"Are you sure we should not come? Carl and I can leave today and return home-"

"Your father does not want you both returning home Paulina. We have spoken to him and he refuses for you both to come home." Mother tells me.

"How am I to-I can't believe she would do that to father after everything he has done for her." I say looking to Carl who stood in front of me, with his arms folded. He was as angry as I when I told him what mother said Amanda did to father.

"She claims that he loves her, that's why he has been treating her so nicely. That the only reason he kept her with him at the company despite everything was because of that. That he was always so sweet to her, and always looked at her with love eyes—it's ludicrous I tell you!" Mother exclaims in anger.
"The woman took your father's kindness and made it into something else! This time she is way more than fired, she is going to jail!" She exclaims in anger.

"What would have happened if Henry had not arrived at the time in which he did to speak to your father?" A heaviness weighs on my shoulder at the thought of the answer to that question.

"What if this causes something psychological with your father Paulina? What if he's never able to function normally again?" The air runs cold, tears coming to my eyes. Carl comes to hug my side and I bury my face into his chest beginning to cry.

"We're coming home."

"Paulina-"

"No mom. I won't be able to rest. We can always come back another time." She sighs, but agrees.

"I won't tell you father that you coming."

"Okay. We'll see you guys soon." She hums, and I hang up the phone.

"I know we-" Carl shakes his head, cupping my cheeks.

"I was going to tell you we should still go either way. As you said, we can always come back later." I sadly nod, as more tears start falling from my eyes.

"She assaulted my father." I softly cry. He wraps his arms around me, soothingly rubbing my back to comfort me.

"We'll make sure he's okay love."

——
Tabatha Kingston

"I told you not to let them come home!" Gregory shouts at us, after overhearing Robert's and I conversation about Carl and Paulina.

"Gregory you should not be here in the living room, Dr. Edna has placed you on bed rest." Robert says walking over to the stubborn man, trying to lead him back out the room but he pulls his arm from him, pushing him away.

"Stop treating me like I am fragile!"

"I'm not treating you like you are fragile Gregory, I am simply following Dr. Edna's instructions."

"Well I am fine." He walks over to the single chair, sitting down.
"Marsha!" I look at Robert, a shared look of understanding passing between us.

Dr. Edna had told us to expect this.

"Yes Mr. Kingston." The older woman enters the room.

"Bring me a bottle of our strongest wine." She looks to me, wearily.

"Gregory-"

"Tabatha I do not want to hear anything. I want to drink some wine, so bring me the bottle of wine Marsha." He glares at her. She looks to me again, making him more angry.

"Stop looking at Tabatha!" He slams his hand down onto the coffee table.
"I am the head of the house. I am your employer! I can make my own decisions! Now go get me the bottle of the damn wine!"

"Yes sir." She softly replies, glancing at me one last time before leaving.

"You are not allowed to be drinking in your state Gregory." Robert says walking over to him.

"What state exactly am I in Robert, hmm? What fucking state am I in?" He spits his words out at him.

Robert sits on the table in front of him, and I walk to stand beside him, Gregory scoffing at the both of us.

"I'll tell Marsha to bring the wine to my bedroom." He goes to stand but Robert pushes him back to sit.

"Robert!"

"You're not leaving this room. We understand your anger Gregory but-"

"Anger?" He lets out a hollow, mocking laugh. "I'm bloody furious Robert. I showed that woman nothing but kindness, and this is the thanks I get in return."

"Greg-"

"Do you know how helpless I felt? I couldn't move. I tried but I had no strength. Me, a man...drugged into submission by some crazed woman." He scoffs, but his face slowly lost its sarcastic tone and fell into one of sadness; his eyes glistening with tears.

"I have never in my entire life felt that powerless." He softly mutters, looking down, playing with his fingers.

"We're here for you honey." I stoop down next to him, tears of my own coming to my eyes when I look at his broken face.

"I should have listened to you Robert." He looks up at him, tears beginning to fall.
"I should have listened when you said to fire her. If I had just listened to you, then maybe..."

"Don't say that Greg." Robert says, taking hold of his hand. "No one expected her to do what she did today. So don't you dare-" His voice cracks, I stare down at him surprised. I think even Gregory was as surprised by this.

Robert's not one for many emotions, but this just shows how much this situation has taken a toll on all of us, and just how much he cares for my husband. My husband.

"Robert." Gregory calls to him, but he wouldn't lift his head.

"I felt like something was off, but I brushed it off." He softly confesses.
"I should have stuck to what my gut was telling me, but I didn't think-I never would have thought this would happen." I cover my mouth with my hand to muffle my cries, standing to my feet as Robert goes onto his knees before Gregory, the two of them staring deeply into each other's eyes before Gregory leans down to hug him, both crying in each other's arms.

I place my hand against my chest, the feeling of a small ache beginning to rise within my heart. I am not jealous, but why do I feel so pained? Why does my heart still ache watching them like this? I agreed to the relationship. I agreed to it. But it still...

"Tabatha." I hear Gregory call out to me as I turned to leave.
"Where are you going?"

"I be right back." I say, rushing out the room.

"Tabatha?" I hear Gregory call after me, but I don't look back.

——

"May I join you?" My shoulders tense at the sound of Robert's voice, as he rounded the water fountain. I look to him, staring for a short moment before nodding.

"You can." I reply, looking back ahead. He comes to sit on my right side, looking out at the field with me.

We sat there in silence for a while, only the sound of the wind blowing against the trees, and birds flying around in endless peace that surrounded us.

"I know, I'm being so insensitive. Robert just experienced the worst thing to ever happen to any human being and I'm making it about me."

"Neither I nor Gregory find your actions insensitive Tabatha. He says he knows that what has happened to him pains each of us as it does him, but I would believe you were crying for more than just what has happened." I turn slightly to look at him, and only then he turns to look at me as well.

Even I couldn't deny how strikingly handsome Robert was from even the first time I found out about him; understanding Gregory's infatuation towards the dark man.

I was roused to anger when I realized Gregory had slept with someone that night. He had stormed out the house after we had another argument, and when he had returned the next morning, he was dare I say, glowing.

I am no man's fool, I knew he had slept with someone, and went on a manhunt to find out who. Surprised at his age I was yes, but not at his race. Then of course the reality of him being our new family lawyer, I truly could not believe it; but here we are now, in a...relationship.

"No one would have expected this." I softly mutter, looking ahead of me again.

"The cruelty done to Gregory, or our polygamous relationship?" He inquired, folding his arms.

"Both." I honestly reply.
"My mission was to get rid of you, not end up in bed with you." I see a small smile form onto his lips at the corner of my eye, finding myself faintly smiling as well.

"I know this was not what you envisioned for your marriage, and for that I am truly sor-"

"Don't apologize Robert." he turns to face me, and I him.
"I have known for years the truth of my husband's interests. I am no fool. I saw the way he looked at Assad's father everyday, and ignored it because I did not want to accept it. When I caught them that day, I think it simply confirmed my suspicions and I couldn't pretend anymore. I was so angry at him." He stares at me.

"After sending them away, he kept his promise to not sleep with another man, faithfully. Our marriage became somewhat livable again after a while, but then there was you." His eyes falter a bit.
"I had never seen Gregory as happy as he was after meeting you, even more than with Assad's father. I think then was just an experimental phase, his first time, but with you, I think you guys truly bonded over more than just words."

"Tabatha-"

"I love him, that is not a lie. I had even," I laugh a little. "I had even decided within myself at one point after another break down of tears, that I would allow him to have his private relationship with you, under the condition that he does not divorce me, and I am able to spend time with him as a husband and wife should at least once or twice a week. I was ready to offer this to him, when I saw how much he had fancied you."

"But then he asked for the three of us to be together." He says in recognition and I nod.

"I was angry, hurt, sad, shock, all emotions at once. Why couldn't he just want me, why couldn't he just be happy and content with just I, was running through my mind. Why does it have to be three, but then I guess...I am happy it is not two, and I ended up being pushed to the side."

"I knew who he was when I met him, and I promise you nothing was to happen that night. I simply went there to get away from my parents, but one thing lead to another and...when he told me that he wanted to still have relations with you, I had no right to argue with him and tell him no. I am just the lover after all."

"Quite chivalrous." I state and he chuckles.

"No shame at all." He says and I laugh this time.

"I should not even be laughing with you." I say frustrated. He takes hold of my hand and
I stare down at them; dark and light, intertwined.

"Do you hate me?." I look back up to him, shaking my head.

"I have no hate towards you anymore. I think the reality of what my life is now, is just somewhat overwhelming." He nods, cupping my face with his other hand.

"There you two are!" Gregory shouts walking up to us with a very full glass of wine in his hand.

"Gregory-"

"Shush." He sassily tells Robert, pushing us to split apart as he comes to sit in the middle of us both.
"I know I should not be drinking, but I really need you both to just let me be for just a while. I just want to pretend as if nothing has happened." He says, staring ahead with a sad smile on his lips.

"It's really beautiful isn't it." He whispers, but I think it was more to himself.

Robert looks to me, and a look of understanding passing through our eyes.

"I may not have admit it then, but you did make a great choice when choosing his house." I say and he looks to me and smile, trying to hold back his tears.

"Thanks love. I just knew this scenery would bring peace to our family one day." He says looking forward again, taking a sip of the wine.

—————

A very emotional, yet sweet chapter🥹

Sharing my muse of Robert with you guys. You can envision someone else in mind if you want, but this is my muse for Robert Dawson.
(AI Generated by me.)

See you in the next chapter✌️

🄺𝑜̈𝑛𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛 🄵