Michael's P.O.V

I was back in my hotel room, pacing. With each step I got more and more furious.

I couldn't believe that I had been messed with again, first with Diana Ross and now Maria.
Was I destined to be alone for the rest of my life?

At least Diana had the decency to be straight up with me, this girl had just caught me in a web of lies. Thank goodness I had found out before I slipped that ring on her finger.

The ring. I stopped in my tracks and shoved my hands in my pockets, yanking out the tiny box.
I opened it slowly and held up the golden band, watching it glitter as the tiny diamonds caught the light.

It was all I had left.

Suddenly a drop of water splashed onto the lid of the box. I refused to cry. I was so weak, no wonder Maria wasn't interested in me, I couldn't protect her, I couldn't even protect myself.

"Mike,are you okay?" I swivelled in the direction of the voice, it was Matt.

"Sure I'm okay, why wouldn't I be?" He watched as I tossed the ring case onto the bed, it bounced and fell the other side.

Good, at least I didn't have to look at it anymore.

"Well maybe because you just broke up with your girl"
"Matt, she wasn't my girl, and she never will be and you know, I don't mind at all, she's better off without me, and I her"

Matt entered the room and closed the door, shaking his head.

"Michael, you must take me for being an imbecile because I know you're lying. Why would you go to all that trouble to see this girl if she meant nothing to you? And anyway she needs you too Mike, she wants to talk, she's beside herself and we've tried to make her see sense but she said she'll go through with it if you don't make up "

"Well I don't have the time to 'talk' right now, I have a press conference to attend- wait, what do you mean by 'we'?"

"I mean me and Roxanne"

"YOU WERE IN ON THIS?! OH MY GOD YOU KNEW DIDN'T YOU? YOU KNEW ALL ALONG AND YOU WERE JUST LOVING EVERY SECOND OF IT, ME BEING IN THE DARK WHILE YOU AND THAT GIRL WERE CONSPIRING AGAINST ME!"

He looked taken aback.

"Wait no, that's not it, Mike you got it wrong, see me and Roxanne, we were trying to protect you, and Maria, see she loves you a-and she knew you were in trouble so she put you and her on the line so me and her friend could stop it from happening. But it was too late and we didn't get there in time. You had left before we could explain. This morning, it was all an act, she had to go along with it or something was going to happen that would have ruined your career and potentially your life"

I didn't understand what he meant, but he had confirmed one thing, Maria was lying to me the whole time and no doubt it was just so she could get with me and have what she wanted. And to think I was stupid enough to fall for it, fooling myself as I fell for her.

"Yeah I know full well it was an act Matt, she lied to me from the start, she was gonna marry me but all the while she was with Craig. And I don't believe you, why should I trust you when you've been with that Maria and her friend behind my back? When Maria was lying to me? I knew she was hiding something, so are you gonna tell me or not?"

"Michael, I don't know, and neither does she, she doesn't remember. Anyway this is all irrelevant, you have to just convince her not to go down to the surgery today"

"She doesn't remember huh? How convenient. And I don't have to do anything for her, this is her mess, and I won't stick around to pick up the pieces, I was in too deep and I put myself at risk just like you said so maybe I should take your original advice and get my priorities straight. I have an engagement and I can't be late, this crap has gone on for far too long already"

I pushed him aside as I stormed out of the hotel room, and made my way to the conference.

As I travelled there I realised it was time for a change. I wasn't going to be pushed around anymore or dragged along by people. I thought I was independent but I still had people telling me what I should do, my father was still my boss. That had to finish. I needed to cut my ties from all of them.

Sure, I'd finish the tour, but I wasn't going to be with my brothers no more. I needed a new look, a new identity so everybody knew that I was Michael Jackson and I was not just a family product who wouldn't last.
If I was going to make it in this business, I would have to do it alone. No more distractions, no matter how beautiful or tempting or perfect... No more Maria...

I shook myself. The only thing I was going to be married to now was my work, and my fans. That was all I could trust.

Maria's P.O.V

I sat alone, slumped on the floor with my back against the sofa, watching the empty desk on the TV.

Roxanne had left with the police to give a statement about Jed and Matt had gone after Michael, although I still think it should have been me instead, maybe he would understand if it came from me.

But Matt insisted that he wouldn't have been in any state to talk to me and he didn't want me under anymore stress in my current condition.

Matt had said he was going to explain everything to him, I had a small hope that Michael would realise that the story didn't quite add up.

This conference was supposed to be the start of me and him, maybe he would see sense and carry on as normal and tell the crowd the truth, that me and him loved each other. Then he'd come back and he'd take me with him on the rest of his tour.
I could imagine the ring on my finger, waving to the cheering crowd and showing everybody, including Craig, that we were unbreakable.

My heart fluttered at the thought.

And as for this pregnancy, well it wouldn't be a problem for much longer. I had to remove Craig's poison from my life, there was no way I could look into that child's eyes and see his staring back at me every day for the rest of my life. It was better for everyone this way, and if I didn't have this child then Michael would know that I had no intention of being with Craig, that it was all lies. I had to take control of my life, I had to make a change.

My eyes flicked to the screen as I caught cameras flashing. Michael Jackson had entered the building and took his seat with his brothers and his father at the far end.

It was quite clear that they didn't really gel, it made me feel guilty as I thought about how close me and my father were, well until he insisted I was an alcoholic. My parents never really spoke to me since then.

But I wasn't an alcoholic. Admittedly I had an episode where I was depressed about being away from home and so going out to parties and letting my hair down seemed to help, but that didn't mean I had a problem with drinking did it?

Since then I just had the odd glass of wine to calm my nerves. But surely everybody did that? I mean Michael even had a drink when he was upset so why should it matter that I just was upset more often than him so just drank a little more often?

While I had been deep in thought Michael had begun talking to the several interviewers all cutting each other up to get their questions in, it was a wonder how he could even fathom what the questions were.

"...and so I will be continuing with my brothers tonight as a last concert before we move on back to the States."

"Mr Jackson, we all would like to know what your current relationship status is, could you finally tell us what's going on with you and the Maria Rose? Are you an item?"

My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. He had paused before he responded.

"There has been no intimacy between Miss Rose and myself, we were simply just good friends who shared a love for the sick children of the world."

My heart dropped, but it didn't mean it was over, perhaps he was covering for us so then we wouldn't be hassled.

"You are speaking very much in the past tense Mr Jackson, So are we correct in saying that there is no intention of carrying on this affair?"

"There is no affair to continue. As my tour moves on I will endeavour to carry on with the focus of my work, including new developments for my next album."

"A new album, well this is a turn for the books! Could you tell us more?"

"Not at this stage, I would very much prefer to keep it under wraps for now, but rest assured there is more to come"

"Thank you very much for your time Mr Jackson"

"Not at all, thank you. I would also like to say a big thank you to all my fans around the globe, I love you very much"

The noise of the crowd was wild as the interviewer attempted to wrap up the conference:

"We look forward to see Michael Jackson and his fabulous brothers later tonight for his final concert in Englan-"

The TV faded to black as I hit the button hard. So that was it. We were officially over before we even began.

I got off the floor and left the house that wasn't my home and headed to the hospital again. I had one thing I needed to do before I could let him leave, and I prayed it would make him stay.

*

Hey guys, I would like to express my deepest apologies for not updating for 2 MONTHS! I know it's ridiculous! But I am back now and I hope to update on a weekly basis as a minimum from now on, thank you to all of those that have voted and commented on my story, I love it when I receive your notifications!
I hope you enjoy my update and trust me, I have quite a few ideas up my sleeve that I can't wait to share with you all!
I'm excited about Michael's "new identity" I hope you will be too!
And remember, it's all for L.O.V.E ♥