Your Love Ch. 07

Ok you guys, sorry for going MIA. Just wrapped up midterms and now I'm getting ready for finals. Good news though! Your girls getting good grades! YAY!! Just know that my absence is for a good cause.

It's a busy time.

I thought about finishing the series in this chapter but I didn't want to screw you guys out of a good story. Yall deserve it!

As usual, no editor so as usual, shred away.

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Catherine stood in front of the door of her parent's mansion with a manila folder in her hand.

She took a deep breath and felt a hand softly touch her lower back.

Ben.

"You can do this babe. I'm here for you. This. All of this has to end. Today."

She knew he was right. Her father had to pay for his actions. She lifted her fisted and knocked on the door. It wasn't long before their butler Bernard answered with a confused look on his face.

"Miss Catherine? Have you lost your key?" The older man asked.

"I have it Bernard," Catherine actually had the key in her hand and was handing it to Bernard, "I want you to take it and put it with the other house keys. I don't live here anymore."

Bernard nodded and took the key from her and turned to leave, but not before Catherine could stop him.

"Bernard where is my father?"

"In his study Miss." With that Bernard turned on his heel and walked briskly towards the kitchen leaving Catherine and Ben standing in the marble foyer.

"Alright," Catherine said, "Lets do this."

With that Catherine walked down the hall towards her father's study."

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

There was a small knock on Baker's door.

"Come in!" Baker boomed in his deep voice.

The door opened slowly and from the other side Catherine peaked her head in.

"Kitty cat! Come to see your Daddy!"

Catherine gave a small smile as she made her way into the office. Ben also peaked in and saw Baker give a confused look at his presence.

"Come on in Ben." Catherine said looking behind her and Ben walked the rest the way in.

The couple stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, clearly having something to say.

"Catherine is something going on?" Baker asked while giving Ben a suspicious look.

"Yes Daddy. There is something going on." Catherine lifted the folder up and held it into the air in front of Baker before letting it drop on his desk. "We know everything."

Baker's face had twisted into one of annoyance. He was quite certain Catherine didn't actually know what he initially thought she was talking about but he was still nervous. He reached for the folder.

"Catherine what on earth are you on about?"

"Open it Daddy."

Baker flipped open the sleeve and peered at it's contents.

His heart almost stopped. Emails, bank statements, routing and account numbers. His name was on almost everything. She did know.

Baker looked up to find both Catherine and Ben watching him, clearly waiting for a reaction.

Catherine watched her father. A look of fear passed his face for only a second before being replaced with one of utter defiance.

"Why daddy? How could you do this to Stephen? To me?"

"I didn't do this to you! I did it for you" Baker snapped back. "I've broken my back over the years trying to make sure you and your mother were taken care of, the very least you can do is shut your damned mouth and let me do what I need to do!"

"Stephen worked hard for what he has! That company is his dream and you were supposed to be his family! But you're stealing for him! And then you lied to me about everything. All while smiling in our faces."

"You ungrateful child." Baker started as he began to stand from behind the desk and walk around it but Ben stepped in front of him.

"She's not ungrateful, she just knows how to recognize a liar."

Baker's eyes widened as he finally gave Ben a good once over.

"And just who the hell are you to talk to me that way?"

"Daddy!" Both me turned to look at Catherine.

"A lot has happened in the last few days. First and foremost I want you to know that Stephen and I will not be getting married."

"The hell you wont!"

"We won't! And honestly Daddy even if we did it wouldn't benefit you at all. Stephen is speaking to Richard Earnest today. A very good and may I add, ruthless, lawyer who had dealt with many cases of financial illegalities. You're done Daddy."

Baker's face turned white.

"You'd do this? To your own father?"

"I love you Daddy, and I always will. But that means nothing compared to what you've done to Stephen and all the hard work he's put into his company."

Ben spoke up, "Not to mention you were going to make your daughter marry for your own financial convenience."

Baker turned to shoot Ben another dirty look.

"I'm still not quite sure who the hell you are to.." Baker started before Christina interrupted.

"He's my boyfriend!"

Baker face twisted.

"Boyfriend? So now your sleeping with your fiancé's best friend?" Baker knew he was being nasty at this point. "I never took my own daughter for a whore!"

Catherine tried to stop it but she just wasn't quick enough. Before she could even raise her hands to reach Ben, his fist had connected with her father's jaw.

All she heard was a loud crack whip through the air.

"She's not a whore! She's your daughter and she deserves a hell of a lot more than what you've given her!"

Baker hadn't really heard too much of what Ben had said. The ringing in his ears was too loud and his face was still on fire.

Catherine wanted to get out of there before her father had really understood what had just happened, she'd never seen anyone strike her father before. But she wasn't the least bit upset by it.

She grabbed Ben's sleeve and pulled him towards the door leaving her father groaning against his desk.

As they walked out the front door Catherine couldn't help but smile. Sure it had been brutal and messy, but it was worth it.

Finally. She had her freedom, and she had Ben.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Stephen hoped everything was going well on everyone else's end. He knew Catherine and Ben had been nervous about confronting Baker this morning and Christina was extremely quiet before she left for her meeting with Jackson.

He was about to take care of things on his end.

Fucking Deacon. His personal one third of the crime spree.

How could Deacon do this to him? He'd trusted him over the years. Confided in him about problems with Catherine, bounced ideas off of him, hell he'd even let him vent the gory details of his relationships with him. Stephen was hurt...and furious.

Stephen stepped out of his SUV with determination for the day ahead.

This shit ends today.

Stephen walked through the front doors of his office building and straight into the lobby.

He didn't bother making eye contact with Deacon but he saw him out of his peripheral.

"Good morning Stephen!" Deacon said in his usual upbeat tone.

"Be in my office in five." Was all Stephen said as he strode into his suite.

He shut the door behind him and made his way over to his desk and immediately begin filing paperwork.

A few minute passed before he heard a light knock.

"Come in!" Stephen called out impatiently.

The door opened slowly and Deacon peeked into the office timdly.

"You wanted to see he said in a small voice."

Stephen didn't bother looking up when he responded. "Take a seat."

Deacon walked into the large office and pulled one of the leather seats from the huge oak desk and sat across from his employer.

Stephen still hadn't looked at him, he just kept on typing.

Deacon was getting more nervous by the second.

He was about to open his mouth to question while he was there when Stephen reached into his briefcase and pulled out a folder and dropping it on the desk in front of Deacon.

Deacon scrunched his face in mock confusion.

"What's this?"

"Open it. Maybe you will be able to tell me."

Deacon's heart was beating a mile a minute. He knew it was over. He flipped open the file and saw everything staring up at him. All the plans. The correspondence over the last few years. Everything was in this folder.

Deacon looked up and locked eyes with Stephen. Those icy blue eyes were staring a whole through him.

He once thought those eyes were the sexiest thing on the planet, back when he'd first been hired and he'd had a bit of a crush on his new boss. But now they just seemed terrifying.

"Um...I...uh." Deacon stammered trying to think of something to say.

Stephen just rolled his eyes and then looked back to the computer.

He had finished what been working on and clicked print.

The machine behind Deacon started to make noises and Stephen went to retrieve the papers it had pushed out and then walked over to where Deacon was sitting.

He grabbed a pen and signed at the bottom and then extended them towards Deacon

"Here." Was all he said.

He reached up and took what Stephen offered him. He looked at the papers.

A formal resignation.

Stephen had already returned to his chair behind the desk and was looking at him with a less than amused expression.

"Consider it a favor," Stephen began, "I considered the fact that while you are a very dutiful and resourceful employee you aren't very creative. There's no way you were the mastermind of this whole fiasco, I'm sure you were a middleman at best."

Deacon remained silent and stunned. He wasn't sure what to say. He opened his mouth to attempt to respond but Stephen cut him off.

"However, rest assured that you, Baker Basin, and Jackson Billiards will pay dearly for the grief you've caused a lot of people."

How did he know about Jackson?

Stephen watched the many series of emotions run over Deacon's face. He almost felt bad for him.

"Leave Deacon, it's over. I have a meeting soon anyway and I'd rather not go in angry."

Deacon stood up and turned timidly like a dog with it's tail between its legs and walked towards the door.

He reached for the door when he heard Stephen call on him.

"One more thing Deacon, don't bother giving your boyfriend a heads up, Christina is taking care of it."

Everything. He knew everything.

It really was over for them.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

My turn.

Christina sat in her car outside of the apartment building that She and Jackson once shared.

She took a deep breath trying to calm her nerves.

She turned to grab the tote bag that sat in the passenger's seat and opened the car door.

Stepping onto the sidewalk she felt the cool November air hit her face.

Christina took an even deeper breath outside of her car which had a stronger affect on her.

She could handle this. Why should she be nervous?

I haven't done anything wrong.

If anything she should be angry for being lied to for so long by someone she believed she could trust.

Christina walked ahead and swung open the glass building doors.

"Good morning Miss. Earnest." The man behind the front desk said smiling at her.

"Good morning Mr. Potts."

Christina made her way to the elevators and pressed the up button.

It seemed like an hour before the doors finally opened.

Pressing the button for her floor she heard a chime coming from her purse.

A text.

Pulling her cell out of her bag Christina looked at the screen

Stephen

Good luck miss. Wish I could have come. <3

Christina smiled and felt her heart warm.

She slid her phone back into the bag just as the doors opened and she stepped onto the walkway.

Taking out her key she approached her door and placed it in the lock.

Before she had a chance to turn it the door flung open abruptly and Jackson stood there looking like the devil himself.

"About time. Five more minutes and I would have left."

"Jackson I'm early." She said closing the door behind her.

"Whatever, what do you need? Not like you haven't taken everything else from me."

Christina stood there shocked.

He's insane.

"Jackson let's not play innocent shall we?"

"Excuse me?" Jackson was now standing only inches from her clearly getting furious," I am innocent in all of this! I've done nothing but love you and you just decide out of no where to up and leave me! Is it another man?"

That made her feel guilty, but only for a moment.

"Jackson who is Declan?"

He froze.

Jackson looked her up and down trying to asses what was actually happening here.

He didn't want to say too much in case she didn't really know what she was talking about.

"I don't know anyone named Declan." He turned and walked towards the living room and sat himself on the couch.

"Really?" Christina followed behind him and plopped herself matter-of-factly on the coffee table across from him.

He would make eye contact.

"How about Baker Basin? That ring a bell?"

Jackson grew quiet.

Christina reached into her bag, pulled out the pre-nup, and tossed it on his lap.

"You always knew I had a bad habit of not reading contracts before signing them. My dad still fusses at me for that. I guess I'm a little too trusting."

He still wouldn't look at her.

"You don't have anything to say?"

"What do you want me to say Christina?" He sneered, "Sorry? I'm not. Yes, I was marrying you for money, and no I'm not sorry. But don't worry about me sweetheart. I may not be getting as much as I planned but I still got money coming in."

"Oh you mean the money you've been siphoning from Stephen business accounts?"

Jackson eye widened.

Christina smiled at his reaction.

"How do you..." He trailed off.

"Let's just say it's a small world Jackson. I'll be meeting with my Father later to discuss how this will pan out for you and your business partners.

Jacksons face showed the realization of how screwed he really was.

"Christina wait." He said in a pleading voice.

"Jackson I was totally prepared to let you stay out the lease on the apartment but now I'm going to need you gone by the Friday." She stood from the table and walked out the front door.

Christina hadn't realized how hard her heart was beating but she could feel the thumping as she finally stepped back onto the elevator.

She smiled and took out her phone.

She sent a text to Stephen.

Christina: Done :)

Send.

Quickly her phone chimed a response.

Stephen: Great :) On your way to your Dads?

She typed back.

Christina: Yep, see u there?

Stephen: Omw. Ben and Cat are already there. See u soon. Xo

Christina walked off the elevator and headed to her car.

She couldn't stop smiling.

She'd never been so bold with anyone, especially with Jackson and she was proud that she hadn't faltered in her accusations.

She was growing. Thanks to Stephen.

And to herself.

Christina slid into the front seat and started the car.

Life is definitely getting better. She thought to herself as she drove off.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Christina, Stephen, Ben and Catherine sat around the large wooden table in her fathers office.

They'd just spent the last 4 and a half hours going back and forth on how the situation should be handled.

Whether or not they should press charges or if the fact that the men all knew they were busted was enough.

How would they go about it?

Do they sue for damages? Emotional trauma?

They were mentally and emotionally exhausted.

Luckily her father had made the whole process go much more smoothly with his expertise.

They say quietly around the desk trying to taking in the whole ordeal.

"I almost feel bad for them." Catherine spoke up first, "When Richard is done with them they won't have anything left."

Ben reached for her hand gave it a small squeeze.

Stephen sighed loudly and responded, "It's not like they didn't know what they were doing Cat. Plus they'd been doing it for so long, they need to pay, not only for what they've done but for the countless lies they've told."

"He's right Cat," Christina followed quietly, "I know he's your father and you love him, but we can't always protect the people we love, especially from themselves. I know that more than anyone."

Catherine nodded sadly. She understood and she'd let her father pay for his choices.

Richard walked back into the room and the four of them looked up to listen for an update.

"Well Sonya will be drawing up papers and we've already contacted the authorities with a copy of all the documents, at this this point all you guys can do is wait until they are picked up."

"How long should that take?" Catherine asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Well, according to a contact of mine Deacon turned himself in before charges were even filed. They've already tried contacting your father several ways but he's nowhere to be found right now."

Hearing this made Catherine grimace.

Christina looked up her father with a worried look, "What about Jackson?"

Richard's facial expression dropped immediately and he looked at his daughter intently before gesturing towards the door.

Christina stood and followed her father to the next room.

"Christina, the police used the key you gave them to get into the apartment..." His voice trailed off.

"And?"

"I think things were a lot more troublesome for Jackson than we may have realized. I had someone run his info into the database down at the station and Sonya did some work here too. Honey he had records, a lot of them. Theft, robbery, embezzlement. Jackson Billards wasn't even his real name. He had about 47 different aliases. He has been on the run for years. I think it all finally caught up with him."

Christina stood in shock.

They had been engaged. She had been ready to marry a man she knew nothing about.

"But where is he?"

Richard sighed, "He's dead sweetheart, he shot himself. They've taken him to a morgue downtown."

Christina wasn't sure what to feel at this point.

She wanted to hate him for hurt he'd caused, for lying. But now she didn't know how to handle it.

Was she allowed to hate a dead person? No matter what he had done?

Christina nodded to her father with small tears brimming her eyes.

She wasn't sure why she was crying. She didn't feel sad. Or angry. Or even relieved.

Just confused.

She turned to walk into the next room and saw that Stephen was waiting for her at the doorway. He looked worried.

He had originally hoped they could use this time to introduce him to Mr. Earnest but now it no longer seemed like a good time.

She walked past him in a daze and grabbed her purse from under the table.

Ben and Catherine had already left.

He followed Christina out the front door and as she walked to her car.

"Christina?" He finally spoke.

She didn't respond, only looked at him expectantly.

"Are you ok?"

Christina seemed confused by the question as if she wasn't sure what it meant.

"Jackson is dead." She said with no expression.

Stephen's eye widened, clearly unsure how to process what she'd just told him.

"He shot himself like the coward he is."

"Chris.." He started but she cut him off.

"I'm going to check into a hotel; I need to be by myself right now."

With that she got in her car and drove off before he could respond.

Stephen stood in the parking lot feeling empty. The day didn't end at all as he had hoped.

He'd thought they might go to a romantic dinner after the meeting with her father. Celebrate their victory together. For once they'd be free to have an alone dinner with each other without the outside world plaguing them.