Michael

I was awakened by my cell phone ringing repeatedly. Angela slept peacefully, I smiled looking at her wrapped in the comforter getting, what looked like, the best sleep of her life. I slowly and carefully pulled my arm from underneath her head; she mewed a soft moan as she stirred a bit in the bed once I left her side. I grabbed my phone to see it was Mr. Worthington calling. I quickly stepped to the bathroom and closed the door.

"Hello Mr. Worthington, how can I help you?"

"Michael, I'm sorry to call you so early, did I wake you?" he asked. I looked at the time - 5:30 AM. Did he really think I wasn't sleeping at this time?

"I was up, how can I help?" I lied. I just wanted to know why he was calling.

"I need you to follow Mari." He blurted.

"Follow, Sir?"

"Yes, I want to make sure the money I am paying for to attend the classes are real classes. I have some suspicions and I need some proof." Mr. Worthington was onto something and he was not about to let it go until he had his answers.

"Understood. I will let you know when I have something." I answered.

"Perfect. I believe she has a class later today, if I'm certain. It's supposed to be in the city. Maybe you could drive her."

"If I can say, Sir, I believe that would be a bit suspicious if all of a sudden I am driving her to school."

"I see. You're right." I agreed. "What do you suggest?"

"I will make the arrangements. No need to worry, I will handle it." I said confidently.

"Good. I'm sure you can handle it. I'll wait until I hear from you."

"Understood." I disconnected and looked at the phone. My schedule for the day was booked and yet I didn't want to leave Angela's side.

Angela confessed she wanted to be with me and she wanted a divorce from her husband. I wish I could take her away from everything, but I wouldn't be able to give her the lifestyle that she has been accustomed to for a good portion of her life. I couldn't allow her to leave that marriage without some type of compensation, she deserved it just because she had to deal with him.

I decided to take a shower in order to get ready for the day; I would have asked Angela to join me, but I know I wouldn't get anything accomplished today if I did. I wondered what Mr. Worthington was thinking about and how Mari was involved in the matter. He doesn't realize that he is actually pushing her way more and more every day. On my way out of the hotel, I stopped by the concierge and requested breakfast for Angela along with 12 long stem roses to be delivered to her room. I had already left a note in the room for her, which she should see just before her breakfast is delivered.

It wasn't until late afternoon, when Mari left for her class. I was already outside waiting for her to leave, she wasn't aware that I was waiting in the midst of the darkness. She called for a ride and I followed shortly after she left. She looked as if she was preoccupied therefore she was totally distracted. I followed them all the way to the city, keeping a good distance so as not to draw attention to myself. It wasn't until they whizzed past the school when I realized Mr. Worthington may have been correct in his thinking. There was no class she was attending, in fact she had the driver drop her off at an office building.

I parked down the street and waited in the car for about two hours for Mari to reappear again. As she was standing outside looking at her phone and waiting for her ride to arrive, I walked up beside her. She turned to look at me and gave me a frightened expression, I was the last person she would've thought to have seen.

"Michael!" Mari yelled and jumped. "What the fuck?!"

"Mari." I turned and looked at her.

"What are you doing here?" She stuttered. She was nervously looking at me. "Is Father here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing." I answered, Mari looked defeated. "No, but your Father had suspicions and sent me to confirm them."

"Oh shit!" her eyes bulged.

"I suggest you cancel your ride and come with me. We need to talk."

"Are you going to tell Father?"

"Tell him what?"

"About not going to class?"

"No. However, we need to talk in order for you to tell me why you're lying about class along with other things."

"Understood." She canceled her ride as she followed me to my car.

§

We drove to FireLake Grill House for a bite to eat and conversation. Mari looked nervous as we waited for our food to be prepared. I'm sure she was wondering if I was going to tell her Father about her not going to class, my concern was why she was lying. Mari wouldn't look me directly in the eye, which I got the impression she was guilty of something, but what?

Our food arrived and I figured she would start immediately therefore I took the opportunity to start the conversation. I needed to know why she wasn't where she was supposed to be.

"So Mari, why did you tell your Father that you were going to classes?" I asked.

"I already know how this is going to play out so let's save us some embarrassment. I'll answer your questions as long as you answer mine - truthfully. Deal?" She said, taking a sip of her drink.

"Truthfully? You as well?" I asked.

"Yes, I will if you will." She held out her hand to shake on the agreement.

"Deal." I shook her hand and smiled. She was smart and with her being the youngest, she has time to learn the game.

"Good. Question 1," Mari started.

"You didn't answer my question yet." I interrupted. She looked at me and smiled.

"I told Father I was taking classes so I could have a reason to leave the house." She answered.

"And what you're doing, your Father wouldn't approve of?"

"Most definitely."

"I see. Why were you at the office building?"

"Nuh-uh, my turn. Are you sleeping with my Mother?" Mari blurted. I looked at her while she examined my face for a lie.

"Yes." I answered honestly. Her eyebrows raised and her mouth dropped open. She asked, I answered.

"Well at least you're honest." She quipped. "Treat her well, she deserves it."

"I plan on it." She looked at me, smiled and nodded in agreement.

"So, why were you at the building?" Her smile dropped instantly.

"If I tell you, will you promise not to tell Father?"

"Why would I? I'm fucking his wife, remember?" I said bluntly. She smirked and smiled.

"You got a point. Well I'm going there to upload my chapters for my online book."

"Your online book? Not The Prominent Doctor?" I changed my tone.

"Yes. I have several. But this one has gained a lot of attention." She sat up and scrolled through her phone, showing me the various books she's published.

"So your Father was correct." She looked at me and hesitated. She wasn't sure if she could trust me. "You have my word, I will not make it known."

"Unfortunately he was."

"The family in the story is very similar to yours."

"Yes, it's intentional."

'Understood. Do you plan on adding anything pertaining to your Mother?" I wondered if Angela and I would end up in the story which would raise a few more suspicions for Mr. Worthington.

"No, the wife will have a significant other, but he won't be named nor will the relationship be revealed until after everything has taken place." She said as she took a  fry from her plate. She had thought out the storyline well.

"Understood." I smiled as she had all of her bases covered for now. "Well just be prepared if your Father is thinking about you actually participating in your classes, just be aware he may be thinking of how to connect you with the author."

"I figured that much, I learned from the last time. Besides, what exactly are you going to tell him about my classes?" She asked.

"I planned on telling him that your teacher offered you an assistant position because of your talent and would like to add an extra day during the week." I said. Mari's face lit up as she sat back and crossed her legs and her arms in front of her.

"I knew I liked you." She said chomping on another fry. "So, is my mother getting a divorce?"

"No."

"No? Why not?" she asked, sitting up and grabbing her burger.

She was optimistic, but she hadn't had to deal with the harshness of life. She's had her life given to her and that's all she knows. Her sister, Vicki, understood. She took that leap knowing she didn't know how she was going to land. I've always admired her about that, now little sister, Mari, needs to learn how to fly.

"Do you honestly think your Father would give your Mother any kind of financial assistance if she were to do so?" I asked. I took a bite of my burger and stuffed a couple of fries in directly after.

"Probably not. And you would lose your job. So I take it you have a plan, correct?"

"Yes." She smiled. I took another bite and a sip of my drink. I didn't want to offer too much information.

"Do you love my Mother?" Mari asked. She cared for her mother, and wanted to make sure she was happy and well taken care of the way she deserved to be.

"I care for Angela, very much." I answered. She smiled and tilted her head.

"Good." She nodded in approval. "Take care of her."

"Why do you want to destroy your Father?" I wiped my mouth and took another bite.

"You work with him, you see how he is. Do I need to explain?" Mari shrugged.

"No, unfortunately not. But do you understand it would be more of an embarrassment than anything?"

"Yes, I am aware. Father is all about his image. Image is everything to him. I just want to expose to those who he does business with, of the type of person who he truly is.

I understood her hatred, but it also put me in a bad position. I needed a recommendation and if she destroys his character, that recommendation would be worthless. I would have to start over, or make connections with his colleagues before she threw her Father to the wolves.

"And do you have a timetable on when you are planning to do this?" I asked, trying to gauge my own plans.

"No, not yet. I haven't found anything that intriguing aside from the occasional mistress." Mari sounded disappointed that she couldn't go in for the kill.

"He's been careful until now." I added. "

"True, I'm just waiting for the other shoe to fall and when it does, I'll let you know.

"Well I'm sure in due time it will come to you. When you do find whatever you are looking for, could you give me a heads up before you set your plan in motion?" I asked.

"Sure, why?"

"You have your plans, I have mine."