Ramona Lytton didn't plan to have an affair with Peter Florrick, it just happened. Despite the rumors, their affair didn't start in Highland Park, when she was still married to her husband Anton. No, back then she was happy with her marriage and they were happy being friends with the Florricks from across the street.

Ramona's affair with Peter started when she began working for him. Her daughter Lauren had asked him to be an intern in the governor's office and he said yes.

"Come on, mom." Lauren told her at the time. "What's the point of knowing the governor if you can't ask him for a favor?"

Ramona, like Alicia, had put her lawyer career on hold to raise her kids and she never regretted it, well, most of the time she didn't. Ramona met with Peter and he gave her the job. "We can always use more lawyers around here." Peter said with a confident smile.

So Ramona re-started her career as a lawyer, she was nervous at first but her confidence grew and her closeness to Peter a too. They were old friends after all. The governor invited her to have dinner at Bellemore. Peter said once a week he took someone of his staff to the restaurant, she thought it was a lie, but she went anyway. "What are you doing?" she asked herself but she didn't have an answer. It was a lovely evening with Peter and Ramona felt like she was falling for it. Peter looked straight into her eyes and softly said "Come to my apartment tonight."

"Peter, I can't."

"There is a car waiting for you outside." He held her hand. "The driver can take you home, if you don't say anything, he'll drive you to my apartment."

That was Peter's plan to be discreet. Ramona got in the car and she went to Peter's apartment. She justified her decision because Peter and Alicia weren't really together, and she wasn't gonna fall in love with Peter, she just missed having sex. One night stand between them, that was it. Scratch an itch…

She fucking fell for him and it all, very predictable, went to hell. Alicia found out, the press found out and Ramona was let go by Eli Gold. Heartbroken, without a job and feeling at her lowest, Ramona left Chicago.

"Mrs. Lytton, you're pregnant."

Ramona stared at the doctor holding her results. "I'm sorry, it must be a mistake."

"No. You're pregnant. 6 weeks." The doctor read the sheet again. "That's why you were feeling sick. We can schedule you a termination if you want."

Having a baby to give you purpose was a bad idea, even worse at 45 years old. "I want to keep it."

Ramona got her shit together, she found a freelance job translating contracts from german, italian and more. She got an apartment with her daughter in Rockford and they welcomed the baby girl into their lives. Ramona was happy working from home with her baby daughter next to her in her crib while her other daughter was out working. Then one day while making dinner, Peter called her out of the blue.

Peter said he wanted to talk to her, face to face. Ramona agreed; not sure what he wanted from her. Better to find out, so they met for brunch. Ramona was nervous about the meeting but when Peter walked in, she started having a surreal experience. There he was, the man who broke her heart, the man who had been arrested , who had lost his job, recently divorced and the motherfucker looked like he didn't have a care in the world. He was wearing a pink polo shirt, khakis, his rolex and sunglasses. Ramona swears that "You're so vain" started playing in the restaurant or at least in her head.

*You're so vain (you're so vain)
I bet you think this song is about you
Don't you, don't you?*

Peter talked about his life post scandal, how very few people would answer his calls, how the divorce sadden him but it was for the best. He had a new job lineup, he was closing the deal over a game of golf.

"And how are you?" Peter finally asked Ramona.

"What?" Ramona shook her head. "I'm sorry, why are you here Peter? What do you want from me?"

"I want to apologize for how I handled things between us."

"Handled it? Eli Gold told me my services were no longer needed." Ramona said with spite. "I felt like an executive whore."

"Come on, don't say that."

Ramona finally saw some discomfort from Peter.

"Listen, I never meant to hurt you. I should've been a better man." He sounded sincere.

"Okay...why are you here?"

Peter frowned. "Because I wanted to see you again."

Ramona looked into Peter's eyes for a while, he didn't shy away from her stare.

"Oh God, you really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

This was Ramona's chance to let Peter go. If she doesn't say anything, Peter has no reason to be in her life, but he wouldn't be in her daughter's life. It didn't seem fair.

"Fuck it! I had your baby, Peter." Ramona finally said.

"What?" the former governor asked. "Are you fucking with me?"

"No, Peter, I'm not fucking with you." Ramona sighed. "That February when I left Chicago I didn't know but I was pregnant. Angie was born on August 29th."

Peter didn't say anything, he just rubbed his forehead. Ramona waited for his response.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Peter said with severity. "You should have told me. It wasn't right."

"When Peter? When Alicia had her election scandal? When you run for president? Or maybe during your federal trial?" Ramona replied. "When I saw you were running for president, I was sure you were gonna send a lawyer to make me sign a NDA."

"Do you really think that low of me?"

"Well, we're not good people, Peter." Ramona looked down at her plate.

"I'm not lying. I want to be a better man." Peter declared. "I want to meet my daughter."

So he did. He spent the afternoon with them, then he stayed for 3 days. They became an official couple and 3 months and one paternity test later, Peter proposed to Ramona.

"You can see it's pretty standard." Peter had given Ramona the prenup, she was reading with attention.

"It seems to be."

"I know it's awkward."

"It's not awkward, it's smart." Ramona said. "Our divorces weren't easy. This makes it easy, right?"

"I don't want to get divorce again."

"Me neither" Ramona finished reading the document. "Alright."

"Do you have any questions?"

"No. It's pretty clear. But I do have 2 requests."

"I'm listening."

"Get a vasectomy."

Peter smiled. "Do you think I'm gonna…There is a clause in there about cheating."

"It isn't about cheating. It's about Angie. My second request is about your will. I want you to give Angie more than your other kids."

"No." Peter told her. "It wouldn't be fair. It should be equal parts."

"But Zach and Grace are grown up now, just like my kids are grown up. We already paid for their education and more. Angie is barely one year old. She needs a bigger safety net."

"If anything happens to me." Peter added.

"God willing, it won't."

Ramona's kids received the news of her engagement. No recriminations at all. She felt lucky about that. Ramona's ex on the other hand, accused her of having an affair with Peter since before the divorce. It didn't matter, Anton wasn't invited to the wedding.

Ramona's reintroduction to the Florrick kids wasn't ideal, Zach was in France and Grace, they were supposed to meet Grace in California, but it didn't happen. Alicia was polite but distant.

It turned out that getting on Jackie's good side was easier than Ramona thought. Mostly because Jackie disliked Alicia so much that anyone who wasn't her was good for Jackie. Everything was going smoothly until Thanksgiving when Grace, after meeting her baby sister, cried for 30 minutes.

"Do you feel better?"

They were alone in Grace's room, at Peter's apartment. The teenager was sitting on her bed with her legs up, Ramona in a chair next to the bed. Grace's eyes were still red from all the crying.

"A little bit."

"Wanna tell me what's going on?" Ramona's mom instincts kicked in, she knew Grace since she was a baby, and now, she was gonna be Grace's stepmom. "Did something happen to you?"

"No, nothing happened to me. I'm just being stupid." Grace rested her chin on her knees. "I'm just…"

"A little bit lost?" Ramona suggested. "My mom died when I was 14 years old. My dad didn't stick around, he remarried and went away. He left me with my grandma."

"Sorry, that must've been hard."

"It was. But my grandma was very nice to me." Ramona smiled at Grace. "Are you mad about your parents divorce?"

"No, that's not it…I mean…" Grace frowned. "When did you start sleeping with my dad?"

"Oh." Ramona saw where Grace was coming from. "Not in Highland Park. Not while I was still married to Anton."

"Was it when you started working for him?"

"Yes."

"But you knew he was married."

"Yeah, I knew."

"Why did you do it?"

"The honest answer: lust." Ramona told her. "And I was lonely after the divorce. But it was a very bad, dumb idea. My advice to you: Never, never have an affair with a married man."

"It worked out for you."

"Sure, but because of factors out of my control" Ramona told her.

"Why did you forgive him?"

"Forgive him for what?"

"Didn't he break up with you?"

"I knew it was inevitable. He never promised to leave his wife for me." Ramona saw how Grace was thinking on her next question. The teenager was surprised that an adult was giving her actual answers.

"By the way, Grace. I'm sorry for hurting you with my actions. It can't be a nice experience seeing rumors about your dad on the news."

"I… thanks." Grace's eyes widened, she didn't expect an apology. "I wanna know why are you marrying him?"

"Because I love him and because of my daughter."

"Do you really love him? He's not a good person."

"Have you been in love, Grace?"

"No."

"The thing about love is that you don't control it." Ramona told her. "You don't plan on falling in love, it just happens. But you do control your actions. Do you pursue that love? Do you walk away from love? Do you respect it? Do you squander it? Does the other person even feel the same way as you do?"

Grace listened carefully.

"I'm in love with Peter and I chose to marry him for love, for money, to give Angie a better life, for security and because I think we make a good team."

"A good team?"

"That's marriage."

Grace looked away from Ramona "I think I did something stupid yesterday and it wasn't about love."

"What did you do?"

"I lost my virginity in the back seat of a SUV with a boy who isn't my boyfriend." Grace confessed to Ramona.

"I see…Did he force you?" The older woman was concerned.

"Oh no. It was my idea, I called him, I asked him. I even brought the condom."

"You just felt like doing it?"

"I guess. Everyone cares so much about sex, so I might as well try it." Grace said. "Great christian I turned out to be."

"I won't judge you, Grace." Ramona told her. "I don't think you're feeling okay, right?"

"No." The teen said softly. "I've been drinking and skipping classes. I feel so stupid, so lonely. I don't have a home."

"You have a home here. I promise you." Ramona sat next to Grace and hugged her.

"Thank you." Grace rested her head on Ramona's shoulder. "Please don't tell my mom and dad about the sex."

"I won't. But please, don't have sex in a car on the streets again. It's dangerous."

"I don't think I will."

"And you should always wear protection. Did you pee afterwards?"

"Pee?" Grace looked at Ramona. "Should I?"

"It prevents infections."

"Oh."

"Have you had the HPV vaccine?"

"No."

"You should.. We're gonna schedule an appointment with an ob-gyn, alright?"

Grace nodded.

"You're gonna be okay, Grace."

From that moment on, Ramona became Grace's confidant and in return Grace became Ramona's supporter. Including helping with the winter wedding. Peter of course wanted a big wedding, he was back on the top of the world. What You Won't Do for Love by Bobby Caldwell was their first dance song.

* What you won't do, do for love
You've tried everything, but you won't give up
In my world, only you
Make me do for love what I would not do *

So Ramona's second life began…and it went pretty well. She enjoyed the perks of being Peter Florrick's wife; she liked being a more experienced mom and stepmom, she figured out her consulting business, Lauren got married and made her a grandma. And during the pandemic Grace moved in with them. Ramona loved to see Angie growing up with Grace.

"We're moving to Nashville." Lauren Lytton informed her mom during their monthly get together. "Dad offered Tim a job, he's gonna take it."

"Anton must be doing well." Ramona said about her ex husband. "When are you leaving?"

"Next week."

"That's really soon."

"But we'll visit you or you can visit us." Lauren told her. "And I'll call you."

Ramona felt sad her daughter was living, then a concern popped into her mind. "Lauren, I hope you haven't felt like I took less interest in you once I got married to Peter."

"No, mom." Lauren replied. "We both have our own lives now. I'm not gonna get jealous of Peter or Angie, she's a kid. And with Grace…let's just say I know it took me a while after the divorce to get my act together, but I can see Grace probably needs more help than me."

"Oh."

"I'm just saying."

Lauren was right, Grace was gonna need more help. It was a morning in late June when Ramona got a call from Grace asking her to pick her up from a friend's apartment. The young woman sounded nervous.

"Are you okay, Grace?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." Grace said. "Please, just come pick me up...don't tell dad."

Ramona didn't like the sound of that. She arrived at the apartment and found her stepdaughter hiding in her friend's kitchen with an ice bag on her face.

"What happened?"

"It's not a big deal."

"Right." Ramona examined Grace's face, it was a notable bruise. "Can we have a minute alone?"

"Sure, Mrs. Florri…I mean, Mrs. Lytton." The friend left the kitchen..

"Julian did this?"

"It was more like a slap than a hit." Grace said. "I made him mad."

"Are you justifying him?"

"No. I'm explaining what happened." the young woman sighed. "Julian and I were celebrating next week's graduation. We had fun, we went out for drinks, and we stayed at the Langham hotel. This morning Julian surprised me with a marriage proposal."

"I'm listening." Ramona said.

"He got on one knee and he opened a little blue box with a big diamond ring…and…I laughed." Grace shook her head. "It was such a ridiculous notion and I just laughed."

"And he hit you?"

"Yeah. He got pretty angry, yelled at me and called me names. Then he calmed down and apologized non stop for half an hour. Once he got in the bathroom to take a shower I left the room; I grabbed my purse, left the hotel and came here." Grace said.

"Have you talked to him?"

"No." Grace took her cellphone. "He keeps calling me and texting me."

"Let me see." Ramona saw the cascade of apologies and messages of eternal love. "Typical."

"He went to my apartment too. My neighbor Susie said he was banging on the door." Grace was about to cry. "I don't know what to do."

"Alright." Ramona put her arm around Grace to comfort her.

"I can't go to the graduation, he'll be there." The young woman said.

"You'll be with us, he won't make a scene in public and if he does your dad and I can handle him."

"No, I can't. " Grace insisted. "He's going back to New York to work with his dad, I'll just have to wait a few weeks."

"You wanna hide for a few weeks?"

"What are my other options?"

"Talk to him and say you're breaking up with him." Ramona said. "We can be there with you."

"Julian is super entitled, he never gets a no for an answer. If I talk to him he's gonna insist we're together and I...I…."

"You can say no to him."

"I know, I know." Grace hid her face on her palms.

Ramona looked at the young woman in front of her, she was scared and the only option in her mind was escaping Chicago and ghosting her boyfriend.

"You were planning to visit Zach in Paris, right? Then go a week early. Spend your summer in France away from Julian. He'll have to cool down and move on."

"That's a good idea." Grace smiled and hugged her stepmom.

Ramona arranged the trip with a travel agency, she went to Grace's apartment for her passport and for her luggage. There, Julian Rainsford was waiting.

"Where is Grace?"

"Oh, you startled me."

"You're her stepmom, right? I've been sitting on the stairs for 3 hours waiting for her, I've been calling her. Please, tell her I'm sorry."

"I'll do it if you promise to go home." Ramona told him. "Grace isn't coming back to the apartment any time soon. Please, go home."

"Is she gonna call me? Tell her to call me."

"I will."

Ramona waited to make sure Julian left the building before leaving the apartment with the luggage. She met Grace at the airport and sent her to France for the summer.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Peter Florrick crossed his arms and stood tall in front of Ramona.

"Grace had a bad breakup and decided to fly earlier to Paris. We promised we'll pay for her ticket at the end of law school."

"A bad breakup? With that Richie Rich kid?" Peter was angry. "What happened? What did he do?"

"I can't tell you." Ramona said. "I promised her."

"I'm her father for God Sake."

"Then you ask Grace when she comes back." Ramona didn't give in.

"It's my fault, isn't it?" Peter sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I was a bad example with Alicia. Grace has never introduced a boyfriend to us. She has never brought a boy home. That's not normal."

"Then talk to her when she comes back." Ramona held him close. "She'll appreciate it if you're honest with her first."

Peter didn't talk to her when Grace came back.

When Peter got arrested, it wasn't like Ramona didn't see it coming. He was acting sketchy around the house a week before, but Ramona had taken precautions before. She had her own income, she had set up Angie trust, and for taxing reasons the apartment was in her name..

"It's gonna be okay." Peter told her. "I'll be out soon and this whole thing will go away."

"Sure, Peter."

"Tell Angie I love her."

"I will"

Ramona never saw him again. Peter's death was so sudden that Ramona went from telling Angie that her daddy was coming home to daddy is gone forever in less than 2 hours.

"But why mommy?" Angie asked between sobs. "Why mommy?"

"I don't know, my love, I don't know.' That night they both cried themselves to sleep.

In all the chaos, Ramona appreciated how Grace took command with the planning of the funeral. Ramona didn't have the strength she had to focus on the legal aspects and to protect her young daughter. In Peter's office, Ramona was going through his papers and bank statements,when she found one with her name on it. She opened up and found out there was a bank account to her name with $5,096,789.65

"What the fuck did you do Peter?"

Notes:

Please stop leaving comments that relitigate your real-world parasocial love or equally parasocial hate for Taylor Swift. This is not the forum for that, this is an erotic mind control story about Taylor Swift enthusiastically falling under the corrupting influence of a mysterious amulet, the origin of which is not explored though is likely sorcery-based.