Chapter 2

Almost exactly one month later, I was sitting behind my desk looking at my boss who seemed angry as hell.

"What the hell does this mean, John? I just heard from our clients that you didn't do as I suggested, but instead you made sure that our clients didn't invest in the new prospect I had found."

"Yes, that is exactly how it went. What's the problem?"

Just when I had thought that he could not look any angrier he proved me wrong. Damn, I hoped that there were no serious health issues in his family.

"The problem is that there were some other companies who arranged the investment, and now both they and their clients' stock rocketed sky high, and you made me look bad as we didn't join in it! I had told them that the stock would be a goldmine, and we failed to invest in it even though I had ordered it!"

"Yes, I told our people to ignore your suggestions, and replaced them with mine."

"WHAT!"

"Yes. Didn't you know that according to my contract I have the final word, here, especially when we are talking about big investments and recommendations?"

"You are fired! Now! I want you to leave immediately!"

"Can I have that in writing?

I guess it was my smile that almost broke him, but by that time I would have left in any case. Soon, I was sitting in my car with my meager private belongings and a written announcement of my sacking. As I had known that this day would be coming, I had not taken my private laptop to work with me, for the past week. He had tried to get my mobile phone, but our HR and IT people had finally managed to convince him that my phone was mine, and was not company property. I made two calls before I started driving home.

Back at home, I was in a good mood, which was not unnoticed by Helen. When it was time to hit the sack, I made it clear to her that there would certainly be some action. I made sure that she had at least half a dozen orgasms before I came for the second time myself. She complained for a moment that her next day at work would be difficult, but she was asleep almost as soon as she had said that. Even though I was tired, I lay awake into the wee hours before I fell asleep.

The following morning I left home just about the same time that I would have done, had I been going to work. Only this time I didn't drive to work, but to an office which was situated in one of the new business buildings. I drank the offered coffee as I discussed the latest events with my lawyer. She took the announcement that was given to me from my work, and offered me a copy when I asked for it. My former employer would not be happy when the lawyer made contact with them!

My next stop was on the other side of the same office. From there I picked up a pile of documents, taking them with me. Then it was time to head back home, perhaps for the last time.

When I came back home, Helen looked startled for once.

"What is it, John? Did you forget something?"

I smiled at her, and really looked at her for once. At thirty-nine, she was still a damned good-looking woman. Suddenly I felt sad, really sad, for the first time during this whole damned process.

"No, Helen, I didn't forget anything. But there is no reason to worry, your lover-boy is probably not coming today. Early this morning, a package was delivered to his wife. There are several pictures and a few videos of him having sex with his other two lovers. I guess you didn't know you were only one out of three?"

It was not often I'd seen Helen speechless but this seemed to be one of those moments.

"Yes, Helen, those materials were delivered to Camilla. I'm quite sure that he has been a bit too busy, as a part of the material was also delivered to the husbands of his other lovers. Isn't it funny that both of those men are also working with investments?"

"John, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you..."

"Didn't mean to hurt me during the last few years, or didn't mean to hurt me eighteen years ago?"

Now she paled, and sat down on our sofa in the living room. I followed suit, but sat in the recliner opposite her.

"Helen, if you only had told me, we might have worked this out. Had you at least taken my side against Samuel, we might have been able to do something."

"I don't want a divorce, John."

"Unfortunately, this is not about what you want, Helen."

"If you want a divorce, I will contest it. I'll fight you. You'll pay dearly for it!"

"No, you won't contest it, and I'll not pay anything. Don't you know that I'm out of job? I got sacked, yesterday, because you and your lover-boy opened that envelope which was addressed to me."

"You can't ... You can't prove it."

"Yes, I can. I have it videoed. You helping him to open it, even after our phone call, which I also recorded. Like I have videoed several of your sessions with Samuel. But if you agree to the rules in the agreement I have here, nothing of that will ever become public. Those rules are quite generous, actually. Besides, I don't think that you want Mina or the twins to find out what you have been doing."

"But we just had amazing sex last night. It has to mean something to you, too?"

"Yes, I agree. I really want you to remember what you gave up, when you decided to play with Samuel."

Yes, I can be a real bastard, sometimes. I saw that it hurt her, but I didn't really care. I didn't very much care about anything at all, just then.

"But he blackmailed me into it. I didn't mean to hurt you. Besides, are you claiming that you never strayed?"

"Yes, Helen, I am claiming just that. If someone has told you otherwise, he was lying his ass off. You could have asked me, instead of instigating a false revenge."

Now she looked like she was close to tears. If it had only been her infidelity, I would probably have relented at this point. Then I remembered how she had been active while having sex with him, and how she had helped him to open and close the envelope I had 'accidentally forgotten'.

"And yet, you did it, Helen. You did it. I suggest that you get a lawyer and that you both, together, go through my suggestions with my lawyer. Now I'll go and pack some of my things. I'll be in touch after a couple of days. I suggest that you show your lawyer all the videos. I guess there were some things said that neither you nor I want to become public. To anyone. If you take a look at the documents, you'll see that the reason for divorce is stated as 'irreconcilable differences'."

After that I went upstairs and packed the clothes I wanted to take. When I went back down she was still sitting in the living room holding the manila envelope I had given to her. No more words were spoken.

After I had dropped my stuff at an apartment (a room with a kitchenette that I had rented for two weeks), I still had one thing to do - one that I feared much more than seeing Helen. I had my car parked next to Mina's small sedan, while I was waiting for her school day to end. Once she saw me standing there, she started to look confused. When I explained to her that her mother and I would be divorcing, and I would probably be leaving after a few days, she was shocked.

"But why, Daddy, what has happened? Can't you two sort it out?"

It would be a cold day in hell before I'd tell her anything more, so I just shook my head before hugging her.

"Mina, dear, just remember that you'll always be my Honey Bun. Please. Go home, now; and drive carefully. I'm quite sure that your mother would like to have some company."

She looked at me with those piercing blue eyes that reminded all too much of the way her mother sometimes used to look at me, some twenty years ago. Only, just now, I was quite immune to that kind of look.

"Please, Mina, I will not tell you any more than that."

Then I picked out a card from my wallet.

"Please take this. It is my new cell phone number. I'm quite sure that my old number will be filled with calls and messages, soon enough. I'll probably want to turn it off occasionally. I really hope that you'll not give this number to anyone else."

"Not even the twins?"

"No, not even to them, and especially not to my mother."

She actually laughed a bit to that. That was something that Mina and I shared; both of us could tolerate my mother only occasionally, and in small doses even then. Very small.

"Daddy, you know that all hell will break loose on this, don't you?"

"Yes, Honey Bun, I do. I'm sorry that you'll be seeing it."

Now it was she who shrugged. Then she hugged me and kissed my cheek.

"Bye, Daddy. Take care of yourself."

My blood, or not, but I was sure that often she understood me much better than anyone else in our family.

I should have guessed that even if Helen would not dare to contest our divorce, she would make sure that our sons and my parents heard about it from her, and that I was the one leaving her. It didn't take long before both our sons had called me and confronted me about leaving her. Since that was the case, I took the verbal beating they gave me, but refused to give any more reasons. I had to admit to myself that their willingness to accuse me for what was happening, pissed me off a lot. So, when my mother called me, I really was not in a very responsive mood.

"Hi, Mom. What gives me the honor?"

"What have you done now, John?"

The tone of her voice put me straight to the edge. Once again it was MY doings.

"Oh, I filed for divorce. But I guess that you heard about it, already."

"You should swallow your pride and go and apologize to Helen as soon as you can. She is a good woman and in these days it is not so uncommon that wife makes more money than her husband. Besides, I'm quite sure she'll support you while you start looking for a new job."

I could feel my anger rising. My mother had never understood why I never took an administrative position. The fact that I was making much more money than most of the managers in our company was totally lost on her. Even when I tried to explain to her that I didn't want that kind of position because I would have been a very bad superior with limited social skills, she just could not understand it. She considered that I had failed with my career.