Fate Has A Say

Life plans go awry

In the last chapter, Mac left. Alexei heard something about her inheritance and desperately needed to talk to her. He is in a numb, state of existence now because, her leaving him again, woke him up. Maybe! Let's find out.

Alexei sat like a statue until dawn raised her beautiful head. Early rays of sunlight, filtered into the room and shone on his face. He woke from his daze. Looking at the watch on his wrist, he saw that he had been sitting there for almost seven hours. His brain was numb but only one thought resounded inside, over and over again. "I lost her, again!" Now, as reality stepped in, he wondered why, this was that all he could think of. "I chose Melissa, so why am I feeling this way? So hurt and devastated by the fact, that Mac had gone again. Shouldn't I be relieved? What is happening to me, all over again? This time, I can't be consoled by anger, hatred and betrayal. I feel all those things. This time, for me. I did this. This time, it's my fault. Damnit! She can't leave me. I'll go bring her back!" Jumping up, he raced out of the room and stopped. Maybe a shave and shower was in order. Rushing off to his room, he made short work of getting ready.  If he had taken time to look at what he was doing, he would seen that his sweater was inside out and he had two different socks on. ( Yeah! So, not, our problem) In less than the usual time, he was standing in front of Mac's door.

Megan opened the door to harsh knocking. She rushed to open as she had just laid her baby down to sleep and needed a break. She wasn't surprised to see Alexei. She had been appraised of the situation. "Where's Mac?" he asked as he stepped inside without waiting. He was already on his way to the bedrooms when Megan had the presence of mind to stop him. "Wait! You will wake my baby. Mac is not here. She just came to fetch her things. Then she left." Megan felt sorry for him when she saw the look on his face. He looked so torn and tired as if he hadn't slept. She almost laughed when she got a proper look at him. She couldn't wait to tell Mac. Alexei looked as if he didn't believe her. She kept her gaze on him. Eventually his shoulders sagged and he looked defeated. "I'm guessing you don't know where they are and if you did, you won't tell me. Right?" At her nod, he turned to go. He stopped at the door. "Will you tell her that I'm looking for her. Please?" Satisfied with Megan's nod, he left. He put his hand in his pocket to get his phone and found them empty. He hadn't even taken his wallet. In fact, all he had with him, was his car keys.

Rushing, he left to go collect his phone. He hadn't tried calling her because he didn't think she would be anywhere else. Getting home, the nervous housekeeper asked if he needed anything. He was always good to his staff and they respected him alot but they could all see that something wasn't right, ever since he found that Mac had left. He was about to go to his room when the front door opened and Melissa came in. She took one look at him and asked if he was okay. Annoyed at her presence, he asked why. Taken aback, she indicated his sweater and his socks. He looked at his sweater, shrugged and continued towards his room. He found his phone on the bed and dialed Mac's number. It went straight to voicemail. He left a message, asking her to call him. Arms crept around him, startling him. He knew who it was. He stepped away and told Melissa that he had things to do at the office. Melissa sarcastically told him that he might want to fix his clothes. "He was blowing hot and cold and she wasn't going to allow it. Since she came back, except for the kiss which wasn't really a kiss, he was very distant when it came to intimacy. He had sent her to her room, claiming that he wasn't feeling so good. He said he had heartburn. Since when? Ever since Mac had come back into their lives, he hadn't touched her except for a few kisses. She had to do something about Mac. Maybe she should go talk to her father. He would know what to do."

Alexei removed his sweater and put it back on. He looked at his socks and couldn't care less. He had more important stuff to do. He needed answers and he would get them. He took his wallet from the bedside table where he must have placed it last night, and put it in his pocket. Just to make sure, he patted both of his pockets to check that he had his phone and wallet. Seems like he forgot Melissa was even there because he just walked out. She was fuming. The poor housekeeper stopped him to ask that he eat something as he hadn't eaten anything since dinner, the night before. He snapped at her that he wasn't hungry then felt very bad and apologized. Getting into his car, his mind was already elsewhere. The moment he got to his office, he placed a call to their family lawyer and asked him to come see him. He then called a friend who was a private investigator. Giving the investigator the information, he required, he sat back on his chair and thought back to the past. To the time, when wills were read, and the time when he foolishly cut Mac out of his life without confronting her.

The lawyer, Mr Barnes, arrived, and was surprised at Alexei's request. "Alexei, I'm not sure that I understand. As you know all documents had to have two signatures. Both you and Mac signed for her uncle John to look after hers and AJs interests. You, yourself, brought the papers to me. The money was transferred over to John and he has been taking care of Mac and AJ, all this time. Tell me, what is the problem?" Alexei sat there stunned. "I didn't know what papers were in the envelope. We signed papers for Mac to receive her inheritance. That was the papers you sent to us right?" At the nod of acknowledgment from Mr Barnes, to confirm this, Alexei continued. "That was the papers we signed but you say that the papers I brought to you was transfer of the funds for John's safekeeping? This doesn't make sense. Can you show me those papers and do you have details of the account that he transfers to, for Mac and AJ." Mr Barnes agreed to send him all the documents by that evening and Alexei was left wondering how he was so stupid to not read the documents even though he clearly remembered reading them before he got Mac to sign. He knew she hadn't read them as she had been busy that day. He remembered, Uncle John being there with them at the time. Knowing that he needed to focus so that he could remember the events of that day, he decided to go home.

On his way home, his thoughts kept revolving. He was worried about Melissa's reaction to this money issue. She was so sweet and kind that he knew it would hurt her if his suspicions were correct. If he was right, then Uncle John had taken the money for himself or Mac has squandered all their money. He had to talk to Jenny. Stopping at a red light, he messaged her, asking her to come to the house. He saw Melissa's car still parked outside the house and wondered what she had done the whole day. He entered the house and the smells coming from the kitchen almost brought him to his knees. He realized how hungry he was. Walking to the kitchen, he found Melissa shouting at his housekeeper. Annoyed at her behavior, after a really tiring morning, he called her name as she hadn't seen him as yet. She looked shocked to see him. "Melissa, I don't like this kind of behavior. Molly had been with me for years and I don't like the way you spoke to her. Please apologize."
Melissa tried to argue but upon seeing his stern look, she said she was sorry in a somewhat grudging tone. "Molly, can I please have some of whatever smells delicious?" Molly smiled in gratitude as she rushed to dish up the chicken casserole she made.

Taking a seat in the dining room, Alexei again thought about everything. Melissa  came up behind him and hugged him. He stiffened then relaxed and asked her to join him. She declined, saying that she had already eaten. He then informed her that he asked Jenny to come over as they had some business to discuss, so maybe she could go to her parents to check on the wedding plans. Melissa wasn't keen on going as she wanted to know what was going on with Alexei but she agreed to do as suggested. For a second just a second  Alexei wondered if Melissa knew about the money situation. Shrugging of his thoughts, he convinced himself that it wasn't possible. Melissa was too decent to be involved in anything. After having his lunch and feeling a bit better, he went to his study to go over his own copies of documents while he waited for Jenny and the lawyer to send the documents that he didn't have copies of.  Jenny arrived an hour later and didn't look too happy.

Deciding to cut to the chase as he could see from her expression that she knew Mac had left, Alexei asked, "Jenny, do you know where Mac is?" His fiesty sister, tossed her hair back and lifted her eyebrows at him. Acknowledging what that meant, he tried a different tack. "What happened to the money that Mac had been receiving from her uncle? Why does AJ say that they are poor?" Jenny almost fell of her chair. "My dear brother, don't you think it's a bit too early to be drinking. What nonsense are you spouting? What money? Mac's parents lost all their money on bad investments." Alexei's eyes popped wide open.

AN: Now we're getting somewhere. We will catch the bastard. I'm kidding. I don't know what happens next 😜