"Ivy, how did you get this number, and how do you know about my daughter?" Julian hissed into the phone.

Ivy laughed, enjoying his obvious aggravation.

"None of your damned business, Julian."

"Ivy Winthrop, you sick piece of work-"

"Ivy Winthrop CRANE, and flattery will get you nowhere, so save yourself the trouble."

Julian ran a hand through his hair, rumpling it in the process. Ivy was more trouble than she was worth!

"What the hell do you want?"he snarled, tired of her cat and mouse games.

"You know what I want. The alimony that you owe me, and quite frankly I richly deserve. I deserve that for having had been sentenced to live with you as man and wife for what seemed to be an eternity."

"Eternity in hell is more like it. And you won't get a damned penny from me, so stop trying."

She smiled viciously, anticipating his reaction to the trump card she was about to reveal.

"Then I suppose I'll have to let TC Russell know where you are, and even better, tell him that the reason Eve Russell got pregnant with your bastard daughter is because you RAPED her! And you're continuing the sick relationship by molesting Whitney!"

"You conniving bitch, I have never harmed Eve or Whitney! If you value the air that you breathe, you will not even hint of such lies, or I will take great pleasure in ridding the world of you!"Julian's eyes flashed angrily.

"So are you going to be a man and have the funds wired into my personal account? I'll be more than happy to supply you the account number--"

"Rot in Hades, you twisted wench, for I have no intention of doing anything of the sort."

"Suit yourself, Julian. I hope you enjoy your time as 'Daddy'--your days are numbered."With that, Ivy disconnected the call, leaving Julian seething with fury.

Eve had been listening the entire time with Whitney, and her eyes held a frightened look.

"Julian...what is Ivy up to? What does she want with Whitney and me?" She held onto Whitney protectively.

He looked at his love, and then his daughter, anguish plain in his face.

"First of all, please forgive me for the language that I used in front of you both. I have no excuse for being so disrespectful, I'm truly, truly sorry--Whitney, please do not think that I am am awful person because of that."

Whitney looked at her father, surprised that he had even considered what she might be thinking--that he was so considerate.

"Father, it's all right...but please tell me why she called my house, and what does she want with my mother and me?"

"She could care less about you or Eve, my dear. What she cares about is money. She is demanding that I pay her twenty-five million dollars in alimony, and I contested it at our divorce. I refuse to pay that demented bi...woman a penny," Julian told her, his face flushing a dark red as he realized he had almost swore again.

Eve couldn't help but smile to herself as she watched Julian's restraint. He really has changed so much--so different from the man I used to know.

"Why does she think that she deserves that money?" Julian looked at his daughter with tenderness, seeing Eve's beauty in the graceful lines of her face.

"Because she was married to a Crane for over twenty years...and apparently, that is enough for her. Yet I have other plans for the Crane fortune, and they include helping to make you and your mother the happiest women on the face of the earth." He went towards Whitney and hugged her. "That is, if you will let me."

Eve looked at them both, her heart filled with love and pride for them. Yet something was still troubling her--she knew Julian well, and he hadn't explained everything.

"Julian--what did you mean when you said you hadn't harmed Whitney or me? You threatened Ivy--tell me what else was said.,"she insisted. Julian lifted his head from his embrace of Whitney, and he tried to smile convincingly.

"It was of little importance, my love. Ivy is not someone to concern your beautiful head about."

"Julian, if it wasn't important, then why did you react that way? Please don't hide anything from me...no secrets between us."

"I assure you, Ivy is no threat to eithier you or Whitney--please believe me, Eve." Julian felt terrible about having to lie to Eve, but he didn't want to upset her. He was certain that the security guards he had hired would do their jobs to protect her. However, he reasoned with himself, it would be prudent to get Whitney away from here, at least for the time being. At the mansion, he could protect them far better than here in Whitney's townhouse.

"Whitney, how would you like to accompany your mother and myself to see the town that we live in? It's a wonderful place--and I would love to show you my home. I have tennis courts, and a large swimming pool, and a breathtaking view of the ocean. Would you like to, my dear?"

Whitney's eyes lit up--she loved to play tennis, and she had never seen the ocean. And more than that, she was curious about her father.

"Of course I would! I'm on break right now, so I won't miss any classes--and it's been a while since Mom and I have spent time together." She threw a loving look at Eve, who smiled back at her.

"Wonderful--you needn't pack anything, I will be more than happy to get whatever you might need when we get the house. Are you both ready?" Julian tried to keep any sense of urgency out of his voice, but Eve noticed the almost hunted look in his hazel eyes.

"Julian...are you certain that there isn't something that you need to tell me?"

"No, my darling--I am just anxious to show our daughter the Crane estate. I'm sure that she will love it." Julian let Whitney go so that she could get her purse, and walked over to Eve, lifting his hand to caress her cheek. "I love you so much."

Convinced for the time being, Eve bestowed an adoring smile on him.

"All right--I'll just use the bathroom for a moment, and then we'll be ready." After kissing him on the cheek, Eve left the room. Julian then slipped out of the house, and took out his cell phone.

"I must leave a message for Kathy to remind her to warn the guards to be vigilant, but discreet. It would not do for Eve to realize I lied to her about the security I hired. I have to protect her....protect her and our beautiful daughter." He began to dial Kathy's number.
 

Ivy sat back and laughed to herself. Julian was a fool for denying her. It was going to be so satisfying to turn TC Russell loose on him and the slut he was carrying on with.
"Why is it so hard for him to understand that I always get what I want?" Ivy pulled out her compact and checked her reflection. Her ice-blue eyes, as cold as their color, stared back at her with anticipated triumph. "I need that additional money--the money Alistair put into my account all those years ago has grown nicely, but I want more--I have no intentions of living like some nouveau riche pauper. When I finally make Sam Bennett mine," she smiled dreamily, " I want to make certain that he'll never have to bother himself working a blue collar job again. Not that persona isn't part of his charm."
She fingered a chain around her neck--on it hung a gold heart locket that contained a picture of Sam, and also a picture of their son, Ethan.
"This will be our legacy to our son--Julian's money to help make me, Sam, and Ethan comfortable for the rest of our lives! " Ivy settled down to wait for TC to arrive.
 

Just as Julian was dialing his assistant, Whitney and Eve came outside, forcing Julian to flip close his cell phone in a form of mild panic. Covering, he flashed them a huge grin.
"There you are, my two lovelies--shall we be on our way?"
Eve raised an eyebrow at him--she had seen how quickly Julian had closed his phone, and it had piqued her curiousity.
"Who were you talking to, Julian?"
"Um, no one important, my dear. I was just trying to check in with my stockbroker, but it can certainly wait until we get back to the mansion."
"Stockbroker?"
"Yes, Eve-- Crane Industries has so many different subsidaries, and I'm afraid I had missed a meeting the other day when we first ran into one another."
"I see," Eve said, though her cheeks grew rosy at the memory of just why Julian had missed that meeting. "From what I remember, Julian, nothing short of a kidnapping would have kept you from Crane business." Her eyes twinkled mischievously at him.
"Well, Eve, it would seem that seeing you after all these years, I found that I could delay such mundane matters for the pleasure of your company." Julian felt a flush of embarassment coloring his own cheeks as he remembered just what lengths he had gone to keep Eve from fleeing when she had seen him.
Whitney was looking from one tell-tale face to the other with, confusion apparent in her expression.
"Mom....Father? What's going on here?"
"It's nothing, Whitney--why don't we all get into the car?" Julian held open the door of the limousine with a smile. As they entered, Julian signalled to the chauffeur to head for home, but his brow was furrowed with worry.
"I pray Eve doesn't find out I defied her wishes concerning the guards. I need to keep her from not only discovering that, but also keep them safe from that madman ex-husband of hers..nd that harpy of an ex-wife of mine."

Kathy drove up to the gates outside of the Crane mansion. She punched in her access code, then drove through. Her heart beat a tattoo in her chest as she looked around for signs that Mr. Crane was home.
"I hope I got here in time--I can't afford to have Mr. Crane find out that I didn't get a chance to warn Captain Wilkes and Morgan!"

On the street side of the gate, TC waited.He had seen Kathy drive in, but held back, wanting to watch from afar to see what he could find out. Ivy had wanted to meet him to discuss her plan, en route, he had changed his mind.

"We're going to handle things MY way," he muttered, a menacing glare in his eyes.