Wife's Bitter Revenge Against Neglectful CEO Husband-Chapter 118: A Night of Conflicts

"Stiff, you can’t attack Alec. He’s done nothing wrong."

Stiff kept his eyes on his computer. "He almost got you killed." His words were clipped.

"No, he didn’t. It was my fault. I overestimated my abilities. Alec gave me every opportunity to back out."

"You don’t belong with him. His dad is scum."

"But Alec isn’t. He’s the man I’m in love with."

Stiff snorted. "Yeah, and you have such a terrific history with men."

"At least I have a history. When was the last time you dated anyone?"

Stiff shut his computer and gave me his full attention. "Why would I date when I’ve already found the perfect person for me?"

"Because I’ve made it clear that you and I are just friends."

"I’m patient. Things change. When you get tired of Alec, you’ll come back to me."

"Stiff, I’ll always be your friend, but it will never be anything more. I don’t feel that way about you. As a friend, I adore you. I want to grow old with you as a friend.

"You need to let go of romantic ideas and move on. Find a woman who does want you in that way. In the meantime, respect my decisions. Respect Alec, and stop messing with his virtual footprint."

"And if I won’t?"

"Seriously? You are asking me to choose between you and Alec. Because in simply asking that of me, you’d lose. I won’t be forced to pick sides."

Stiff said, "Fuck this." He picked up his laptop. "I’m out of here. Be with whoever you want, but I don’t have to witness it."

"Stiff it doesn’t have to be like this. Just rebuild Alec’s profile, and let’s put this behind us. You’re my partner."

"I’m your patsy," Stiff mumbled as he disappeared down the hall.

I hoped he wasn’t serious. I loved Stiff and depended on him. He was my right hand. He was the primary reason my skills were as good as they are. Stiff pushed me to be better.

For now, though, I needed to give him time to cool off. I’d talk to him again in a few days.

The church was quiet. Father DiMarco was away visiting friends. Jake had taken the boys to see their mother. Bea had used my visit to confront Anya as an excuse to escape to CK’s house.

I might as well make my own escape to Alec’s place. We’d had very little private time since Bea’s surgery.

I went to the kitchen to bag up some of the snickerdoodles I’d baked earlier in the day. Alec wasn’t big on sweets, but I’d gone light on the sugar in these and substituted cane sugar with coconut sugar. Even so, snickerdoodles are sweet by nature, so Alec wouldn’t likely eat many. Fortunately, it was the thought that counted.

While I had a key to Alec’s place, I didn’t use it when I knew he was home. Besides, I thought it would be fun to show up unannounced at his doorstep. I anticipated he’d drag me inside and kiss me breathless on the way to the bedroom. What I got was anything but.

"What are you doing here?"

I held out the cookies. "I brought cookies."

"Thanks. Can we talk later?"

I heard a man’s cough from inside.

"Oh, you have company. I didn’t think. I’ll go. Sorry."

I felt silly for assuming Alec would be free. In the future, I’d make it a point to call first, like I should have this time.

Eugene Crest appeared carrying a drink in one hand and a cigar in the other. "Alec, this is your lady, isn’t it? Let her in. We should talk."

I didn’t want to talk to Eugene. In fact, I did my best to ignore his existence because I knew me. If Eugene Crest said the wrong word, he’d end up on my love list, and that would lead to war with Alec stuck in the middle. I’d already done that to King. Look where that had gotten me. Divorced.

"Hello, Mr. Crest. I should go. Have a good evening."

"No, no. You come on in. Alec and I were just discussing you. You are quite the resourceful young lady."

"Dad, let Teela go. I’ll schedule a time for a sit-down next week."

"Nonsense, Alec, there’s no time like the present, so let the lady in."

"Sorry, Teela, come in." Alec stood aside, but he didn’t look happy about it.

We returned to the living room, where Mrs. H sat on the couch sipping tea. Now I understood why Alec was reluctant to invite me in. I got a pretty clear picture of who was behind the money laundering as well.

Eugene said, "I believe you know Estelle. She’s been my long-term companion. Practically helped raise Alec."

My gaze went directly to Alec.

Alec said, "I swear, Teela, I didn’t know your Mrs. H was Estelle. I only know her as Dad’s woman."

"And I didn’t know you were Alec’s girlfriend," Estelle said. "Had I known you were practically family, we wouldn’t have had to play so many games."

"I can see where that wouldn’t come up in most conversations with clients."

Alec showed me to seat and left the room to make me a drink that I direly needed. I had tried my best to avoid having anything to do with Eugene only to jump into meddling with his business with both feet.

Eugene clapped his hands together. "So that clears up everything. Now that Teela knows the big picture, I’m sure she will let you off the hook with the blackmail conditions."

Ah, so that was what this was about. This was no family reunion. This was Eugene’s gentle reminder that he was in charge of not only his family but the whole city, which I’d always believed was the role of the Heavenly family. He was here to back me down. Only I didn’t want to back down on this one.

Something instinctual told me if I backed down to Eugene now, it would be a slippery slope to working for the man against my will in the future.

I gave Eugene a tight smile. "I’m sorry, Eugene, but as a businessman, you know that a deal is a deal. If I back down with Mrs. H, it will harm my reputation, and by extension your reputation, since I’m dating your son."

"Come now, Teela, Estelle isn’t some master criminal mind. You can cut her a little slack for me."

"That’s the point, Mr. Crest, Mrs.H is a lovely, astute woman. In all honesty, I very much like her. She has good energy about her. But, as you said, she isn’t a criminal mastermind. All I asked her to do is curtail those activities that could land her in the most hot water with the police."

"Call me Eugene, Teela. Let’s cut the formalities. I protect her from the police."

"A woman should be able to protect herself. Better yet, she should refrain from illegal activities. Especially someone like Mrs. H. She would be good at any industry she chose. Why should she risk her freedom and strong ethics with illegal activities when she could succeed in a legal profession."

Estelle said, "Shouldn’t decisions about my choice of career be left up to me?"

I couldn’t argue with that one, but I also didn’t have to give in to Eugene’s wishes.

"You’re right. The decision is yours. However, if you intend to stay in the loan shark business, I expect you to abide by our agreement."

Eugene frowned as he puffed on his cigar. "Teela, I don’t think you understand. I’m not asking you to back down. I’m telling you."

"Dad, no," Alec said. "I love Teela. I won’t have you bullying her."

"She started it."

"Teela," Alec said. "Is there a compromise you can offer Dad? He’s trying to protect the woman he loves just like I’m trying to. Can’t you add an addendum of some sort to you terms that will let him save face?"

I thought about it, but what Alec was suggesting was a slippery slope. If I allowed her to break fingers, that would lead to breaking knees. If I let her black eyes, it would lead to bloody noses.

In the whole scheme of things, this conversation was ridiculous. I was sitting in Alec’s living room negotiating with a mob boss who could have me kill with a snap of a finger, and I was telling the man no. If not for my relationship with his son, Eugene would have had me erased after our first meeting.

Still, I learned my lesson with Lettie. I would not defer to the desires of others. In the long run, it did no good. I was treated poorly no matter how much I gave in, and my life was threatened repeatedly.

"Eugene, may I ask you one question?"

"Of course."

"If you were on my position, what would you do?"

Eugene puffed his cigar and gave me a calculating look.