Disclaimer: not mine:) I just play in the kiddie pool.
AN: Thank you, really, to all who have reviewed. You guys are the best, absolutely, always. Thanks for sticking to this story, although it's now growing larger and longer and insufferable! lol I hope this Angelus will please some of you. I'm curious to know if I have proven you wrong or if you'd guess my moves somewhere plotwise:) Please do review, would love you hear from you all...
Chapter Seventeen
He felt both pity and wariness for the girl sitting in front of him. No, not a girl, a woman. Not to be underestimated despite her blonde hair and petite figure. He'd seen first-hand of her protectiveness of the ones she love and her full devotion to carry out that protection. The protective lioness now sits in front of him with her mouth slightly open from the sudden breath she took, her eyes wild open, vulnerable as a girl. Intriguing mixture.
The girl is the wife of Angelus O'Roarke. One of the city's most important businessmen, with money and connection the whole country envies. Gunn wondered how he came to represent her in what was suppose to be a simple custody case, even then, surely with her husband's connections she could find some fancy school lawyer and not someone who fought tooth-and-nails to get a small office in a small law firm. Don't take him wrong, he's a damn good lawyer and he knows that but it doesn't change the fact that he also know rich people stick to their own kind.
And the fact that Mrs. O'Roarke had never even mentioned to him of her marital status, Gunn snorted mentally, was she afraid that he's gonna sell this to the tabloid? He frowned, how is he supposed to do his work if his client conceals from him some basic facts about her?
After a couple of minutes of silence, Buffy recovered from her shock. She had avoided disclosing her marital status; it just didn't seem important since she'd adopted Alex on her own and now with the imminent divorce, she can see no reason why her marital status would make anything different. She told Gunn exactly that.
He frowned at the naiveté of his client, does she really think it makes no difference or did she hope it would not be? "The truth is it does. It would make a difference once the Osbournes' lawyer gets a hold of this. It's not going to be pretty, a single woman going up against a couple in adoption court. Divorce might let them suggest the limited family life you can offer and question your commitment." At the look of her protest, "I'm just saying. They'll say that and they'll use it to their best ability. It could hurt."
Buffy felt cold, "What do I do?" Paused, "How did you know about this?"
"I told him." A voice came from the door which opened quietly during their conversation.
"What?" Buffy stood abruptly from her seat, she was surprised by the appearance of the one person she didn't want to know about the lawsuit and the one she never wanted or at least expected to see soon. She swung to Gunn and spat, "How did he know about this? Did you tell him? I can't believe…" Her voice escalated to the thrilling range in accordance to her rage.
"Calm down, Miss Summers." Gunn quickly cut in, "Mr. O'Roarke, this is a private conversation. I'm allowing you to join us as a courtesy but I see Miss Summers is not yet ready for a discussion yet. I'm going to ask you to wait in the waiting room outside." Standing imperviously against Angelus' incensed look at being dismissed, he added pointedly, "Please."
Buffy sat in her seat with a stiffened back, ready to jump out at a moment's notice, she glared angrily at Gunn. He stared back fearlessly, "First, Miss Summers, YOU should have been the one to tell me about this. I am telling you now that it is damaging to have your lawyer walk into court without proper and accurate information. Of course, any information you divulge to me will always be strictly confidential. But if you hide things from me, especially something as important as this, I won't be able to give you the legal advice you need and deserve. Do you understand?"
Buffy had the grace to admit her fault when accused correctly.
"Second, I agreed to Mr. O'Roarke joining this meeting because he already knew about your situation. He was the one who contacted me and I wanted to know exactly how the situation is between the two of you." He smiled warily, "I guess I got my wish.
"You need to talk to him. It will be in your best interest to remain, at least on the surface, amiable with your ex-husband. The judge already has to consider your single status and divorce; a messy divorce will not help your case. Especially since your soon-to-be ex is well-known in LA."
"It won't be a messy divorce."
"All divorces are messy." Gunn states plainly with the knowledge from seeing the numerous divorce cases pass through his desk, "Mr. O'Roarke, you may come in now."
The tall figure clad in designer suit reappeared in the doorway; Angelus had not been away far. His dark eyes fixed on Buffy's figure. She avoided his looks.
"Hello Mr. O'Roarke, thank you for waiting." Gunn intervened, "Won't you sit down?"
"Won't admit to your lawyer that you're married? Buffy?" Angel drawled, "People might think you're ashamed."
She ignored his taunts, "I didn't think it mattered, we're getting a divorce soon, remember?"
"That's not what I heard."
"Excuse me?" Buffy finally turned around in her chair and faced him, her fury incensed further by his laidback position in his chair and the small cold smile on his lips.
"It doesn't sound like it doesn't matter; it sounds like our divorce is going to get you a big nasty cross on the judge's plate." He sat up from his position, his face only inches from hers, breathing in her scent and enveloping her in his. "I have a proposition.
"You could start by staying married to me."
"What?"
"You're getting repetitious, Honey."
"Don't be ridiculous."
"I'm willing…" Buffy's face turned away in refusal to hear him any longer, she started to rise from her chair, but Angelus reached and held on to her forearm tightly and stayed her escape, "I'm willing to hold off the divorce procedures until after your trial."
Buffy wrestled her arm away from him but remained standing.
"Why?"
He said no more to her but addressed Gunn, "I need a moment with your client."
Gunn looked to Buffy, she crossed her arms in front of her and nodded her consent. He looked warily at Angelus but left the pair in his office.
"What do you want Angelus? Why are you doing this?"
"A reconciliation."
"What?"
"I want a reconciliation, no more talk of divorce."
"No way."
"Don't kid yourself Buffy, you need this advantage."
"I don't need you." She hissed, turning away from him again, ready to call Gunn back into the room, when he snatched her arm to pull her close to him. The close vicinity unnerves her but she shivered from what he said.
"Don't kid yourself Buffy, you need this marriage. You need all the advantage you can get. How else are you going to win against a doctor with impeccable records such as Willow Rosenberg? And her husband, the musician who works from home, gives high school kid band lessons? They can offer Alex a stable life, loving family and she's his closest blood relative. What can you offer for his future?
"How much royalty can you get from those books you plan on writing? They're a small publishing house, they can't be offering you that much. You don't have much left from your mother's life insurance and you want nothing from me after the divorce. That boy's financial future's not looking too good huh?
"And what about family life? Sure, you've brought him up thus far, but he's gonna grow; you're a single mom bringing up a child all by yourself. Doesn't look too good against the Osbournes. Not to mention that Alex missed his elementary school entrance, didn't he? Sacrificed while you drag him across the globe. Tsk, tsk, that won't look good at all in front of the judge."
"How did you know…" She was bewildered with the amount of information Angelus had on the whole situation.
"Money and connection. You may not care for them, but they do go a long way." He lets go her arm, "It's your choice Buffy. You have 12 hours, contact me before that." And walked out of the room.
TBC…
