-1Chapter Seven

"I don't know." It was probably the most pathetic excuse for an answer he could have given her at that moment, but it was the truth. "I don't know why I lied to you, " Michael continued. "I don't know why I keep allowing myself to get dragged into these situations, I just...I wanted to protect you. I wanted to protect everyone." Michael shook his head in frustration, annoyed that even with his Harvard education he was having such a difficult time finding the words that would help to better explain his actions.

"I wanted to protect John and his company from sinking, I wanted to protect Kevin from ruining all of the progress he has made, I wanted to protect Gloria from herself, and most of all I wanted to protect you from knowing what a truly messed up family you married into." Michael chuckled, using nervous laughter as a security blanket.

"And so by lying to me and scheming behind my back, that was somehow supposed to convince me that you're the Waltons?" Michael was going to make a John-Boy joke, then thought better of it. "I know you're not perfect, Michael. I would never want you to be perfect. And after all this time, I think that I know better than anyone what your family is like." Michael couldn't argue with that. "I never told a soul when your brother confessed to me about what he had done to Lily. I kept the fact that you and Kevin were Gloria's sons a secret from John for months! I even helped you deal with Tom, and after all that, you still don't trust me enough to tell me the truth?" Lauren spat out accusingly.

"This was never about me not trusting you, I trust you more than anyone and you know that." Michael said, hurt that she would even make such an accusation.

"How long have you known?" Lauren asked suddenly.

"How long have I known what?"

"How long have you known that Gloria was the one who tampered with the GloAgain cream?" Lauren clarified. "I'd just like to know how long you've been 'protecting' me from the truth." Michael sighed in resignation.

"April," Lauren looked at him, stunned. "After we found out about the baby."

"Seven months, Michael?!" Lauren choked out in disbelief. "So that's why. That's why the Jabot case affected you so much. That's why you refused to talk to me about what was going on with you." He couldn't resist the urge to reach out and wipe her tears away this time, but she angrily swatted his hand away. "I asked you over and over again if there was something you were keeping from me, Michael, and you swore to me there wasn't! God, if it's that easy for you to lie straight to my face, I wonder what else you've hid from me."

"You think this was easy for me?!" Michael yelled, not meaning to raise his voice but being unable to stop himself. "I hated lying to you! It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life."

"Then why did you do it?" Lauren asked again. "And don't give me anymore crap about wanting to protect me, you and I both know that wasn't the real reason." Michael glared at her, the agony in his eyes apparent. "This wasn't about protecting me, or anyone else." Lauren answered for him. "This was about Gloria. It's always about Gloria."

"Isn't everything?" Michael quipped, sarcastically.

"It's so easy for you to insult her, isn't it? To yell and scream at her about all of the stupid things that she's done, but it's all for show. Because in the end, you're always there for her. Always ready to help her out of yet another jam." Lauren accused.

"That's rich coming from you, Lauren. Weren't you the one always encouraging me to help her, to give her the benefit of the doubt?" Michael spat back.

"Not at the expense of your career! Not the expense of us." Lauren motioned between them, Michael's eyes fell upon her protruding belly; their child. Michael reached out to lay his hands on her stomach, and to his surprise, she let him. "You need to get your priorities straight, Michael." Lauren continued. Michael closed his eyes in acknowledgement. "You have a child to think about now, you can't keep risking everything, Michael. I don't want to raise this baby on my own." Lauren declared sadly.

"And you won't," Michael whispered fiercely. "I swear to you, Lauren, never again. Never again will I risk what we have, our family," he motioned at the three of them and she smiled. "You and the baby mean everything to me, you know that, right?" She nodded. As angry and disillusioned with him as she still felt, she knew he meant what he said. "And I promise that from now on, Gloria is on her own."

"Yes, she is." Lauren said confidently. "Gloria's gone, Michael." He arched his brow in confusion.

"What do you mean she's gone?"

"I gave her money to leave the country and she agreed. We never have to worry about her again." Lauren declared triumphantly.

"You did what?!" Michael yelled. He was furious. Lauren looked at him in confusion, wondering how the tables had turned so quickly. "Do you have any idea what you've done?