A pair of black stilettos clicked across the shiny floor of Ewing Energies, stopping at the desk of John Ross's secretary. "I need to see Mr. Ewing. Now." The brunette didn't hesitate, hurrying to open the door to his office. "He's inside."
"Hello John Ross."
A voice he hadn't heard in months filled John Ross's ears, and he spun around in his leather chair. Taylor Clayton stood tall in her stilettos, a black halter-top dress with a pencil skirt bottom enhancing her curves and her slight baby belly, looking smaller than her five months along. A gold cuff circled one wrist, a gold chain link belt around her waist. With her long red hair slicked back in a tight ponytail, her bangs in a mini pompadour, she looked fierce and deadly, a crafty smirk crossing her face at the disbelieving look John Ross wore. "Taylor?" The redhead raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Well, I'm certainly not a pine tree, honey." Her former fiance got up, walking over to where she stood. "Where've you been?! You've been gone for four months!" Sitting her purse on his desk, she put her hands on her hips. "I've been away, contemplating what I wanted to do about you and my baby. Now I'm back to settle a few scores before I become a mother." Seeing the calculating look in her eyes, John Ross smirked and sat on the edge of his desk. "So does that mean you're coming back to me?" Taylor's look quickly soured. "No. I'm here to finish my business before I focus on my child. This time, things will be different, John Ross. If you want me back, iyou'll/i be the one doing the chasing." With that, she retrieved her purse, turning and leaving out the door she had walked in. After a moment, she returned, dropping a manila envelope on John Ross's desk. "This is a copy of my most recent ultrasound. I thought you might like a picture of your child."
As she left John Ross looking at the picture, Taylor smirked to herself. This was going to be fun. Before she could make it back to the elevator, she bumped into Elena, who visibly tensed at seeing the woman. "Elena, how nice to see you again." Elena didn't return her greeting. "You should leave, Taylor." The redhead never lost her easy smirk, adjusting her purse on her shoulder. "Now Elena, that's no way to treat the future owner of this company. And your future boss." Elena's jaw hardened. "The only owners of this company are Christopher, Bobby, and John Ross. I suppose you're trying to weasel your way back into John Ross's good graces so you can try and steal this company, huh?" Taylor laughed. "Oh no, dear, quite the opposite. John Ross is trying to weasel his way back into imy/i good graces. I think you'll find that I've changed quite a lot in the months I've been away. I'm no longer the young girl starstruck by the power of the Ewings. My father died two months ago, and I'm now in control of the entire Clayton empire. I'm the richest woman in Houston, and one of the most powerful people in Texas, second only to the Ewing family. If I were you, Elena, I'd watch my back. Just like I won over John Ross, I could easily win over Christopher and quickly become the new head of this company."
Taylor spun on her heel and walked away, confidence in her that hadn't been there the last time the Ewings had seen her. She was a changed woman.
Jessica Ewing couldn't believe her ears. Taylor Clayton was back? The blonde spun her Mercedes Benz around in the street, ignoring the furious honking of the drivers behind her as she headed toward Southfork Ranch. She had to tell her father. When she arrived, JR sat on the porch, visiting his brother Bobby but now enjoying the sunshine by himself. "Daddy!" The old man looked at his daughter, concerned about the anxiety in her voice. "Jessie, darlin', what's wrong?" The blonde straightened up, catching her breah. "Taylor's back, Daddy. She showed up at the office today." JR simply smiled and chuckled. "Jessie, I knew she'd be back. Once she got ahold of John Ross, I knew she'd never be able to leave. And she's about to have the newest Ewing heir. That girl's our next gold mine, and nobody is going to do anything to upset her, Jessica. Do you understand me?" Jessica nodded. JR smirked. "Good. Now get on the phone with your brother and tell him he better work his tail off to get back in that girl's good graces. Whatever he has to do, say, or spend, he better do it." Jessica nodded again, turning on her heel and pulling her phone from her pocket. She redialed her brother's number, waiting until he picked up. "Hello?" "John Ross, it's Jessie. Daddy says that you do anything you have to to get Taylor back in the family." Her brother laughed. "Jessica, I already planned to. I love that woman with all my heart, and I won't stop until she's back in my possession."
Taylor sat the glass down on the table, smirking as she shook out her long red hair. She'd exchanged her dress for a pair of jeans and a black button down shirt unbuttoned over a white tank top. "Let me tell you something, John Ross. Oil is the one thing that has made us who we are, and it will be what makes our baby who he or she is. This fight for Southfork, it will not end with that land in Bobby and Christopher's hands. I'd sooner roll over and die than have my child raised as a goody two shoes by those two." The redhead perched on the edge of the table by John Ross, gazing into his eyes. He shifted in the chair, smirking at her. "You think I'd let them lay a hand on that baby?" Taylor returned his smirk, stealing the Stetson off his head and placing it on top of her wavy hair. "Oh trust me, darlin', I know you'd keep our baby safe, but what I'm worried about is you keeping me safe. Elena knows that I got my father's money, and I know she's told Christopher. Those two are dangerous, John Ross. I need to know that if I come back into your family, you'll protect me from them and that I will have no obstacles in my path. I've got a cemented game plan to get us to the top, and I'll have no trouble from Christopher or Bobby." She paused a moment, adjusting herself on the table so that one foot was on either side of John Ross's lap, leaning over so that her face was inches from his. "And I'll also have no trouble from your sister. Are we clear?" She let her lips ghost over his. "We're clear, darlin', on one condition." The redhead leaned back a little, raising an eyebrow. "Condition? Let's hear it."
John Ross reached in his pocket, pulling out a black velvet box. Opening it, he presented her with Sue Ellen's diamond ring, the same ring Taylor had worn when they were engaged. "You put this ring back on, agree to marry me, and I'll make sure we have a clear shot to the money." Taylor smirked, taking the ring from his hand and twirling it in her fingers. "You always know how to drive a hard bargain, John Ross." She paused a moment, winking at him before sliding the ring on her left ring finger. "There. I'm now the future Mrs. John Ross Ewing III again." Her fiance smirked again. "Perfect." The redhead slipped off the table, glancing over her shoulder at him, letting her button down fall off her shoulders. Beckoning John Ross with one finger, she made her way down the hall to her bedroom, tipping his hat off her head with one hand and sitting it on the hall table. "Come on, cowboy, show me what you got." Laughing, John Ross followed her down the hall and swiftly picked her up, hoisting her over his shoulder. Taylor laughed in surprise, feeling John Ross holding onto her legs as he carried her into her bedroom, gently tossing her onto the bed.
The sun streamed in Taylor's face, making her wake up well before she planned to. She carefully slid out of bed, leaving John Ross asleep, walking into the bathroom. Looking at herself in the mirror, she smirked, holding her hand up so she could see the diamond ring on her hand.
Dallas had no idea the storm she was about to create.