"David didn't install anything weird on my computer?" Adam asked while getting some food from the take out box.

Victoria shook her head in denial, unable to answer because of her full mouth.

"And Lucas didn't mess up my drawers?"

"Nope."

"What about Serenity? No crying or freaking out?"

"No, she spent the whole time quiet, playing with the iPad you gave her."

Adam took a relieved breath.

"Seriously, I don't know what I'd have done without you, Vic. Thank you for coming here, even if you decided to quit your job."

"No problem. You know how much I enjoyed working here and... God, I'm gonna miss those three."

"I already told you. You don't have to do this."

"Hmmm I don't know... Is Lauren coming home today?"

"I guess so."

Adam looked away trying to hide his frustration, he and Lauren were barely talking to each other. Everytime they tried, things would get worse.

Lauren had been in San Francisco for a week, problems with her family, she told him. Adam chose to stay, the company had important commitments at the moment. Deciding his wife needed some rest, he told her to let their children under his care. She still called him everyday, but their conversation was limited to inform her how the kids were doing.

"They're too quiet, don't you think?" Victoria, noticing Adam's distress, decided it was better not ask anything else, "I'll check them."

She got up from the chair and walked to the room next to Adam's office, where the kids were.

Adam's phone started to ring.


"Please, let me play," David begged.

"No, I'm busy here," Serenity said. "Can't you see?"

She moved her eyes back to the screen and typed:

My brother is bothering me. I need to go.

Shhhh! No one can find out we're chatting ;)

Closing the chat screen, she handed David the iPad.

"Done," she angered, "you're such a pain in the ass."

David stuck his tongue out at her and smiled, going back to his Minecraft game.

"Hey," Victoria opened the door, "what are you guys up to?"

Lucas was spread on the couch, with his headphones on, not listening a thing.

"I was... errr... reading," Serenity lied. "But David interrupted me!"

"Liar, I bet you were stalking that Disney guy again," David teased, "he's sooo ugly!"

"Shut up! You're ugly, not him."

David laughed and Victoria interrupted their discussion before he could provoke his sister again.

"Your father was finishing eating, he said you can go home after."

"Great!" David celebrated. He hated when they had to spend the day at their parents' office, he got bored too easily.

"Is my mom coming home today?" Serenity asked.

"I don't know," Victoria replied, "your father was waiting for her phone call."

"I'm going there to check."

Serenity left the room, leaving Victoria alone with the boys.

"Come closer, Vic," David asked, "I'll show you the awesome castle I'm building."

These damn blocks again. Victoria thought.


"So you're not coming home today?" Adam asked. "What about the meeting tonight? The one with Mr. Zane?"

"You can go alone, Adam," Lauren replied on the other side of the line, "you were the one dealing with him all along."

"Yeah, I know," Adam still felt insecure about the company without his wife being around.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm having lunch, after that I'll take the kids home and prepare myself for the meeting."

"Hmm... Are you having lunch by yourself?"

Adam knew she wanted to know if there was a woman with him. He knew she trusted Victoria but not at the point of letting her spend time alone with him.

"Yes," he lied, "the kids have finished and are waiting in the resting room."

"I need to go now, I'll see if they have information on my flight. Bye."

"Bye," Adam started, "I l..." Lauren ended the phone call before he finished his sentence.

He threw the phone on his desk in frustration.

"Dad, were talking to mom?" Serenity asked, entering the office.

"Oh... yes, princess, I was," he replied, calming himself down. "She may not be coming home today."

"Why?"

"Her flight is delayed," Adam noticed the news upset his daughter. "But we can do something fun after my meeting. I promise."

"Will it take too long?"

"No, I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Who will stay with us?"

Victoria came back to Adam's office, still dazed by David's crazy explanations about his game.

"Uhhh... Vic?" Adam asked in a suggestive manner. "Could you do us another little favor?"

"What that would be?" Victoria questioned.

"Would you babysit for me tonight? Lauren's flight is delayed and she won't be home in time for my meeting."

"Actually, I... can I talk to you in private?"

Adam asked Serenity to call her brothers to go home. As she left the room, Victoria explained:

"I can't do this tonight," she started, a little embarrassed, "I... I have a date with this guy I met online."

"Oh!" Adam exclaimed. "That's ok, I can find someone else but... you've never seen him in person before?"

"I know it's kinda crazy and dangerous but... He's cute, we have a lot in common and he's coming from Phoenix only to see me, can you believe that?"

"Well, just... take care of yourself, ok?" Adam advised. "And if you need anything you can call me."

"Oh sure."

After Adam left the company followed by his children, he sat in the car wondering who else could be his babysitter. It reminded him of someone who owed him a little favor.


Delayed until further notice. That was the information given to Lauren. She sat at the airport's cafeteria and asked for some coffee. While drinking, she mentally cursed herself for coming to his trip in first place. The "family emergency" was only her little brother asking for advice to start a new business and of course, money.

Lauren wasn't very attached to her family, her parents spent most of their time working and never gave her much affection, differently from the treatment her younger brother received. He was spoiled and overprotected. That was the main reason why she spent so much time with Josh and his mother during her childhood and teenage years.

She looked at her phone, reading for the thousand time the text he sent her a few days earlier asking to meet her. Part of her wanted to accept, as revenge for Adam's behavior, but instead, she pressed the delete button.

"Hi, I'd like some tea, please."

That voice sounded familiar, she turned her head to find Kate.

You gotta be kidding me. She thought.

Lauren grabbed her wallet, she still could pay for her coffee and get out of there without being seen. Too late, Kate had already noticed her presence and was coming in her direction.

"Lauren, hi." Kate greeted with some embarrassment.

"Oh... Hi Kate," Lauren quickly got up, leaving the payment on her table. "I really have to go, I'm late. Bye."

She walked a few steps and heard Kate saying:

"The flight is delayed. Please, let me talk to you."

"Ok."

Lauren went back to the cafeteria and sat on the chair Kate pointed her. After a moment of silence, Kate finally spoke.

"I want to apologize for that day in your house."

"Apologies accepted," Lauren replied, wishing that woman would just go away.

"But you need to understand my position. It isn't just about me, but about my children too. Josh is their father."

"I understand, Kate. I'm a mother too, this is why I'd never get involved with a married man."

Kate took a breath before proceeding.

"So why was he in that school game? And why did you threatened to get a restraining order against him?"

Lauren felt like she was in court. Where's the judge? She thought.

"We used to be really close in the past..."

"How close?" Kate interrupted. "I need to know."

"Friends... with benefits. Then after I married Adam we kinda grew apart, a few years later we had this fight and I didn't want to see him again."

"It's not enough," Kate shouted. "I need the whole truth."

Lauren was getting tired of that, and without being able to control her mouth anymore she just spilled:

"He's the father of two of my children."


"Michael, please," Adam begged. "I saved your ass when you were drunk and trying to assault Kayla's girlfriend car with a crowbar."

It was the perfect plan, he invited Michael to come to his house for a drink and blackmailed him. There was no way he'd get away.

"Can you not mention that?" Michael felt ashamed of himself. "Ok, I'm already here but... you won't take long, will you?"

"I don't expect so, I don't want you to be here alone when my wife gets home."

Adam laughed and went upstairs, when he passed through Serenity's room he noticed her unhappy face.

"What's up, baby girl?"

He sat next to her on the bed.

"I don't want you to go," she protested.

"But I have to, it's very important."

"Can't you just meet them in your office tomorrow?"

"I'd rather too, but he picked the place. I couldn't say no."

The girl had a crying face.

"Hey, Michael is going to be here with you. You don't need to be afraid."

"Dad, please. Do you think he will protect us in case..."

She started to cry and Adam embraced her. David entered the room.

"What's wrong, sis?"

"Here's my man," Adam said. "I have a mission for you, buddy."

"I'm listening."

"You're the captain while I'm out, it's your mission to protect our princess. Are you in?"

"Hell yeah!"

"You're in good hands," he told Serenity, making her smile. "Don't worry kids, I'll be home in time for some pizza and guess what? I'll buy us a new game."

"Can I pick this time?" David asked, excited.

"If you're a good captain."

"Dad?!" Serenity suddently looked thrilled. "Can I invite Josh?"

"I-I... errr..." Adam tried to control himself, that name made his body burn in rage. "We don't have his number, baby girl."

"Mommy does, I've seen her talking to him a couple of times."

"I'll see what I can do."

Adam locked himself in his bedroom and then went to the shower. While the water fell on his body he lost himself in his thoughts. What if Lauren went to San Francisco to meet him? What if they were really having an affair? He was spending too much time away from her lately and the arguments were getting frequent. He often accused her of having feelings for Joshua and pushed her away everytime she tried to make peace. If he was losing her, he was the only one to blame.


"I had no idea," Kate looked surprised when Lauren finished telling her everything. "I'm sorry that he..."

"It's ok," Lauren interrupted, "they have the best father someone could ask for."

"But are you sure they're his and not Adam's?"

"Yes, Adam was in jail when I got pregnant."

Kate was in silence for a minute, there was a missing piece in that puzzle.

"Weird..."

"What?"

"Nevermind, I'll ask him later."

Lauren looked at her watch, it was 6 p.m. and not a single evidence that she'd be able to fly home soon.

"I don't know what's wrong with him," Kate kept the conversation about Josh going, "he's not exactly what I expected as a father."

Lauren turned her attention to her, not very interested.

"He'll rarely show affection for the kids and when he needs to be alone with them... it disturbs him, like if he was afraid."

It quickly reminded Lauren of Josh's behavior when he met David and when he knew she was pregnant for the second time.

Kate noticed the subject started to bother Lauren a little bit so she decided to stop. The two of them just remained quiet for some time.

"I'm sorry about the Michael thing the other day," Lauren finally apologized, "I shouldn't have forced that situation."

"No problem," Kate smiled, "I even enjoyed it."

"Good, I guess he did too. He wouldn't stop talking about it."

"He called me," Kate told, "but I had to come to San Francisco to get these papers for my father."

"Oh, really?" Lauren questioned. "Let's have another coffee while you tell me more about it."


Adam waited at the hotel's lounge. There was still no sign of Mr. Zane. At the reception he was informed the man left a note saying he was going to be late.

He grabbed the phone in his pocket and dialed Lauren's number, it went straight to the voicemail. Then he followed to the bar and while he ran his eyes through the menu he pondered if alcohol could be a good idea at the moment. The idea of messing up that business deal made him decide to keep himself sober.

"Adam?!" He heard a familiar voice calling. "What are you doing here?"

It was Victoria, she was wearing a sexy black dress and a sweet fragrance that made most of the men in the lounge look at her.

"Oh, hey you," Adam said, also noticing her outfit. "My bussiness meeting... it's here in the hotel."

"Really? And so is my date."

Adam thought about complimenting her but he was afraid to sound inappropriate.

"Huhh... why don't we take a sit? There's something I wanna tell you."

Victoria sat right next to him in a table where he began to tell her about Josh. He needed to open up to someone.

"What a bastard!" She shouted. "Oh my God, so this is why Lauren wanted to get a restraining order against him."

Adam nodded yes.

"And I heard everything wrong and put her in that situation with Kate... Shit, I feel terrible."

"It's not your fault," Adam consoled her, "anyone in your place would think there was something going on."

"I need to apologize to her urgently."

A waiter interrupted them, he was bringing a bottle of the most sophisticated whiskey.

"Mr. Logan? Courtesy of Mr. Zane, for making you wait so long."

"Thank you, but I..." The whole conversation about Josh made Adam change his mind. "Well, one glass won't kill."

The phone buzzed inside Victoria's purse, she checked and an expression of discontentment appeared in her face.

"What's wrong?" Adam asked.

"He's not coming," she told, disappointed.

Adam raised his hand, calling the waiter back.

"A glass to the lady, please."

"One glass won't kill, right?" Victoria smiled.


"Oh my God!" Lucas shouted. "You play it worse than my mom!"

"Hey, I'm still learning, ok?" Michael excused while he randomly pressed some buttons on the joystick, "How did you say that I... Damn it!"

"I won it again!"

The boy threw the joystick on the couch and danced around the living room celebrating.

"Maybe we should take a break," Michael suggested.

"Tired of losing?" Lucas teased.

"I wanna talk to you, know how you've been doing, you know?"

"I'm fine."

"How's the soccer?" Michael questioned, knowing the answer.

"I won't play it anymore."

"Why? You were good at it."

"Not really, I only played it to have something to bond with my dad."

Except for his physical appearence, Lucas had little in common with Adam. He also found difficult to have the same connection his siblings had with their father, he was more linked to his mother. He hated sports but since it was one of his father's favorite interests, he decided to join the soccer team.

"It's not your fault what happened to your sister," Michael advised. "Your parents did what was right reporting those boys for bullying you."

"Don't you understand?" Lucas angered. "Joining the team was a mistake in first place, it wasn't for me."

"Know what wasn't for you? Bullying. You're a good kid, you didn't deserve that. No one does, if nothing was done they'd keep bullying you and other kids in the future."

"I just... I don't wanna play it anymore. Everytime I look at the field I'll remember that day."

"Ok, so let's find something else for you to do," Michael suggested. "What do you like?"

They were interrupted by Serenity's cry coming from her bedroom. Michael rushed upstairs to find out what was going on.

"Where's my dad?" She sobbed. "He said he'd be home soon, something must've happened!"

"Hey," Michael embraced her, "these meetings sometimes take longer than expected."

"My dad never lied to me! If he said he'd be home soon is because he knew."

"I'll try to call him."

Michael grabbed his phone and dialed Adam's number, praying he wouldn't disturb his business negotiations. It went directly to the voicemail.

"His phone is off," Michael tried to calm her down, "See? He must be busy."

"Or dead!"

The girl started to cry even more.

"Why don't we wait a few more minutes, huh? I'm sure he's alright."

Serenity pretended to agree.

"Come play with us," Lucas suggested, trying to make his sister feel better.

"No, I'll stay here. My head hurts."

"Ok."

When she was finally alone, she turned on the iPad and typed:

Josh? Are you there?

I need your help.


"I confess, I was in love with him." Victoria took another sip of her glass, "But love, love isn't for me... I'll never get married, I'll become the crazy cat lady my aunt Shelly always told me about."

Noticing her glass was empty she filled it again.

"Will thizzz guy evah shhow up?" Adam looked at his watch, Victoria noticed he was drunker than she was. "You." He pointed at her. "Don't worry, yourr not mizzzssing anything. You dunn wanna get mahrried and have summbody breathing down yourr neck all the time, do you?"

"Nah! I'm happy the way I am. You know? The most important is to feel free and confident about yourself, this is the true happiness. Love is just a chemical reaction of your brain to make you feel stupid. Did you know our brains..."

Victoria was the kind of drunk who liked giving motivational speeches or tell random facts she learned from useless TV programs and magazines, she'd never remember to use them if she was sober.

"I luv mah wifey," Adam continued, ignoring the information about the brain, "but shezz a pain in the azz sumtimes. She even hazzz mah fazzzebook passssword."

"You should change it," Victoria suggested. "I watched a documentary about online safety, it said your password must be long, a combination between numbers, letters and... what else?"

"I'll chhandge to... Adam050473... shell nevah find out."

Noticing the whiskey bottle was empty, Adam asked for another drink. That was when a new level of drunkenness started to reach and his eyes filled with tears.

"She hazz been calling him, did ya know? Szzerenity told meh."

"That sucks, man," Victoria shook her head in disbelief. "You should talk to her, trust is the base for a healthy and strong marriage."

Adam didn't listen. He was not feeling well, his head was spinning and he started to sweat.

"Isss it meh or its getting too hot in here?"


It was around midnight when Lauren finally arrived in Los Angeles, spending the day with Kate wasn't so bad in the end. They had some good conversations and found out they had a few things in common. Lauren was starting to see her less like an enemy or a rival.

Once she was inside the cab, she turned on her phone to call home. The 27 missed calls that popped on her screen scared her. The numbers came from home, Michael and Josh. That only could mean something was wrong with Serenity. She returned the first call on the top of the list, without even noticing who was she calling.

"Lauren, finally!" Josh picked on the other side of the line. "I've been trying to call you for at least 2 hours."

"What is going on?" She asked.

"That playboy, he isn't back home yet and Serenity is scared as hell."

"Wait, is she alone for all this time?"

"No, the asshole is taking care of them."

"Who's the asshole? Stop nicknaming people for God's sake!"

"Michael Mendelson. He's not able to keep a woman, do you think he'd be able to take care of children?"

"Says the father of the year. Where's Adam?"

"This is what we're trying to figure out. He was supposed to be back from the meeting already."

"Did they try to call him?"

"Multiple times. Are you sure it's really a business meeting?"

"Yes, I was supposed to go with him. I got to go now, I'm going to the hotel he is. Bye."

She hung up before he could say anything else. After asking the driver to change directions and go to the hotel, she called Michael and asked him to tell Serenity she'd be home soon. The girl stopped crying but she still wanted to know about her dad, and so did Lauren.

At the hotel's reception, she sought for information.

"Hi, is Adam Logan here? He was supposed to meet a man named Abel Zane."

The receptionist checked on the computer.

"Mr. Zane checked out about an hour ago," he informed. "Mr. Logan's room number is 304."

Why did he get a room? Lauren wondered. She convinced the receptionist to give her the extra key card by proving she was Adam's wife and lying that he was waiting for her.

She entered the elevator and pressed the floor's button. She had no idea what was going on. Was Adam hiding something from her? All he had told her was about the business meeting with Mr. Zane, nothing more.

The elevator stopped, almost like her heart as she walked the first step in the direction of that room. She stopped in front of the door, without knowing how to proceed. First she knocked, no answer. Then, she finally unlocked the door.

Lauren always imagined that scene in her moments of paranoia and jealousy. It always haunted her nightmares too. Now it was actually happening, right in front of her eyes, she froze. All the scandal and violence she promised herself she would make were replaced by silence and inability to move.

She just watched Adam, her Adam, naked in bed with his arms wrapped around Victoria's body. Tears started to roll from her eyes.

"Adam," she finally called.

Her husband slowly opened his eyes, confused and lost. His head throbbed in pain.

"Lauren?" He asked. "What the..." He took a look around and realized what was going on.

Lauren, sobbing intensely, started to walk away.

"Hey, this is not what you're thinking," Adam tried to explain, "I'd never..."

In the exact moment he got up from the bed, covering his body with sheets, an used condom fell on the floor. Lauren stared at it for a few seconds before running away. The slam of the door made Victoria wake up and jump out of the bed.

"W-what the hell happened here?" She asked, in panic.

"I just... I have no idea," Adam replied.

He sat on the bed, taking his hands to his face. What had he done? Would Lauren be able to forgive him?


Author's Notes:

1: I apologize if the drunk talk part was too confusing or hard to understand. It's the first time I write something like this.

2: Please don't hate me yet XD