MAVERICK
“Shit. Shit. Shit.” I screamed in silence in the bathroom as I stared at the last set of pregnancy kits, revealing the same result. All five of them seemed to be mocking me with taunting positive signs.
“Fuck. Why now? When my life is still a mess.” My heart squeezed hard. There was no question about how I missed my pills. I knew exactly when it happened.
I quickly tossed everything into the plastic bags and dropped it into the trash basket. I wasn’t shocked by the result. Since I arrived here, I hadn’t been on a period, but I still prayed I was not pregnant.
My situation wasn’t exactly ideal for being pregnant right now, but the stars seemed not to have aligned with my prayers these days.
***
“The first question everyone wants to know is why you resigned as the Chief Operating Officer at Winston Holdings. Do you know the effect of your resignation and being one of the major shareholders can make this impact on the company’s possible bankruptcy?”
“First of all, thank you for having me.” Lake still looked handsome despite his hair being shorter. I could still see the wave, but he looked more mature than the last time I saw him three weeks ago. He still managed to pull off the suit and tie like always. “At least your first question is not about my private life, especially my relationship.”
The female host of a business show smiled. “Oh, we’ll get to that part.”
His lips curved into a small smile. “To answer your question, honestly, I’d been meaning to resign for almost two years now. Actually, I passed my resignation months ago. I felt like it was the time to focus on the company I started. It’s that I was waiting for the signs or the right time. Did I predict the impact that would jeopardize the credibility of my father’s company? No. I’m not an analyst, but of course, I monitored the stock market.”
The host continued asking him about his companies and how he came up with his ideas. She also asked about his new company and his advice to new entrepreneurs who wanted to be successful in business.
“Work hard, research on finance and investments. It doesn’t matter if you have a degree or not. Focus on acquiring assets and scaling your business, and don’t spend too much on luxuries, but remember, success doesn’t measure how much money you make. Success is about having the purpose, contentment, and eternal peace upon waking up in the morning and being surrounded by the people you care about.”
“Now let me ask you.” The woman smiled when Lake smiled.
“Ask away.”
“You’re married.”
“Yes,” he answered right away. “Happily.”
“This new LLC company you started is owned by you and your wife. Is it advisable to build a company shared by spouses?”
“I don’t advise it, especially if you have doubts and don’t have an ironclad prenup. Let’s face it. One of many issues among couples is finances and divorce settlement after that. Why did I do what I did? I built a company with my wife because I trust her and know she may come from a humble upbringing. Money is never an issue between us, and I hope and always pray that we will make the company grow as we grow old together.”
“Maverick Bates II, right?”
“Yes. Well, She’s Maverick Winston now.” The way he smiled, he didn’t even look like he was faking it, as if he was genuinely happy, but the fact that he was there and I was here, he really didn’t want to see me. The fact that he could find me easily if he wished to but did not even try, maybe he still hated me.
“Just one last question before we let you go. Is starting a family one of your plans for this year?”
“It’s always been a part of our plan, but we’re not in a hurry. If it happens that we get pregnant, then it’s a blessing, and I’m ready to be a dad.” He smiled.
“Thank you for having us, Lake. Lake Winston, ladies and gentlemen. The owner and chairman of Infinite Media, Inc., Archer Solar Solution, and Archer Morgan and Co.”
“How many times do you have to replay that?”
I jolted in my seat. Groaning, I faced my brother. “What the hell? I should have changed that lock.”
“I can get in from the window, sis.”
I sighed as I pulled my knees to my chest. “Why are you here?”
“So you’re updated on what’s been happening for the past two weeks. Well, Rusher is not a puppet of Wallace but an IT guy. He’s in jail anyway for corporate espionage. Wallace tried to manipulate Rusher so he could control him. When the trust is broken between his son and Rusher, that’s the time he feeds him some lies and hires him. Wallace had been asking him about you.”
“He really hates me.” I lay down on the couch. “I need a job. I can’t let you cover my expenses, and I’d never asked and depended on anyone for money or food.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll pay me later.”
I smiled at him. “Thanks.”
“But you have to go back home, sis. As much as I love you being here, you don’t belong on this island. You’re too white and easily spotted.”
I looked at my skin. I’d only jogged every other day in the morning because I couldn’t risk someone seeing me. Then I realized he wasn’t even looking for me. It was a bummer, really, but never a day passed by that I didn’t think of him.
I really missed him. Sometimes, I even dreamed of him or us together, happy, laughing, riding horses, and in our bed, but it was just my subconsciousness because I wanted to see him. That was why I replayed his interview, which I saved on my iPad.
“I gave him the key and number.”
“What did he say?” I asked eagerly.
Terzo just shrugged. I felt like my heart just crashed and dropped in my stomach.
“Thanks for the update.”
“I had to lie. I can’t keep lying, Maverick. I told him I had the key since meeting you three weeks ago.”
“If he wants to see me, I’m sure he can find me.”
“This is not about finding you. You left him without a word.”
“To save him from trouble and Nana. How’s she, by the way?”
“You should call her? She’s safe now. Lake threatened his father to involve him in corporate espionage if he ever threatened anyone around him.”
“I’ll call her later.”
“Why are you like this? You’re such a pain in the ass. I have to travel all the way from Sicily to the US to talk to your husband and then travel here to fix your domestic dispute.”
“Even if I wanted to go back, I have no apartment anymore.”
“You’re making an awful excuse.” He burst out laughing. “You have a husband, a penthouse, a house with horses, and if he kicks you out, your grandmother’s house is always open for you. You know what’s your problem? You’re scared of the consequences when you go back. You also have a job to go back to. All you need to do is explain to your husband, even if he knows what really happened. Don’t wait for him to come here and take you home. It might not gonna happen. What will happen is you receive a divorce notice that you’ve been served. Don’t be so overconfident that he won’t leave you because he loves you. Maybe after what you’ve been through, maybe by then, he realizes that this marriage is nothing but a burden to both of you and he sets you free because if I were him, I couldn’t stand by how many times you risked your life. After all, his fucking father hates you.”
“Jeez. Thanks. That’s very illuminating.” I glanced away as unease filled me.
“I’m not kidding. He may have the longest patience for a handsome, rich guy, but don’t give him a reason to be tempted by lust. I’m sure a lot of women wanted to bone-”
“Shut up. Just shut up!” I couldn’t listen to him anymore. I rose to my feet and glared at him, feeling my stomach about to flip. “I get it, okay. I get it now, but I’m afraid to go back to him.”
“Why the fuck is that?” His eyes narrowed at me.
I barely got him pissed off because, somehow, he had a soft spot when it came to me, but right now, it scared me that I would see that man in the basement that I didn’t recognize.
“I’m pregnant.”