A honored invitation

When the cars slowed to a halt in front of Mõshon’s headquarters, Blaine sat still. 

He looked out to the front of the building with the revolving doors and wondered if Ariel would show up.

He had sent her an invitation to do the inspection together, but he was not sure whether she would accept it.

He was desperate to win her affection again, not because he needed it, but because that was the only way she would willingly let him into their son’s life. 

There was the added benefit of annoying Sullivan by being close to his wife.

Or more accurately, soon-to-be-ex-wife.

His eyes lit up when he saw the convoy pulling up and stopped just behind him. 

He nodded at his guard standing outside his car, and the man pulled the door open.

Blaine got out, fixing the button on his suit. 

He stood watching as Ariel stepped out of the car. She looked stunning in an ankle-length, beige green coat, and a tiny cream-colored round hat. 

As she stepped away from the car, the coat parted, revealing her thigh with each step.

She smiled at the guard who opened her car door. From the way her lips moved, he saw she had just made a joke, although he could not hear what she had said.

And the guard blushed. 

But when her eyes found his, the smile was gone, and her face was a blank mask.

He could have crossed to go meet her, but he waited to see what she would do. She looked at him for a few seconds and began to walk towards him.

He smiled, but his relief did not last long when he saw Sullivan step out the other side of the car. 

Ariel got to him first, and they bowed to each other.

“The invitation was just for you.” He squinted at her, as they raised their heads up. She gave him a slightly angry look.

“Ah Tucker,” Sullivan said in his pretense happy tone, “Good to see you did not attempt to steal the credit for my wife’s work.”

“I’ll see how that is a surprise in your world. But we are not all thieves,” Blaine responded without a pause.

Ariel looked between both of them, and although her face was blank, he had a suspicion that she was resisting rolling her eyes.

“Shall we begin?” She said in a calm voice. 

Blaine was watching her intently and when her eyes fell on Sullivan, he saw that there really was trouble in paradise.

When he had seen the man get out of that car, he had begun to doubt Ophelia, but seeing the look the couple shared just now, he had confirmed for himself that their marriage was truly heading for the rocks.

“Of course. But this inspection was for us,” he said out loud now. “We made those models together and are the only ones who can understand if something is wrong.”

“Don’t speak like this inspection is all that crucial. This last stage is mere formality,” Sullivan said. “What will you do if something is not quite the shape you thought it would be? Send it back?”

“That is the exact thing a man who knows nothing about automobile design would say.” Blaine responded, with feigned exhaustion, “Just go close some deals upstairs, that’s something you are at least good at.”

“And leave this beauty alone with you?” Sullivan reached his hand out, and gently pushed Ariel’s hair back, “You must be kidding.”

Blaine was watching Ariel intently and saw her stiffen. 

It would almost be difficult for anyone else to see it, because she barely stiffened, but his eyes did.

This woman’s body was engraved in his brain and his eyes were always quick to pick up on the slightest difference.

“This is a work environment, in case you may have forgotten. We only care about the brains here,” Blaine said.

Sullivan moved his head from left to right, his eyes closing briefly. “I heard it.” He opened his eyes. “I am qualified for your almighty inspection, Tucker."

“If you have to shake your head to confirm you have a brain, then it’s barely there.” Blaine shook his head in mock sympathy. “I really do not have the time for your insurance investigation if anything happens to you out in that field.”

Ariel turned her head to look at both of them, disgust clear in her eyes. 

She began to walk away towards the building. 

He and Sullivan watched each other, keeping each other from looking at the woman’s retreating figure. 

“It would make things easier if you backed off from my wife, you know,” Sullivan said as they began to walk into the building. 

Blaine saw the surprise in the employees' eyes just a second before they bowed deeply.

Today was going to be a very interesting day if Tucker and Sullivan entered the building together.

“YOUR WIFE,” Blaine stressed, “has my son.” He turned his angry eyes to Sullivan.

“You must have hit your head hard in that crash. Your son is dead. How many times do we have to tell you that?” Sullivan said, and walked on ahead, leaving him behind. 

Blaine stood for a few seconds, his fists balled beside him. 

Then he sighed, and continued to where the couple was waiting in the elevator. 

He walked right into them, looking at each other tensely, and he just could not resist it, even though he knew it was childish.

“Am I interrupting something?” 

Both of them turned to glare at him. He smiled and got in.

“I know, I know,” he said, and the doors slid shut, as he tried to mask his urge to laugh. 

It felt too good to be witnessing their Karma. They had married to take his family down, but it seemed the union was not holding up.

As they walked towards the truck that would lead up to the warehouse, Ariel glanced at him and looked away with a frown.

He watched her, wondering what was on her mind.

When she glanced at him again, he was staring at her. 

She adjusted her hat uncomfortably. 

“How is Olivia?” she said.