Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 135517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
“No, she won’t, but we’ll let you know when and how you’re going to get her to sign, don’t worry about it. Reggie is going to be in L.A. to keep an eye out, and my dad is going to put people with you. Do not eat or drink anything from Janie or anyone associated with her ever again.”
“You know how to go about doing that. You two don’t have a very good relationship anyway, so she wouldn’t find it too strange. They’re going to try and get you hooked again; that’s the only way they can trust you. You are going to stay clean, but as I said, my dad working with you is going to be the excuse you use for being clean and staying that way.”
“Do not let on that you know any of this. Do not let on that you remember anything, OK? Do not change anything about your actions around her, do not become too lovey-dovey to overcompensate, just keep being who you were before sans the addiction.”
“I’m not sure I can do this. I can’t imagine being around her, or any of them, knowing what I know and not losing my shit. They stole my fucking life, and for what? Money? They took everything that was good from me, made me hurt the only person I’ve ever loved in a way that no human being ever should be, and you want me to pretend that I don’t want to murder every last one of them in their fucking sleep?
“You have to. If you want to get back to her, you have to swallow it all for now and do as I say. Do not show your anger or your distaste for her or the people around her, OK? We’ll be in contact through the men that my dad is going to put on you. They’ll be there to protect you, so don’t be too worried about your own safety.”
“I’m not worried about my safety. The way I feel now, I could take a bear with my bare hands. I’m worried about her, Elena.”
“Don’t worry about her. Someone will cover her no matter what they send her way.”
“What is it? Some kind of PR team?”
“No, it’s worst. It’s my nieces, and they have a grudge against your wife. Those people that you fear are going to pale in comparison to what they can do.” He smiled fondly while telling me that three little ten-year-old girls could out-smear the worst Hollywood had to offer.
I’ve been at the receiving end of smear campaigns before and know the damage they can do to one’s life and reputation. But he seemed pretty confident, and remembering who he was gave me the tiniest bit of hope that he knew what he was talking about.
“What about the church and Mary?”
“That’s not your concern. It will be taken care of. Oh, by the way. If you see this name turn up on social media, don’t interact.”
“Who’s this?” I looked down at the handle he showed me.
“That would be my nieces. You can thank them for me being here.”
“I don’t get it. You came all the way out here because some ten-year-olds asked you to?”
“No, I came here because they hacked your shit and pieced together the fact that you were in trouble.”
“Hacked my shit? How, what do you mean?”
“Don’t worry, you’re not the only one they hacked. Everyone involved has been compromised. Your girl must be one of a kind because they’re willing to go to bat for her. They’ve already contacted Janie, by the way. So, the game has begun.”
“They contacted her about what?”
“Don’t worry about that. Your only job is to get out of there safely and in one piece because my nieces feel sorry for you. Had they found anything incriminating about you, you’d be on the receiving end of what your wife, her dad, and everyone else is about to experience, and let’s just say it’s not good.”
“What did they find?”
“As far as you and your marriage are concerned, they found the stuff I showed you. All the conversations between Mary, your father-in-law, Matt, and Scott. There’s more, but I’m holding onto it for now. Just don’t be surprised when you see that name show up everywhere in the next few days. By the way, you’ve got two months, that’s it.”
“Two months; what do you mean?”
“Once you get back to L.A., you’ll have two months to get your shit together. At the end of two months, the papers should be signed, and you should be able to move on with your life. It’s as much time as we were able to get you. Don’t waste it.”
He just turned and walked out the door like he didn’t just drop ten bombshells in my lap. The whole thing sounds like a James Bond movie, but some of it verified some of my own suspicions, and that’s the only reason I’m even entertaining this whole mess. Someone like him wants me to believe that he’s doing this because of little girls. It seems so farfetched.