Matt couldn't believe the woman in front of him.
"You're going to publish what?"
Elizabeth smiled.
"It won't be me of course. I don't own that rag. That's Delilah's baby."
"I know…and if she publishes that story about C.J., I'd sue her but I know C.J.'s going to want to enjoy doing that."
Elizabeth shrugged.
"She can try but if it's the truth it's not libel is it?"
Matt tried to keep a straight face.
"How do you know it's the truth?"
She folded her arms at him.
"Matt…you're not stupid. You know that she had a thing for that murderous psychopath and she visited him in prison…once. Now she's pregnant. You do the math."
Math had never been his strongest point but seriously he didn't need much to figure out when C.J. had gotten herself knocked up because he'd been there with her. But she didn't want her private life splashed all over the tabloids.
"Robert Tyler's not the father of her baby. She'd have nothing to do with him."
Elizabeth's eyes flashed.
"How well do you even know your associate? She almost married the guy for goodness sake."
"Almost doesn't mean much Elizabeth when it comes to marrying. You should know that."
He saw the twinge of hurt in her eyes swallowed up by her anger.
"How could you be so mean Matlock? All I'm doing is trying to show you how happy we'd be if you'd just give us a chance."
He gritted his teeth.
"Trying to blackmail me to the altar is not giving us a chance," he said, "That ship sailed…don't you know that?"
She hesitated and he wondered if she did. But whatever she believed, she still was wrong about Robert Tyler and if Delilah published that article…
"That article is going into print later today…unless you decide to drop this charade of yours and marry me."
He looked at her in shock. She truly seemed serious about it.
"Like I said, you publish that article and you and Delilah will be sued for libel."
"Why Matlock you know it's the truth?"
He sighed.
"Because it's not," he said, "Robert Tyler didn't do anything with C.J. But I did."
Elizabeth's mouth fell open in either disbelief or shock. He couldn't tell which.
"You can't be serious…you….her?"
He smiled at her.
"I am…I'm that baby's father."
Thump, as a woman's body hit the floor.
C.J. just didn't want to deal with Serena's tantrum right now. She wanted her cupcakes that she'd been craving.
"Get out…now before I throw you out."
Serena folded her arms again.
"Make me…you puny little girl."
Chris and C.J. looked at each other. But seriously neither of them wanted to deal with this petulant spoiled brat. Really Serena needed to go out and get a job or at least a new hobby to keep her busy. C.J. stepped forward but Chris stopped her.
"You shouldn't be doing kickboxing in your condition."
C.J. narrowed her eyes.
"I can handle it…and her."
Chris shook her head putting her foot down.
"Let me handle it. I've picked up a few moves just by watching you two."
Serena just looked at her as Chris approached.
"You won't touch me…Matlock would fire you and put you on the street if you so much as touched a hair on my head."
Chris's lips curved into a grin with purpose.
"We'll just see about that won't we? C.J. and I both have work to do and you really need to leave now."
Serena shook her head.
"I need to see my lover…we came together so passionately right here in this suite…"
"It's not the same one Serena," Chris said, "You need to check your address."
The heiress shrugged.
"Same difference…that sofa over there…was where we made mad passionate love," she said, "and that hot tub…"
C.J. felt nauseous in the afternoon.
"We frolicked in afterward."
Chris looked sick too.
"I think I'm going to hurl…"
Serena looked at her with such distaste.
"What are you even doing here," she said, "You were such a quiet little mouse back then."
"That wasn't me that was Pam."
"Whatever…"
Now Pam looked like she wanted to smack the smirk off of Serena's face. C.J. knew the feeling.
"Serena…we really don't want to hear the gory details of your blink and you'll miss it time with Houston…we've got work to do."
Serena scoffed.
"It can wait…I need to talk to him now," she said, "I think someone is trying to harm him. Taking his company away was only the first step of a dastardly plan."
C.J. felt skepticism.
"Serena…his ex-fiancée took his company away because he wouldn't marry her."
"It goes beyond what an inconsequential associate like you could understand," Serena said, "This gutter trash has a partner in the wings."
C.J. wondered if Serena knew more than that. She had to proceed carefully with the volatile vixen.
"So you say…personally I don't think Elizabeth has enough imagination to do this by herself…Houston would be very appreciative if you had any ideas who might be involved."
Serena chuckled.
"I have a few…for his ears only if he goes out with me tonight."
Uh oh, C.J. didn't like the sound of that much but if it were the only way…she'd have to suck it up.
"You'll have to run that past him."
"Oh…I will…"
Elizabeth got off the floor in a minute but still looked incredulous.
"No way Matlock…would you ever sire a child with that commoner…"
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"That's not your business," he said, "I'm telling you so that if you dare publish that story you'll get sued."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Oh of course…you…she that would never happen of course but you do have a noble streak if I remember correctly…a thing for rescuing women in distress."
Not the first time he'd heard that from someone.
"So naturally, you'd say anything to protect your associate including that you sired her offspring. That is quite noble of you Matlock."
"Don't publish that story Elizabeth or you'll regret it."
She didn't seem fazed.
"Matlock, you could end this all right now if you agreed to marry me," she said, "We could go right now to the Beverly Ventura hotel and seal our engagement."
He shook his head.
"No…that's not going to happen Elizabeth. Like I told you, you publish that story and you're getting sued. End of story."
"No Matlock…it'll be the beginning of a whole another one…"