As one of you guessed... this story won't end after four parts!

Enjoy!

The Best Thing: Part Three

"I now pronounce you man and wife! You may kiss the bride."

"Gladly!" Mercedes's now husband said before pulling her into a deep kiss earning some whistles and catcalls from their guest before they pulled away. Mercedes smiled as they walked down the aisle, well at least she hoped she was smiling it wasn't until she saw her mother's worried face that she knew she wasn't.

The bride and groom waved goodbye to everyone before entering the limo and Mercedes was finally able to let out the breath she'd been holding since she said yes to marrying him. She looked at her husband and he was grinning from ear to ear and she couldn't help but wonder why she said yes.

That's a lie, she knew why she said yes and she knew in six short months his and her families would know too. She placed a protective hand over her stomach before looking back at him and realizing now was the time to let him know about the baby.

"So, I need-"

"You look amazing in that dress, yes you put on a little weight, nothing extreme but you look amazing baby." He said smiling and moving closer to her.

"Well that's what I want to talk-"

"It's fine though I'm not judging you or anything. I don't want my wife to think I'm dissatisfied with her looks because you are beautiful… just be mindful of our image, especially mine." He continued not giving her a chance to speak.

"Listen, I need to tell you that I'm-"

"I'm happy too you baby, I can't wait to take that dress off of you and show you just how happy I am." He interrupted again and if her damn hormones hadn't forced her to react to his words she would have told him about her being pregnant.

"Oh… I didn't realize you were that excited." She admitted smiling slightly when he started to kiss along her neck.

"Very excited you cut me off months ago and now I can't wait to have you again. Do you know how lucky I am to not only be your first but your only? No one has ever had you and now they never will, this is perfect for me because I don't have to worry about anyone coming up to me and telling me that you were this or that person. You're the perfect investment." He said and before she could say anything back he crashed his lips onto hers.

One thing her husband could do was render her speechless with his deep kisses but this was different, she wasn't wanting to enjoy it but her body and hormones were literally on fire and his touch was the only thing helping it.

She allowed herself to be seduced and ravished by him in the back of the limo, she allowed herself to ignore the comment of being an investment and just pretend that he married her for love until the next morning when she woke up sore and jumped out of the plush bed to throw up.

What she hadn't realized was that she woke up alone not until after she showered and walked back into their suite did she notice that only her things were in the room and only the side she'd woken up on was slept on but she did notice the note.

A note that let her know how her marriage was going to be regardless of the fact that she was pregnant or that she was his wife. She was going to be treated exactly as he described her, as an investment.

Mercedes,

Be back sometime tonight, enjoy the suite and amenities.

Love you.

She just sat the note down and sighed, she needed to tell him she was pregnant and after last night she thought… she hoped his incessant need for her was alluding to him showing her how much he really cared for her.

She was going to have to sit him down and listen to her before she started to show, she knew how important his image was to him so her being three months pregnant was going to make people suspect their wedding was to cover up something.

Mercedes got dressed and decided to test her luck at finding her husband, she wasn't crazy to think he left the hotel but she was crazy to think that marriage of all things might keep him from straying but she knew that was short lived.

"Hi yes, I'm wondering if you might have seen this man?" Mercedes asked the maid in the hall, showing her a picture.

"Oh umm…" The maid stammered looking at Mercedes then at her ring finger noticing the very large ring.

"It's okay, I know who I married." Mercedes responded and the maid gave her a sad look.

"Room 1438." She whispered, holding her head down and Mercedes then knew why she looked at her that way.

"I hope you enjoyed my husband." She said without an ounce of anger before walking towards the elevators and pressing the button to go to the room she mentioned.

She was amazingly calm when she walked up to the door and could audibly hear her husband pleasuring another woman before she knocked on it. She heard shuffling and giggling before the door swung open and she was met by a pretty brunette with a sheet wrapped around her.

"Can I help you?" She asked politely.

"No, it seems my husband has you covered in that department." She answered walking into the room and going straight to the bed where he was lounging peacefully.

"Good morning." She said and his smile faded before he looked shocked that she was there.

"Mercedes… I can… I can explain. I just needed to get her out of my system. It didn't mean-" He started only stopping when she held her hand up.

"I'm pregnant and this will be the last time you disrespect me like this, it's our honeymoon and you're up here with the next bitch."

"Merc-"

"Your investment is speaking. Excuse me, miss?" She cut him off calling the woman over. "Do you mind just coming over here and sitting next to him for just a second?"

"Umm… I didn't know he was engaged or married." The woman said, looking worried.

"Apparently neither did he." She nodded the woman over and after she sat she pulled out her phone and took a picture of them.

"Now, sweetheart if you don't want the world to know that you cheated on your pregnant wife only a few hours after fucking her then I suggest you finish up here and make your way back to our suite. Oh and the sweet, sweet maid you had sex with first is going to need a lovely payment from you as well." Mercedes said, smiling sweetly at the both of them.

"You wouldn't dare to do this to me especially knowing that I would win in a custody battle considering I have-"

"Oh I would and I will, consider this your warning and I suggest you get showered because we have lunch plans in an hour." She said cutting him off and shooting him a final look before walking out of the room and back to their suite.

She wasn't the least bit impressed when he showed up twenty minutes later looking as handsome as ever but one thing was for certain the gauntlet had been thrown and it was that day that she knew every day was going to be a battle.

A battle that wouldn't reach its height until exactly six and half months later, three weeks after she'd given birth and was far too weak to put up a real fight. No he waited until she fell asleep and did the unthinkable, he left with their child and refused to answer any of her calls. She cried for three days wanting so badly to contact the authorities but she knew she would sound crazy. He came back with a smug look on his face seeing how disheveled and heartbroken she was over not being with their child for seventy-two hours, he walked straight up to her handing over Tyson but not before delivering a warning that he'd been waiting to use since their honeymoon.

"Now you know how it feels to be without him just for a few days, imagine a lifetime without seeing our son and having him call another woman mommy. Take this as your warning and go clean yourself up, we have lunch plans with my parents and I expect you to look your best." He said shooting her a dark look and for the first time in her life Mercedes felt like this was one fight she might now win.

It would be a lie if she said that was the only time he used Tyson that way but he soon figured out that was the only thing that would make her be the submissive woman he wanted by his side.

She denied him her body after he took Tyson from her the first time which gave her a leg up but every so often he would take him just to prove a point. She tried to leave a dozen times but with his name literally on everything she couldn't and no matter how many times she tried to rejoin the workforce he would find a way to ruin it or worse embarrass her.

He would show up and make a huge scene because he knew how to throw away his celebrity status around so much so that she would apply for a job under her maiden name but eventually he figured that out and did the same thing.

She told her parents and they told her the same thing every time, to just come home but she knew that wouldn't change a damn thing. He would just come there and take them back, he was patient. That was his strong point, he could out wait just about anything and do it with the sweetest smile on his face.

He fought with honey but he could also be as mean as a viper, just as quick and cunning and also very unforgiving with his bite. A bite she'd been victim to far too many times to try to tempt fate without thinking things out first so she did what she was good at and thought about everything very closely.

Year after year she waited and planned, slowly moving small amounts of money here and there covering it as shopping expenses or random bills until she'd gotten a phone call that let her know it was time. A phone call from an old friend and allowed that to be her sign to put everything into play.

When Jack called her out of the blue letting her know he was signing with her husband's team and that he wanted to see her before the season started so they could meet each other's kids. She wasn't sure what made her mention his family's beach house but when he told her that she could come up whenever she jumped at the chance but she knew she couldn't tell Jack everything. So she told him just enough to keep him at bay, enough to keep her from crumbling and that's how she ended up in Pace Harbor.

"I left because I couldn't stay under the same roof as my husband… it was becoming increasingly hard to remain there safely." She explained earning concerned looks from Jack and Sam but an unreadable look from Quinn.

"What's your martial last name?" Quinn questioned and Mercedes squared her shoulders looking at the petite women directly in the eyes.

"You have the information you need, I'm not sleeping with Jack and I'm not asking for any favors from you." She responded, hearing both Jack and Sam groan.

"MJ, just tell her so she knows who to avoid." Jack pleaded.

"She won't turn him down, I can tell by the look on her face she wants his name too much. I know a shark when I see one and I won't give either of them the satisfaction."

"If you want a job at my firm you'll have to apply with your legal name." Quinn informed handing over an on-boarding packet with a smirk only for it to fall when Mercedes took it and ripped it in half.

"Jackie, I love you but this isn't going to work. I'm sorry for bringing my problems here, please tell Penny I said hey and maybe next time I'll get to meet your babies." Mercedes said starting to walk away and for some reason Sam stepped in front of her not sure why but he didn't like that she was going to leave.

"Work for me, I have space for an assistant and I won't ask you for any of your personal information… I can pay you under the table." He offered.

"I-" She started.

"She'll take it!" Jack said smiling and she shot him a look that would have made any man quiver but Jack just chuckled.

"I don't even-"

"She can start Monday and I expect her to be paid well considering I'm pulling a favor since you blew the first one. Oh and don't worry about Ty, he can stay with Penny during the day while you're at work." Jack interrupted holding his hand up when she shook her head.

"No Jack, he has to be with someone who knows about dealing with diabetic children." Mercedes said, biting her lip.

"MJ you know Penny, she's been trained in CPR and I'm sure if you told her about his restrictions she would make sure he was safe." Jack assured.

"He has to take insulin shots and there are times when his levels spike…"

"Then he can come to work with you." Sam offered, earning a look from his sister and a smile from Jack who just nodded excitedly.

"Awesome! She'll take it!" Jack said and she just looked at him like he'd lost his mind.

"Great, I'll have my assistant swing by tomorrow with everything." Sam said grabbing her hand and squeezing it before quickly removing his with a slight blush.

"I-"

"Mommy?" They all looked in the direction of the small voice before Mercedes walked over giving her son a smile.

"Have a good nap?" She asked and he nodded yawning before realizing the other people standing and he tugged at her arm.

"Are they staying too?' He whispered, earning a laugh from her.

"No baby, I don't think they are." She answered.

"We can… if you want." Sam offered before Quinn walked over to him and yanked him into the next room.

"What the hell are you doing?" Quinn asked after closing the door.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked, confused.

"You're flirting with her! Have you forgotten that you're engaged?"

"Quinn, I'm trying to be helpful. She clearly needs it." Sam explained.

"No you're trying to get close to her I can tell." Quinn countered shooting daggers at him.

"Quinn not everyone is your husband and not everyone is trying to cheat the moment you get that through your head is the very second you'll stop fucking projecting your problems on us all. She needs help and I can see why she doesn't trust you because I can tell you're itching to find out who her husband is, grow up." Sam spat back before leaving her standing there stunned.

"Okay how about we grill?" Sam suggested and Jack nodded in agreement!

"I'll call Penny and have her bring the boys over."

"Wait don't you-" Mercedes started before Jack pulled her into a side hug.

"We got you MJ! You and Ty are safe here." Jack said and for a brief moment she felt she would cry because she did feel safe and decided to just let everything play out by ear.

We will FINALLY found out who's she married to next time!