Chapter Thirty-Six Jaxson

A s much as I wish I could have stayed in Willowcreek and fixed everything from there, I couldn’t. I left on the next available flight out to tend to the promise I made to Madison. I would fix things for her. I would keep my promise and bring Caitlin to her knees one way or another.

The car comes to a stop outside of my apartment building. The familiar shadow the building cast upon the ground below no longer as welcoming as it once was. Instead, it’s a steely reminder of the fact that I no longer had Madison at my side.

Stepping out onto the sidewalk, I turn to the driver, who has unloaded my luggage. “Thanks, Brian.”

“Anytime, sir. Would you like me to still be here in the morning to take you to Skyline?”

It was my usual schedule, but due to everything else going on it’s going to have to be on the backend of my priorities for right now. “No. Just remain on standby for now. I have a few calls to make… I’ll send you a message later once I know more.”

“Of course, sir.” He replies with a nod of his head before turning to climb back into the car.

As soon as the car pulls away, I let out a heavy breath before making my way in the building. My mind, a fog of emotions as I enter the elevator, making my way up to an apartment that no longer feels like home. It isn’t until I open the door and step into my apartment that I come to a halt.

Greeted by an unwanted surprise.

“Caitlin.” Her name’s laced with venom as it leaves my lips. Murderous intentions rising within my mind as I see the blonde bitch that’s haunted my every move over the last few months.

“Did you miss me?” Her smile stretches across her face, as she stands from the chaise she was sat upon, making her way towards me. “I’ve missed you.”

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

The last thing I will ever do is miss this Satanic woman.

“Is that any way to greet your future wife when you come home?” She replies, her smile falling as a sneer crosses her lips. “I know where you were, and it’s time to stop playing games.”

“The only one playing games is you, Caitlin. Now get the fuck out of my house.”

“No,” she snaps with a stomp of her pumps. “I’ve done watching you make a fool of yourself. You and I are going to get married, and you need to just accept that.”

Laughter escapes me at her delusional words. After all this time, she still thinks that she has a chance in hell at actually marrying me. “You and I, woman—will never be married. You’re going to come out and tell them you lied… or I’m going to make you regret crossing me.”

“Regret?” She scoffs, shaking her head before soft laughter escapes her lips. “The only thing I’m regretting is not having daddy take care of that whore like he did ensuring that you got the television production.”

I stop dead in my tracks at her statement. Her dad made sure I got the tv show ?

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I reply, narrowing my eyes in her direction. A smirk of satisfaction crosses her face as she gives me a pointed look, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Did you really think you got that break all on your own? I told daddy to make sure you got it… you were always so worried about getting it, you never had time for me. So, he made a few calls and offered a deal to the production company they couldn’t refuse.”

What the fuck.

“You’re lying.” I snap, unwilling to believe that what she is saying is true. “You’ve always been a jealous, lying bitch. Why the hell do you think I’ll listen to you?”

Again, she laughs. Making the anger within me grow stronger. “I’m not lying, Jaxson. And now that the show is over, you and I will get married just as I planned. I mean… it’s already been announced.”

“Listen to me, and listen to me good.” I reply, fists clenched at my sides. “I will never and I do mean never fucking marry you. Do you understand me?”

Regardless of what I’m saying, it doesn’t seem to register with her as she strides towards me in a casual kind of way. Her fingers reach out to brush against my chest as I quickly step out of her reach. “Oh, but it is. Because if you don’t, Jaxson. Daddy will pull the World of Foods deal with his national restaurant supply distribution company, and I’ll make sure you lose everything you’ve worked for.”

***

It’s been three weeks sinceI left Willowcreek. All my attempts at getting Caitlin to redact the lies she told have been refused at every angle I threw at her. So much so, that my PR team told me to stop contact with her. Though, it didn’t stop people from harassing me. My phone continuously rings off the hook with people trying to get the inside scoop on mine and Caitlin’s supposed relationship. As well as those wanting to book our wedding.

A supposed ‘highlight social’ of the season… or something like that.

But as fast as they are working on trying to book me, my PR team is working to get rid of her and the entire situation. The only problem is that Caitlin’s claws have sunk so far into everyone with her bullshit story, it’s making it hard to solve. Or at least, taking longer.

Madison’s words sunk deep within me. The look on her face when she asked me to leave, the shimmer of hurt within the tears of her eyes. All of it ate at me day and night, and pushed me further to take care of this situation. To prove to her that I’m not the man she thinks I am. That I do care about her, and about… everything.

Especially the fact that she had thought she was pregnant.

God… if she had been—I don’t know what I would have done.

And though the idea of being a parent is scary, part of me actually likes the idea of her being pregnant. Though it’s not something I ever thought about, honestly. I suppose I expected one day that I would have a family, but it was never a topic I dwelled on. My mind constantly focused on work and the career I’ve made for myself.

The soft ringing of my phone brings me from my thoughts. My eyes glance down to the black smartphone on my desk as I take in my mother’s number calling. As much as I want to quickly answer it, I find myself too shocked to do so.

The only time she calls is if she wants something. Which is rare .

“Mother?” I say flatly when I answer the phone. “I wasn’t expecting you to call. Is everything okay?”

She’s never been the kind of woman to call and have idle chit-chat. Well, at least not unless you were my sisters. “Jaxson! Why haven’t you called?”

Is she being serious ?

“I wasn’t aware that I was expected to?” The statement comes out more like a question that I’m unsure of even saying. Because as far back as I can remember, she never took interest, in me visiting, let alone calling her.

“I’m your mother, Jaxson. Every child should call their parents," she says with a snarky attitude that sounds more like her usual demeanor, than the happy front she put on when she first addressed me. “But that’s beside the point… why didn’t you tell me you made it on World of Foods? And, you’re engaged! ”

Oh for fuck’s sake .

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I close my eyes and let out a heavy sigh. “First, I did try to tell you about World of Foods when I visited last. Second, I’m not engaged to that girl. She’s lying and trying to get her fifteen minutes of fame.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” She scoffs. “I would remember you telling me. And as for the girl, your sister says she is a model and comes from a very wealthy family. So of course, you’re marrying her. Why would you not want to?”

I’ve heard my mother say some absolutely bizarre things over the years, but this… this tops it all. Before I can reply, I hear her call my father over. And then the phone being put on speaker as she relays her version of our conversation to my father. Which is the farthest from what it actually is.

“Jaxson, what’s gotten into you?” He finally says over the phone. “You can’t just ask a girl to marry you and change your mind.”

“Dad, stop. That isn’t even what happened. The girl made it up, and…” I stop mid-sentence as I let out a soft laugh before leaning back in my chair to look at the ceiling. “I don’t know why I’m even explaining myself. Look, I never asked that girl to marry me. She is making it up to be in the spotlight. I love someone else.”

Which is why I came back to New York in the first place. To win Madison back, and set things right with the entire Caitlin situation. Because I love Madison—more than anything.

“Son, I don’t understand you. First there’s this girl you’re engaged to, and she isn’t enough, so you’re in love with someone else—we raised you better than this.” My father says scoldingly.

“No you didn’t.”

“Excuse me?” he replies.

Sitting up, something within me snaps. “I said, ‘No, you didn’t.’ I understand that you may think you raised me, both of you… but though you were there… you weren’t actually there.”

“Jaxson!” my father yells through the phone, as if I’m still a boy that he can boss around. “How dare you talk to us like that? You know we have only ever wanted what’s best for you.”

“No, you only cared when I played ball. Ever since I got hurt, you shrugged me off as if I was a disappointment. Neither of you ever took note of anything that I’ve done with my career since then. Regardless of the number of contributions, I happily send you guys every year. I’ve tried over and over again to be there for the entire family. To be part of the family and show you I care and I always get nothing. Hell… last time I was there, mom acted like it was an inconvenience. She couldn’t even spare a five-minute conversation with me for me to tell her about the show and everything else that was going on.”

Never in my life have I spoken to my parents the way I am right now, but damn does it feel good. For years I’ve kept everything inside me. Tried to fix things, and though I was still ignored, I never gave up. I tried to never take it personally, always making excuses for them and the way they were acting. But not now.

Enough is enough.

“Jaxson,” my mother says softly. “That’s not true… You could see I was dealing with your siblings and—”

“That’s just it, mom. You’re always too busy. You do have another child besides the ones that still live in Willowcreek. You told me that I should be calling more often… when was the last time you called me? Because I can tell you, it was last year in February and it was because you needed money. You kept the conversation short, and then said you had to go and asked when I’d be sending it. That’s it.”

“I didn’t realize that it was a burden to help your family…” she mutters, selfishly. “I mean, I’m your mother.”

“Exactly!” I snap at her. “You’re my mother, and when was the last time you actually acted like it?”

Again, silence.

Shaking my head, my heart aches at the thought of talking to them like this. The fact that I have to give my own parents a wake-up call that honestly, is probably not going to do anything at all. It will more likely piss them off for a while, and then they will act like it never happened.

Hope flourishes through me that perhaps the change I’ve needed for years is finally here. I have the career jump that I’ve been waiting for, the life I’ve always wanted, and now all I need is the woman of my dreams by my side. A woman that can only end up being Madison McKinley .

“Look,” I finally sigh. “I’m in love with Madison. And I have been for a long time. If there is going to be anyone that I plan to marry…it’s her. But I do want to thank you for something…”

“And what would that be?” my father says with a scoff.

“For showing me what kind of parent I don’t want to be.”

The moment I hang up with my parents a new found determination sets within me. I’m done with being pushed around. With people trying to dictate to me on how my life should be and what I’m supposed to be doing. No more. I won’t have it.

Marching towards my desk, I pull open the notebook I keep with contacts. Looking for one particular name that will be the answers to all my prayers.

Daniel Thornefield—Caitlin’s Father.

“This is Daniel,” the smooth voice says through the phone after two rings.

“Daniel, it’s Jaxson Rivers.”

“Jaxson,” he chuckles. “How’s my future son-in-law doing?”

Son-in-law. Just hearing him call me, that makes my lip curl in disgust. “That’s actually what I want to talk to you about.”

“Oh?”

“It seems that your daughter has it in her head that we’re getting married, Daniel. But the problem is, I never agreed to that. She went on national television and concocted a story to gain attention and try and force me into marrying her. And though I’ve tried to talk reason into her, it hasn’t worked. So, you’re going too… and if you don’t, I’ll make sure to tell everyone how you used your company and status to sell a deal with World of Foods in order to get your daughter what she wants.”

“I don’t understand, Jaxson, I thought the show was what you wanted, and so was a marriage to my daughter.”

“Your daughter and I have been over for quite some time, Daniel, and it will stay that way. And as for World of Foods, well, there’s something I want more now, and nothing will stand in my way. Have I made myself clear?”

“Understood. Consider it handled.” The line going dead is all the satisfaction I needed. Now, I just needed to fix the PR mess itself, because I’ll be damned if I return to get Madison back only to drag her into the spotlight.