“Mr. Bamford, can you tell us something about your divorce?” One bold journalist asks the question everyone is dying to hear answered.
Waylen looks condescendingly at the flushed man who returns his gaze. They stare each other down; the tension in the room is palpable.
Suddenly, an abrupt voice interrupts the standoff between Waylen and the journalist, “Oh my God, Mrs. Bamford is signing the agreement!”
Everyone turns to look at Leilani, and the cameras click and flash as the journalists take pictures of the signed papers. Leilani allows them to take as many pictures as they want, posing with the pen in her hand even though she’s aware that Waylen will ultimately decide what they’re allowed to print in the papers. He’s that powerful.
She knows that if Waylen ordered it, the news of the divorce could be changed to a pregnancy announcement. Tomorrow’s headlines will say whatever Waylen wants them to say. In fact, none of the journalists will be allowed to leave the mansion before Waylen’s security team inspects their photos and deletes anything their boss wouldn’t like. Usually, Waylen doesn’t allow any media coverage of photos, but today he needs to send a message to the media.
Leilani gives Waylen a provoking look. Every sound, person, and thing in the room seems to blur and fade. It feels like it’s only the two of them in this massive room.
“It’s not divorce papers,” Waylen announces, “It’s a pregnancy agreement.”
The journalists all begin to shout questions at once. This is the opposite of what they’d heard from informants. The room is in chaos.
“That’s right. Mrs. Bamford and I have decided to produce an heir,” Waylen says. He smirks at the journalists, “To that end, she gave her best last night, and I expect we’ll be announcing a pregnancy soon”
Leilani looks down at the agreement she’s just signed and realizes it’s been altered. Instead of divorce papers, she’s signed a paper giving Waylen Bamford all parental rights to any child she has with him. As angry as she is about the deception, she’s even more enraged to hear him talk about s.e.x in front of their families and the journalists. Has he no shame?
Waylen’s words relax everyone in the room. The tension vanishes, replaced by an expectant and excited atmosphere.
“No wonder Waylen looks at Leilani so lovingly,” the journalists think.
Leilani stares at him. If she didn’t know better she’d think his gaze really was full of passion and love.
“So he’s taken my divorce announcement and turned it into a press conference publicizing our fake marital happiness,” she thinks, “It’s not over yet, though.”
Waylen’s scheming nature won’t change overnight, but Leilani is determined to get her way. She resists an overt display of anger and sneers at her husband. She doesn’t say anything to defend herself; instead, she waits for the right moment.
The journalists are eager to film Leilani. They point their cameras at her and shove their microphones in her direction.
“Waylen-” a sweet voice calls from outside the door. Leilani’s expression changes instantly. Her haughty and prideful look suddenly vanishes and her face becomes an expressionless mask.
The cameras flash wildly. Surprised, the speaker hesitates. Leonie Summer enters the room and blushed with embarrassment. Her sweet voice turns bashful and she murmurs a shy apology, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know there was an interview.”
A few hours ago, Leonie had received a mysterious message inviting her to come to the Bamford residence to comfort Waylen’s after his divorce. She hadn’t expected such a grand scene. She wonders if they’ve officially announced the divorce yet.
She turns and looks at Leilani, her expression smug and gloating. If the Summer family hadn’t lost so much money, she would have been able to compete with the other high society women to become Mrs. Bamford. If she’d been involved, Waylen would have never married unworthy Leilani.
“Leonie, how nice to see you,” Mrs. Bamford waves at her, “Come over here, dear”
“I heard that Waylen was talking about divorcing Leilani after what happened three days ago,” Leonie smiles at Mrs. Bamford with false concern, “I got worried and wanted to talk some sense into him.”
Mrs. Bamford looks calculatingly at Leonie, “What happened three days ago?”
“Er…” Leonie bites her lower lip hesitantly and glances at the journalists who are pushing each other to try to get closer to Leonie. She can’t help gloating.
“Talk to me,” Mrs. Bamford says with concern.
It’s all too evident that the older woman prefers Leonie to Leilani. Now that she has Mrs. Bamford’s encouragement and support, Leonie sneaks a smug smile at Leilani.
“It’s just, Leilani pushed me down the stairs,” she says.
The news explodes among the journalists. This story is turning out to be even more scandalous than a divorce, and they’re glad they’ve made the trip to the Bamford’s residence. Have the Bamford used the pregnancy announcement to cover up an attempted murder?
Leilani sips her wine as if none of this concerns her.
Leonie smiles to herself, “Don’t worry. It’s nothing too serious. My injuries have almost healed. The doctor says I need to go back to the hospital to make sure my concussion isn’t too severe, but it’s okay. Waylen, don’t blame Leilani. It’ll break my heart if you divorce her for me.”
“Leilani, how dare you to push Leonie down the stairs?” Mrs. Bamford points at Leilani and her finger trembles with anger. She wishes she could poke straight through her daughter-in-law’s skull.
The Peters stand silently in the corner, too ashamed to say anything.
Waylen looks at Leilani’s eyes, she would have frozen on the spot too embarrassed to defend herself. Now she seems to accuse Waylen as if he’s the one who should be ashamed.
“Who is this feisty woman?” Waylen wonders, “And what exactly is she trying to do?”
Leilani frowns at Waylen. Even though Leonie’s left eye is cloaked in the dark halo of a bruise, Leilani has become smug and more confident since the other woman arrived. Waylen immediately notices this subtle change in Leilani. It seems like an open provocation. He realizes that Leilani must have sent Leonie the mysterious message inviting her to the house. Interest and curiosity creep into Waylen’s calculating, sharp gaze.
“Is it true that you pushed Miss Summer down the stairs three days ago, Mrs. Bamford?” A journalist asks.
“The word is that you intend to divorce,” clamors another, “Is this why?”
“Is there something going on between Mr. Bamford and Miss Summer?”
“Leilani, did you push her because you’re jealous?”
“Does the pregnancy still count?”
“Pregnancy? I think that depends on Waylen.” Leilani answers.
She smiles lightly and stares at Waylen provokingly. She wants to see how he’ll handle the situation. After all, Mrs. Bamford is a changeable title, but his tender feelings for his childhood sweetheart can’t change so easily. Can he bear to talk about her imaginary pregnancy in front of the woman he loves?
Pregnancy?
Leonie turns to Waylen in astonishment. She wants Waylen to look at her, to reassure her with a smile or a nod of his head. But from the moment she entered the room, he hasn’t even glanced at her. Instead, he remains fixated on Leilani, watching her with an unreadable emotion in his eyes. It’s like he’s looking at an exciting new toy, considering the possibilities.
“What happened to the disgust in his eyes when he used to look at her?” Leonie wonders, “Are they divorcing or not?
A growing murmur rises in the room as the crowd speculates.
Suddenly impatient with the entire scene, Waylen announces “You can start expecting good news from Mrs. Bamford and me.”
His words cause more hustle and bustle. Everyone knows that the distinguished family works in mysterious ways, but this press conference has been shocking. The journalists nod at each other. They know the announcement is Waylen’s final word.
“Please leave us now,” Robert says, “If there is more news about the couple, we’ll let you know.”
The bodyguards receive their orders and start clearing the room.
One journalist, who won’t give up asks, “Is it news of pregnancy or divorce?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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