Filed to story: Luci Forrester and Easton Reed: Hockey Romance Story
“I came to see Cole since you clearly aren’t going to make Easton allow me to see him,” she replies, her tone airy and nonchalant. A wave of anger rises within me, and I fight the urge to slap her.
“Have you been encouraging her, Imogen?!” Dad’s voice is filled with rage, each word dripping with accusation.
“I told her that Easton didn’t want Cole to see her right now,” my mother replies, her voice barely above a whisper, but I can see the tension in her body.
“Get the hell out of my house! And don’t ever come back,” Dad bellows at Vivienne, his words sharp and unforgiving. He turns to my mother, his expression darkening further. “And you, Imogen. Either you cut her out of your life and agree to counseling with me, or I’m filing for separation with the ultimate goal of divorce!”
My mother takes a step back, her expression one of shock and disbelief. It’s clear she’s reeling from the weight of his words, but she quickly regains her composure, firing back with indignation. “Why do you care so much? Afraid I’ll take your precious fortune?”
“Do you honestly think I care about that? We are married, Imogen. We have children together. We made vows. We were once in love,” he shoots back, his voice rising with emotion.
“Love… ha! You’ve shown me just how much that so-called love meant to you. Those vows meant nothing!” she screams, her voice echoing against the walls.
“What the hell are you talking about, Imogen?” Dad’s eyes blaze with fury, the heat of his anger palpable.
“You’ve been cheating on me for years! Taking care of your little mistress, just like your father did. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” she sneers, her body trembling with rage. “If Vivienne hadn’t shown me the pictures, I would have remained blissfully ignorant, just as you hoped.”
“What the hell are you talking about?! I’ve never cheated on you!” Dad retorts, his voice rising in disbelief. “After what my father put my mother through, I would never! And you believe something she told you?”
He points an accusing finger at Vivienne, his expression a mixture of anger and confusion.
“She showed me the pictures. You walking into a hotel with your little mistress. Every week you met her. I followed you for months. At first, I defended you, but then I couldn’t do it any longer.” A few angry tears spill from her eyes, and I feel the weight of the moment pressing down on all of us. Becker must have called the police. “Black hair, light blue eyes at the Haraway Hotel. Her name is Katie.”
Dad’s mouth falls open in shock. “You… that’s my half-sister. She found me twelve years ago and told me she was one of Dad’s extras. You never thought Luke was the only one, did you? You’re dumber than I thought if you did. The man couldn’t keep his pants zipped around any woman he deemed attractive. Especially when he built a trust fund into his will for any ‘heirs’ that came forward. I told you about that. Hell, I invited you to meet her once I established her paternity. And yes, I met her weekly.”
“She wanted to know about him and me. She worked at the hotel, and we’d have lunch once a week. She never wanted to be known as a Reed, though. And I gave her the money Dad left for her, not for her silence because we were having an affair,” he says, shaking his head in defeat.
My mother’s eyes dart back and forth, searching for something, anything to cling to. “Let me ask you something, Imogen.” Dad’s voice drips with scorn, and it’s clear he’s both wounded and furious. “Did Vivienne bring this to you after that huge New Year’s Eve party we threw? The one where someone set off firecrackers in the house?”
We all glance at Becker for a moment, who rolls his eyes in acknowledgment.
“I… yes, that seems right,” my mother admits, her voice hesitant as she processes the memory.
Dad turns on Vivienne with a fury that could ignite the room. “You deceitful snake. I knew I should have never kept it from her. You’re nothing but a jealous, shallow witch.” She takes a step back, momentarily taken aback by his words.
He spins back toward my mother, his voice rising with each word. “She was in my office half-naked, drunk. Or supposedly drunk, now that all of this has come to light. I walked in to grab your gift-the one I give you every New Year’s Eve at midnight. She propositioned me, and I turned her down because I loved you. She left after that. I waited to tell you because you had a few too many that night and passed out. The next morning, she was here bright and early, acting ashamed and apologizing profusely. I guess the no-talent harlot has some acting skills after all. She begged me not to ruin your friendship and said it would never happen again. Against my better judgment, I let it go. I felt bad since Lloyd had left only a year before, and she’d been struggling.” He pauses, and I can see the weight of the past pressing down on him. Lloyd was Lorelei’s father. He left when she was nine and never looked back. It’s a painful parallel to her and Cole.
“You weren’t drunk, were you? You were just jealous of what my wife had-a devoted husband and family. She was happy, and you were a miserable toad who drove your husband away with your cold demeanor. I thought I saw jealousy in your eyes a few times when you’d stare at her. But she thought highly of you and always acted like you were a fantastic, supportive friend. I let it go because my wife was happy. Was that it? Jealousy of someone else’s happiness? Lloyd left because you were never satisfied with anything he did or provided. You couldn’t stand the thought of someone else having what you couldn’t, all because of your sparkling malevolence.”
“Vivienne… is that true? You went after my husband?” My mother’s voice trembles as she struggles to process the betrayal. “Why? I was… I was your friend.”
Vivienne tilts her head, a sinister smile spreading across her face. “Oh darling, what’s the first lesson I taught you about this society? Always remember, the person on your right is trying to take what you have, and the person on your left will gladly swap places with them at any moment.”
My mother staggers back, a flicker of sympathy rising within me, though not enough to make me move. “You manipulated me. All these years. The other women you showed me…”
“Photoshop works wonders,” Vivienne replies nonchalantly. “It was nice having you all to myself, the devoted, caring friend. I did enjoy the attention. It’s a pity your husband turned me down. True love, after all. You thought he’d changed like most men in our world and forgotten his loving wife. Your insecurities were easy to exploit. The poor girl turned wealthy billionaire’s wife. It wasn’t hard to find your buttons and insecurities.”
Before she can continue, the doorbell rings, cutting through the tension like a knife. Kingston steps aside, and I hear footsteps approaching. “Police, Mr. Reed. How can we assist you?”
“Yes, this woman, Vivienne Winters, stole our spare key and let herself in uninvited. I want her arrested for trespassing and breaking and entering. I’ll provide the camera footage,” Dad states, his chest still heaving with the tumult of emotions swirling inside him.
“Yes, sir. Miss Winters, you’ll have to come with us,” the officer says firmly.
“I will not! You can’t arrest me on his word!” she protests, attempting a sultry smile that falls flat in the face of authority.
“Actually, we can. Let’s go.” The officer doesn’t flinch, and Vivienne glares icily at my father as she’s led away.
“I thought she’d throw a grand fit,” Jackson mutters under his breath.
“I was expecting something closer to a seizure-like thrashing,” Becker adds, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Dad lifts his phone to his ear. “Yeah, Marty. You might want to get a camera crew to the local precinct. Vivienne Winters will be arriving in cuffs for trespassing and breaking and entering. Should make for a sensational cover story… no problem.” He hangs up calmly, sliding his phone back into his pocket.
“Savage, Dad. I want to be just like you when I grow up,” Kingston chuckles, a hint of admiration in his voice.
“Ja… Jason.” We all momentarily forget my mother is still there until her strained voice cuts through the silence. She stands there, desperately trying to hold it together.
Dad’s icy glare is fixed on her. “Get out, Imogen. I’ll have my lawyer draft divorce papers in the morning.”
“Jason, no, wait! We can fix this. I thought… I thought she was my friend. I…” Her voice trembles, and I can see the tears threatening to spill.
His eyes flare with anger, and I can tell he’s fighting to keep his voice steady. “Too little, too late! I asked you to fix this! You were too busy listening to every word she spewed about me instead of remembering the man you married. The person you promised to stand by through thick and thin.” He jabs his finger onto the table beside him, punctuating each furious statement. “You used Cole against Easton! You haven’t been a real mother for a long time, I suspect. I don’t want to see or hear from you right now! I’ll let you know if I ever change my mind.”
He turns away, walking down the hall, and she charges after him, managing to touch his arm. He jerks away as if her touch burns him. “Jason, wait, please. I’m sorry.” Tears are brimming in her eyes, and her voice wavers.