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"K&L Investments. Broadmoore Industries. They're two biggies with expertise and money. They were our second and third choices. I can contact them both and see if they want to meet, but news has already gotten out that Seneca turned us down because of reputation, so I wonder how good it will be to do things publicly. Maybe I can do stuff behind the scenes. If they turn us down too, it will look bad. We may have to go on our own and build up a reputation before we get anyone else to partner with us."
I sighed. "Okay. Do your magic. I'd talk to them, given I'm usually the finance side of things, but it might be best if you talk to the techies and see what they think and have heard."
"How was your trip, by the way? You kept pretty tight radio silence, so I have no idea. I presume it was amazing, given you weren't bugging me for daily updates..."
"It was great," I said, wishing I had another week or two free from the daily stresses of a startup. "I only wish the business side of things was as good as my personal life."
"Alexa is feeling better?"
"She is, much better," I said. "She's going for her ultrasound so we should know the sex of our baby by Friday."
"Going to do one of those gender reveal parties?"
"Oh, I never thought of that." I frowned. "I'll talk to Alexa and see what she wants. If we have one, of course you and Felicia are invited."
"I hope so, and I hope you'll consider me as a godfather."
"I wouldn't consider anyone else." I stood, checking my watch. "Now, I have to get to my office and clean up a few messes before I head out to the beach house for the rest of the month."
"We can Skype if we need to talk," John said. "I'll keep you updated on my behind the scenes talks with Broadmoore and K&L."
"Good." I grabbed my briefcase. "See you later."
I left John's offices and took the limo service back to my own building, to make sure I had everything I needed to work from home for the rest of January. I could still come into the city if needed, but I wanted to spend as much time as possible wi
th Alexa.
While there, I checked my messages and saw one from -- of all people -- my mother.
MOTHER: When are you going to wish me Merry Christmas or have all those years I cared for you and gave you everything you needed to succeed in life been wasted and unappreciated?
I wanted to send off a nasty message about how she tried to ruin my life and possibly succeeded with her little game of finding rape videos of my now-wife and posting them on the internet.
But I held back.
Discretion is the better part of valor, or so they say. I said what I wanted but I tried to say it in as calm and rational way as possible.
LUKE: I would think you understood how upset I was and still am that you would even consider posting videos of Alexa. I can't forgive you for asking Alexa to get an abortion or trying to buy her off in order to get her to leave me.
There. Let her stew on that for a while.
Of course, she didn't. She barely read my text before responding.
MOTHER: Everything I do I do in your best interest! Look at what harm she's already done to you. I heard that Seneca turned you down as a business partner over Alexa. She's nothing but bad news. And now that you've married her and got her pregnant, she's got her claws in you and will take a lot of money from you -- money you could use on Astra. You should have listened to me.
I could barely contain my anger when I replied, typing way too hard for my own good.
LUKE: They wouldn't have had doubts about Astra if you hadn't posted the video of Alexa getting raped by Blaine!
I sent the text and then I deleted her cell number and blocked her.
After that, I finished collecting my files and left my office. I felt like punching something, but instead, got rid of my excess energy by taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
I'd forgotten to call down to get the limo in my anger and so I had to wait on the street for it to arrive. He'd taken it to get refueled and so would be about five minutes.
I stood in the shelter of an overhang and watched the street for the limo. While I waited, I saw a man standing in a doorway, a paper opened. I couldn't help but notice that he raised the paper, like he was hiding behind it, after our eyes met.
Was he fucking spying on me?
