Wife's Bitter Revenge Against Neglectful CEO Husband-Chapter 34: Lettie

Jake stood on the other side of the door. He was freshly showered and smelled of soap. Water glistened from the tops of his crewcut.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure."

The room suddenly felt fuller as if his aura needed room to breathe and there wasn’t any. I offered him a seat in the rocking chair that I had planned to replace with a small desk and ergonomic chair. Something else to add to my to-do list.

Jake said, "Full disclosure. I know Min."

"King’s assistant?"

"Yeah. We fought on the same MMA circuit."

"Did he recognize you?"

Jake shrugged. "Hard to tell with Min."

"Does it change anything?"

"Not for me."

"Do you think he will tell King?"

I wasn’t really sure why it mattered. Jake wasn’t a criminal or a love interest, so King shouldn’t see him as any sort of threat, but then again, he treated Bea as a threat. More than likely, anyone around me was seen as King’s competition for my attention.

"From what I know of Min, it won’t change his allegiance with King. Min and I always treated each other fairly. If King doesn’t ask him point blank what he knows about me, Min won’t volunteer the information.

"If Min witnessed your unfair treatment, he may color anything he knows on our behalf, but he won’t out and out lie or betray King. It’s not in his character."

I nodded.

"There’s more. I ran into Min on the way back here."

"After all the steps we took to keep them off our trail?"

Jake nodded.

"What happened?"

"He was waiting for me about six blocks from here. He took me for a drink. Two actually. Best whiskey I’ve had in many years. In true Min style, he didn’t say much. I think he wanted us to know that we’d wasted our time because he already knew where to find us."

"Shit. Then I can’t stay here. I’ve got to leave."

"Teela, that isn’t where I was headed. The church is a solid base. I can fortify it well enough for you to sleep at night.

"I take it King hasn’t threatened physical violence against you or any of the rest of the group?"

"Right. Heavenly family rules prohibit physical violence. That’s why I was so surprised to see Bea’s bruised face. So far, it’s all been bullying tactics to convince me to go back."

"So, if they come, they’ll show restraint." Jake thought on it a minute. "Short of imprisoning you here, if King wants to take you, he has a million ways to do it.

"Teela, can you negotiate terms with King? Find a compromise that might get him to back off?"

"I have. I was supposed to receive thirty days of freedom in exchange for attending therapy with him. It didn’t stop him from trying again."

"Okay, so he can’t be trusted. Then you shouldn’t go anywhere alone. I’ll be your bodyguard."

"Can you take Min?"

"I’ve competed against him twice. I lost both times, but that was under MMA rules. I don’t know in a street fight. Even so, I’m the best choice you have."

I couldn’t think of anyone I’d rather have my back.

"I’d also like to change the sleeping arrangements. I want to sleep in here with you."

"No, I can’t do that." I stared at the full-size bed that seemed to shrink before my eyes. The idea of sharing a bed with Jake was impossible. And if King caught us, King would make the reflection room look like a fun day at the beach."

"When you’re asleep, you’re most vulnerable. Seconds can matter if King sends someone to kidnap you. I can either move my bed in here, or if you don’t want the others to know, I can slip in and out covertly and sleep on the floor."

The floor was a more palatable option, but I was beginning to think fear of King and the Heavenly family was turning me into a prisoner of my own making. Jake acting as my prison guard would only accentuate a deeper concern.

This was our home, but Jake was already acting like it was a fortress. He and Stiff were adding surveillance internally and externally.

Whatever you do, wherever you go, someone is watching.

Whatever you do, whatever you say, someone is listening.

Privacy is an illusion.

We were taking ridiculous steps to avoid tracking, and everyone was on edge. I’d done this to us.

"I appreciate the offers, Jake. I’d love it if you’d accompany me when I go to these therapy sessions, but I can’t let you move into my bedroom with me. If I’m not careful, I’ll make this home as unbearable as the last. Does that make sense?"

Jake nodded.

"Besides, I can’t become dependent on you. Once we find your boys, they’ll need you."

"Teela, I’m a good provider. I can do both."

His look of longing told me those words meant far more than what they appeared to on the surface.

"Even so, I have to go with my gut."

"Alright. When do we leave tomorrow?"

How to say this without hurting his feelings? "We’ll leave after breakfast. I just upgraded my wardrobe to play the part of the CEO’s wife, but I left the new clothes at the estate. I’ll need to replace them. You’ll need to dress the part of bodyguard as well, so you’re in need of a shopping trip as much as I am. My treat, of course. It is the least I can do in exchange for your services.

"Alright. I’ll be ready."

Thank goodness for men who are confident enough with who they are that they don’t look for offence in everything a woman says.

King

"Mother, you’re not sick." King stood by Lettie’s bed with his arms crossed over his chest.

"When you left, my heart broke. It felt like a stroke."

"But it wasn’t, and you knew it before you called."

"Whether it’s a stroke or not, I’m anxious and need my family around me." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"Then why am I the only one here?"

Lettie’s room was fit for a French princess from the Napoleonic Era. Rich blues, cream, and gold décor with oversized furniture and plush rugs made the room better suited for a museum than a home.

It was a far cry from the dump room she occupied after Dad left and they moved into the apartment. Her bedroom doubled as a closet. She earned the right to live in luxury like this, but not to screw with his life like this.

Since adulthood, Mom and King shared a division of responsibilities. At first, Mom continued to heft the majority of the burden. As King proved himself more capable, Lettie shifted more responsibility to him.

He’d asked once why not Daniel or Joshua. Lettie would only say it was her decision.

"You’re here, King, because you were born to lead the family. You can’t walk away. And, dammit, you can’t disobey me. I’ve invested too much in you to lose you."

"You’re not losing me, Mom. I’m just moving out of the family home to be with my wife. I’ll continue to complete my family obligations."

"Huh, that woman is no wife. Divorce her. I’ll personally find you a better match, someone who complements the family and adds value."

"No, Mom. I already have a wife. I intend to keep her."

"I won’t allow it, King. Don’t make me take matters into my own hands. I can make that girl disappear."

"It seems like you’ve taken a lot into your own hands when it comes to Teela."

"Someone had to. You brought her home and ignored her. At least I got some value out of her."

King sighed and checked his watch. "I’m not debating this with you again."

"I’m serious, King. If that woman appears before me one more time, I’ll make her disappear just like I did that little bimbo from when you were in college. If you care about her at all, you know what you have to do."

Erika was King’s first love. They’d dated for over a year before he introduced her to Lettie. Two weeks later, Erika disappeared. King spent weeks helping her family search for her, and all the while, Lettie played the concerned parent.

King’s eyes narrowed. "Mom, what do you know about Erika’s disappearance?"

"Erika is ancient history. Just don’t give me a reason to flex my power like that again, King. I don’t enjoy it. I don’t enjoy hurting you, even if it’s for your own good."

"I’m not a kid anymore, Mom. If you harm Teela, I’ll fight back. I know enough about you to destroy this family."

"You’re threatening me?"

"Are you threatening me?"

Mother and son held a stare down as King wondered just how far he was willing to move against his mother. He loved the woman. She’d given him life. He knew for a fact he wouldn’t be where he was not if not for her, but the price she forced from him—from all of the brothers—it was too high. When would he be free to be himself, to let down all the walls Lettie had forced into place?

King totally understood Teela’s need to escape the Heavenly family. He’d felt the same pressure every day of his life. He envied her. He envied her friends and her courage. King wanted nothing more than to go with her. She felt like the one person in the world who might be able to teach him to drop the mantle of responsibility and replace it with happiness.

"Yeah, Mom, I guess I am. Touch Teela again and I’ll dismantle everything you’ve built from the inside out."

He turned and strolled to the door as Lettie called out after him.