The Patrick Pivot and a Second Twist
That evening, Christopher Patrick sat at his modern desk in his opulent office at his financial firm. The desk was a solid piece of Italian marble. It was heavy, and the office floor had to be reinforced and a special woven rug was made to ensure the marble and the floor remained pristine. His office was whites, blacks, and greys, with splashes of color coming from expensive art pieces.
Usually, Christopher loved being in his office. For him, it was relaxing, and he could focus here. Today, he was stressed and found himself wanting to go home.
Amber Ann Lance-Trace had refused to accept his investment proposal, citing conflicts of interest and differing corporate moral values. He swallowed audibly. He began to berate himself. He had acted too quickly. Of course the project no longer needed investors—Dan Trace had invested millions into the project and the resort had already opened to stunning reviews.
He exhaled deeply just as his office phone rang. He frowned; it was his private line. Gladys was out with Nina, making sure Nina had all she needed. He picked up the line, not knowing what to expect.
"Christopher Patrick."
"Hello, Chris darling. We need to meet. I have ultrasounds for you and doctor reports."
Jessica spoke so syrupy sweet that Christopher's mouth hurt. She already knew that she needed to give those things to Nina. He narrowed his eyes—what was she up to?
"Shouldn't you give those things to Nina?"
"Of course you are right, but I need to speak to you about other things as well. I need a doula, so you will pay for that, and I need to travel to relieve stress. You will pay for that as well."
Christopher ground his teeth. He could hear her smirk over the phone. He had been an idiot.
"Okay, Jessica. You know I will pay for everything you need. I set up a grocery account for you at Shay's Grocery as well. I sent you the information already."
"I have it, darling, thank you. I called to tell you that you no longer need to send me monthly payments. I need you to begin looking into the financial stability of Trace Progressive."
"Look, Jessica. I have already damaged my reputation with your scheme against Blue Serene. I cannot destroy my business. Where will you get your money from if I am destroyed?"
Jessica laughed, and it sent a dark shiver down Christopher's spine.
"I no longer need your money, Chris, but I am definitely carrying your babies—wasn't it sweet of me to make sure it would be a multiple birth? I am carrying yours and your precious Gladys' babies, and I only need a small favor. Nothing more than a bit of information."
Christopher could just imagine the smug, confident smirk on her face as she waited for him to cave—and he was going to cave. He could not disappoint his wife anymore. He shut his eyes tight, not wanting to think about finding his Gladys half-dead after consuming a bottle of her anti-depressants. She couldn't take another blow.
"What do you need, Jessica?"
"I just need to understand—intimately—the financial state of Trace Progressive. How much pressure can it endure before it cracks? Things like that."
Christopher paused—why would she want to know about Dan's company? Couldn't she just ask him? Was he now separating himself from her, too?
"Okay, Jessica. Information only. Give me two days."
He disconnected the call before she had a chance to reply with another syrupy sweet, condescending half-truth. He sat back in his chair, a bit apprehensive. "What are you up to now, Jessica?"
Jessica's coy smile dropped from her lips when the call disconnected. Anthony looked at her carefully.
"Do you really want to do this? I can take you from this. You do not need to prove yourself to anyone. I can also remove all enemies from your path. You do not need to worry about obstacles."
Jessica slowly looked over to Anthony Shaw. She did not despise the man. As a matter of fact, she felt like he was the strongest, most resourceful man she knew, besides her father. The problem was her nature. She had already set her sights on Dan. She just did not know how to change direction.
A slow smile spread across her lips, which made the same spread across Anthony's. It was predatory, easy, diabolical. He loved it.
"I am sorry, I…"
Anthony shook his head. "Never apologize for who you are—your nature. I love who you are, and I will wait for you to truly see me."
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. He stood, and Jessica watched him leave—he had to leave Carson City; Samuel was getting close and suspicious. Something stirred within Jessica. Her chest warmed as her heart melted a bit. She looked off, not understanding her own emotions. She slowly shook her head to clear her thoughts, a smile reforming on her face.
She had an endless supply of money, a capable man to back her, and a new plan.
She would have Dan and Blue Serene. Amber should never have tried to deny her.