"I'd offer you something to drink… but… well…" Zach said with a sarcastic smile and using his hand to indicate the decanters of alcohol at the bar next to him.
The subtle gibe toward her past drinking problems was not lost on Erica, "I imagine that you don't have much of anything to offer these days, Zach."
He laughed at her comment but showed no anger, "I do alright, Erica… Kendall will be well provided for."
"I wouldn't bank on getting Cambias quite yet. I'm sure you've heard that Jackson is no longer representing your son… but he is still representing my daughter, Bianca… and she is quite upset that you've drawn her sister into this little war of yours," said Erica with unerring accuracy in her quest to pierce Zach's protective armor.
"Hopefully she will be able to understand the choices I have made… but if not you can rest assured that I will never interfere in Kendall's relationship with her sister," Zach replied with a tinge of sadness. "Now that we've got the… pleasantries… out of the way what can I do for you?"
"You can annul this sham of a marriage to my daughter, Kendall. I don't know what kind of hold you have over her, but it's time you released her from any obligation she might think she owes you," Erica said urgently. "I've seen this kind of feud before… and you and Ethan are so consumed that you don't even see how much you're hurting her. I won't allow her to become a casualty… and if you care about her at all you won't either."
"Funny, you mention caring about Kendall but you show up here and demand that I leave her and dissolve our marriage. I make Kendall happy… don't you think that it would hurt her if I suddenly left?" he asked in response.
"Kendall has a pattern of going from man to man in a never ending quest to find true love… and when she can't get it, she lashes out. Right now you're not part of her search for love but her weapon in lashing out. I'm surprised that you'd allow yourself to be used that way," Erica said quietly. "Which can mean only one thing… that you are using her even more than she's using you."
"Actually… it could mean something else as well," Zach replied cryptically.
"That's impossible and we both know it," Erica said emphatically. "You are a Cambias and therefore incapable of love."
"No, Erica… I was a Cambias. I am the one man who walked away from it. Don't you think that makes me different in every other way as well?" he asked.
She replied, "No, I don't. You faked your death to destroy your father, you set up that ridiculous murder game where Ryan was almost killed, and you've entered this winner take all war with your son. You may fool yourself, Zach, but you don't fool me. You are a Cambias through and through."
"What about Miranda? She's a Cambias, too. Will you one day reject her for her Cambias blood?" Zach asked coldly.
"You know the truth of that… with my daughter Bianca as her mother she will overcome the circumstances of her birth and the identity of her father. She is an innocent," Erica answered him.
"You are so willing to condemn me for the sins of my family while exonerating another who shares the same blood," Zach said in measured tones. "But isn't that what you did to Kendall? Taught her that because of her father she is doomed to be like him? That there is no absolution for his sins? No wonder she is constantly searching for love. And since that's how you truly feel… why do you care who she marries?" Zach said coldly.
"You know that I love her… I would do anything for her. I accept her for who she is… and that is someone who deserves better than a Cambias for a husband," Erica answered in kind.
Zach paused a moment, as if to reflect on her words, before saying softly, "I agree, she does deserve better than me."
Erica breathed a sigh, "Oh thank goodness… then you'll take care of the annulment right away? You're doing the right thing, Zach."
"I said she deserves better, but I never said I would dissolve our marriage. I can't do that…" Zach said pausing for effect, "…because I love her, too."
Erica looked at him in astonishment, "Pardon me? You love her? You're using her in the worst possible way! Nothing good can come of this, Zach… if you cared about her at all you'd let her go."
"She's not my prisoner, Erica. In fact, if she divorces me she will become a very wealthy woman," Zach answered.
She looked at him in confusion, "She doesn't need your money, Zach… what she needs you can't give her. Please… you have claimed to care about both of my daughters… if you do then you know that they are better off without you or your son. Prove you love them – divorce Kendall and leave Bianca alone. Take your son and your war very far away from us all."
"That is Kendall's decision to make, Erica. She will remain my wife for as long as she chooses… but if she wants her freedom I promise you that I will not stand in her way," Zach answered. Before Erica could reply he held up his hand, "But… if I hear that you have been influencing her choice then I will rescind that statement. This is her decision… not yours."
Erica looked at him thoughtfully, "Alright, Zach… we'll play it your way… for now." She turned on her heel and left the office without another word. Zach would have been concerned if he could have seen her face, though, because Erica was deeply troubled at his words. If anything, she was more determined than ever to end their marriage… but it would take careful planning to accomplish without damaging her relationship with her daughter.
A short while later Kendall entered the office and found Zach seated on the sofa with a drink in his hand, seemingly lost in thought. She stood observing him for a moment before he noticed her standing in the doorway. He smiled warmly, "Hey!"
"I thought you'd come and find us after you took care of my mother," Kendall said quietly. "Is anything wrong?"
"No… I got the impression that you and Edie needed to feel each other out… and that my presence might impede the process. Is there anything that I need to know?" he answered.
"I think we've come to an understanding… and we agree that we can work together. Thank you for trusting me to handle her by myself," she said as she joined him on the sofa.
He reached behind her and pulled her close against him, laying his lips against her hair, "You trusted me to handle Erica… seems to me that we're even."
"I don't think so… Edie was a piece of cake compared to Erica Kane. I'm curious, how long did it take her to bring up the D-word?" she asked as she relaxed against him.
"Actually… she started with annulment. But I'm pretty sure it was at least her second sentence. Of course, it's for my own good – after all, you are using me as a weapon in your own little war against Ethan," he said with a small chuckle. "I'm afraid it wasn't pretty… I'm very glad you and Edie found something else to do."
"Me, too. I love my mother, but she drives me completely crazy. I guess now we just have to hope that she'll be so involved in her wedding plans that she leaves us alone for a little while," Kendall said with a sigh.
Zach pushed Kendall away so that he could see her eyes before he spoke again. She looked at him in confusion as he spoke, "I made a promise to your mother, and you need to know what I said."
"Uh-oh… I don't like this already. You know better than to promise Erica anything," she said in agitation.
He pulled her forward and kissed her forehead before finishing, "I promised her that if you ever wanted to be free of this marriage that I would let you go without a fight… but she had to agree that it is your decision."
Kendall looked at him thoughtfully, "Well… that really isn't any different than what we discussed before we left for Vegas. Are you telling me that satisfied her?"
"I seriously doubt that," he chuckled. "But it did stop her for the time being. Kendall… I meant what I said. Our marriage is not a prison and you are free to do as you please."
She laid her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist, "I know that, Zach… and I'm where I want to be."
She lifted her face toward him as he dipped his toward hers and their lips met in a kiss. Gentle at first, it deepened and they found themselves both shaken by the depth of emotion they shared with that kiss. Pulling away from each other finally, Kendall looked at him with an emotion that Zach did not choose to examine before commenting, "We better get out of here or Ryan and Greenlee will get to our place before we do."