Exes and Oh's: Part 18

SERENA

I still love you.

Those were the words that swayed the judge to Daniel's side, refusing to allow this marriage to be annulled when I presented my case and for me not to be granted the deed to the property for my project. I wanted to scream. I wanted to hit something. All that money I spent for the permits and inspections went right down the drain the second that damn judge decided Daniel's words were more valid than my own.

Not only did I lose money, but I was being forced into mandatory marriage counseling for thirty days starting next week. As if I needed a therapist to tell me just how fucked up our relationship was. The migraine forming at the base of my skull grew when I felt Daniel's gaze from across the courthouse. That son of a bitch grinned at me, and I could feel the blood in my veins throbbing with anger. I suddenly felt sick to my stomach and hurried down the hall to the ladies restroom. I emptied my stomach contents the moment I reached the toilet and tried to refrain myself from kicking the stall walls down.

Daniel might've won this battle, but not the war. If he wanted a wife so bad, he was about to get one.

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"Hey, crazy girl. How's it going?" Michael greeted me, giving me a kiss on the cheek as he pulled out a chair for me and tucked me in at our reserved table. We decided to have this business meeting in a new French restaurant called Sucre Liquide, and the name itself sounded expensive so I could only imagine what the menu looked like. My stomach had been rumbling all day since my little throw-up session at the courthouse earlier today, and I couldn't wait to stuff my face with some good food.

"I've been better. And you?" I asked, as he handed me a menu and I began to skim through it. What caught my attention was the cocktail section and I immediately signaled for the waiter. I needed something strong to push all thoughts of murdering Daniel out of my head.

"I heard about what happened. How bad is this about to get?" Michael asked, a hint of fear in his eyes as he waited for me to answer.

"I'd tell you, but you're friends with the enemy," I retorted and he managed to chuckle before he shook his head. After I gave the pretty blonde waitress my cocktail order, I waited until she left to bring my proposal out of my purse, then handed it over to Michael.

"I did a full inspection and walk through of your property with my contractor and the good news is the house is in excellent condition. Bad news is, I have an interested buyer already and she's very impatient. Are you okay with closing with an all-cash offer within the next few days or so?" I informed him and his eyebrows lifted in shock.

"I...wow. I had no idea you listed it already."

"Time is money. The upgrades the property needs is simply cosmetic and I can take care of that starting tomorrow, as soon as you sign those papers," I added, grinning as I handed him a pen while he skimmed through the documents.

"Wait, this buyer wouldn't happen to be you, would it?" he inquired and I kept my grin intact as he laughed and nodded in approval, taking the pen to sign the papers. He hesitated at first, narrowing his eyes towards me, then proceeded to sign.

"I just need you to cover the closing costs and I can take care of the rest." I continued and he nodded, placing the documents inside of his briefcase before he turned towards me.

"I'll have my lawyer look through those and send them to you as soon as I can," Michael mentioned as he took my hand and shook it.

"Pleasure doing business with you," I promised, as the waitress handed me my cocktail and he raised his glass of water up to my own, the rims clinking before we each took sips of our drinks. I could tell there was something else on his mind, and I cocked my head to the side, trying to figure out what it was. Marley had mentioned something about them not seeing each other anymore. Sexually anyway. But Michael wasn't the type to get hung up on those things. We were similar in that sense. Sex could be had anywhere at any time. It wasn't as important as people made it seem.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I asked, kicking him from underneath the table, bringing him out of his thoughts as he rubbed his leg, glaring at me while I grinned.

"I was thinking, since Marley and Freddy aren't able to go to Galveston to get the rest of the information we need, I was wondering if you and I would head up there ourselves and finish this thing. I'm about to start my residency and I can't get caught up on Gabe's unresolved issues."

"Gabe wanted them to go for a reason. Do you think we'd get as much information as they would?"

"I'm not sure but it wouldn't hurt to try. Besides, we need a break from the drama, right? I'm free this weekend," Michael suggested with a smile, using his undeniable charm to sway me. I didn't know what he was up to, but I knew it wasn't good. There was only one way to find out, and it might just have to happen this weekend, at Freddy and Marley's timeshare in Galveston.

"Sure. I'm down. Now let's eat before my stomach caves in."