Chapter 28
Ridge
Three weeks later, I found myself in another therapy session with Violet. We started going a few days after I busted up her date with another man. Like hell was I going to sit back and watch my woman date someone else while I still had a pulse.
We agreed to counseling to help us work through the damage Fiona had done to our relationship, as well as the stress that my work and lifestyle put on us.
Part of that stress was in dealing with the constant turnover of employees that led me to ignore Fiona’s first come-on.
It had been the first crack in communication in our relationship.
That was what our therapist said anyway.
The further cracks arrived when my wife tried to surprise me with a party.
She said my subconscious had probably remembered that I hadn’t been honest with my wife about Fiona’s offer.
It was why when Violet’s behavior changed, it was easy for me to believe the worst. Not that I ever wanted to do anything with Fiona.
It was just the residual guilt of not telling anyone, especially Violet, about Fiona’s inappropriate behavior because I didn’t want to have to go through another employee.
We both understood the concepts even if it sucked to rehash them.
“Tell me, Violet, how do you feel about what happened in court this week? It feels pretty significant.”
Fiona had admitted in court that I never led her on, that I never tried anything or was inappropriate with her at all.
She also reiterated that the only time we had ever been intimate was when I was passed out and she took advantage.
When questioned about her motives, things took an uglier turn, and Fiona pointed the finger at her father.
As it turned out, he was a small-time music producer who wanted a chunk of my business for himself.
He thought if he had his daughter seduce and baby trap me, that it would be easier.
When it became obvious that I wouldn’t cheat on my wife, they came up with a different plan to force the issue. The problem was that neither of them knew about all the surveillance I had in my office. They also severely underestimated the love I had for my wife.
“Ridge already told me they were never together in any other circumstance,” Vi announced in a bland voice.
“At first, I didn’t know if I believed that.
” I flinched back from my woman as she admitted to not trusting me.
“That was a long time ago, though. The first night, when he came home,” she added.
“I don’t think he remembers our conversation from that night because he was still heavily under the influence of whatever drugs that woman dosed him with in addition to the alcohol he consumed. ”
“And now? In recent times, have you spoken about it again?”
“Yes,” Violet answered. “I have faith in Ridge. He already told me everything, and I believe it all.”
Our therapist, Sandy, turned and faced me. I hated when she put me in the hot seat. “And you, Ridge, how do you feel?”
“I’ll be glad when this whole thing is over and she’s behind bars. I know it won’t be forever, but it will be for long enough that we can move on with our lives.”
“And what does moving on look like? Do you think you’ve built a solid enough foundation to support furthering your relationship.”
“I think so,” I answered.
“Have you ever apologized to Violet for what she went through?”
“Yes,” I turned to Violet and saw how pale she got.
“I know I did at some point.” As I thought back, I couldn’t remember ever saying the words, though.
I talked around them, but hadn’t come out and said how truly fucking sorry I was for…
“You will never know just how sorry I am for everything this situation put you through. It started with my own selfish desire not to have to go through another employee and then I was drugged, raped, and both our hearts were broken. You were left to deal with a pregnancy on your own because you couldn’t trust me with her still in the picture.
You didn’t know for some of that time that she was holding a supposed pregnancy of her own over my head, and for that I’m sorry, too.
It must have looked like the worst possible outcome.
Like I was okay with what she did to me - to us. ”
“Ridge, it’s okay,” Violet said in a soft voice to try to stop me.
“No, it’s not. She took and took and took and then hurt you and your brother. If I had lost you… I couldn’t even remember our last conversation. I am so damn sorry for that. For all of it. I wish there was a way to erase it all.”
“I don’t.”
“Why?” I asked Violet, because that seemed preposterous.
“We have Liam, we’ve both grown. If I could, I’d spare you from being a victim, and my brother and I from being physically harmed, but the rest, I think we needed it.”
“No, we didn’t.” I scoffed at the idea. “We had a perfect marriage.”
“Yes, we seemed to until we didn’t. Imagine if things hadn’t happened the way they did and further down the road, after years of Fiona - or another employee - getting in your ear about things, you finally cracked and stumbled.
Or maybe I would have. We have no way of knowing, but at least this way, we both know exactly what we stand to lose and how to make sure it never fucking happens again. ”
The way our therapist smiled at Violet, I knew her brilliant take on things was correct. Maybe we were a little too lax before because we thought we were perfect and untouchable.
“So, where do we go from here?”
“You just keep putting in the work and never forget how easily it can all slip away when you take it for granted.” That seemed like the same shit Violet had just said twisted and turned around by the therapist who charged us a solid $550 an hour.
It didn’t matter. I’d pay it because it made my wife happy that we were putting in the work.
And yes, one day she would be my wife again.