Secrets

Jon and Stephanie had dinner together in her suite. They never went out to the main lobby, or anywhere else to avoid the public eye. They had to make sure that Vivian would never have an idea that they were following her, else they may never catch her. He got back to his suite after they had eaten. "Goodnight Jon, I'll see you tomorrow," Stephanie said as he went out of her suite. He got back to his via the main door, and dialled Cathy's number. It was ringing for almost a minute, but got no answer. When he finally gave up, and was about to hang up, a man answered from the other line. "Hello," a man said, but then Jon asked, "Hey, it is Jon. Am I speaking to Jeffrey?" There was silence on the other line, Evan did not know how he would speak to him over the phone. He knew that his daughter had not told Jon yet about their reconciliation. "Hello?" Jon asked again, getting more worried. He worried as he knew that only Anna and Jeffrey would be with her, but there was a man with an unfamiliar voice who took the call. Evan hung up, pretending to not have done anything. He went to the bedroom and looked out the window, thinking of how he would tell both Jonathan and Catherine the entire story. His reason for leaving his family, the secrets that both Sergius Desmonde and the Albertson patriarch both hid from their families.

Stephanie left a message on Jon's voicemail. "Hey, you left your wine bottle." He was silent, and did not return a message. He called Anna, and was surprised to know that the Simmons were both at their home. "You mean Cathy was alone in the apartment? I am sure it was a man.." She cut him off, "Maybe it was a visitor, you should call her mobile." Jon called Cathy immediately after he hung up the call with Anna. "Hi, how's your day?" she asked. "I was calling you but," he cut her off. "Ah, I was in the plane. I went to Maldives, for a business trip." He was trying to hear the man but there was silence all around her. "I called because I was thinking if you're safe. I was really worried." She calmed him down, "I am alone but I am well. When are you coming back? I really miss you." He smiled at the thought that she indeed missed him, "I'll be back soon, love," he assured her. "My team and I are so close to Vivian's whereabouts. I also have news about your father, I'll tell you everything really soon." Cathy looked to her left, to the door that led to the second bedroom where her father slept in. "I, I see." she almost stammered. "I will tell Anna and Jeffrey to stay with you until I come back, okay? Just to be sure that you're safe." They said goodbye. Cathy rushed to his father's room, and found him sleeping soundly. She sat on the side of the bed and looked at him like a little child. "If I told him, he'd never believe me," she whispered. She knew for a fact that Jon loves his father so much, that he wanted to send her to school so he may accept her as his fiancée. "There was something weird with him," she thought to herself. Jon would always tell her about his business trips a month before the flight, but this one is different. She reassured herself that there is nothing wrong, but as she got up, went out of the room and closed the door behind her, she went straight to hers and looked at the mirror. "What if he is also hiding something from me?"

******

After hanging up, Jon went back to Stephanie's suite and told her, "You left me a voicemail." She grabbed the wine bottle which she had placed on the accent table right behind her, and handed it over to him. "Here," she said. "We can finish it," he said. As they drank all the wine, Jon looked at her, "Steph, have I already told you that Evan Mills is trying to get to me and my father?" She took a sip and placed the glass in front of her, "Why would he?" Jon told her that Evan Mills was in a relationship with Vivian Desmonde, and had served the entire Desmonde family after his retirement. "He was very loyal to them, after the murder of Attorney Morgan, he went missing along with Vivian and Sergius." Stephanie went silent for a moment, and got curious about the possibility of connivance between the Desmondes and Evan Mills. She then replied, "You used to date Vivian right? If so, you have crossed paths with Evan in the past." Jon was very honest to her, he knew for a fact that he loves Cathy more than anyone else, but he was also sure that he could speak to Stephanie about almost everything. He felt a connection with her, a different kind that he is able to open up to her, with complete honesty. "I knew him since I was in high-school. Later did I find out that he is the father to Cathy. I couldn't open up to her this much, because I never wanted her to worry." She held his hands, as his face got red after finishing a bottle and a half of wine on his own. "You know that you can always tell me anything, Jon. You can count on me." He smiled, knowing that he would always have someone to turn to whenever he is in trouble. "Sergius and my dad were business partners, they wanted me and Vivian to get married then, but it never worked out. They became opponents, Evan, along with Sergius had a different venture in which we did not take part of. Some reports are that they were into something illegal." Stephanie cut him off, tried to take the glass of wine from his hands as he started to get drunk. He was alright when they started the conversation, apparently, he emptied out a wine bottle by himself. "Jonathan, that's enough. You had too much." He contested, "Hey, am I not supposed to relax even for a bit"? He got up and called up the hotel services and asked for another two bottles, and in a minute they were delivered to her suite. "Thank you," Jon handed the guy over a twenty dollar bill, and went back to the couch where Stephanie is seated. "I couldn't believe.." He cut her off, "Hey, I trusted you with all my secrets. The best thing you could do is keep your mouth shut and drink with me." He chuckled after saying such, and went back to drinking. He told her many things that he never told Cathy, but in an hour, he was lying on the floor, unable to move." Get up, "Stephanie commanded him." I'll take you back to your suite." She helped him get up, placed his hand over her shoulder, and grabbed him by the waist, but he was so heavy that she was unable to walk. "Come on, Jon. You need to help yourself up." He removed his arm over her shoulder and looked at her, he smelled her hair which was so fragrant. He said, "Cathy, I love you." She laughed, "Hey it's me, Stephanie." He stared at her, and spoke to her as if she was Cathy. He kissed her, getting more passionate, and took her to the bedroom. He kissed her, but she pushed him. "Hey Jon, stop. It's me, Steph. You cannot be mistaken." He stopped for a while, and when he turned his back, she grabbed him. "Don't go, Jonathan," she hugged him tightly from behind and cried. He turned around and kissed her again, they went to bed and the same thing happened. They cuddled and made love under the sheets, forgetting everyone around them.