Brooke, Stephanie, Eric and Rick were riveted by the gorgeous Amazon who dramatically strode into Brooke's office with her portfolio. For the briefest of moments, Eric eyed Cheré appreciatively; meanwhile Rick was practically agog. Brooke smiled and quickly made a professional assessment, thinking that Cheré would be a great addition to the upcoming Los Angeles and New York shows. Thinking ahead to the Milan fashion show, Brooke also made a mental note to ask Cheré if she had a current passport.
Stephanie did not miss the brief look of admiration that crossed Eric's face and restrained the urge to kick him in his family jewels.
How typical, she thought.
How long will it be before this
one graces his bed? "Good morning," Cheré greeted everyone in a sultry voice.
"Forgive my manners," Eric quickly apologized before starting the introductions. "Cheré Green, I would like you to meet the company's CEO, Brooke Logan."
"How do you do, Ms. Green," Brooke politely said as she extended her hand to the other woman. She was impressed with Cheré's firm and confident handshake.
"It's nice meeting you, Ms. Logan," Cheré said with a smile.
"And, this is my son, Rick Forrester," Eric said.
"Good morning—it's a pleasure!" Rick practically gulped.
Man, if he wasn't married … she was hot! Cheré smiled knowingly at Rick and firmly shook his hand. "The pleasure's all
mine, Mr. Forrester," she said.
Rick looked at Cheré and blinked several times. His throat then went dry. "Um, are you going to be working here at Forrester Creations, Ms. Green?" he managed to squeak out while still holding onto Cheré's hand.
“I think your father can answer that question better than I can,” Cheré coyly replied.
She had to admit that this guy was quite a looker although he was a bit too young for her tastes."Actually, Rick, Ms. Green already has a job—a special one," Eric smoothly interjected. He then gripped Rick's shoulder, signaling that he should let Cheré's hand go, which Rick reluctantly did.
Stephanie folded her arms and did a slow burn.
Obviously, Eric's younger son inherited his father's skirt-chasing ways! Thankfully, her own sons were better behaved. And what was with Eric introducing his trampy ex and their bratty son before her?Eric got to the business at hand. "Ms. Green, I’ve actually saved the best for last. I would like you to meet the lovely lady in the smart going-away outfit—my wife, Stephanie Forrester."
Stephanie was momentarily caught off guard by Eric's seemingly extravagant praise and his once again alluding to her going somewhere. She was slow to react and failed to notice when Cheré reached into her oversized Marc Jacobs bag and retrieved a large envelope.
Cheré smiled and extended her right hand toward Stephanie. "So, you're the legendary Stephanie Forrester—the kingmaker, the woman behind the throne so to speak."
"Well, I don't know about all that," Stephanie sourly replied, "but it is nice to know that my contributions are well regarded by others!"
Stephanie briefly shook the younger woman's hand and regarded Eric curiously. "Eric, do you mind telling me why
all of us need to meet with Ms. Green? The last time I checked, you and Ridge had creative control. You certainly don't need the CEO’s approval to hire a model, and I have no idea why Rick is even here."
"I would have preferred to have this meeting alone with you in my office, Stephanie. You know, I actually had some foolish notion about preserving your dignity. Silly me! Unfortunately, I can always count on you being predictable. I'm sure you didn't waste one minute running in here to confront Brooke, did you? And because you don't know when to keep your mouth shut, well this is the way it has to be."
"What? How
dare you talk to me like that in front of other people especially this strange woman?" A chagrined Stephanie said. “Look, Eric, I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately, but whatever it is, I don’t like it!”
“She doesn’t know what’s gotten into me!” Eric laughed at the irony and foolishness of Stephanie’s statement.
Immediately sensing that they were only going to be spectators in this particular drama, Brooke quietly grabbed Rick by his arm and removed him out of harm’s way. She had no idea who this woman was or who she was to Eric, but she figured that fists were going to start flying in a few minutes. She and Rick quickly walked to the other side of her desk.
“Mom?” Rick squinted at his mother in confusion.
“Shhhhh! Just watch and listen,” Brooke admonished Rick.
Much too late, Stephanie realized that Cheré had removed the documents from the large envelope.
"These are for you, Mrs. Forrester," Cheré said as she placed the documents in Stephanie’s hand.
“What? What are
these?” Stephanie asked in agitation. She briefly glanced down at the papers and realized that they were legal documents. Her eyes widened in horror when she noticed the caption of the first document: Eric Forrester I, Plaintiff vs. Stephanie Douglas Forrester, Defendant. She briefly scanned the bottom of the caption and audibly gasped when she read the title of the document, which was in all capital letters, underscored and in boldfaced type:
PETITION FOR DIVORCE.
“Why you son-of-a … Eric—what the hell is this? And,
who is
this bitch?! I bet you’re screwing her, aren’t you?” An outraged Stephanie yelled.
“
Bitch?” Cheré mockingly asked as she boldly stepped closer to Stephanie. Although Stephanie was not a small woman, Cheré, who was wearing 4-inch stilettos, practically towered over the older woman. “Oh, I’ve got your
bitch, lady. Now, I really don’t appreciate your calling me out of my name and if you do it again, I’ll be happy to show you just what this
bitch can do!”
“Why, you … damn it! I could just strangle … oh my God!” A discombobulated Stephanie sputtered. “You take these papers back! I don’t
want them! I refuse to accept them!” Stephanie screamed hysterically as she threw the papers on the floor. “Pick them up and get the hell OUT of here or I’ll have you thrown out! I’ll
never acknowledge this divorce suit, Eric!”
“You can do what you like to the papers—burn them, use them to wipe your butt, whatever, but the bottom line is this. You’ve been served, sugar!” Cheré said.
_______________
"You'll be happy to know that it's all yours!" Bridget bitterly sneered at Catherine as she gathered her things to leave.
Catherine sardonically raised an eyebrow at this latest uncalled for attack from Bridget, who had been a royal pain in the ass from the moment she arrived. "I beg your pardon?" Catherine coolly asked.
"You heard me!" Bridget snapped. "Congratulations on your little so-called victory. You've got the house, the kids and Ridge all to yourself! I'm leaving and I'm never coming back!"
Do you promise? Catherine was tempted to ask. "Well, did you at least say goodbye to the children? I'm sure that they'll be very disappointed especially if you leave without saying anything."
"Oh, spare me your false sympathy, Catherine," Bridget sneered. "You couldn't
wait for me to leave. You and Stephanie have been campaigning to get rid of me from the get-go. Well, you've won! You don't have to worry about me any longer."
"You know, Bridget, when I mentioned the children just now, you were more concerned about your own hurt feelings and the success of some perceived plot by me and Mrs. Forrester. Not only is your claim ludicrous, but it only highlights the selfishness that's been evident ever since you walked through that door. We've
all had a very difficult evening as I'm sure you know. Although Ridge is finally home with his family, don't think that his problems are just going to disappear now. They are only just beginning."
Bridget fumed at being dressed down like a child.
So she was selfish, eh? Yet, she kept a vigil all night long for Ridge and how was she rewarded? Bridget chose to shut out most of what Catherine said to her; however, Catherine's warning about Ridge's problems caught her attention.
"What do you mean that Ridge's problems are just beginning?" Bridget quietly asked.
"Bridget, Ridge has to go through a long legal process. He'll probably have to plan the next few weeks or months of his life around numerous court appearances. A judge will decide whether he can even travel and where. And he might
still go to jail by the time it's all over and done with. Because of that, there will be a sense of urgency with everything he does. If Ridge is incarcerated for any length of time, it will be devastating for those kids especially after losing their mom." Catherine quietly explained.
The icy cold hand of fear clutched Bridget's heart, and she felt a sense of dread. "I see," she barely choked. "Maybe Ridge won't go through all that. Maybe my mother will drop the charges," she said with false optimism. "Then everything will be the way it was again."
Catherine looked at Bridget and wondered if she truly were that naïve. "Bridget, this is a lot more serious than your mother simply picking up the phone and saying, 'OOPS! I changed my mind! I don't want Ridge to go to jail; I want him to get counseling instead!' The law simply doesn't work that way. Keep in mind that your mother wasn't the only one nearly hurt by Ridge's actions yesterday, and she has no control over this process."
Bridget was genuinely shocked.
She didn't want to believe it when her mother told her she couldn't drop the charges against Ridge. In fact, she accused her of being vindictive. Now, Catherine practically told her the same thing; yet, it sounded more believable coming from her. Bridget thought.
"So it's really serious then," Bridget whispered. "Ridge can actually go to jail—for years?"
"Yes," Catherine bluntly responded.
_______________
A dejected Ridge sat in bed and again wondered how he came to such a sorry pass. He had quietly crept upstairs to his room after overhearing Catherine and Bridget’s conversation. As far as he was concerned, Catherine was as wrong as the day was long.
No way was he going to jail! Not for a day; not for an hour; damn a whole year or two! Ridge nearly developed Carpel Tunnel Syndrome as he repeatedly changed the channel in an attempt to escape any news about his arrest and resulting legal problems. But, like a bad nightmare, there it was right there in living color. The police chase; his confrontation with Brooke and her male supporters outside her home; his rather violent arrest; and the trip to the jail. Ridge thought he could deal with all that. However, hearing himself referred to as obsessive, a stalker and a national joke stung him. His jaw clenched several times as he watched numerous clips of Brooke in Nick’s arms. Although he would rather die than admit it, there was a certain tenderness there that had been noticeably absent from his own interactions with Brooke lately.
How the hell did that
happen? Ridge idly wondered. What infuriated him even more was the way Brooke readily responded to Nick’s ministrations.
And what was with this sh*t—praising Popeye for being so supportive? It irked Ridge to hear the commentators assign superlatives to Nick that he felt were totally undeserved. That the praise came mostly from women pissed Ridge off even more.
Handsome! Strong! Tender lover! Probably the best thing that ever happened to La Logan!“Effing Nick
Payne!” Ridge ground out between clenched teeth. “Every time I see that guy, I want to crack him in his jaw!”
Whoever said that all publicity is good publicity was crazy, Ridge thought. When the commentators and reporters started to compare him to Nick, Ridge thought he would go through the roof. Comparing the men’s respective attributes as potential partners for Brooke was bad enough for Ridge. When it came to describing their physical attributes, Ridge felt that Nick had an unfair advantage. He wanted to die of embarrassment when his mug shot was broadcast for all to see. Ridge was furious.
Who in the hell released it? He wondered. He silently vowed to sue whoever the culprit was. Obviously, the mug shot did not show him at his best. His black eye was nearly swollen shut. His face showed several scratches and purplish contusions.
Don’t even get him started on his hair, Ridge silently fumed. Meanwhile, there was a clean-shaven Nick, looking ruggedly handsome. Ridge’s frustrations mounted when he inadvertently flipped to Court TV and saw Nancy Grace herself, who could not resist giving viewers with her own take on Ridge, his relationship with Brooke and how “lucky” Brooke was to get away from him.
“Ladies, this is one of the worst examples of addictive love I’ve ever seen! You know, as a former prosecutor, I’ve tried my share of domestic violence cases. I can tell you from firsthand experience that domestic abuse doesn’t discriminate; it touches all races and crosses all socioeconomic classes. It’s sad in this day and age when a woman as accomplished as Brooke Logan has to endure what she has at the hands of a monster! Yes, ladies and gentlemen—a monster!
“Well, yesterday, Miss Logan struck a blow for women everywhere when she let her abuser know that she was mad as hell and wasn’t taking it anymore! Good for you, Brooke Logan! If only more abused women had your pluck and spirit! As for what’s in store for the so-called man in this tangled mess, my contacts at Los Angeles prosecutor’s office tell me …”
“Man-hating, bug-eyed bitch! Self-promoting hack! Don’t have a man your damn self, but you’ve got plenty to say about my relationship with
my woman!” Ridge angrily yelled as he quickly changed the channel. “Everybody’s a damn expert now!” Ridge was beyond livid that his relationship with Brooke had been now being characterized as an abusive one. Even more offensive was the way it had been sensationalized by a ratings-driven media. “Why, I’ve
never touched Brooke in that way!” Ridge yelled.
Hadn’t he just told Massimo that he was too much of a man to put his hands on Brooke? He didn’t even attempt to defend himself when she hit him, Ridge thought.
No, instead, he stood there and allowed Brooke to beat him down in front of her brother, her son and Popeye! Ridge could only glare helplessly at the screen when yet another industrious reporter excitedly bragged that he had discovered the identity of Brooke’s “mystery man.” The color publicity still that accompanied Nick’s press release in the business journals suddenly flashed across the screen. Ridge then heard the reporter breathlessly read from an official bio provided by Marone Industries for Nick, practically gushing like someone with a serious man-crush.
“ARRGGGHHHH!” Ridge practically shrieked when he saw yet another close-up of Nick and Brooke together. In a fit of anger, he threw the remote control at the flat-screen television. Instead of the sound of shattering glass that Ridge expected to hear, the remote control bounced off the screen and landed on the carpet. For some bizarre reason, this enraged Ridge even more. “Effing Nick Payne!”
It’s like he couldn’t escape this bastard; he was everywhere!Although he had just candidly admitted to Bridget the reason he felt that Brooke had dumped him, Ridge’s heart hardened yet again. He was now loath to even acknowledge that such a conversation actually took place. He now stubbornly clung to his belief that Nick was actually behind Brooke’s change of heart. His mind then leapt to the conclusion that the two had already become lovers and had spent what should have been his wedding night laughing at him.
How else to explain how that sailor just happened to be with her? Ridge reasoned. It was also readily apparent to Ridge that Brooke’s family approved of her cheap affair. That they thought Nick was more worthy of Brooke than him was an affront to Ridge. The childish side of him wanted to make them pay. Ridge did not honestly know what, if anything, he could do about Storm or Katie; however, he knew that Rick was vulnerable through Amber and Little Eric.
You’ll get yours Pretty Ricky! A seething Ridge promised.
And your little dog, Amber, too—and her little meal ticket! However, Rick and Amber were not Ridge’s immediate priorities. Despite his anger and the fact that Brooke had made her choice, he still wanted her back. He could not honestly explain why.
He just knew he would be damned if Popeye would have her! However, loving Brooke tenderly was not something he intended to do.
That would come in time, Ridge told himself. Her act of rebellion had upset the applecart, and it was time to fix that quick, fast and in a hurry. Ridge decided that he first needed to get Brooke back under his spell again. Then he would master her in such a way where she would never again humiliate him the way she did over the last two days. He would put a curb on her like a horse, controlling her just enough but never breaking her spirit.
After all, he still needed her fire and passion in his bed and he was never too overly fond of women who just lay there and let it happen! Ridge chuckled richly.
He just had to find a way to get Nick Payne out of the picture.
But how? He wondered.
_______________
