Legal Attraction Page 15

  She boldly met her mother’s gaze. “Griffin knows everything, Mother. Whatever you have to say you can say in front of him.”

  Jeanette looked humiliated. “Can we please find someplace to talk?”

  Marissa pointed to some chairs nearby.

  Once they sat down, Jeanette began to explain. “What happened between Frank and me… Marissa, it happened a long time ago.”

  “It never should have happened,” Marissa stated coldly. “You were both married.”

  “Why don’t you just hear your mother out?” Griffin suggested gently.

  “Fine,” Marissa uttered. “I’m listening.”

  “I was lonely,” Jeanette explained. “I had four children under the age of five. Your father was so busy with work and back then, he was rarely home. There were days when he slept at the firm—he wouldn’t even come home. I felt like a single mother.”

  Marissa eyed her mother but did not respond.

  Jeanette continued. “Frank was also very lonely. Vanessa’s clothing line was just taking off and she spent most of her time in Europe. Frank and I have always been friends. We were both frustrated and we would vent to each other. Frank understood what I was going through. We were just a source of support for each other.”

  “When did the affair begin?” Marissa asked.

  “There was no affair,” Jeanette answered. “It was one night. Jacob and I had had a bad fight and I was upset. Frank and Vanessa weren’t getting along either—in fact, he was considering a divorce. Anyway, he came over to cheer me up and…”

  “But how could you not tell me that Uncle Frank is my father? Don’t you think Daddy and I have a right to know the truth?”

  “Is that what you think?” Jeanette questioned. “Heavens, no, dear. Do you honestly think I would lie about something like that?”

  Marissa glanced over at Griffin, then said, “Even good people keep secrets at times.”

  “Jacob is your father, Marissa. This is without question.”

  At that moment, an official from the gala walked over to where they were sitting and said, “Mrs. Hamilton, someone would like to speak to you.”

  Jeanette gave Marissa one last look before saying, “We will finish this conversation later at home.”

  * * *

  “Let’s go, Griff.”

  “You still want to leave?”

  Marissa nodded. “I heard her out, but it really doesn’t change anything. I’m sure that she desperately wants Daddy to be my real father, but she is obviously in denial.”

  “She seems convinced that Jacob is your father,” Griffin interjected. “Maybe you should finish that conversation.”

  Marissa shook her head. “It won’t matter. I just want to go back to your place and take a hot bath, then go to bed. With any luck, I’ll forget this night ever happened.”

  Griffin planted a kiss on her forehead. “I don’t think that’s going to happen, sweetheart.”

  “But we can try, can’t we?”

  Before Griffin could respond, the door to the ballroom opened and they could hear a commotion of some sort.

  “What is going on in there?” Marissa asked.

  “It’s your mother,” Griffin announced. “She and Vanessa Bonnard are arguing.”

  Marissa was alarmed. “We need to get over there.” Taking Griffin’s hand, she practically ran into the ballroom. Her aunt had her mother cornered.

  “Who do you think you are?” Vanessa hissed at Jeanette, her eyes filled with anger. “How dare you try and run to my husband every time you have a problem with your family. You don’t think I know what is really going on?”

  Jeanette’s mouth opened in surprise. “What are you talking about?”

  “Oh, please,” Vanessa uttered. “I am not stupid, Jeanette. I know all about you and Frank. I’ve known for years.”

  Marissa gasped and clung to Griffin. “Nooo…”

  Her family was falling apart all around her, and Marissa felt as if it was all her fault. She never should have confronted her mother like that.

  Griffin wrapped a protective arm around her.

  In front of her, the battle between the two women raged on. “Vanessa, can we please finish this conversation someplace private?” Jeanette asked. She looked as if she was about to break down into tears at any moment.

  Marissa felt sorry for her mother. She also felt guilty over her actions. She had never wanted to humiliate Jeanette.

  She stepped up to them. “Aunt Vanessa,” she said. “Don’t do this here.”

  “Why not?” her aunt demanded. “People should know the truth about this family and especially your mother. She has gotten off scot-free for all these years. Everyone thinks that she is such a devoted wife and mother.” Vanessa glared at Jeanette. “She is nothing more than a home wrecker.”

  “That is enough,” Jillian muttered as she joined them. “Aunt Vanessa, if you have so much to say, save it for tomorrow. We can talk this out at Integrity.”

  “Oh no, this place is perfect,” Vanessa cooed. “Right here in front of everyone Jeanette cares about. I do not intend to let her escape what she deserves most. Public disgrace.”

  Marissa eyed her aunt. Vanessa’s face was contorted with anger. Instantly she knew. “It was you.”

  Vanessa glared at her. “What are you talking about?”

  “You are the anonymous person who tried to tip off Eminence magazine about the affair.”

  A crowd began to form around them, including Harper.

  “What is going on here?” he demanded.

  Marissa looked at him, asking, “When did you get here?”

  “Just now,” he said.

  His wife walked up and stood beside him. “Why don’t we take this outside?” she suggested. “The room next door is empty.”

  Jeanette met Vanessa’s angry gaze and said, “I’m sorry.”

  “Your apology isn’t enough,” she said.

  Frank and Jacob navigated through the crowd, shocked and concerned looks on their faces.

  “What is the meaning of this?” Jacob wanted to know.

  Frank grabbed his wife by the arm. “What have you done, Vanessa?”

  “Let’s take this into the other room,” Azure suggested again. “Go ahead. I’ll stay here and try to salvage this night.”

  Vanessa laughed harshly.

  Azure met her mother-in-law’s gaze. “I can’t believe you would do this to your own family.”

  “What do you know about family?” Vanessa snapped. She snatched her arm away from Frank and walked toward the exit.

  Azure glanced over at Jeanette and said, “I never told my boss anything about the tip. I will do everything in my power to keep this from coming out.”

  Jeanette appeared defeated. “Vanessa will only go to another magazine or newspaper. She’s made it pretty clear that she wants to destroy me.”

  Jacob embraced her. “Let’s go outside.”

  Marissa and Griffin followed her parents.

  Outside the room, Frank and Vanessa were engaged in an intense argument. He grabbed her and practically pushed her into the empty room next door.

  “Let go of me.”

  Jeanette glanced up at Jacob. “I need to talk to her.”

  “Mother…” Marissa began. She did not think that Vanessa was ready to listen to anything her mother had to say. It was probably better to wait until things cooled down a bit. “I think you need to give Aunt Vanessa some time.”

  Jeanette shook her head. “The truth is finally out and I might as well face my past.”

  They went to the room that Frank and Vanessa had just entered.

  Vanessa was irate when Jeanette approached her. “Get away from me,” she spat out.

  “No.
Vanessa, you started this and we are going to finish the conversation. I want you to know that I am really sorry about everything.”

  Vanessa slapped her. “Frank has made a mockery of our marriage. All of you have looked down your noses at me for years. Jeanette, you had the nerve to judge me for choosing to have a career instead of staying home to raise my children. Then you seduce my husband. You have some nerve.”

  “You’re right,” Jeanette admitted. “I was wrong.”

  Frank turned Vanessa to face him. “I am the one to blame for all of this. You should be angry at me.”

  She glared at him. “Oh, I am very angry with you.”

  Their conversation came to a brief halt when Jillian and her brothers burst into the room, followed by their cousins.

  “Perfect timing,” Vanessa said with a smile that did not reach her eyes. “It’s time you all knew the truth about our family.”

  “Mom, don’t do this,” Harper pleaded.

  “You’re right, son,” she said. “I think Jeanette should be the one to tell everyone the truth.”

  “Mom, what’s going on?” Marcus asked.

  “Since we are having a truth moment, why don’t you tell everyone about Marissa?” Vanessa goaded in a loud voice, her arms folded across her chest.

  Suddenly all eyes were on Marissa.

  Jeanette shook her head. “Leave my daughter out of this.”

  Marissa glanced up at Griffin and then back at Vanessa. “It’s all right, Mother,” she said. “It’s time for the truth.”

  Chapter 24

  “I agree,” Griffin stated. “It’s time that everyone learned the truth.”

  “I’m pregnant,” Marissa announced. “Griff and I are having a baby. We should have told everyone sooner, but we just wanted to take some time to get used to the idea ourselves.”

  Her family congratulated them—all except Vanessa.

  She stood there glowering at Marissa.

  “Anyone with eyes could see that you were pregnant,” she uttered. “I’ve known for months now. Perhaps if your mother hadn’t been so busy focusing on her charity ball, she would have known it, as well.”

  “How can you be so sure she didn’t know?” Marissa asked.

  “Because she would have died of embarrassment,” Vanessa responded. “Her precious little girl…her love—”

  “Vanessa and I are calling it a night,” Frank said, interrupting her. “Congratulations on the baby.”

  “Oh, don’t think that I am done with this,” Vanessa warned. She tried to snatch her arm away from Frank, but he kept a tight grip on her. “You are going to pay dearly, Jeanette.”

  Marissa sent Griffin a look of gratitude. This was not the way they had wanted to announce the news, but she did not want to risk Vanessa blurting out that Frank was her real father.

  The room suddenly grew silent.

  Jeanette turned toward Marissa. “For what it’s worth, your father knows all about Frank and me. We worked through it and he forgave me years ago.”

  “It was hard news to hear,” Jacob confirmed. “But until then, I had no idea just how unhappy your mom was. When we found out she was pregnant, Jeanette insisted that we know whether I was the father. I loved your mother so much that I was willing to love her unborn child regardless.”

  Marissa’s eyes filled with tears.

  He walked over to his daughter and said, “Marissa, you are my child. Frank is not your father.”

  “We had a paternity test done,” Jeanette stated. “I had to know the truth.”

  Marissa sagged with relief.

  Shocked at the turn of events, her siblings just stood there staring at their parents.

  Jeanette walked over to Marissa. “I’m so sorry for my behavior.”

  “We should finish this at home,” Jacob stated as he put his arm around his wife. “For now, we need to walk back into that fundraiser with our heads held high.”

  Jeanette wiped away her tears. “I have made such a mess of things.”

  Marissa embraced her. “We will get through this together, Mother.”

  As soon as they entered the ballroom, Griffin walked up to the stage and grabbed the microphone. Once he had the attention of the attendees, he said, “Honey, I wasn’t planning on doing this just now, but I guess the cat is out of the bag.”

  Puzzled, Marissa glanced at her mother.

  “What’s going on?” Jeanette asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  Griffin pointed to Marissa. “This beautiful, talented woman has made me the happiest man on earth,” Griffin announced. “She has agreed to marry me!”

  The room burst into applause.

  Jacob glanced at his daughter. “Is this true? Are you and Griff getting married?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Daddy, there is so much we have to talk about.”

  He nodded in agreement. “But for now, let’s just enjoy the rest of this evening.”

  * * *

  “I hope you’re not mad at me for announcing our engagement like this,” Griffin said when he walked off the stage and over to her. “I thought we needed to put some type of positive spin on the evening.”

  Marissa smiled. “I think you should kiss me. People are watching us.”

  Griffin did as she suggested.

  When she stepped back, Marissa turned to her mother. “Mother, I’m sorry.”

  Jeanette reached out and took her hand. “Dear, you have nothing to apologize for. What happened tonight was all my doing.”

  “You were honest with Daddy. Uncle Frank should have been the same with Aunt Vanessa.”

  “I should be the one apologizing to you,” her mother said. “I was horrible to you about the baby. Marissa, I want you to know that I am going to love this baby as much as I love all of my children.”

  “I know that, Mother.”

  “I only want the best for you, Marissa. It’s all I have ever wanted for any of my children.”

  “Griffin loves me and I love him.”

  Jeanette smiled. “I can see that. He is a good man.”

  “Are you going to be okay?” Marissa asked.

  “She’s going to be fine,” Jacob said as he walked up behind them. “Your mother is a strong woman and she will not break from this.” He went to his wife and kissed her. “Like we have done everything else, we will get through this as a family.”

  After rounds of congratulations, Marissa and Griffin left the gala and drove to his apartment.

  “This has been a crazy night,” Marissa said when they entered the living room. “I don’t know if I could have made it through without you, Griff.”

  “Your aunt has so much anger and bitterness rooted within. I almost feel sorry for your uncle.”

  Marissa gave a sad shake of her head. “I have no idea what will happen between them now. Uncle Frank did not seem happy with her at all. I just hope they don’t kill each other.”

  “I’m going to run you a hot bath,” Griffin told her. “Then I’m going to give you a massage.”

  Marissa broke into a grin. “I’d like that very much.”

  Her cell phone rang when Griffin went into the bathroom, and she answered it.

  Marissa frowned. “I wasn’t able to speak to you before I left,” Vanessa stated. “You know, I used to think that you were such a smart girl, Marissa.”

  “Aunt Vanessa, what is this about?”

  “Has it ever occurred to you that Griffin will do whatever he can to ensure that he makes partner? Including marrying the boss’s daughter.”

  “I know that you’re upset right now—”

  “I’m actually more concerned about you. Like I said earlier, I knew you were pregnant weeks ago. Griffin is a very handsome and intellige
nt young man. He may care for you, Marissa, but I’m sure that he cares more for that huge corner office across from your father’s.”

  Marissa did not want to hear any more. “I have to go.”

  “I just don’t want to see you get hurt. After all, you are my stepdaughter. I don’t blame you for your mother and Frank’s actions.”

  “I am not Uncle Frank’s daughter,” she snapped in anger. “Mother had a paternity test done that proves it.”

  Vanessa was quiet.

  Griffin strolled back into the living room and began to gently massage her shoulders while she talked on the phone. “You have a right to be angry, Aunt Vanessa, but you do not have to try and ruin my life or my mother’s.”

  “Harper made the right choice when he decided to leave Hamilton, Hamilton and Clark. You might want to consider doing the same. I’m sure that’s the last thing Griffin wants you to do. If he loves you as much as you believe, it won’t matter to him.” Vanessa said her piece and hung up.

  Marissa put away her phone.

  “What’s wrong?” Griffin asked.

  “Nothing,” she said.

  Marissa studied Griffin’s face. Her aunt was wrong about him. She had to be.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  “Griff, I’m sorry,” Marissa said. “I think that I should just go home.”

  He looked puzzled by her decision. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. “I just… Tonight was really crazy and I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed. Do you mind taking me home?”

  “No,” he murmured. “Of course not.”

  Vanessa’s words gave Marissa much to think about and she wanted to do it with a clear head—something she would not have while lying in Griffin’s arms.

  * * *

  “Jillian, can we talk?” Marissa asked when she entered her sister’s bedroom.

  “Sure,” her sister responded, sitting up in bed. “Why didn’t you tell me about Mom and Uncle Frank?”

  “I didn’t want to believe it myself.”

  “How long have you known about them?” Jillian asked.

  “For a while. Harper came to me when Azure received the tip from Aunt Vanessa.”