Therapist's therapy

Bad guy

Arianna thought it was going to be a celebratory dinner but the tense silence at the table suggested otherwise. Mrs. Juliana sat at the head of the table where her father had sat. While Travis sat at the other end Jasper and Arianna at each of his sides. Matilda excused herself to start preparing dinner. She still looked shaken up. Jasper offered to go help her but Mrs. Juliana forbad it and told Matilda to hold dinner off for a little while and have a sit. She sat at the left of Mrs. Juliana looking at her hands.
"I'm guessing you two are responsible?" Mrs. Juliana addressed Jasper and Arianna
"You mean three they didn't force me into it!" Travis defended
"It was reckless!" she barked
"It was necessary!" Travis screamed back. When his mother didn't reply he continued "I can't continue ignoring everything around me, for how long? Until you can't protect me any longer?"
"I'm sorry you felt suffocated in this house I didn't exactly love it either! People talk you know behind my back even though they knew I could hear loud and clear" Mrs. Julianna relaxed on her chair and Matilda poured her a glass of water.
" It had to happen at some point, I just thought if I ignored it, it would eventually go away" she looked like she was holding back tears. It was the weakest Arianna had seen her
"I don't blame you mother, if for anything I'm grateful, nothing would have happened if not for you. Even when you had to sacrifice yourself, you protected me and I am forever grateful" Travis finished. His mother let out a small and sincere smile.
Arianna felt like she had walked in on an engagement, glancing at Jasper she could tell he felt like a third wheel too.
"So, Since we are all feeling cheerful how about a celebration to honor todays' progress?" Arianna quipped.
Jasper who was relieved to be out of that emotional roller coaster nodded in agreement.
"What a wonderful idea I haven't prepared meal for such a large group in a while I'm feeling excited" Matilda was looking more like herself again, the conversation was enlightening for her. She pushed her seat and after giving a reassuring smile to Mrs. Juliana headed to the kitchen
"I'll go help" Jasper said following after his grandmother. Arianna wasn't sure the son and mother conversation had ended and didn't want to be caught in it again. Plus she couldn't pass on an opportunity to see Jasper in an apron.
"I'll go help too" she pushed her chair backward before Travis stopped her. "No you are a guest today and my mother thought me better than to let a lady work" he said with a wink to his mother " I'll go help" he followed after Jasper.
Arianna felt more awkward sitting in silence with Mrs. Juliana but one thing about Arianna was that her brain  ran at 200% in awkward situations.
"You never wanted Travis to take over the company did you?" Arianna also had a habit of blurting out her thought without thinking of the consequences. Although she had written it as her weakness in her profile, Mrs. Juliana employed her anyways so she thought it was alright to practice it.
"What makes you think that?" one thing also about Mrs. Juliana was that she never lost her composure. And the fact that she didn't immediately deny it but wanted to know what part of her actions let it slip, Arianna concluded her theory.
"Well, it's not like I was unto you from the start like some great detective. It's just that after witnessing Mr. Andrew in real life I can tell what kind of person he is. And knowing the type of person you are, it was an easy find" when Arianna glanced at Mrs. Juliana her hands where clenched on the table, her expression unreadable.
"You haven't answered the question"
"You see I'm a realistic person. And it's not my habit to pry, especially in dangerous situations like this. So I'll going to stop here. If you don't know what I'm aware of, I won't be much of a threat to you right?" Arianna and Mrs. Juliana didn't break eye contact even when the was a large crash in the kitchen and rendering of some unholy words.
"That is rich coming from you after what you just said just tell me I want you know" Mrs. Juliana inquired.
"On one condition, you promise my safety and I want it in writing" when Mrs. Juliana nodded Arianna passed her a note book where she wrote down the deal and her signature.
"I know you are a smart woman and won't go against this, but if you decide to, I know ways to come for you even from my grave"
"Enough! child talk!"
"Don't be disappointed like I said I'm not some great detective. I started suspecting after I did some digging into the descendants on BM motors and noticed that they all passed down the company when the heir was thirty years old. And no offence, but you certainly looks well over thirty. So if the company was going to be given to you it would have been long ago.
Arianna poured herself a glass of water and gulped it down before continuing.
"Then there was your marriage, your father was going to let your husband take over the company, to avoid this, you made Travis' father fall in love with you because you knew he wasn't interested and wasn't going to come in your way, when he was over thirty you divorced him as a sign of loyalty to your father so he would choose you. All this was in theory until I brought it to Travis, not directly of course. He didn't know how things worked but knew his position was threatened .First. I accused Jasper who was my first suspect but unfortunately he proved his loyalty, then there was you, and everything just fell into place. Travis is twenty nine and you have warmed your way into your father's heart if Travis was unavailable for the post by the time he turned thirty, you father will have no choice but to pick you over him meanwhile, you made him understand you had to take over the company before him so by the time he was ready, it would be too late"
"All this is all theories you can't prove any of it"
"Yes I couldn't but your father did. While I was shamelessly poke-nosing, he confirmed it all. Travis probably didn't notice in the heat of the moment. But your father clearly said you were only filing in for Travis and not only that, he regarded you as a staff not an heir and most obvious of all you didn't even pretend to be happy for Travis today. You should at least congratulate him. You are his loving mother after all" when Arianna was done Mrs. Juliana just stared at her.
"Not all of that is true. I'm not the bad guy in this story, I don't want this for myself I'm just protecting Travis from my father. He, is the bad guy. I didn't divorce my husband to please him I did it because I loved him. I didn't want him to be controlled by my father. My father controls every aspect of your life until there is nothing left. I just wanted my son to have a choice"
Arianna had a hard time believing her and her expression didn't let it show. "You don't have the right to do that, Travis has to be the one to decide what part he goes not you. If you ask me you seem a lot like your father"
"What do you want?" she asked with a sigh. Arianna didn't want to blackmail her if there was an ounce if honesty in what she said but this one time she had to be selfish.
"I didn't actually want anything but since you are offering" Arianna made thinking sounds "how about a great job"
"Don't you already have one?" Mrs. Julianna asked
"You know what I mean"
"You better keep this between us. You are a smart girl you should keep your word as well. I will get you the job you desire" Mrs. Julianna sighed.
Arianna hadn't expected this to turn out so well she didn't realize she had been laughing so hard. It was dangerous of course and she had no idea what she was getting herself into, but playing it safe wasn't going to pay her bills, so she was going to live in the moment until she regrets it.
"I'm going to need that in writing too" she said with a grin Mrs. Juliana didn't return.

Another chapter 🥹I hope you give this book a chance and vote for it❤️