Chapter 38

Becka

I woke up in a hospital bed. Before I opened my eyes, I heard the sounds of a machine marking my heart beat rhythm, and confusion immediately filled my mind. My face hurt. I opened my eyes.

I saw Oliver sitting next to my bed, watching me. Concern was written all over his face, and, when he saw my eyes open, he smiled in obvious relief.

“My God,” he said. “I was so worried.”

“Oliver? What happened?” I barely recognized my own voice.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?” His voice was hoarse and he looked to me as if he’d aged twenty years since I’d last seen him.

My eyes welled up with tears. “I don’t know,” I said. “I thought that you wouldn’t want the baby. That you wouldn’t want me. I had no idea until tonight, I swear; I wasn’t keeping it from you.” I reached down and touched my stomach. “Is the baby okay?”

Suddenly anxiety pushed through me so hard I thought I would throw up. I didn’t know what had happened; the only thing I remembered was going to the hotel. Had there been an accident? If anything had happened to the baby…

“The baby is fine, and so are you.” Oliver stood up and moved to the bed. He sat on the side of the bed and grabbed my hand. I felt the sensation of cold metal and I looked down.

“Why are you in handcuffs?” I exclaimed. “Oliver, what the hell happened tonight?”

“Ethan happened,” Oliver said grimly. “What do you remember about tonight?”

I thought back. “I remember taking the test. I was in the bathroom. You asked me if I wanted a drink, and I panicked because I knew I couldn’t drink. I told you I wanted a martini, because I knew that would be a normal thing.” I looked away from Oliver’s eyes. The more I said, the sadder he looked. “Then… I don’t remember anything else. How did I get here?”

Oliver explained that I had asked Raymond to drive me home first, then to a hotel because of the press outside the building. I had called Lisa, but Ethan had somehow intercepted Lisa and he’d arrived at the hotel instead of her, pushing his way in. When I’d told him I was pregnant, he snapped, and he punched me.

“Ethan hit me?” I gasped.

“He hit you,” Oliver said. “So, when I arrived, he was there, and you were unconscious on the floor.” He closed his eyes, and, when he opened them, they were glistening. “I never, ever want to see that image again. You were crumpled on the floor, looking so vulnerable and…” he winced and shook his head. “I lost complete control. Ethan and I got into a fight, and that’s when the police arrived.”

“The police?” I had no memory of any of this happening; it seemed completely surreal.

“The paramedics took you to the hospital and they arrested both Ethan and me, though I’m sure the charges against me will be dropped. Raymond is at the police station now on my behalf.”

“What did they arrest Ethan for?” I asked slowly.

“Three counts of assault—for you, me, and for Lisa. And for kidnapping.”

“Kidnapping?” This kept getting worse. I tried to imagine Ethan, but, when I brought his face into my mind, all I could see was Oliver in front of me.

“He kidnapped Lisa,” Oliver said gently. “She’s okay, I promise,” he said quickly when I tried to sit up. “Be still. He tied her up in the back of his car because she wouldn’t take him to you. He tricked her.”

“Oh my god,” I moaned, closing my eyes. “Poor Lisa.”

“She’s okay, and, thanks to quick medical attention, so are you. And so is our baby.” He squeezed my hands and leaned over, kissing me.

“What do we do now?” I asked.

“Well, the plan I was waiting to tell you about has been set into motion. Would you like to see it?” His eyes took on a glint of satisfaction, of pride.

“Um, hell yes,” I said. “And it’s about fucking time.” I was as mad as my voice let on, but I didn’t have the energy to create yet another argument over it. From the sounds of it, there had already been enough fighting for one night.

Oliver reached for the remote with his poor, handcuffed hands, and he turned on the tv. On the news, the newscaster was saying that their station had received a video statement from Billionaire Oliver Weeks, and they would be playing it in its entirety now.

I looked over at Oliver, but he just smiled at me. The video switched over to a picture of Oliver, sitting at his desk in his home office. He looked at the camera, a grim smile on his face.

“Thank you for your attention to the statement I’m about to give,” he said in a quiet, but confident voice. “I know that there’s been a lot of attention and questions around my life lately, and around the future and the past of my company, Neurotova. I’m here to officially set the record straight and answer all of the questions that have surfaced.”

I squeezed Oliver’s hand.

“An accusation has come up that Neurotova has participated in animal experimentation as a part of our food science research. That accusation is true.

The experimentation, which includes countless examples of shameful animal cruelty, was done by my brother, Ethan Weeks, who goes by the name Ethan Hernandez. Mr. Hernandez, with reckless disregard to the company, to animals, and to the public’s belief in the good work that we do, continuously lied and performed dangerous acts to animals in the name of capital.

“I am here today to tell you that I knowingly paid Mr. Hernandez to keep quiet about what had gone on. I am ashamed about my role in this activity; I now know that I should have gone to the police immediately and confessed both Mr. Hernandez’s wrongdoing and my own. Instead, I thought I was doing the right thing by covering it up. I thought it would go away. I was wrong.

“It was my beautiful girlfriend, Becka Jasper, who found out the truth and who convinced me that I could remain silent no longer, though she doesn’t know I’m coming out with this information tonight… yet. My love for her is stronger than any I have ever known, and I am willing to risk my company, my reputation, and my wealth all for the ability to know that I am being completely truthful with her, and with you, the public.

“And, because I know that I need to atone for my part in this cover up, I have already made a deal with an interested international investor, who has agreed to pay top dollar for the incredibly valuable Neurotova company. Rather than reinvest the money, I will be donating ninety percent of the sale of the company to Animals Now!, an animal right’s organization that protects animals from exactly the type of threat I used to condone with my actions.

This amount will be in the billions, though the exact amount is yet to be determined. In addition, I will be volunteering my time with Animals Now at least once a month, because, the one thing Becka has taught me over all others, is that money does not take the place of human contact.”

“Tomorrow, I will be holding a public press conference to which any and all media are invited to participate. I will answer your questions truthfully and directly. I want to take this opportunity to apologize to Becka Jasper, to the employees of Neurotova, and to you, the public, for my shameful part in this charade. It stops today. Thank you.”

The video stopped and the screen returned to the newscaster. “Well,” she said. “That was quite an announcement from billionaire and CEO of Neurotova, Oliver Weeks…”

Oliver turned the tv off and looked at me. I was speechless.

“You… you’re selling Neurotova?” I asked, my voice as small as I’d ever heard it.

“It’s already sold,” Oliver said proudly. “The deal has been in the works for weeks, but I didn’t want to tell you about it until I had both sealed the sale and decided which charity should receive the money.”

“How did you decide on Animals Now!?” I asked. Animals Now! was my favorite animal charity; I had been volunteering with them for years, but there was no way for Oliver to know that; I hadn’t told him.

He blushed. “When I was at your apartment, the day you accused me of stealing your research, I saw a postcard from them with your next volunteer date. I thought that if you volunteered for them, you must believe strongly in their work.”

“I love you,” I said. I was trying to keep from crying, but it was difficult. The only thing holding me together was how completely overwhelmed I was.

“I love you, too,” he whispered, and he leaned in to kiss me.