Fortuity

Chapter 4

Monica P.O.V 

Conflict of interest? What does that even mean? Those words bounced about in my mind the past few days. I didn’t know what to think about them, yet I didn’t want to overthink them. Did he mean that because we were establishing a friendship or are they saying that they want more? I would be exaggerating if I said that I had not sexually thought of them both. I mean who wouldn’t?   

“Ugh, what does that even mean?” I grunted rolling onto my back in my king-sized bed. I clutched the pillow next to me, placing it over my face releasing a frustrating screech. I flung it to the side letting it fall to the floor and releasing a heavy sigh. I grudgingly sat up in the bed, and gave my face a few slight pats, attempting to knock the thought out. “Focus Mo. Do not let your hormones get you in more shit.”  

I reluctantly rose out of bed and headed to the bathroom for a shower. I let the hot water pour upon my head and trickle down my back. My mind replayed the events of the last three weeks. I knew leaving Alton’s house would not be as simple as he made it seem it would, particularly with him seeing that I was a multimillionaire at just 18. Well, at least that is what I let him think.   

My mom always said never to put all my eggs into one basket. So, when I turned 18, I made sure to take the majority of my funds and split them into multiple accounts. At least I know those accounts would be out of his reach. I was not worried much about him getting access to any of my accounts, to be honest. It would be a last resort to reveal all of my cards this early. No one knows what he may try if I laid everything on the table.  

I stood under the water, consumed with my thoughts when the alarming sound of my phone ringing brought me back to reality. I stood in the shower for so long I had not realized that it was running cold. I turned the valve to shut off the flow and grabbed my large fluffy towels, wrapping one around my body and the other around my now frizzy hair. I rushed to my phone as it began to ring again. 'Go best friend, go best friend, go,' blaring through the speaker. I tripped over the pile of clothes and sheets just as the ringing stopped. I reached up grabbing my phone and glanced at the screen seeing 15 missed calls from Ashley in less than 30 minutes. Knowing something was wrong, I quickly called her back. She answered on the first ring. Her dad was yelling in the background.  

“Hello!” I shouted into the receiver. “Ash, what’s wrong? Hello?”  

“Mo,” she whaled. “Mo he... he...”  

“Ash, what’s going on?” I asked jumping up from my entanglement. I quickly ran to my closet grabbing a shirt and yoga pants not caring that underneath I would be commando. “Who did what?”  

“Oh Mo,” she continued to cry.  

“Ash, I’m on my way,” I shouted hopping along as I put my leg into my pants. “5 minutes Ashley. I’ll be there in five minutes.”  

I quickly slipped my feet into my leopard print slippers grabbed my keys and wallet and ran down the stairs and out the door. I grabbed the keys from Bryant my doorman and quickly jumped into my car. I rammed the car in drive and slammed my foot on the gas speeding out of the driveway. As the gate opened, I noticed Damien walking towards my house. I didn’t have time to converse, so as soon as I was clear I accelerated again, zipping out of the drive.  

It took all of 3 minutes to make it to the Sorenson residence. As I pulled into the driveway, I threw the car into park before it could come to a complete stop. Before me, Mr. and Mrs. Sorenson were arguing while Ashley was sobbing on her knees with her head in her hands.   

“I will not tolerate a w***e in my home,” Mr. Sorenson screamed. The neighbors were standing on their porches watching the scene unfold.   

“Honey calm down, the neighbors are watching,” Mrs. Sorenson said reaching her hands towards him before flinching back.  

“f**k the neighbors. The entire city now knows there’s a w***e in my house willing to tear apart a family. Why the hell should I calm down?” he yelled throwing his hands in the air.  

I ran up to Ashley, bending down to her whispering, “Ash. Are you okay? What’s going on?”  

“What’s going on? What’s going on?” Mr. Sorenson glared at me. His eyes emitting the rage he felt. His chest heaved ferociously before he pointed his finger down at his sobbing daughter. “That w***e has embarrassed this family, all because she can’t keep her legs closed. Now everyone knows that this disgrace is willing to sleep with married men.”  

I flinched back at his words and my eyes and mouth opened wide. It was a mixture of shock at his words towards his child and the revelation of hearing that Ash was with a man who had a wife. My head moved between him and a distraught Ashley.   

“She even dared to be filmed for the whole world to see her in action,” he continued.  

“No! No daddy! No!” Ashley screamed. “I didn’t know... I-I swear I didn’t know.”  

“Liar,” Mr. Sorenson lifted his hand as to slap her, but Mrs. Sorenson stepped in front of him placing her hand to his chest.  

“Honey please,” she cooed.   

“I want her out of my house and I mean now!” He sneered. “Tomorrow we will be shipping you to another school.”  

“What?” Ashley choked out. She shook her head vigorously. “No, I don’t want to leave. Please dad listen to me.”  

“I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. I don’t want to hear your voice or see your face,” he turned to enter the house but was stopped by Ashley falling forward and grabbing onto his leg. She held on to him tightly.  

“Daddy, please,” she sobbed. “He said he wasn’t married. I didn’t say he could take the video. He did this because I broke up with him when I found out he had a wife.”  

“I don’t want to hear your excuses. Where’s your proof?”  

“I-I don’t have it right now,” she mumbled as Mrs. Sorenson and I reached down to pick her up from the ground.  

“If you can’t prove it, I don’t want to hear it.” Mr. Sorenson started to walk into the house again. With his back to us, he said with pain and hurt in his voice. “Go to Monica’s tonight. Tomorrow you will be leaving. I can’t bear to have you in my house until this blows over and I feel I can trust you to be responsible again.”  

Ashley almost collapsed onto he knees again but her mom and I kept her steady.  We guided her reluctant body towards my car. 

"Mom, please believe me," she whimpered. "You believe me right?" 

"Oh baby," Mrs. Sorenson patted her hair. "I believe you. It's going to take a while to get your father to believe. This is just temporary. Take some time from this place town, and let this all blow over. You will be back home in no time." 

We placed her into the passenger seat and as soon as she was settled in she closed her eyes and fell asleep. Tears still running down her already stained cheeks. I closed the door after buckling her belt and turned to Mrs. Sorenson. 

"I will take care of her," I assured with a small smile. 

"I know you will," she nodded as her tears began to flow. I hugged her tightly before walking to the driver's door. 

"Monica?" she cried before I got in. I looked over at her. "She said she has proof. If you can locate it please help her. I’d hate to see my family ripped apart by this." 

"If there is proof, I will get it," I said with a nod entering the car. I glanced at Mrs. Sorenson withdrawing form, then to Ashley whose face was still wrapped with distress.  

'When I find out who this bastard is, he will have hell to pay.' 

I growled in frustration as I backed out of the drive then shifted into drive. “This is not how I wanted my day to start