Filed To Story: The Lingering Kiss of Farewell Novel
“Yes, I do. It’s why I’m trying to learn to say your actual name, not the shortened version of it,”
she’d answered him. She wasn’t going to deny it, couldn’t. She knew herself she’d named them after the last person she’d
??? called. Just another thing that confused her about everything. Why would she do that, if she ran away from him in the first place?
She understood that back then, she’d had no idea of who he was, but still not even her deep subconscious mind had stopped her from naming them after that man, and then shortening their names down to make it sound like she said his name on a daily basis. It was completely incomprehensible to her right this minute.
“That man mum, could he be our dad?”
Callum had asked her.
1 don’t want to talk about him, Callum, he harmed me,”
she’d stated right back and indicated to her injuries”
Honestly, I’m afraid of him, can you please just let it go?”
She’d stated.
She’d watched him just look at her and saw it, the disappointment in his eyes right before he turned away, at her asking him to drop the subject. She was asking him not to bring up the man that he, and likely Vincent, thought was going to be their biological father. They had no proof and were just seven. She didn’t think she had to concern herself with it. They were also back in Virginia and their lives were well away from that man. Could return to normal at some point.
He couldn’t come here to harass her, or at least not for the next five months, and Bridie had told her if she still felt unsafe, or feared him coming for her when those six months were up, they could have a new one Issued. Though it would be done from her local courthouse and by a judge there in Virginia, and it was likely to have her home address on it, so he knew not to go near it, effectively giving him her address.
That was not something she was willing to do at this point. Marilyn knew she’d just be letting it all go. If he stayed away from her, she’d move on past it, and try to not think about it at all over the coming months or after that expiry date in December, right before Christmas. She also didn’t intend to give him any reasons to come out here or come at her for any reason at all. She was not one of those women out to attach herself to him, and she’d prove it by staying the hell away from him.
She dropped all the charges in an effort to get away from having to deal with him even. Her only condition was him staying away from her. He’d agreed, and she was just hoping he meant it.
It was a full month after she’d gotten home when a package had arrived via courier for her. It had come via Liam Stevens, only it hadn’t been him that had sent it. William Jameson had sent it to her lawyer, and he’d sent it on to her.
In it was everything William had come up with regarding Calvin and Marrin, when they’d gotten married, how they’d lived, when they’d gotten divorced, Calvin’s being in Italy and his search for his ex-wife over there, right down to when he’d gotten home and the funeral he’d held. Wil had put that file together; all into a timeline. He had even included all the evidence he’d apparently gathered himself on Marrin Reeves becoming Marilyn
Riddley.
When and how she’d changed her name and the car accident she’d been in, right down to the police report and that phone call she’d made from her car, where she stated Calvin’s name. It all correlated and proved she was actually Marrin Reeves.
Then there was a photocopy page right at the back of two pictures, one above the other, one of her and Calvin, smiling at some function, and below that a picture of the twins, taken from the hospital, which showed just how much they looked like Calvin Reeves.
She just sat and stared at it. William, Calvin’s own lawyer, had undeniable proof that Calvin had been right about who she was, or had been, even that the twins were in fact Calvin Reeves. They were, she now knew without a doubt, a billionaire’s twin sons. Likely the heirs to a massive fortune. She had no doubt he was going to want them where he could control them.
Though it was the letter attached to it that bothered her the most, even though it wasn’t actually addressed to herself but to Liam Stevens
“Mr Stevens.
I’ve looked into everything regarding Marrin Reeves’ disappearance, and here is the undeniable proof that Marilyn Riddley is actually Marrin Reeves. I’ve yet to inform my client, Calvin Reeves, of this. But you can understand the ramifications of it, if I do not.
Las his lawyer, will have to inform him. However, I do understand the current circumstances and, with the restraining order in place, I feel my client will actively breach it. To come and collect his ex??ife and his children (twin boys), I now know to be named Callum and Vincent. If shortened to just the first three letters, I believe they make up Calvin. A bit of a coincidence; I think not.
I will endeavour to keep this quiet until the AVO and Restraining orders have been resolved. I would greatly appreciate you advising your client not to reinstate them, or things will inevitably get messy. I don’t want this, for myself, for my client Calvin, for yourself or your client, Marilyn (Marrin) and her two children.
I would like for yourself Mr Stevens, your client, Marilyn (Marrin) and myself, to attend a sit??own meeting and mediate the terms of this becoming full knowledge to my client, Calvin. We have just under five months to sort this out and find a way for all parties to come to a suitable agreement, which will be the best option for your client.
If Miss Riddley is unhappy and declines the offer I’m putting on the table, I will simply give a copy of everything in this file, that I have sent to you, and wish you to pass on to Miss Riddley. To my client and allow him to deal with it the way he sees fit. You’re aware now that he is a man who does not take things lightly.
Sincerely yours, William Jameson,
Marilyn
She was watching Callum and Vincent play outside in the yard while waiting for the driver to come and collect them for school. Their lives had returned to normal with the start of the new school year. She had not brought up Houston or her book tour, or what had happened, nothing since coming home and she kind of pushed it aside when the boys had questions. They seemed to have let it go themselves
Liam had called her regarding that meeting William Jameson wanted, and it had been organised. She couldn’t ignore it and Liam had advised her not to either. Best to see what it was the man wanted in order to keep Calvin away from her still. She would be headed for his hotel directly after the boys were dropped off at school this morning.
There had been an assurance that William would be alone and Calvin would not be in this mediation he’d requested. She wasn’t allowed to drive yet herself. She still had moments of dizziness and, although it had now been seven weeks since the stairwell incident, and they were getting less. It wasn’t safe for her to drive.
Her doctor had yet to give the all clear, and had told her that, like her first injury, it would be six months to a year, and only if her dizzy spells were gone completely. Her last accident, she’d not been able to drive for just over six months post her hospital discharge. So he was expecting the same timeframe or a bit longer even.
She had a driver currently to take the twins to and from school and her doctor’s appointments, and she’d been using her today as well to go to that meeting. She couldn’t go to New York for it, so she had allowed Liam to make their meeting in Roanoke, Virginia, a 35??o??0??inute drive from where she lived. It was considered local but not near her house, which was actually off the main roads and a little on the difficult side to find if one didn’t know the roads.
She knew this was going to give that man an idea of where she lived, but realistically, anywhere within an hour of Roanoke could be looked at as to where her hometown was. It would still be difficult to find unless he had a private investigator digging into her fully. She didn’t think so at this time, or he’d likely have just sent that letter direct to her, as an unspoken threat of I know where you live and can tell my client anytime I like.
The school drop off was easy, and she waved them goodbye and reminded them that Ashley would be picking them up after school and got a
“We know, we don’t have amnesia,”
Right back and then they’d laughed and run off, her boys were back to normal it seemed, that was a good thing for her to see.
They d do like to torment you about that, don’t they?”
Ashley chuckled from the driver’s seat.
“Yes, it’s a running joke in our house,”
she’d nodded as Ashley had pulled the car out from the school drop off zone and headed for Roanoke.
Where she found Liam Stevens waiting for her in the hotel lobby, he smiled at her,
“Morning Marilyn.”
“Morning,”
she’d greeted him back/”You didn’t need to meet me down here, I know which room you’re in, and where the meeting will be held.”
“All’s good,”
he waved it off.