Vicky’s legs almost came out from under her. If Jason hadn’t been standing there she would have crumbled to the ground.
Reporters started yelling out questions all at once.
“Is the woman you are referring to Victoria Nicole Martin?”, “How do you think this will affect your run for Governor?” “Do you think she was a gold digger?”, “We’ve heard rumors that she’s married to Jason Rutherford do you know this to be true? “Was it a shotgun wedding?”
“One question at a time please; I prefer not to identify who she is at this time. After all…she is the mother of my child. Nick Jones in the back, I’ll take your question.”
“Can you elaborate on what was the life-saving illness?”
“Yes. Due to a lack of supervision and poor judgment, my daughter was left in the care of a teenager driving recklessly. The teenager was killed instantly and my daughter almost lost her life as well. Michael Davis, up front.”
Vicky covered her mouth with her hands hoping it would muffle the sounds of anguish coming from her.
“Do you think your opponents might try to use this information to hurt you in the governor’s race?”
“I don’t know what my opponents will do but I hope they take into account that there is an innocent little girl who is in the middle of all of this. Amy Johnston.”
“Why now? Were you afraid your political enemies were going to use this knowledge against you.”
“As I stated previously, this is not about politics. This is about having a relationship with my daughter.”
Ryan answered several more questions before calling an end to the press conference.
Jason and Vicky stood stunned.
“Dad, it’ll take a couple of hours to fuel up the jet but we’ll be home before the end of the night.
Chapter 6
The limo ride over to Ryan’s campaign headquarters was cold. Alicia sat rigidly as she looked out of the window in her Michael Kors blackened-out sunglasses. Alicia sat so far away from him that he could see the condensation of her breathing on the opposite window. The flash bulbs of the press were not helping the situation.
She’d followed the script perfectly and had done everything his campaign manager suggested from how she should wear her hair to the type of makeup and clothing she’d worn. It had been a long time since Ryan had really looked at his wife with anything other than contempt. However, he had to admit, after everything they’d put each other through, she was still a beautiful woman. Her soft raven tresses fell softly in waves over her shoulders. It gave her an angelic appearance. The white pencil skirt and matching jacket looked wonderful against her sun-kissed skin. Those toned legs and slim waist hadn’t changed much since they’d met all those years ago. Her eyes were hidden by the sunglasses but for a moment at the press conference he’d gotten lost in those violet eyes. Those eyes….the way they used to look at him especially when they made love had made him feel like he could do anything; that was such a long time ago.
Alicia entwined her hands together as they lay across her lap. The hurt but forgiving look she’d worn at the press conference had been replaced with lips that were pursed together tightly barely able to contain her rage.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that she was furious; furious because she had her own ambitions and this interfered with them, because she was embarrassed, or because she was hurt? Ryan wasn’t exactly sure? However, he didn’t think there was a shred of love left for him. He couldn’t honestly say if he still loved her either. They’d gone through the motions of their marriage for so long; it was hard to tell what was real and what wasn’t. Love didn’t really matter at this point.
Although the marriage was irretrievably broken, he still needed her families’ connections in business and politics for just a little while more.
One thing he did know for sure was that she wanted to be the First Lady of Minnesota. If Alicia felt that showing support at the press conference would help her achieve that goal then that is what she was going to do. No…she wouldn’t divorce him and let some other woman have the glory of being the First Lady of Minnesota; that was too enticing for her to divorce him.
Ryan knew that divorcing her would destroy everything he’d worked so hard for too. Whatever this unspoken arrangement was between them he was going to have to make the best of it, at least for now. However, he wasn’t fool enough to believe that Alicia wouldn’t make him pay for the mistake of Angel. She was just waiting for the opportune time to name her terms.
“The press conference went well. I’m sure Harry would be pleased you followed his instructions.”
If it were possible, Alicia stiffened even more at the sound of his voice but did not respond. How could he be so cavalier about this situation was beyond her? Alicia’s emotions had been all over the place ever since she’d found out about Angel. She was furious! She was embarrassed and surprisingly, hurt.
Alicia thought back to the time when she really loved Ryan. Until she discovered he loved her families’ name, money, and connections more than he loved her. But, she’d learned to live with it. And, over the years, she’d known Ryan had been unfaithful to her, hell she hadn’t been faithful to him either. But, how could he father a child outside of their marriage? It was the dagger that cut her the deepest. Alicia had once wanted children with Ryan.
