Chapter 24
 

Harrison Fox looked up from his newspaper and shook his head in pity. "Damn it boy what got your undies in a bunch?" He asked "Is it that damn whore Victoria?"

Colyer shook his head. "No pa, I haven't seen Victoria since I got back." He replied.

"Good." Harrison humphed. "And lets keep it that way too...no good wrench..."

"Harrison that's enough!" HIs wife exclaimed. "It will not do you any good to bring up THAT subject again."

"I'm sorry Shug." Harrison apologized "I didn't mean to upset your breakfast."

Shug turned to her son and placed a motherly hand on his forearm.

"Colyer, your daddy is right, you haven't been yourself lately. Is everything alright?"

Images of Gwen popped in his head. "I just feel restless." He lied. "Working for charity got me running on a good high."

"Well son I am glad you're feeling great." His father replied. "But now it's back to work. I need for you and Miss Hotchkiss to work on a joint venture between our two companies.

Colyer choked on his coffee. "Wh-what?" He sputtered. Harrison looked across the breakfast table at his son and raised a stern eyebrow.

"There's a deal I have cooking up with Senor Juarez in Mexico." He continued as he eyes his son suspiciously. "He have some oil fields that he is itching to get rid of. It seems Pedro got himself into some trouble with the law and he got to liquidate his assets asap." He grinned. "Hot damn don't you just love it!"

"Pa, I can go down there and make the deal without any help from Hotchkiss Enterprises." He protested.

"NO!" Harrison said sternly. "Not this time, I want Miss Hotchkiss to be there. You two will research his company, go on location survey the oil fields and come up with a fair price."

Colyer knew better than to argue with his father. Harrison Fox didn't get to where he was by being docile.

"Okay Pa." He conceded "When do we leave?"
 

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Gwen stared at her father in disbelief.

"Do I HAVE to go?" She asked in dismay. "Mexico is too hot for pregnant women." Jonathan chuckled at his daughter's remark. "Besides I can't go to the beach looking like I inhaled a cow, while non-pregnant women are frocliking around me in thong bikinis." She grumbled. 'Plus I don't want to be any where near that jerk Colyer Fox!' She said to herself.

"Harrison Fox made it unmistakenly clear that you were the only one he trust to handle this deal." Her father replied. "And I agree with him one hundred percent. Besides you can use a little vacation before the baby is born."

"I don't have to go to Mexico for that."

"Okay, I'll have Angel get Harrison Fox on the line and you can tell him that you can't travel due to your pregnancy."

"I will do no such thing." Gwen replied. "My brain did not turn to mush....I will go and come back looking radiant but... do I HAVE to work with Colyer?"
 

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"Oh no it can't be!" Theresa whined as she read the results of her fourth pregnancy test in as many days. "I was so sure it would be positive this time!" She knocked the test to the floor in a fit of anger. "I just HAVE to be pregnant. I will lose Ethan to Gwen if I'm not!"

As she was cleaning up her mess, she saw a huge envelope under her door, she picked it up and looked at the returned mailing address. It was from Ethan!

"NO!" She yelled. "He wouldn't do this to us!" She ripped opened the envelope and took out the anulment papers. She tore them into tiny pieces and tossed them in the trash can. Then she dug inside of her purse until she found a lighter and set fire to the trash can.

Jess who happened to be changing bedsheets noticed the black smoke coming from the room and let out a scream...

"Fire!" She yelled. "Fire!" She grabbed the fire extinguisher and ran towards the room...

Kay and David managed to get the door openend without any real difficulty...

Theresa didn't notice when Kay shoved her out the way while Jess put out the fire...

"You stupid bitch!" Kay screamed. "What is the matter with you?!" She was about to tackled the pyromaniac but David held her back...

Theresa looked directly at Kay and smiled...

"Congratulate me Kay." She said cheerfully. "I am having your brother's baby."

She looked at the burnt trash can and giggled. "Now how did that happen? You better clean that up or I will hate to have to report your mother to the fire department...it just burst into flames before my very eyes...could it be faulty wiring?"

The three stunned people gawked at Theresa as she grabbed her purse and skipped out the room.

"That fucking bitch!" Jess hissed. "We will NEVER get her out of our lives now!"