew his sister is an addict? An addict that got her kids taken away from her, because she wasn’t fit to be a parent. She wasn’t stable enough to love her children, but had plenty of love for heroin.” My eyes narrowed. How the hell did she know all of that? “Goodness, can you imagine what her kids would think if their own mother didn’t love them?”
“Why can’t you just leave us alone? You and I both know you’re lying. If this is about money, just name your price and get the hell out of our lives.”
She sighed as if she didn’t care one bit of what I had to say. “Emmalin, you of all people should know what it’s like to be at the hands of an abuser, wouldn’t you say?” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
I felt the blood drain from my face. None of this was things she could’ve known. I kept my expression blank.
“He loves me, you know? He told me he did, and I love him.”
I rolled my eyes. “Your two minutes are up, you can go now.”
She nodded as she went for the door, but paused as she unbuttoned her coat and turned to face me. I froze. My mouth was dry.
“We will be a family. Feel free to request a paternity test,” she said while caressing her belly. Her belly that was clearly protruding. “But once this proves this is his baby, it’s all over for you. Then you’ll believe me.” With those last words, she turned and left, and I just stood there. She was pregnant. She was fucking pregnant.
A few seconds later my door opened again and Chace entered, followed by security. “Emmalin? You dialed security.” The guards with Chace started looking around the room, checking closets, and any other crevice. Seemingly satisfied, they gave Chace a nod. “What was she doing on this floor?” He began to shout at the guards. “There is no fucking reason for her to be on this floor.”
“I’m sorry, sir, she must’ve obtained access from someone else’s card. Chace walked up to them, seething. “Then have a fucking security guard follow her. Do you realize if Mr. Mandrake knew that woman was within ten feet of his wife, he would have your head? Do you?!”
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Chace pissed. Whenever he was pissed, he was always quite calm about it. After exchanging a few more words, the guard left, and Chace finally turned to me. He stared at me with a look of questioning on his face. I didn’t have the strength to say anything. I just got my stuff and left.
I drove in a complete fog. I just mindlessly drove, not even knowing where I was going. Chace drove close behind me, following me all around the city. I ignored Grayson’s calls that started to become repetitive. It was almost midnight when I finally pulled into the garage. Even then, I just sat there.
My door opened. Grayson stood there looking concerned as he reached over me, unbuckled my seatbelt, and guided me out the car. “Where the hell have you been? GPS had you all over the city. You should’ve been home hours ago.”
He continued his lecture as the elevator brought us to our condo.
“Emmalin! I’m talking to you!”
I walked over to the bar and made myself a drink. Bourbon. I hated bourbon. I swallowed it quickly and poured another. I was just about to take the shot when Grayson took it out of my hand. “What’s going on, Emmalin?”
“She knows things.”
He studied me. “Who?”
“Her!” I refused to say her name. “She knows things she shouldn’t know Grayson, how is that so?”
He frowned and reached for me, but I moved away from him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Emmalin.”
“She knows about your sister and her history. She knows that Abby and Noah were taken away because she lost parental rights.” I took a deep breath, feeling anxiety starting to set in. “She knows how I can probably never give you more children.” I shut my eyes to prepare myself for the next words out of my mouth. “She’s…she’s pregnant.”
Grayson’s eyes grew wide. He didn’t wait for me to finish as he dialed his lawyers on the phone, screaming at them to come over. He was still yelling at them as he pushed the button for them to come up.
I shut my eyes. “Just tell me. Please Grayson, just tell me. Tell me you didn’t have sex with her.” I started tearing up. “Tell me, please. Tell me that’s not your baby…” my voice cracked at the last part. “Think Grayson. You said you don’t remember much after you went to her room, but think Grayson…think. Could you have done it?”
His eyes shot to mine. “Emmalin, I already told you-”
We were interrupted as Francisco and Syed walked in. “They’re going to hold a press conference. This information just came over an hour ago.” Francisco sat as he pulled out his laptop, and after a few keystrokes, he showed Grayson the screen.
“What are we looking at?”
Francisco gave a grim expression. “They’re spotlighting your family. Your sister’s drug
use and the children being removed from their home. They’re going to paint her as a drug addict and unfit mother.”
“That’s fucking ludicrous and you know it. That information was sealed, so how the fuck did they get it?”
Francisco sighed. “With enough money, anyone can be persuaded.” He turned back to his screen. “Your um…” he glanced up at me before speaking. “Your sexual history and tendencies will in fact confirm the abuse.” He typed on the screen again. “They want an investigation into why Mrs. Mandrake was close to the person who murdered her stepfather.”
Everything became white noise as I tuned everyone out. I thought back to when I saw Claudia earlier. She was caressing her baby bump. She was a psycho stalker who wanted one thing in trade for everything else.
“I want a paternity test. Now!”
I jumped at Grayson’s voice. He turned to me. “I will do whatever it takes to prove that baby isn’t mine and that I did not have sex with her!” I slowly nodded. He turned to Francisco. “I want it done. Now. I’m done with this fucking game. Arrange it and have the results rushed.” He nodded pulling out his phone.
“I’ll call her lawyer and have everything set up.” They all left, and Grayson took a few deep breaths to calm himself. He finally came over to me, grasping the sides of my face in both hands. “We’ll prove it. I swear to you, we will prove it.”
I nodded so he knew I believed him. I nodded to tell myself to believe him.
21
Emmalin
Three weeks. It’s been three weeks since Grayson submitted his DNA for a paternity test. I don’t even want to know the amount of money he paid to have it rushed. The results were supposed to be back a few days ago, but they weren’t.
We had to first explore what options were available to do a paternity test for a baby that wasn’t even born yet, without causing any harm to the baby. Based on how far along Claudia was, the only choice was the Chorionic Villus Sampling, and even then, we had to get special permission.
We had hoped Claudia would fight the paternity test. That right there would give us cause that she was lying. But, surprise surprise, she was “happy to do it.” The best part was when she requested Grayson to go in with her.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me?”
Claudia stood there, hands on her belly. “Grayson, this is your baby too, I need you in there for support. It’s bad enough you’re trying to deny our child.”
“Because it’s not mine,” Grayson said through gritted teeth.
They stared at each other for a few seconds, until she finally said “I’m not going in there unless you’re with me.”
“Then we’ll get a court order.”
Claudia laughed. “That’ll take a few days and you know it. We can do it now or wait. Your call. You’re the one who wants this.”
She stood there playing with her nails and smoothing her hair down. Grayson turned to me, looking conflicted. “Just go,” I whispered to him. He shut his eyes looking pained before crashing his lips to mine. “I love you. I fucking love you,” he whispered then got up and walked behind Claudia.
So, there I was. Just a person waiting in a waiting room, while her husband was standing next to another woman who claimed he was the father of her baby. How did I feel? I was wrecked. I felt like an outsider in my own marriage. It wasn’t just the two of us anymore.
A week later, Claudia had a doctor’s appointment. She again demanded Grayson to be in the room with her. After arguing back and forth, Grayson finally decided he would go. When the day came, Grayson was running late, so I arrived at the doctor’s office first. I was still in the waiting room when Claudia strolled in. She looked me up and down.
“Where’s Grayson?”
I cleared my throat. “He’s running late.” She scowled. “But he’ll be here soon.”
She rolled her eyes, “Well I guess I will wait then, now won’t I?” She strolled over to a seat and sat. After a few seconds, I turned to face her.
“I brought these,” I pulled out the books in my bag. “They’re pregnancy books. A friend gave them to me, when I was pregnant, and I thought maybe...”
“No thanks.” She cut me off.
I glanced at the books in my hand. “I just thought maybe you would like...”
“I said no. Is that hard for you to understand? Do I need to say it in a different language for you to get it?” she sneered.
I faced forward and put them back in my bag. My phone chirped with an incoming text. It was Grayson letting me know he was parking.
“He’ll be up any minute,” I muttered.
Claudia smirked and turned to me. “Tell me, does it hurt?” I was confused by her question, but before I could ask, she kept going.
“Does it hurt? Do you wish this was your baby? Do you wish it was you who was pregnant instead of me? I bet this whole thing kills you, doesn’t it?”
I was taken aback by her words. Just then, Grayson came in and walked immediately over to me. Claudia stood up. “Well it’s about time!” She started for the door. Grayson took my hand in his as we followed Claudia to the room.
“Not her.” Claudia sneered. “It’s not her baby, it’s ours. We need to do this together.” Before I could object, she had turned and walked into the room. I looked to Grayson and gave him a smile. “It’s okay, I’ll be out here.”
I returned to the same waiting room I was just at not too long ago, where I once again sat and counted the tile. I once again counted the little spots in the tile that were supposed to make it decorative. I then googled “how to make tile”. You know, just in case I ever found myself in a situation to make some. I also made a mental note to slap the shit of Claudia the moment after that demon spawn was born.
* * *
Hours later, after we had gone to bed, I slipped out from under him and tiptoed out of the room. I first checked on Emersyn and wandered around the condo before finally finding myself in the library. I grabbed my favorite book off the shelf and went to the window seat. I didn’t read it. I just needed something to hold while I cried. I did this every night. I smiled during the day and cried at night. This was the only way I could keep myself together. Would it be fair for me to not want to have any part of this kid’s life?
I thought about everything. How we could get through this? I thought about Claudia and her growing belly. I thought about how mine wasn’t even close. She was going to give him what he wanted. But I couldn’t. It’s funny how right she was about how it hurts.
To say things were strained between us was an understatement. We tried, we both did. But it was hard with the big elephant in the room.
“Syed and Francisco just arrived. They’re in.”
I peered up at Grayson and slowly got up. He gave me a smile. The first real smile in weeks. He took my hand, as he led us to his office. “It’ll be over soon. I promise.” He squeezed my hand as we waited for Syed and Francisco to come in. The envelopes he held in his hand were sealed. We had the results sent to three different labs to ensure everything was the same.
The lawyers sat down and held up the envelopes. “This is it, guys.”
He smiled as he opened the first envelope, pulling out the paperwork and he cleared his throat. “Based on testing results obtained from analysis of DNA loci listed, the probability of paternity…” He paused. He fucking paused and the smile he held slowly dissipated. He cleared his throat again. “The probability of paternity is 99.99998%.”
He quickly opened the second envelope and scanned it until he got to the part he needed. “The probability of paternity is 99.99998%.’”
He reached for the third one, and I raised my hand. “Stop. Please, just stop,” I whispered out. A tear fell on my hand, and that’s when I realized I was crying.
Grayson stood up and began yelling. He demanded the tests be redone. He grabbed the third envelope and opened it to see the results. He didn’t even have to read it out loud. He took the glass paperweight off his desk and threw it acros
s the room where it shattered into thousands of pieces. Much like my soul. Much like us.
This is what she wanted. She wanted Grayson, but he didn’t want her. But now, he would be tied to her for the rest of his life.
I looked up at Grayson yelling. This had to stop. I could stop it. I took a deep breath as I pulled the tears back.
“Do it.”
Everyone turned to me. Grayson was the first to speak. “What?”
“I said do it. Give her what she wants.”
Grayson smirked. “What she wants is to tear us apart.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do.”
If Grayson could blow smoke through his nose, he would have. “Have you lost your fucking mind?”
Francisco and Syed took that moment to excuse themselves.
“I’ve never been clearer.”
He held up his hand. “We will figure a way around this.”
“How?! After she’s dragged not only you but your entire family thru the mud? That’s her intentions, right? What happens when the talking makes its way to Abby and Noah? Can you imagine what people would say to them? And your company. You’ve built that company from the ground up. Investors will pull out, and everything will be gone. And now a baby…”
Grayson stepped forward. “We will find a-”
“How?!” I interrupted him again. “There is no other choice, Grayson!” I paused. “And you know it, too, I know you do. We can go around and round on this and for what? Aren’t you tired, Grayson? Because, I am.”
“Emmalin,” his voice came out pained.
“It’s over,” I whispered.
He took a half step back, his shoulders slumped and he shut his eyes. My hands wiped my tears away. This was pointless. It was all pointless. It was pretty evident that this was the only way to end this, to protect everyone.
