Angela

After witnessing Bryan's downfall, I wanted to focus on something more positive. Michael was doing well with his business as well as the bedroom. He told me he wanted to push my limits and test my pain threshold, so I can honestly say I was looking forward to the weekend being here. In the meantime, I wanted to invite the family over for a nice dinner and to celebrate Vicki's engagement. I was in the process of finalizing the menu when Michael walked in.

"Hello Beautiful," He said as he came over to me, embracing me in his arms and planting a warm kiss upon my forehead. I swear he drinks me in when he wraps his arms around me. "I missed you this morning."

"Morning handsome. You were sleeping so well, I didn't want to wake you. I got up and did my yoga on the patio watching the sunrise and I am in the process of having an engagement party for Vicki and Jacobi."

"Mmm, nice." He patted me on my ass and walked to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water. "You might want to talk to Mari before you plan anything, I think she has some plans for the family today."

"Today? Really? Let me call her." I picked up my phone, it read 9:15 am. I figured she would be up, if not she needed to be.

Mari answered as if she had been awake for a while. "Hey Mother, wassup?"

"You sound bright eyed and bushy tailed, this morning."

"Yeah well, I didn't expect the movers to come this soon and I wasn't prepared."

"Oh ok, that explains a lot. You have a lot of adrenaline going. Oh, Michael tells me that you were planning something today with the family?" I asked, the phone jumbled as she moved around frequently. I overheard her directing the movers of the placement of furniture.

"Yeah, Bryan David and I wanted to tell you something today, but I hadn't called everyone yet so it's not set in stone, why wassup?"

"I wanted to have a surprise engagement party for Vicki and Jacobi tonight. Can you get a list of attendees together for me?"

"Sure, that would be great! I'll get on it right away. I'll tell her that I want to have a housewarming party and get a list of people to invite. I know practically all of her friends. This will be easy. What time is dinner?"

"Tell her at 8 pm, that way she will be nice and hungry, and it will give every one time to arrive."

"Great! I'm on it! " Mari said and disconnected.

Michael was making breakfast in the kitchen and had prepared a Mimosa for me to drink while he finished. He was always so thoughtful, he amazes me every day.

"Well, Mari will take care of the guest list and I have already called the decorators and the caterers."

"I'm sure they will love it." He smiled as he turned off the stove and prepared the plates. I was very lucky to find this feeling again, however I shocked myself by it being with a much younger man. But age is just a number, it's about the mentality of the individuals involved.

Michael placed a plate filled with scrambled eggs with cheese, crisp, oven baked bacon, pan fried potatoes and onions, biscuits with butter in front of me, along with a bowl full of grits and a plate with avocado, strawberries and grapes on the side. He knew how to pamper a woman - a man that cooks as well as he fucks is a winner in my book.

"So are you inviting everyone?" Michael asked as he took a bite of his bacon.

"Yes, everyone except that asshole that lives up front." I twisted my face thinking about him. Michael laughed and took another bite of food.

"I'm sure he'll be wondering what is all the commotion going on with everyone driving past the house."

"Yeah I'm sure he will be wondering. I can bet you that he would probably bring his nosey ass back here to find out too."

"Oh you know he will. He's not going to miss out on anything, if he can help it. Even if he isn't well liked, he craves that attention. And the more attention you get the more attention he is not receiving."

"Exactly. I don't know how you worked with him as long as you did." I smiled at him while taking a sip of my drink.

"You were the reason I stayed." He blurted, making my heart skip a beat. "Well you and networking connections, but you made working for him bearable, because I got to see your beautiful face, every single day." He held my hand and my heart fluttered.

"Oh Michael, I never knew." I covered my mouth in astonishment.

"I know, it wasn't until that one fateful day in which the opportunity presented itself and I took it."

"Yes you did and you've had me ever since." I admitted. "I love you, Michael." I confessed. Michael scooted closer to me, placing a small kiss on my lips.

I closed my eyes as he leaned his forehead against mine. "I love you too, Angela. I have for quite some time. But this feels so right."

"It is, baby. It is." I finally found what real love feels like and I'm enjoying it to the fullest.

§

Mari

With the early arrival of my furniture, I didn't have time to reach out to everyone for us to meet up. However, Mother made the opportunity to do so, so much better. She wanted to have a surprise engagement dinner for Vicki - giving me the perfect opportunity to reach out to everyone to invite them to the lake house to celebrate. I called out to Bryan David first to let him know plans had changed just a bit.

"We could still stop by the house afterwards. But to be honest, as nosey as he is, I would not be surprised if he showed up at the house. He doesn't like not being the center of attention."

"Interesting. We'll play it by ear, I don't want to ruin Vicki's engagement party."

"I feel you, but we can talk more when I see you. I'm thinking about letting out a secret as well." I smiled. It was time for me to come forth and reveal that I was in fact, Ericka Davey.

"This will be one interesting evening." He chuckled.

"I should say so." It would be nice to have the family together, I thought. I wondered if Bryan David's mother would come as well. "Bryan David, would your Mother come as well? I would love to meet her."

"Would your Mother be alright with her coming?" He asked. I'm sure Mother wouldn't mind her tagging along.

"I'm sure Mother wouldn't mind, but I'll call her to give her a heads up."

"Good, let me know. What time is the dinner supposed to start?"

"8 pm, but Mother wants everyone there ahead of time to surprise Vicki."

"Ok, good. I'll be ready. See you then." Bryan David hung up.

As the deliveries kept coming, I gave the guy in charge placement of all the items, giving me a short window to create an e-invitation to tonight's dinner, letting everyone know it's a surprise engagement party. Shortly after I sent the invitation, almost everyone accepted and agreed they would come.

I smiled as I texted Mother to see if it would be appropriate to have Bryan David's Mother present as well. She responded just as I thought she would, 'the more the merrier', she always said. Mother stated she wanted to meet her because was sure Bryan David's Mother was kept in the dark about her as well. I think they would have a lot to talk about to be honest and I think it would be healthy for them both to have some kind of friendship, for those who had to deal with the wrath of Father.

The two people I needed to call were Vicki and Jacobi. I decided to just give them a visit since I lived in the same building. I let myself in as I still had the extra key Vicki gave me when I stayed over. Vicki was in the kitchen when I entered and Jacobi was on the couch, puffing on a nice, fat blunt. The aroma of ganja filled the room as I walked in and plopped down on the couch next to him.

"Hey Mari, you wanna hit this?" He held up the blunt, the smoke circling in the air.

"Nah, I'm good. I need to focus, I got movers in my place."

"Hey Mari, what are you doing here?" Vicki came out of the kitchen drying her hand from finishing up the dishes.

"Mother wants us to come to her house for dinner tonight."

"Oh ok, cool. So are we gonna be that type of family now that has family dinners?" She asked, taking the blunt from Jacobi.

"Seems like it. It might be fun. I mean, I wouldn't want to have them with Father, I don't mind with Mother and Michael."

"Yeah, that could be a good thing. I'm sure it will make you guys closer as a family as well." Jacobi chimed in.

"You would be there too, remember, family?" Vicki said holding up her ring finger reminding him that he was now going to be part of the 'family'. He smiled and winked at her.

"What time?"

"8 pm."

"Bet. Should we bring anything?"

"I'm bringing my wine and weed." Vicki blurted.

"Well alrighty then." I chuckled.

§

Bryan

It was rather quiet in the mansion now that Mari and Angela have left. It seemed darker at night when I walked through the mansion as certain rooms, normally occupied by either Mari, Angela or Michael were now quiet and empty. Darkness filled the rooms replicating the night sky. I was in the living room when I noticed headlights repeatedly passing across the windows, yet no one had stopped by the house. I assumed they were coming in for Angela as they randomly drove down the path leading to Randall's home or the lake house. I stood at the window, watching truck after truck drive down the path: Caterers, Party Decor trucks and various vehicles that I didn't recognize.

What in the hell was going on? Was Angela having a party without inviting me?

Not on my property! How could she have the audacity to have a gathering and expect me not to attend? I knew she was upset with me, Michael was living with her now and I didn't want to see the both of them together. I couldn't believe they were sleeping with each other behind my back. How ungrateful she was and disloyal Michael is. I trusted him with everything and this is how he repaid me - by fucking my wife.

It made me think about what I had confided in him and if he was being honest with me the entire time. This situation just changes everything. I wondered if he knew about Randall and Marianna or if he knew about Randall being gay. I rubbed my head at the thought, still looking out the window when a huge coach bus with darkened windows drove down the pathway.

What the fuck is going on? What was Angela doing? Why did she need caterers?

"Spencer!" I yelled for my new assistant. He's not Michael, I don't think I'll ever find someone like him again.

"Yes Sir?" He said entering the living room.

"Could you please call out to the guard house and find out why there is so much activity on the property?"

"Yes sir." He dialed immediately out to the guard house to check on who was coming onto the property and why.

I stood at the window, watching vehicle after vehicle drive pass the mansion and down pathway. The more people arrived, the angrier I would get. I needed to get to the bottom of what was going on.

"Mr. Worthington?" Spencer calling my name jolted me out of my thoughts.

"Yes?" I turned and looked at him.

"It seems as though Mrs. Worthington is having an engagement dinner party, Sir."

My ears wiggled.

An engagement dinner party?

"Excuse me?" I didn't hear correctly.

"The guard said Mrs. Worthington informed them she would be having an engagement dinner party tonight." Anger instantly crawled on my shoulders and stood up.

"IS SHE TRYING TO GET MARRIED ON ME!!! WE'RE STILL MARRIED!!" I screamed.

"I...I....I....don't know Sir." Spencer stammered, as started pacing, watching car after car roll by.

"Get my car, I'm going down there!"

I needed to get to the bottom of this!