Second Chance for the Mafia Prince Lucky Draw
Explanations Part II
“Sounds judgy,” Gulliver said with an indignant snort, “especially from someone who left without all the pertinent facts.”
“I think she had just enough of the facts,” Terrance spoke up. “You lied. You made her think she was your wife. You had another wife who you intended to impregnate and breed heirs. You made her think you loved her, but she was nothing more than a plaything on the side while people who were better deserving of your name, wealth and stature got the public nod.”
“She was never my side chick,” Gulliver said angrily to the man he considered his father–in–law. “There was never any intention for Duchess to become my wife.”
“I heard you with my own ears!”
“Because I was fabricating a plan to expose her and her and her family’s shit and it was going to be long and drawn out and convoluted and I didn’t want you mixed up in it. So, I lied to my own family that I was taking you as my mistress and toying with you when in fact it was 1/6 her who I was skimming along.” He snapped back at her.
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Explanations Part II
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“January, I loved you with every fiber of my being. I did everything for you. Do you really think that I would have done anything to hurt you? Not ever. I did what I did
to keep you safe from people who fit the exact bill your buddy Davis is trying to make me out to be.”
“Explain.” The order from her father made January shoot the older man an angry glare. “I understand you don’t want to hear his excuses, but we’re here now so we may as well hear him out.” He waved at Gulliver and flung himself into a chair which sat opposite his wife. He gave her a look and then patted his knee. “Come here, baby. You’re freaking out.”
January watched as her mother nearly ran from her spot in the armchair to jump onto her father’s lap and curled up in his protective embrace. There was a time she thought she would have the same kind of love they did. She turned her head away and looked out the living room window sadly.
Gulliver gave a sad sigh, “my grandfather comes from a different time and a small narrow–minded community. His best friend of sixty years has a granddaughter my age. From the time she was born, they’d had it in their heads that we should be married so the two families would be:41
Explanations Part II
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joined by marriage. I’d refused all along, mostly because I think the woman is a conniving snake. When we were children, I caught her framing one of her cousins for something she did, and it never sat right with me. Her cousin took twenty lashes with a cane for Duchess‘ actions, and the girl said nothing. I told my grandfather, and he told me we weren’t to meddle in other family’s business.”
“She sounds horrible.” Analia said softly.
“She is horrible. When I was twenty–five and she was twenty–four, they decided we needed to get married and start a family. I contemplated a vasectomy, even a castration out of nothing more than defiance.” He gave Terrance a look, “I’d rather cut off my own cock than put it in that woman. Does that make you understand the depths of my dislike?”
“Then why agree?”
“I didn’t at first but then when I was twenty–seven, I noticed some discrepancies with some company issues. Things which should have been proprietary but were ending up in the Ziogas family’s hands. He and my grandfather ran similar businesses, and the possility of
Explanations Part II
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overlap is always there, but it seemed too neat and tidy. At the time I’d already been told I wasn’t going to be allowed to take over my grandfather’s business because of my refusal to marry Duchess. He didn’t believe me when I told him straight up I thought she was a sneaky snake. Frankly, I knew it was a bluff and I called it and I didn’t care when he needed to stick to his guns. I have enough work with my father’s family. Who needs to run two different billion–dollar companies anyway? I’m fine with
one.”
“But you could do it with one hand behind your back,” Thisbe commented. She looked longingly at the fridge in the kitchen. “Can I get a glass of water?”
“Get it yourself.” January waved at her refusing to help her at all and didn’t look away from Gulliver’s annoyed expression. “Continue. The sooner you finish whatever this is, the sooner you can leave.”
“I told my grandfather I would not marry Duchess but then as I said I was concerned about corporate espionage, but I needed to get closer to his business in order to prove what I thought. In London I worked primarily for my father. In New York, I would be able to split between the A but until I agreed to marry her, my grandfather was 41
Explanations Part II
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keeping me out. To protect his business, the one I know I will one day inherit, I needed to prove my theory. My brother and I devised a plan. We told my grandfather I would marry Duchess in order for me to get what was rightfully mine. He agreed to let me come to the New York branch to train in his business. I was a year into the plan when I saw you. I immediately wanted to cancel the plan, but I felt we were close to a resolution.”
“So why lie and marry me at all, in this fake thing?”
“It wasn’t fake, January. Not to me. I meant every word I said, and I treasured every word you said. The problem was that my grandfather is associated with some unsavory types including the Ziogas family. If they thought I ditched her to marry you, they’d put a hit on you so fast and without the Raptis backing, I was understaffed and might not have been able to keep you safe. It would also undermine all the work we’d been
doing behind the scenes.”
“Did you ever catch them? The corporate spies associated with her family?”
Her father’s question made her roll her eyes. She didn’t Eare one way or another. She just wanted them to leave:41
Explanations Part II
Now all she needed to do was believe that lie.
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