Chapter nine.

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"A party?" Elizabeth asked as she watched another man she didn't know enter her house carrying cleaning supplies.

"Yes, with this promotion up for so many different people we have to kiss some serious executive ass."


Elizabeth fell silent, her arms hugging herself close. Jordan had just informed her over breakfast about the party the next evening. Already he had caterers lined up and waiters and insisted on having professionals clean the house.


"I don't like all these strangers," she said softly.


"Liz, you gotta cooperate with me here. If I want this promotion my boss needs to see us as a sturdy, healthy family."


"Are we?" she asked.


"What?"


"A stable, healthy family?"


He paused a second and looked at her then shook his head and went back to shoving papers in his briefcase.


"I don't know why you would even ask that," he said.


He slammed his briefcase close and she jumped at the sound, she didn't like parties and this would be the first one she had ever hosted.


"I'll order you a dress and have it delivered....size 10 I think, you haven't lost the weight from Mya yet," Jordan said as he glanced at her.


"What about the kids?" She asked.


"What about them?"


"I can see if Chet and Craig want to watch them."


He paused seeming to think about it for a while then shook his head as he began to tighten his tie.


"No, let them stay here. It will look good for my boss if he sees me as an involved parent."


"an involved parent would get Alex a puppy," She pointed out.


"Yeah Liz, that's what we need at a black tie event a fucking puppy."


He rolled his eyes, clearly disgusted by the entire conversation. He grabbed his briefcase from the counter and headed to the door pausing to drop a kiss on her forehead on his way out.


She watched him go as he passed more cleaners on his way out the door, convinced that her cleaning wouldn't be good enough.


She didn't like the idea of being judged in her own home by people she didn't know, people who would analyze everything about her. From her mousey brown hair to her high school education, she would be an exhibit for Jordan's colleagues.


"Mrs. Park?" A man to her right snapped her from her thoughts.


"Hmm?"


"Can you sign your consent for us to begin?" He asked, handing her a clipboard.


She debated telling him no, asking his crew to leave and cleaning herself but when Jordan didn't get a bill he would know and be angry. With a heavy sigh, she signed her consent and the strangers began to clean


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The next night Elizabeth stood in her bedroom in front of the floor-length mirror, her hair was swept up in loose curls and Jordan had picked a floor-length red, off the shoulder dress. It hugged her body a little more than she liked but he had insisted that she wear it.

Downstairs the party was in full swing, she could hear soft music on the stereo and the hum of her party guests talking merrily.

He had hired a bartender for the night and men walked around with serving trays of fancy champagne, the food was catered and men and women had been arriving steadily for almost an hour.

She had excused herself to get ready and Jordan had been mingling happily downstairs. A nanny had been hired to watch her two children and both were being silent.

The bedroom door opened and she turned to see Jordan in a suit, his hair slicked back he looked as handsome now as he did when they met.

"Ready?" He asked.

"As I'm going to be."

"You'll be fine, come on you always say you want to meet my friends."

"Not like this," She pointed out.

He offered her his arm and she knew it was a command that she comes downstairs not a polite request.

Forcing a smile she crossed the carpet and took his arm allowing him to lead her down the stairs to where their party was in full swing.

He introduced her to the men and women from his firm as well as their spouses, and for once remained dutifully by her side. Showing her off to everyone they bumped into and raving about how beautiful his wife was after two children.

Elizabeth, however, was bored and uncomfortable, her dress made her feel like an overstuffed sausage in too small of a casing. Sure she was small but she wasn't paper thin like some of the other women and the bright red color only made her stand out more.

She was standing near the sofa fidgeting with the waistline of her dress when Jordan grabbed her arm in a tight grip.

"Stop fidgeting," He scolded.

"I'm not feeling well, maybe I should go to bed for the night."

"Don't be ridiculous."

A second later she heard the distinct sound of Mya crying from upstairs on instinct she moved towards the sound, he caught her arm again.

"The Nanny will see to it, just once try not to be a helicopter mom."

She glanced at the stairs and fell silent as Jordan disappeared among their guests, she was standing near the hallway listening to Mya fuss when a waiter approached.

At first, nothing seemed odd and then she saw his face, her blood froze in her veins, her heartbeat screeching to a halt.

"Good Evening Ma'am, can I interest you in a beverage?" He asked presenting a tray of champagne.

She reached out with shaking hands and took a flute of champagne, her eyes not leaving his dark brown ones. Tonight they almost looked teasing.

"What are you doing here?" She asked quickly.

"Well, since my money paid for most of this I wanted to come and see it."

"Won't Jordan recognize you?"

"I doubt it, I've seen you more than I've seen him."

Mya wailed from upstairs again and she turned her head to the steps, biting her lower lip. Aware that he stepped closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear.

"Go."

"Jordan wants me down here," She said weakly.

"Only a bastard keeps his children from their mother, go."

She glanced back at the crowd where Jordan was now talking to two men and a woman she didn't know.

She turned and set the glass back on his tray before lifting her skirt and heading up the stairs, she opened the door and found the nanny trying in vain to rock Mya who was crying.

"Let me," Elizabeth said moving forward.

The Nanny did as she asked and handed the baby over easily, almost as soon as she saw her mother the baby began to settle.

Elizabeth sighed and began to pace the room, she felt better here with her children than she did downstairs.

"You can go," She said to the nanny.

The woman stood and watched her a minute and then hurried from the room, Elizabeth quickly taking her place in the chair and beginning to rock.

The Nanny had been gone a few minutes when the door opened, she looked up to see Rhys stepping inside and closing the door. She tensed, pulling Mya a little closer but continuing to rock.

"Teething?" He guessed.

"I think so."

"Why the hell do you stay with him?" He asked.

"Who?"

"You know who." He shot back.

"He's not a bad man, really. He..."

"He lies, he cheats, he treats you like shit and we won't get started on your kids. How in the hell did you get messed up with someone like him?"

She fell silent turning her attention to Mya who was starting to doze off in her mothers' arms, she knew Rhys was waiting for an explanation but didn't know how to give it to him.

The truth was she didn't even know how she had gotten tangled up with Jordan, he was out of her league and she didn't ever think she stood a chance.

"He started talking to me...when I was working at a diner, he was in college and I was fresh out of high school. He was nice to me."

"He wanted to get into your pants," Rhys said.

She winced at his words, not only because looking back she knew they were true but because of how easy she had made it for him.

They had been going out steady for only a few months, he took her to the drive-in movies. He made a movie and at first, she resisted, she told him she was a virgin but he insisted that he had never waited this long for any girl. He told her he loved her, he asked her if she loved him and her stupid little heart did.

So she reluctantly climbed in the back seat, Jordan said he forgot protection but that he would pull out, that she would be fine, nobody got pregnant the first time.

She was nervous, his car was cramped and the belt bucked dug into her back until she knew it would bruise. She wasn't ready when he entered her and it hurt, she wanted to stop but she didn't tell him that.

Even when he paused and asked if she was okay, she lied and promised him she was fine, told him that she liked it.

He didn't pull out, he didn't even try to and as she lay there numb beneath him he promised her it would all be okay.

He got dressed climbed in the front seat and without a word went back to watching the movie, she lay there a few long minutes before joining him.

After taking her home he promised to call the next day, he didn't'. Or the next day or the day after that.

Three weeks went by and then she took a test and learned that she was pregnant when she left Jordan a message this time he called her back. He never explained why he had ignored her and she never asked, deep down she knew. He had gotten what he wanted and was done with her or so he thought.

He asked her to marry him three days after he told his parents she was pregnant, they advised him against marrying her. For once Jordan did what he thought was the right thing and as always Elizabeth went along with him.

"Are you going to kill him?" She asked, moving to place Mya in her crib.

"Do you want me to kill him?" Rhys asked.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, he's my husband." She scolded quickly.

"And you love him," He said.

"Well, I don't...not love him. I just want to know when this is all over whatever you plan to do me and my children will be able to walk away."

"You want me to use my vendetta against your husband to get you out?" He asked.

"No, I just don't want to end up...I don't want to lose my kids."

"I can't make you any promises Elizabeth."

She turned to face him, gripping the railing to the crib behind her.

"My kids then...at least promise me...my kids will survive."

"I don't kill children."

She gave a small nod and they both knew then that he had her, she would do whatever he wanted without question, based off that flimsy promise that her children would escape unharmed.

"On Tuesday I want you to go to the bank and check your accounts with your husband." He said.

"Fine."

"Ask for everything."

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