Unlimited Power

Chapter Seven

     On her way to the bank, Jennifer contemplates what to tell John, her boss, to avoid suspicion or worry on his part.  She definitely doesn't want her name marred if he finds out about the program that James developed and that she set in motion as Vice President of the bank.  She sees her reflection in the side window and although her makeup and hair looks good there is no mistaken that she is not wearing a bra under the almost sheer, white camisole.
The car comes to a complete stop in front of the bank and Jennifer sighs knowing she has to face the inevitable or lose everything, the love of life, her job, and even her freedom. She steps to the sidewalk in her ridiculously high pumps and heads to the front door wishing she had a big hat and sunglasses to hide her identity. As soon as she opens the door she is hit with the air conditioning, hardening her nipples.  The looks she attracts from the tellers and other bank employees reveal how out of character this is for her as she sees a few of the more catty ladies whispering to one another.  She quickly clicks in her heels to John's office doing her best to ignore then glares and whispers, shutting his office door behind her with a exasperated sigh.  John looks up immediately and it's only human nature that his eyes go immediately to her heaving breasts.    John quickly recovers his professionalism, "Jennifer, I was just about to call your house. We were all worried about you not calling and not showing for work."  Jennifer does her best to hold it together fighting back the tears, watching in humiliation as John's eyes wander over her skin tight jeans and then back over her  breasts poking through the barely there material of the camisole.  "John, I have to take leave for a family emergency," Jennifer says calmly.  She did this to stall Simeon's plan to destroy her life, hoping that she could think of a plan to disrupt his control over her.  This way John would have to grant her time off with no questions asked. "Sure, ummm... Everything ok?" John asks careful not to ask direct questions or ask specific details which would be against company policy.  "Yes, everything is fine," she says, "just need a little break to take care of things between Mark and I."  John just nods and tells Jennifer to take the time she needs.  Jennifer offers her thanks and asks, "Do you mind if I leave out of the back of the bank to avoid seeing the others? I don't want them to gossip."  John says, "Sure, go right ahead," and lets Jennifer out of the emergency exit through the back of his office.  Jennifer feels his eyes on her ass as she makes her way to her car.  She gets in and drives off.  When she is out of sight John gets on the phone.  "Yes sir," he says and then listens to the voice on the line.  "No, she didn't quit, just took a leave of absence."  On the other end of the line, Simeon smiles thinking to himself that Jennifer is going to make this more difficult than her thought.
      Meanwhile Jennifer rushes home to dispose of the clothing that Simeon gave her before Mark gets home and is suspicious.  She puts on a black dress she often wear to the bank and makes a pot of coffee for Mark and his favorite dinner. She is barefoot and humming to herself when he arrives home and hugs her from behind. "Everything ok, baby?" she asks ironically, considering the day she had. She can see the pain in his eyes and sits on the counter pulling him to her, his back to her chest as she hands him the coffee and puts her chin on his shoulder. He sighs and says, "No, baby. Chris was injured on the job today. He's in ICU at the hospital. Just then as if on cue a text comes over her phone "Should have listened when I told you to quit your job." --- Simeon. That's when she realizes that Mark's partner was injured by some action set forth by Simeon. She gasps to herself and pulls Mark closer wondering how this man keeps manipulating her life. How can she possibly escape this man's grasp?  "I'm sorry babe," she says.  "It's not your fault," he says but if he only knew how guilty she really was in all this. They eat dinner together but she is mostly lost in thought but he barely notices because he is worried about his partner.  They go through the motions of a normal day and soon head off to bed where she cuddles close to him, head on his chest but he seems distant.  His thoughts dwelling on the incident with Chris and how he let his partner down.  He soon drifts off to sleep but sleep doesn't come to Jennifer easily.  She tosses and turns all night until she finally decides she is going to make a stand against this bastard Carver.