Birthday Party(Part 3)

An older woman entered the room and sat where Michael had just been. "Hello, Mr. Azure. I'm Marissa Carter, Daniel Carter's wife."

"Hello," Mr. Azure replied, welcoming her with a polite nod.

"Hello, sir, I'm just here for help with my husband," she said, assuming the role of a troubled wife. It was evident that she was the one pulling the strings when it came to Mr. Carter, so her presence here meant she had lost control of her puppet. "He's going after the prosecution office and has plans to make it a very public spectacle."

She took out a newspaper dated two days from now. It displayed a picture of Carter looking serious at a podium, with a bold headline indicating his move to target corruption at all levels.

"Don't you have one of your people near your husband?" I interjected, sensing the gravity of the situation.

"My people?" She asked innocently, feigning ignorance. It was clear she had underestimated her husband, viewing him as harmless, but now she was paying the price for it.

"What are the people saying?"

"That he's going after all the biggest names and he's very ashamed to be attached to these activities even if it's only by name," she explained, revealing the public perception. It seemed Mr. Carter was trying to make his wealth the problem and position himself as a savior for the people.

Mr. Carter must be trying to run for president, and someone with significant financial or other influence must be backing him to the point where his wife couldn't rein him in. The situation was dire, and if not handled carefully, it could have serious repercussions.

"So the papers are also going to expose who he's married to? And he'll also expose himself as the son-in-law of such a family?" Mr. Azure asked, clearly upset by the situation.

"Yes, and he won't hold anything back!" She replied, equally incensed by her husband's actions. I could tell Mr. Azure was motioning for me to calm her down. After taking a deep breath, I realized I had to approach this as if Mr. Carter were no longer one of us.

"Mrs. Carter, you should get a divorce," I suggested bluntly. Mrs. Carter gasped at my suggestion, and Mr. Azure choked on his tea a bit. "I mean, since he wants to be free from the title of rich son-in-law, you should grant his wish."

"How could you possibly say that?" Mrs. Carter rose from her seat. "Are you okay with me being labeled a divorcee?"

"I'll put you on the board of directors of Todd Corporation and give you control of your husband's old job if you divorce him and cut off all contact. All of his shares will become yours. Besides, aren't you tired of taking a back seat and letting your husband profit from your ideas?"

"He wasn't–"

"Mrs. Carter, please don't insult my intelligence. Your husband is very incompetent and was only getting by with your support. My only question is, why let him take all the credit?" I interrupted.

She looked at me, seeming taken aback. "My father believes that women should only be wives," she mumbled.

"Well, he was stupid to overlook you, since you were the brains of your husband's career. It takes real talent to take a regular fool and turn him into a shareholder," I remarked. "Will you die without your turn in the driver's seat, or should I give this position to another puppet deserving of your seat? I don't believe you're one to really give up on your ambitions just because a man told you to."

The look on her face told me that I was asking for something huge from her. The social stigma and her beliefs were holding her back, but I just offered her something I know nobody else can say they have offered her.

"Still, a divorce is a bit..." Mrs. Carter seemed hesitant, likely thinking about how it would impact her lifestyle and public image.

"Fine, then, since you can't control your husband right now, just hand him the divorce papers. While being the son-in-law to rich families he's targeting, remind him that without you, he's nothing," I suggested, aiming to turn the tables back in my favor. "Remind him that he's just a toy, and if he knows what's good for him, he should return himself to his original owner. That is, unless you want to experience what it's like to have a target on your backs."

"I see what you're saying, but I have children–"

"They're all grown up and don't care what their parents do," Mr. Azure pointed out.

"Think about the media, they'll have a field day with it," she argued, clearly concerned about the public fallout.

"Don't think you can wiggle out of this, Mrs. Carter," I replied with a smile. "I need an answer now as this is very important business. I can keep the focus solely on you and your husband; there'll be no mention of your kids. So, are you with me or against me?"

Mrs. Carter picked up her drink and downed it in one gulp. "I'll divorce him tonight!"

Good! It wouldn't be long before news of Mr. Carter being thrown away by Todd Corporation speards through the business world, and the fact that the governor and his wife were living separately would become a hot topic for blogs and paparazzi. Everyone connected to his success in Todd Corporation would most likely cut ties with him very soon as well.

Cornered like a rat.

"Very good, get the process started. Once you can prove you've gone through with it legally, you can start your work at Todd Corporation," I said. "Welcome to the team, Marissa."

As Marissa left the room, I could sense the tension in the air. Mr. Azure's expression was stern, and I could tell he was not pleased with the situation involving Mr. Carter.

"He's completely out of control," Mr. Azure muttered, more to himself than to me. "We can't let him continue down this path."

"I agree," I said, trying to keep my tone level. "We need to find a way to rein him in and get him back on track."

Mr. Azure paced the room, deep in thought. "Do you think he's acting alone, or is someone else pulling the strings?" he asked, looking at me intently.

"It's hard to say," I replied, thinking carefully. "But my gut tells me that someone else is involved. He wouldn't have the audacity to go after the prosecution office on his own."

"Your mother," Mr. Azure said suddenly, stopping in his tracks. "She's always been ambitious, and she's never been a fan of mine. Do you think she could be behind this?"

I hadn't considered my mother as a possible culprit, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. She had always been one step ahead, manipulating situations to her advantage.

"It's possible," I admitted. "I'll look into it and see if I can find any evidence."

Mr. Azure nodded, looking satisfied. "Good. We need to be one step ahead of her. We can't let her ruin everything we've worked for."

We continued to discuss strategies for dealing with Mr. Carter, brainstorming ways to pressure him into falling back in line. Mr. Azure suggested using his family as leverage, while I proposed a more direct approach, threatening to expose his unethical actions to the media.

After much debate, we finally came up with a plan that we believed would work. We would give Mr. Carter an ultimatum: either fall back in line and do business our way, or face the consequences.

As we made our way back to the party, Mr. Azure placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "I assume you can handle this on your own, Alex," he said, a hint of expectation in his voice.

"I'll do whatever it takes to protect our interests," I replied, steeling myself for the battle ahead.

As Mr. Azure led me to the front of the room, I could feel everyone's eyes on us. The room was filled with a hushed anticipation, the soft murmurs of conversation fading into the background as all attention turned to the two of us.

I could sense the unspoken questions hanging in the air. Who was I, and why was Mr. Azure presenting me to the room? Whispers rippled through the crowd, curiosity evident on the faces of the guests.

As we reached the table at the front of the room, the lights dimmed, casting a warm glow over the scene. A hush fell over the room, and I could hear the faint sound of music playing in the background.

Suddenly, a huge birthday cake was wheeled out, adorned with candles flickering in the dim light. The cake was a masterpiece, layers of sponge and cream decorated with intricate designs and my name written in elegant script.

I was taken aback by the grandeur of the gesture and the effort that had been put into celebrating my birthday.

Did he really think I deserved all this?