he lost. From the grin on his face, it looked like it had been a good day.
“How was Victor?” he asked, helping himself to some Gatorade in the fridge.
“Fine. The poor thing asks a million questions and worries about everything. And he’s a little confused about some of it. He says I’m spending too much cash, and I don’t spend any. I always use my credit card. I have to make sure Brig isn’t using cash to pay for things or for bills, because that way we lose deductions. That’s what he was upset about. I’m sure Brig has the explanation. I don’t.” And then she wanted to mention the hotel bills to him, but she didn’t know how to do it without sounding accusing. She thought that maybe she should ask Brigitte first, in case she had been charging hotel bills to her when she stayed there with her boyfriends. If so, Tallie was certain that she had reimbursed her, probably by depositing a check or cash to one of Tallie’s accounts. And Victor wouldn’t have known what it was for. And there again, there was surely an explanation. So she didn’t say anything to Hunt. She was sure that the confusion was at her end. What she needed to do was check it all with Brigitte and get back to Victor with the simple explanation.
They spent a cozy, relaxed afternoon together and sat chatting in the garden after lunch. Tallie was loving being home. She was getting tired of being on location, but she reminded herself that it was a lot less arduous and unpleasant than some of the locations she’d been to in the past, like India during a monsoon, or Africa during a civil war. Palm Springs certainly couldn’t be considered a hardship and at least it was close to home.
And as Tallie and Hunt were relaxing in her garden, Victor was having lunch with Brianna at the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel. She had been annoyed when he kept her waiting for half an hour, but he explained that he had had to finish his meeting with Tallie. And Brianna was irritated that he had to work on a Sunday. She thought he looked like an undertaker in the suit and tie. She had suggested he wear jeans and a button-down shirt, but Victor wouldn’t do that, out of respect for his clients, whether it was Sunday or not.
Victor and Brianna had been passing like ships in the night for several days. She seemed to be out a lot these days, and he had been tied up with the audit.
“I’m sorry I’ve been so busy lately. It should calm down now,” he said apologetically. She looked beautiful in a tight white dress with a low neckline she had bought that week at Roberto Cavalli. Her cleavage looked remarkable in it.
“It’s okay,” she said quietly. She waited until they were having coffee to drop the bomb. She took a breath and leaped in. “I want five million dollars,” she said bluntly.
“What for? So do I,” he said with a smile.
“To stay married to you,” she said coldly. She was suddenly all business, and not nearly as inviting as she looked. “And an amount every year that we can negotiate. But I want the five million up front.”
“What is this? A business deal or a marriage?” he asked, looking upset. “I don’t have that kind of money,” he said, looking her in the eye.
“You used to.”
“I don’t anymore.” And if he did, he still wouldn’t have paid her to stay married to him. That was pure blackmail. “Pay, or I’ll leave” was the message to him loud and clear.
“What about three million?” she asked. She was willing to negotiate with him. “But if you don’t pay it, I’m leaving. I can’t sit there penniless all the time. I need to know that there’s some money in the bank, just for me. It will make me feel secure.” Her secure, and him broke, Victor thought to himself.
“Brianna, I just don’t have it.” He didn’t know why her lawyer had put the idea of a postnup into her head, but it was destroying their marriage overnight.
“If you don’t give it to me,” she said coolly while he paid
“How was Victor?” he asked, helping himself to some Gatorade in the fridge.
“Fine. The poor thing asks a million questions and worries about everything. And he’s a little confused about some of it. He says I’m spending too much cash, and I don’t spend any. I always use my credit card. I have to make sure Brig isn’t using cash to pay for things or for bills, because that way we lose deductions. That’s what he was upset about. I’m sure Brig has the explanation. I don’t.” And then she wanted to mention the hotel bills to him, but she didn’t know how to do it without sounding accusing. She thought that maybe she should ask Brigitte first, in case she had been charging hotel bills to her when she stayed there with her boyfriends. If so, Tallie was certain that she had reimbursed her, probably by depositing a check or cash to one of Tallie’s accounts. And Victor wouldn’t have known what it was for. And there again, there was surely an explanation. So she didn’t say anything to Hunt. She was sure that the confusion was at her end. What she needed to do was check it all with Brigitte and get back to Victor with the simple explanation.
They spent a cozy, relaxed afternoon together and sat chatting in the garden after lunch. Tallie was loving being home. She was getting tired of being on location, but she reminded herself that it was a lot less arduous and unpleasant than some of the locations she’d been to in the past, like India during a monsoon, or Africa during a civil war. Palm Springs certainly couldn’t be considered a hardship and at least it was close to home.
And as Tallie and Hunt were relaxing in her garden, Victor was having lunch with Brianna at the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel. She had been annoyed when he kept her waiting for half an hour, but he explained that he had had to finish his meeting with Tallie. And Brianna was irritated that he had to work on a Sunday. She thought he looked like an undertaker in the suit and tie. She had suggested he wear jeans and a button-down shirt, but Victor wouldn’t do that, out of respect for his clients, whether it was Sunday or not.
Victor and Brianna had been passing like ships in the night for several days. She seemed to be out a lot these days, and he had been tied up with the audit.
“I’m sorry I’ve been so busy lately. It should calm down now,” he said apologetically. She looked beautiful in a tight white dress with a low neckline she had bought that week at Roberto Cavalli. Her cleavage looked remarkable in it.
“It’s okay,” she said quietly. She waited until they were having coffee to drop the bomb. She took a breath and leaped in. “I want five million dollars,” she said bluntly.
“What for? So do I,” he said with a smile.
“To stay married to you,” she said coldly. She was suddenly all business, and not nearly as inviting as she looked. “And an amount every year that we can negotiate. But I want the five million up front.”
“What is this? A business deal or a marriage?” he asked, looking upset. “I don’t have that kind of money,” he said, looking her in the eye.
“You used to.”
“I don’t anymore.” And if he did, he still wouldn’t have paid her to stay married to him. That was pure blackmail. “Pay, or I’ll leave” was the message to him loud and clear.
“What about three million?” she asked. She was willing to negotiate with him. “But if you don’t pay it, I’m leaving. I can’t sit there penniless all the time. I need to know that there’s some money in the bank, just for me. It will make me feel secure.” Her secure, and him broke, Victor thought to himself.
“Brianna, I just don’t have it.” He didn’t know why her lawyer had put the idea of a postnup into her head, but it was destroying their marriage overnight.
“If you don’t give it to me,” she said coolly while he paid
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