Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 69456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
"Here, take this," she says, handing me a piece of paper.
I grab it, reluctantly, and read it over. And honestly, I'm shocked with what I see.
"I can't do that to Eliza and Carter," I say, looking back at Mandy.
"Can you afford not to?" she asks me. "Let's be honest, Derek. If an investigation happens, you're going to be the first one to take the fall … with all of your other … shenanigans."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," she laughs. "You don't exactly have the cleanest of reputations. You're no saint, that's for sure. You're a bad boy through and through, and the whole world knows it. Don't kid yourself."
The words bad boy echo in my brain.
I've made a lot of mistakes in my personal life.
And maybe she's right.
Maybe this is something I can't overcome alone.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Good Day, USA
Hello and welcome to Good Day USA.
I'm your host, Melissa Lee.
Ida:
And I'm your co-host, Ida Jolley. We're here today as breaking news rocks Wall Street.
Melissa:
It seems like nowadays breaking news is always rocking Wall Street. But this time around we have an already juicy situation that's getting even more scandalous.
Ida:
That's right. Sources close to the family dispute between Wanda Seymour, Derek Stackford, Carter Blake, and Eliza Seymour say that not only has Eliza been romantically linked to both men simultaneously, as well as at the same time, but that Derek Stackford and Carter Blake have engaged in sexual relations on their own.
Melissa:
It's like if I had two dads who just couldn't wait for me to get ready and come down and decided to start ahead of time. You know, getting down.
Ida:
Right. Although this is a lit bit more extreme. Two step-fathers of the same daughter engaging in sexual intercourse together. New Yorkers are most likely scratching their heads wondering how this family has gotten to this point.
Melissa:
Scratching heads is one thing. I'd be scratching something else. Have you seen either of these two men? Can we put them up on screen? So you can see just the damn good looks on Derek Stackford who we know as the bad boy player. Or Carter Blake? The strong and silent alpha. Both men are worth billions of dollars. Both men are hot. Like panty melting hot. And both men want the same woman.
Ida:
Critics though are split. On one hand, there are those who are saying that these rumors are disgusting and Derek and Carter should be ashamed of themselves. On camera today, Wanda Seymour, who was married to both men, stated for the record, "This doesn't surprise me one bit. Neither man had time for me. I'm glad that they've found each other, if that's truly the case."
Melissa:
This isn't the first time the two men have been involved with the same woman when it comes to Eliza. Both men were at one point married to her mother.
Ida:
It just seems that after the mother. And then the daughter. Now they move on to each other.
Melissa:
And there are already repercussions. In addition to the criticism levelled on Eliza, it now appears that both Carter and Derek are starting to feel some of the heat as well.
Ida:
Correct. Business seems to have slumped at both men's organizations and inside sources are telling the media that people are waiting and watching to see if they still want to park their capital in either company.
Melissa:
Or whether to even work for the company. They could decide that the outside troubles of both Chief Executives are too much to deal with, and both companies could suffer a brain drain.
Ida:
It's going to be interesting to see how the three of them get out of this one. And what will happen to Wanda Seymour when she learns that both her ex-husbands have been sleeping with each other?
Melissa:
As well as with her ex-stepdaughter.
We've suspended all other news coverage today and will continue on this topic alone with a larger panel of seven experts who are qualified to speak on this situation by the fact that they have some acquaintance with either Eliza, Carter, or Derek. We’ll continue coverage and then repeat all coverage for those of you who may have missed it in a continuous 24 hour loop for at least five days. So, hold on to your seats while we explore this breaking news after this commercial break. Stay tuned as we bring you news as it happens on this very important matter.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Carter
Fuck, how the hell did the press find out about what happened between Derek and I? It doesn’t make any fucking sense. Unless we were being spied on, I don’t see how they might have found out about us. Unless … unless Derek told someone. But no, that doesn’t make any sense. Why would he do such a thing?
Not that it matters now; the truth is out there, and it’s being spun into a multitude of half-truths and bullshit stories, all of it so that more newspapers can be sold, and more audiences reached.