Post by matt on Nov 8, 2021 8:50:54 GMT -6
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Houston, Texas
Off Camera
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A little over a year ago her oldest daughter, Melinda Braddock, was involved in an abusive relationship with a vicious, controlling monster of a man named Clyde Sutter. The two met when Sutter started training to be a wrestler at Glory Braddock’s wrestling school in London, England. Sutter was thrown out of the school for being too violent and beating up the other students and even the trainers just because he could. Braddock had convinced herself that she was doing right by her daughter and by the wrestling business by using her influence and sway within the industry to blackball Sutter from most wrestling organizations, though it is possible that she was doing so simply out of spite over what she believes he did to her daughter. Glory is convinced that Sutter sexually assaulted Melinda, despite Melinda’s own claims that their encounters were consensual.
Sutter is not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. He does not have any ability to seek out legal representation to defend himself against Braddock’s claims. Yet now a mysterious third party has funded Sutter’s legal battle against Glory Braddock. Attorneys representing Sutter claim to have evidence proving his innocence and proving that The British Bombshell has been committing slander and libel against their client. They are threatening to take her to court, her worse yet to release the evidence to the public and humiliate Melinda in the process, if Glory does not cease blackballing Sutter. This is all bad enough but Glory finds it all too coincidental that Sutter happens to get all of this financial support and legal representation shortly after another ghost from Glory’s past reared his ugly head; namely, Thomas Gage.
Thomas Gage is the biological father of Melinda Braddock. He and Glory had a hot and steamy romance when they were teens. The romance came to an abrupt end when Glory learned she was pregnant with Thomas Gage’s daughter. When Gage learned that he was soon to be a father he panicked and ran away to avoid any and all responsibility. Twenty years later Gage would return and inform Glory that not only has he been keeping tabs of her career, tabs of their daughter, but he wants to return to their lives and attempt to make things right. The fact that Gage has been watching them for so long is creepy enough but there’s the added feeling that Glory has had ever since reuniting with Thomas that he wants to resume their love life. Braddock, who is now happily married to Kurt Logan, is not interested in resuming her relationship with Gage. She had hoped that Thomas would take the hint and back off, be appreciative that he is able to still have a friendship with Glory. But Glory’s best friend Matthew Taylor has warned her that Thomas is very possessive and will not take no for an answer.
All of this has got Braddock considering the very real possibility that perhaps Thomas is the one behind Clyde Sutter’s legal battle. If Thomas truly knows so much about Glory then he would know about how she feels regarding Sutter.
After retrieving her husband and daughter, Glory Braddock rushed back to the hotel room for what she had hoped would be a restful night’s sleep before catching a flight the next morning back to Miami, Florida.
Clyde Sutter’s legal team threatening a lawsuit, and just when she thought that was settled now she finds out that Ronald D. Kennedy is once again back and threatening to expose her. Braddock’s attorney, Robert Odom, is convinced that the two are connected. He believes that the same person is funding both. The implication is clear; Glory’s new business partner, her ex-boyfriend Thomas Gage.
“I just can’t believe Thomas would really do such a thing.” Those are the words of Glory Braddock as she exits the bathroom of her luxury hotel suite. She is dressed in pink pajamas. Her husband, Kurt Logan, is lying in their king sized bed waiting on her.
“Matthew did say Thomas was a bit possessive.” Kurt points out.
“I don’t care how possessive he is, if he truly loves his daughter like he claims he does and if he truly wants me back, would he put both me and our daughter in jeopardy like this? Because funding Clyde Sutter’s legal attack against me and siccing RDK on me knowing Kennedy wants to ruin my reputation, that would harm both of us. Why would he want to harm the two people he supposedly wants?”
Braddock walks over to the bed and sits down on the edge. She sighs. Kurt sits up and wraps a comforting, gentle arm around her shoulder. “It is rather coincidental though, don’t you think?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well look at it…Thomas Gage abandons you when you get pregnant. He shows back up twenty years later. And coincidentally twenty years after he shows back up you get not one but two pieces of bad news back to back. And your attorney is convinced that those two pieces of bad news are connected. He is convinced that the same person is behind both Sutter’s legal attack on you and Kennedy’s resumed threats against you. You have to admit that it does look fishy.”
“It may look fishy but it doesn’t mean Thomas is behind this. He may not be the greatest human being, he did abandon me when I got pregnant, but he is still Melinda’s father. He wouldn’t do this to us.” She sighs, because she is not as convinced as she once was. “At least I don’t think he would.”
“Well maybe you should find out for yourself by talking to him.” Kurt suggests. “Call him out on it and ask point blank if he had anything to do with this crap.”
Glory nods her head. “Maybe I will…”
Kurt kisses her on the neck. “But don’t think about him right now. Don’t think about him, Sutter, or RDK. You have had enough to deal with for one night and god knows those problems will still be there for you to deal with in the morning. For tonight, just tonight, try and forget.”
Glory turns and looks into her husband’s loving eyes. “How good are you at helping me forget?”
“I think I can serve as a good distraction at the very least.”
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Southampton, England
Off Camera
==========
The return of Thomas Gage into the life of Glory Braddock was met with mixed emotions. Glory had plenty of fond memories of Thomas; after all, he was her first serious boyfriend. He treated her like a princess. The two had a deep, affectionate, love affair that lasted for much of Glory’s teenage years. But then he disappeared, showing up twenty years after getting Glory pregnant, claiming that he wanted to redeem himself, claiming that he just wanted some small role in the life of his daughter. Part of The British Bombshell wanted to tell him to shove it. She didn’t need him during the twenty years she raised Melinda and she didn’t need him now. But then another part of Glory, the part that still believed in second chances, wanted to give this man she once loved a second chance. He is, after all, Melinda’s biological father. Does he not have at least some rights to see his own daughter? The fact that he was throwing in a massive health insurance plan that would cover every one of the employees that work for Glory at her company one hundred percent free of any charge helped his case.
Ultimately Braddock would give him a chance. She would let him visit with Melinda. But now The British Bombshell is beginning to question her judgment call. Ever since allowing Thomas to get close, not just to her but to Melinda, problem after problem has risen in Glory’s life. The first shoe to drop was the news that some anonymous source was funding attorneys to assist Clyde Sutter, an enemy of the Braddock family and an ex-boyfriend of Melinda, in a legal battle against Glory Braddock. The next shoe to drop was the news that the same anonymous source was funding Ronald D. Kennedy’s renewed attacks on Glory Braddock’s personal reputation and attacks on her company. Would Thomas Gage really be behind this? Could Thomas Gage really be the anonymous source behind both of these attacks? The British Bombshell does not believe it is possible, but her childhood best friend, Matthew Taylor, certainly thinks that it is possible. In fact, Matthew has already warned Glory that Thomas Gage is a very possessive human being and will not take “no” for an answer. Matthew is afraid that Thomas would react negatively towards Glory rejecting his romantic aspirations. If he can’t have Glory, then no one can have Glory.
She wants to believe his innocence, she does not want to think that this man who once loved her, and may still love her, would ever try to hurt her. She does not want to believe that this man would do anything that could potentially harm his own daughter. But she must at least consider the possibility. She must eliminate him as a suspect. This is what brings her to East Park in Southampton, England on this late evening. The British Bombshell is dressed in denim jeans, black boots, and a royal purple blouse. Her long blonde hair is left to hang straight and unrestrained to past the shoulders. She is propped up against a tree, and not just any tree. This is a tree that she and Thomas know oh so well. This tree, in this specific park, is their special spot where they would meet and make out and make love.
The British Bombshell has been waiting patiently for several minutes. Thomas isn’t late, Braddock just arrived early. She checks her watch and it tells her that the time for his arrival is imminent. Braddock starts looking around for the arrival of her ex-boyfriend, the father of her child. She expects him to arrive at any moment. Thomas Gage has always been notorious for arriving right on time. Sure enough, she hears the rustling of some leaves; she turns and looks to see Thomas Gage arriving. He is wearing khaki pants, black shoes, and a white silk button up shirt. And in typical Thomas Gage fashion, the words of romance and love start flowing freely from his lips in the form of poetry.
“My lovely beauty, thine eyes are like gemstones, precious jewelry which I have sought after my entire life. Your silken hair, framing the beauty of your face, a beauty that no other can match. Your…” As he gets closer, Thomas reaches out with his right hand but Glory swats it away.
“Cut the romance, Thomas.”
“What troubles you, my sweet beauty?” Thomas seems to be completely oblivious as to what is bothering The British Bombshell. “This is our spot, the spot where fate herself destined us to meet, the spot where fate herself gave us so many powerful memories of love and romance. This spot is where our small spark of love turned into a raging wildfire of bliss.” He points a finger at Braddock, smiling warmly. “The fact that it was you, not I, who requested to meet me at our special spot is quite telling.”
“Bullshit.” Braddock snaps with venom dripping from her voice. “I picked this spot because you know it.”
“You could have chosen that nice quaint cafe where we met last month. You could have met in your late father’s wrestling school. I know where both of those are located. Or we could have met at the Braddock homestead not far from here, where I first laid eyes upon our gorgeous daughter. But you chose here. That is not coincidence, my sweet love.” He gently takes Glory’s hands. “Have you decided to give our romance one more chance?”
“In your dreams, mate.” Braddock quickly jerks her hands away from Thomas. “Like I said, I chose this spot to meet you because you know it. I also chose this spot because it is private. We can talk without being disturbed, without fear of anyone hearing us.”
“You really do want to talk? Nothing more?” Thomas asks. Glory nods her head. He sighs with a sense of disappointment on his face. “Ok then. Something must be wrong, my love. How may I remedy the situation, my sweet?”
“Bloody hell,” Braddock rolls her eyes “look, you can start by dropping the lovey-dovey bullshit. I am definitely not in the mood, especially not after the crap that I have had to put up with the past few weeks. Second, let me ask you about our daughter.”
“Ah, my sweet Melinda.” Thomas smiles warmly. “What troubles sweet Melinda?”
“Did she ever tell you about Clyde Sutter?”
“No, but I most certainly know of the foul human being. He was our daughter’s first boyfriend. He was quite an abusive bloke, if I recall. There were some rumors about sexual assault allegations but Mr. Sutter claims everything was consensual.”
“And how the hell do you know that?” Glory asks curiously. “I’ve tried to keep as much about her relationship with Sutter secret.”
“Like I said last month, my love, I have kept a close eye on both you and Melinda. You may not believe it but I care about both of you. I love both of you more than anything else. So yes, I have kept a close eye on both of you.”
“Stalking us.”
“No, just making certain that you were safe.”
Braddock sighs with frustration. “This right here is why I cannot trust you. And this right here is why I am finding it very difficult to let you get close. You have been following us for a very long time. Yet you choose now to suddenly show back up and expect things to go back to the way they were? Thomas, if you had stayed around when you got me pregnant and helped me raise our daughter then you would still have me as well. But you chose to run away and abandon me. So you’re lucky I’m letting you anywhere near Melinda but you will never ever get me back. Are we clear?”
“Yes…” Thomas’s voice trails off. It is clear that this is not what he wanted to hear. Braddock nods her head and then continues.
“Anyway, I have had to do my best to protect Melinda, to raise her, because I was on my own. When she was assaulted by Sutter…”
“Allegedly assaulted. It cannot be proven.”
“Maybe it can’t be proven but I know that man and what he is capable of.” Glory growls. “Anyway, after he did her wrong, I have done my damndest to keep him not only away from her but away from wrestling. And that created a nice peace for about a year or so, until out of the blue some lawyers representing Sutter is threatening to file a lawsuit against me. They are also threatening to release footage that would humiliate Melinda and in the process supposedly prove Sutter’s innocence. Now Sutter cannot afford an attorney worth a damn. So I am curious as to who is financing this bloody lawsuit?”
“Are you suggesting that I have something to do with this?” Thomas asks with a seemingly sincere look of shock on his face. “Why on earth would I do anything that would potentially damage my own beloved daughter?”
“Oh it gets better, Thomas.” Glory says as she holds up two fingers. “Number two involves a business rival of mine named Ronald D. Kennedy.”
“RDK?” Gage asks. It is apparent that he knows him. “I have done some work with Mr. Kennedy before.”
“I knew it!”
“Just because I know one of your rivals doesn’t mean I am working with him to hurt you and Melinda. Tell me, is RDK the man financing Sutter’s legal battle?”
“No…” her voice trails off “...but someone is funding RDK. Someone is leaking secrets to RDK, secrets about me, and helping him to renew his personal attacks against me and against my company.”
“And you…” Gage shakes his head in disbelief “...you think that I’m helping him? You think I’m helping him and Sutter?”
“Well you admitted just now that you know Kennedy and have worked with him. So explain yourself, Thomas.”
“Yes, I do work with RDK from time to time. He mentioned to me about starting his own modeling agency and I was going to help him with his new company’s health care but when I learned of his personal issues with you I told him that the deal was off. And that is the truth.”
“And what about Sutter?”
“Sutter…” Thomas sighs “...Gloria, my love, no matter what you may think of me, and no matter what you may believe about my working relationship with RDK, you surely cannot believe that I would do anything to bring any personal harm or humiliation to my own beloved daughter.” He places a hand on Glory’s shoulder. She quickly swats it away. Gage sighs deeply and shake his head. “I have done you wrong, my love. I never should have run away, I never should have abandoned you. I am trying so desperately hard to redeem myself in your eyes. And yes, I am trying to win you back. But think about it logically, my sweet, would it really help my cause if I financed Sutter’s battle against you and our daughter?”
The British Bombshell stares deep into the eyes of her ex-boyfriend, her former lover. She isn’t sure if it is her heart or her mind speaking but she cannot bring herself to accuse him of this any longer. Glory sighs and nods her head.
“Fair enough.” Braddock shakes her head. “Forgive me, Thomas. It’s just that, I am very protective of Melinda. Y’know? Sutter still holds a grudge against her and me. I have no idea what that footage his slimy attorneys have and what it contains. It could humiliate her and ruin her. And then there’s RDK. If you have worked with him in the past then you know damn well what he is capable of and you know what he could potentially do to Melinda if he were to target her.”
“Gloria, my love, I have always loved you and always will love you. And I love our daughter. You both are mine and I will do anything to protect them. If Mr. Sutter and Mr. Kennedy have any thoughts of harming either of my two favorite women in any way, then they shall both feel my fierce and unrelenting wrath!” Braddock steps back. She can sense an intensity and rage in Gage’s eyes, an intensity she hasn’t seen before. It frightens her for a split second. She thinks back to the warning from her friend Matthew, about how possessive Thomas gets about Glory. Thomas reaches out towards The British Bombshell but she backs away.
“Look, mate, I don’t think it is really necessary.”
“I know how proud you are, my love, but you must swallow your pride and allow me to help you. I was not there for you when you needed me the most, let me be here for you now. I can help you…and our daughter.”
Braddock pauses and gazes deep into his eyes. She sees the sincerity, the genuine concern. Her heart tells her that he does genuinely want to help. Her mind tells her not to trust him, that this could all be one big hoax. Glory decides to go with her heart instead of her mind. She smiles warmly and nods her head. He gently rubs his hand against her cheek. This time Glory does not back off. “Trust me, I will stop your enemies. It is the least I can do.”
Houston, Texas
Off Camera
==========
A little over a year ago her oldest daughter, Melinda Braddock, was involved in an abusive relationship with a vicious, controlling monster of a man named Clyde Sutter. The two met when Sutter started training to be a wrestler at Glory Braddock’s wrestling school in London, England. Sutter was thrown out of the school for being too violent and beating up the other students and even the trainers just because he could. Braddock had convinced herself that she was doing right by her daughter and by the wrestling business by using her influence and sway within the industry to blackball Sutter from most wrestling organizations, though it is possible that she was doing so simply out of spite over what she believes he did to her daughter. Glory is convinced that Sutter sexually assaulted Melinda, despite Melinda’s own claims that their encounters were consensual.
Sutter is not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. He does not have any ability to seek out legal representation to defend himself against Braddock’s claims. Yet now a mysterious third party has funded Sutter’s legal battle against Glory Braddock. Attorneys representing Sutter claim to have evidence proving his innocence and proving that The British Bombshell has been committing slander and libel against their client. They are threatening to take her to court, her worse yet to release the evidence to the public and humiliate Melinda in the process, if Glory does not cease blackballing Sutter. This is all bad enough but Glory finds it all too coincidental that Sutter happens to get all of this financial support and legal representation shortly after another ghost from Glory’s past reared his ugly head; namely, Thomas Gage.
Thomas Gage is the biological father of Melinda Braddock. He and Glory had a hot and steamy romance when they were teens. The romance came to an abrupt end when Glory learned she was pregnant with Thomas Gage’s daughter. When Gage learned that he was soon to be a father he panicked and ran away to avoid any and all responsibility. Twenty years later Gage would return and inform Glory that not only has he been keeping tabs of her career, tabs of their daughter, but he wants to return to their lives and attempt to make things right. The fact that Gage has been watching them for so long is creepy enough but there’s the added feeling that Glory has had ever since reuniting with Thomas that he wants to resume their love life. Braddock, who is now happily married to Kurt Logan, is not interested in resuming her relationship with Gage. She had hoped that Thomas would take the hint and back off, be appreciative that he is able to still have a friendship with Glory. But Glory’s best friend Matthew Taylor has warned her that Thomas is very possessive and will not take no for an answer.
All of this has got Braddock considering the very real possibility that perhaps Thomas is the one behind Clyde Sutter’s legal battle. If Thomas truly knows so much about Glory then he would know about how she feels regarding Sutter.
After retrieving her husband and daughter, Glory Braddock rushed back to the hotel room for what she had hoped would be a restful night’s sleep before catching a flight the next morning back to Miami, Florida.
Clyde Sutter’s legal team threatening a lawsuit, and just when she thought that was settled now she finds out that Ronald D. Kennedy is once again back and threatening to expose her. Braddock’s attorney, Robert Odom, is convinced that the two are connected. He believes that the same person is funding both. The implication is clear; Glory’s new business partner, her ex-boyfriend Thomas Gage.
“I just can’t believe Thomas would really do such a thing.” Those are the words of Glory Braddock as she exits the bathroom of her luxury hotel suite. She is dressed in pink pajamas. Her husband, Kurt Logan, is lying in their king sized bed waiting on her.
“Matthew did say Thomas was a bit possessive.” Kurt points out.
“I don’t care how possessive he is, if he truly loves his daughter like he claims he does and if he truly wants me back, would he put both me and our daughter in jeopardy like this? Because funding Clyde Sutter’s legal attack against me and siccing RDK on me knowing Kennedy wants to ruin my reputation, that would harm both of us. Why would he want to harm the two people he supposedly wants?”
Braddock walks over to the bed and sits down on the edge. She sighs. Kurt sits up and wraps a comforting, gentle arm around her shoulder. “It is rather coincidental though, don’t you think?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well look at it…Thomas Gage abandons you when you get pregnant. He shows back up twenty years later. And coincidentally twenty years after he shows back up you get not one but two pieces of bad news back to back. And your attorney is convinced that those two pieces of bad news are connected. He is convinced that the same person is behind both Sutter’s legal attack on you and Kennedy’s resumed threats against you. You have to admit that it does look fishy.”
“It may look fishy but it doesn’t mean Thomas is behind this. He may not be the greatest human being, he did abandon me when I got pregnant, but he is still Melinda’s father. He wouldn’t do this to us.” She sighs, because she is not as convinced as she once was. “At least I don’t think he would.”
“Well maybe you should find out for yourself by talking to him.” Kurt suggests. “Call him out on it and ask point blank if he had anything to do with this crap.”
Glory nods her head. “Maybe I will…”
Kurt kisses her on the neck. “But don’t think about him right now. Don’t think about him, Sutter, or RDK. You have had enough to deal with for one night and god knows those problems will still be there for you to deal with in the morning. For tonight, just tonight, try and forget.”
Glory turns and looks into her husband’s loving eyes. “How good are you at helping me forget?”
“I think I can serve as a good distraction at the very least.”
==========
Southampton, England
Off Camera
==========
The return of Thomas Gage into the life of Glory Braddock was met with mixed emotions. Glory had plenty of fond memories of Thomas; after all, he was her first serious boyfriend. He treated her like a princess. The two had a deep, affectionate, love affair that lasted for much of Glory’s teenage years. But then he disappeared, showing up twenty years after getting Glory pregnant, claiming that he wanted to redeem himself, claiming that he just wanted some small role in the life of his daughter. Part of The British Bombshell wanted to tell him to shove it. She didn’t need him during the twenty years she raised Melinda and she didn’t need him now. But then another part of Glory, the part that still believed in second chances, wanted to give this man she once loved a second chance. He is, after all, Melinda’s biological father. Does he not have at least some rights to see his own daughter? The fact that he was throwing in a massive health insurance plan that would cover every one of the employees that work for Glory at her company one hundred percent free of any charge helped his case.
Ultimately Braddock would give him a chance. She would let him visit with Melinda. But now The British Bombshell is beginning to question her judgment call. Ever since allowing Thomas to get close, not just to her but to Melinda, problem after problem has risen in Glory’s life. The first shoe to drop was the news that some anonymous source was funding attorneys to assist Clyde Sutter, an enemy of the Braddock family and an ex-boyfriend of Melinda, in a legal battle against Glory Braddock. The next shoe to drop was the news that the same anonymous source was funding Ronald D. Kennedy’s renewed attacks on Glory Braddock’s personal reputation and attacks on her company. Would Thomas Gage really be behind this? Could Thomas Gage really be the anonymous source behind both of these attacks? The British Bombshell does not believe it is possible, but her childhood best friend, Matthew Taylor, certainly thinks that it is possible. In fact, Matthew has already warned Glory that Thomas Gage is a very possessive human being and will not take “no” for an answer. Matthew is afraid that Thomas would react negatively towards Glory rejecting his romantic aspirations. If he can’t have Glory, then no one can have Glory.
She wants to believe his innocence, she does not want to think that this man who once loved her, and may still love her, would ever try to hurt her. She does not want to believe that this man would do anything that could potentially harm his own daughter. But she must at least consider the possibility. She must eliminate him as a suspect. This is what brings her to East Park in Southampton, England on this late evening. The British Bombshell is dressed in denim jeans, black boots, and a royal purple blouse. Her long blonde hair is left to hang straight and unrestrained to past the shoulders. She is propped up against a tree, and not just any tree. This is a tree that she and Thomas know oh so well. This tree, in this specific park, is their special spot where they would meet and make out and make love.
The British Bombshell has been waiting patiently for several minutes. Thomas isn’t late, Braddock just arrived early. She checks her watch and it tells her that the time for his arrival is imminent. Braddock starts looking around for the arrival of her ex-boyfriend, the father of her child. She expects him to arrive at any moment. Thomas Gage has always been notorious for arriving right on time. Sure enough, she hears the rustling of some leaves; she turns and looks to see Thomas Gage arriving. He is wearing khaki pants, black shoes, and a white silk button up shirt. And in typical Thomas Gage fashion, the words of romance and love start flowing freely from his lips in the form of poetry.
“My lovely beauty, thine eyes are like gemstones, precious jewelry which I have sought after my entire life. Your silken hair, framing the beauty of your face, a beauty that no other can match. Your…” As he gets closer, Thomas reaches out with his right hand but Glory swats it away.
“Cut the romance, Thomas.”
“What troubles you, my sweet beauty?” Thomas seems to be completely oblivious as to what is bothering The British Bombshell. “This is our spot, the spot where fate herself destined us to meet, the spot where fate herself gave us so many powerful memories of love and romance. This spot is where our small spark of love turned into a raging wildfire of bliss.” He points a finger at Braddock, smiling warmly. “The fact that it was you, not I, who requested to meet me at our special spot is quite telling.”
“Bullshit.” Braddock snaps with venom dripping from her voice. “I picked this spot because you know it.”
“You could have chosen that nice quaint cafe where we met last month. You could have met in your late father’s wrestling school. I know where both of those are located. Or we could have met at the Braddock homestead not far from here, where I first laid eyes upon our gorgeous daughter. But you chose here. That is not coincidence, my sweet love.” He gently takes Glory’s hands. “Have you decided to give our romance one more chance?”
“In your dreams, mate.” Braddock quickly jerks her hands away from Thomas. “Like I said, I chose this spot to meet you because you know it. I also chose this spot because it is private. We can talk without being disturbed, without fear of anyone hearing us.”
“You really do want to talk? Nothing more?” Thomas asks. Glory nods her head. He sighs with a sense of disappointment on his face. “Ok then. Something must be wrong, my love. How may I remedy the situation, my sweet?”
“Bloody hell,” Braddock rolls her eyes “look, you can start by dropping the lovey-dovey bullshit. I am definitely not in the mood, especially not after the crap that I have had to put up with the past few weeks. Second, let me ask you about our daughter.”
“Ah, my sweet Melinda.” Thomas smiles warmly. “What troubles sweet Melinda?”
“Did she ever tell you about Clyde Sutter?”
“No, but I most certainly know of the foul human being. He was our daughter’s first boyfriend. He was quite an abusive bloke, if I recall. There were some rumors about sexual assault allegations but Mr. Sutter claims everything was consensual.”
“And how the hell do you know that?” Glory asks curiously. “I’ve tried to keep as much about her relationship with Sutter secret.”
“Like I said last month, my love, I have kept a close eye on both you and Melinda. You may not believe it but I care about both of you. I love both of you more than anything else. So yes, I have kept a close eye on both of you.”
“Stalking us.”
“No, just making certain that you were safe.”
Braddock sighs with frustration. “This right here is why I cannot trust you. And this right here is why I am finding it very difficult to let you get close. You have been following us for a very long time. Yet you choose now to suddenly show back up and expect things to go back to the way they were? Thomas, if you had stayed around when you got me pregnant and helped me raise our daughter then you would still have me as well. But you chose to run away and abandon me. So you’re lucky I’m letting you anywhere near Melinda but you will never ever get me back. Are we clear?”
“Yes…” Thomas’s voice trails off. It is clear that this is not what he wanted to hear. Braddock nods her head and then continues.
“Anyway, I have had to do my best to protect Melinda, to raise her, because I was on my own. When she was assaulted by Sutter…”
“Allegedly assaulted. It cannot be proven.”
“Maybe it can’t be proven but I know that man and what he is capable of.” Glory growls. “Anyway, after he did her wrong, I have done my damndest to keep him not only away from her but away from wrestling. And that created a nice peace for about a year or so, until out of the blue some lawyers representing Sutter is threatening to file a lawsuit against me. They are also threatening to release footage that would humiliate Melinda and in the process supposedly prove Sutter’s innocence. Now Sutter cannot afford an attorney worth a damn. So I am curious as to who is financing this bloody lawsuit?”
“Are you suggesting that I have something to do with this?” Thomas asks with a seemingly sincere look of shock on his face. “Why on earth would I do anything that would potentially damage my own beloved daughter?”
“Oh it gets better, Thomas.” Glory says as she holds up two fingers. “Number two involves a business rival of mine named Ronald D. Kennedy.”
“RDK?” Gage asks. It is apparent that he knows him. “I have done some work with Mr. Kennedy before.”
“I knew it!”
“Just because I know one of your rivals doesn’t mean I am working with him to hurt you and Melinda. Tell me, is RDK the man financing Sutter’s legal battle?”
“No…” her voice trails off “...but someone is funding RDK. Someone is leaking secrets to RDK, secrets about me, and helping him to renew his personal attacks against me and against my company.”
“And you…” Gage shakes his head in disbelief “...you think that I’m helping him? You think I’m helping him and Sutter?”
“Well you admitted just now that you know Kennedy and have worked with him. So explain yourself, Thomas.”
“Yes, I do work with RDK from time to time. He mentioned to me about starting his own modeling agency and I was going to help him with his new company’s health care but when I learned of his personal issues with you I told him that the deal was off. And that is the truth.”
“And what about Sutter?”
“Sutter…” Thomas sighs “...Gloria, my love, no matter what you may think of me, and no matter what you may believe about my working relationship with RDK, you surely cannot believe that I would do anything to bring any personal harm or humiliation to my own beloved daughter.” He places a hand on Glory’s shoulder. She quickly swats it away. Gage sighs deeply and shake his head. “I have done you wrong, my love. I never should have run away, I never should have abandoned you. I am trying so desperately hard to redeem myself in your eyes. And yes, I am trying to win you back. But think about it logically, my sweet, would it really help my cause if I financed Sutter’s battle against you and our daughter?”
The British Bombshell stares deep into the eyes of her ex-boyfriend, her former lover. She isn’t sure if it is her heart or her mind speaking but she cannot bring herself to accuse him of this any longer. Glory sighs and nods her head.
“Fair enough.” Braddock shakes her head. “Forgive me, Thomas. It’s just that, I am very protective of Melinda. Y’know? Sutter still holds a grudge against her and me. I have no idea what that footage his slimy attorneys have and what it contains. It could humiliate her and ruin her. And then there’s RDK. If you have worked with him in the past then you know damn well what he is capable of and you know what he could potentially do to Melinda if he were to target her.”
“Gloria, my love, I have always loved you and always will love you. And I love our daughter. You both are mine and I will do anything to protect them. If Mr. Sutter and Mr. Kennedy have any thoughts of harming either of my two favorite women in any way, then they shall both feel my fierce and unrelenting wrath!” Braddock steps back. She can sense an intensity and rage in Gage’s eyes, an intensity she hasn’t seen before. It frightens her for a split second. She thinks back to the warning from her friend Matthew, about how possessive Thomas gets about Glory. Thomas reaches out towards The British Bombshell but she backs away.
“Look, mate, I don’t think it is really necessary.”
“I know how proud you are, my love, but you must swallow your pride and allow me to help you. I was not there for you when you needed me the most, let me be here for you now. I can help you…and our daughter.”
Braddock pauses and gazes deep into his eyes. She sees the sincerity, the genuine concern. Her heart tells her that he does genuinely want to help. Her mind tells her not to trust him, that this could all be one big hoax. Glory decides to go with her heart instead of her mind. She smiles warmly and nods her head. He gently rubs his hand against her cheek. This time Glory does not back off. “Trust me, I will stop your enemies. It is the least I can do.”