TRIPARTITE

CHAPTER ONE

Do I love animals?

No.

Do I hate animals?

No

Animals, people tend to adore those annoying lethal creatures rather than the greeny lives which wield photosynthesis and soil for their sustainity, or why don't they acquire an ample relationship with the aquatic creatures rather than growing something despicable as animals and making someone's life a living hell, particularly your neighbours.

Like I said I don't love animals nor do I hate animals, the line between hate and love is not even the slightest place for these ferocious beasts, still I never abhorred animals more than today. Waking up twenty minutes before my alarm to a black ball of fur trying to get its skinny canines on your one and only baby fish is not what I wanted on a Friday morning with the hefty hangover from last night. And to add a pretty cheery on top I had my first meeting with my ex and his wife.

Fan-fucking-tasting

The banging inside my head only deepened ten times when I saw those horrid yellow roses sitting on my desk with a nine-month pregnant woman and her husband, Who also happened to be my ex. The black coffee orion got me as soon as I sat my ass down on my seat was the only reason I am now sitting in front of my ex-boyfriend and his wife without toting my brains out.

Ex's are supposed to be a pain in the ass, someone whom you should hate at least pretends to hate when he had a pretty amazing life with a wonderful and better life partner than you, but sitting here in front of the couple I couldn't impel an ounce of hatred for both of them neither could I even pinpoint a single flaw or slip up of their relationship. They both were couple goals.

Perfection.

Except for the part where my ex-boyfriend being the goody two shoes he was and luring all the trouble of the world like a moth, they were the best, the type of love that would make you want to spill out your non-existent breakfast and run for the highest hill possibly found.

Jenny McCarthy was a petite woman with brunette curls which coalesced with her perfectly tanned skin and radiant blue eyes, curves at all the right places. The woman was the epitome of beauty even when she had a nine-month-old baby lodging inside her.

It was not jealousy that ignited in me when I first saw her arguing in the reception demanding to meet me with her tear-stained face holding her belly as she cursed and glared at the receptionist for denning her demands, the whole floor stared at the bat shit crazy woman who did not gave two flying fucks about what people thought of her at the moment. I could never forget how her tear-strained face sighed in relief when her swollen eyes found me standing in front of her, she hauled herself into my arms and sobbed until she could choke out some words. Samuel McCarthy had fucked up big time, being the god-sent angel he was he got framed for his goody-two-shoes self and got himself behind the bars.

" if not for you I don't know what I would have done Leah, I don't even know where to go, no one would have cared enough to help, I have no idea how to thank you "Tears dampened the corner of her eyes, Sam's fingers on her hand tightened as he soothed her shoulder, alleviating her sobs. Not knowing how to react to a pregnancy high woman I passed her the tissue box.

"It's okay Jenny, I owe him a lot, I am glad I could help "Her blue eyes crinkled as she gave me one of her pretty smiles, it must have been my panicked expression or my hands fiddling with the paperweight, the brunette chuckled at my perturbation.

"Don't worry Leah I am not going to pop him out now, chill!" Sam gave his wife a displeased scowl which she brilliantly ignored as she grinned at me, I couldn't help the horrified expression as I stared at her with jaws open, my eyes fell on her belly and then her grinning face as I gulped hard.

Pregnancy woman scared me. A lot.

"don't say shit like that Jen, you are scaring her " Sam scolded his wife as he rubbed her bulging belly smoothly more like asking the baby inside her not to pop his head out right now.

"Oops!" Jenny giggled as she wiped away her tears with her hanky. I did not find any amusement in that, I know pregnancy was no walk in the park but the hormonal woman with a high bipolar tendency did scare me shitless. My eyes followed back towards her belly and then her grinning face, gulping the knot forming inside me my eyes found hers.

"it's a Him?" Jenny gave me another one of her toothy grins, her straight brunette hair bouncing up and down as she nodded at me.

"again thanks for the help Leah, you don't owe me shit okay? I don't regret a thing and you don't have to too " he knew, he know how much talks like this triggered me, how my fucked up life held me captive, bless him for that but Sam's reassurance only swept more and more guilt into my core, nevertheless I gave him an appreciating nod.

He was always this sweet and reassuring, a perfect husband material, even when my depression yanked me into a pit of self-loathing, ushering me to the brink of self-harming, he stayed and made sure I had my meds and meals on time. He had loved me. a woman who had mental issues, a woman who gave up on her life.

But Samuel McCarthy did not.

He took me to therapies, stood with me in front of the mirror of my sanity, held me close as he whispered thousands of reasons for my life, and assured me of my validity again and again.

Breaking up with him broke both of us, but it was needed, he did not deserve the baggage that came with me, he did not deserve to wake up in the middle of the night to my screams of horrors, and neither did he have to suffer seeing me going crazy each day, but if not for his help I would still be lurking in those dark pits struggling with drugs and alcohol, if not for him I would have given up on my studies, something I am really ashamed off, I owed my mom this and a lot. He was the reason I completed my law school without a drop of drugs or alcohol in my system.

I owed this man a lot.

The knock from the outside dragged my thoughts away, knowing who that was I rolled my eyes towards my watch before mumbling out a 'come in'.

A blond mop of curls poked inside the room as he gave the couple a smile which was supposed to be apologetic before stuttering inside my office.

"BOD's is here, the meeting will start any time soon," Tobias said as he so subtly gave Sam his stink eye, rolling my eyes at him I turned towards the couple offering them an apologetic smile.

"We were just leaving, thank you Leah for everything " Sam said as he stood up holding his hand forward as his other hand curled around his wife's midsection.

"See you soon sam, hope I could visit when the baby is out "

"Only if you come bearing gifts " Jenny grinned at me earning a chuckle from both me and her husband.

"of course"

Saying their goodbyes and Jenny giving me a bone-crushing hug she could manage with her belly coming in between the couple left. Plopping my ass down on the chair I shot a menacing glare at the idiot who sat on the couch with his one arm spread on the backrest and his legs on my coffee table while slurping on my coffee.

"Pretty flowers you got there Leah, it might be the reason for your sunshine mood" the idiot grinned as he continued slurping on the coffee earning him an eye-roll from me.

"That was not nice at all Tobi, the meeting doesn't start for another half an hour, you didn't have to be a dick just because he is my ex, you have no right to judge him when he didn't even do anything and please! you don't even know half of the story "Tobi being the jerk he was he just shrugged at me in indifference. This was not the first battle I have lost with him on the same topic and I will be a fool to think this is the last.

"Actually the meeting doesn't start for another hour, Arlo postponed, the BODs are getting crazy and Orion is kissing their asses as we speak "

"Arlo did? Why the fuck am I just knowing this now" The blond shrugged again throwing the paper cup inside the dustbin with a perfect shot.

"You were having your little tea party with your ex and wife, Orion said not to disturb "My glare did nothing to the smug-looking jerk in front of me, at least Orion had the decency to say that, he was the most mature of both of them even when Tobi is the married man who is going to have a baby soon and still he himself is a baby sometimes.

"Why would Arlo do that, he is pretty obsessed with this handover, Mr Monroe is not half as devoted as him, heck even the younger Monroe's would not be this eager. "

That was true even when both of the Monroe sons were fighting for the firm, they just considered this as another one of their arenas for another competition to win and the prize may hold no purpose for both the brothers but they won't back away not when one of either one still have the chance to win the firm.

"Isn't it obvious, the Monroe princes must have bribed him, that fucker would do shit for some banknotes "Twirling the pen on the countertop I nodded in agreement, Arlo Alistair, another one of a human existence who hates my guts, the senior partner of the Monroe firm and my official Lucifer who had tried to slab apart my carrier more times than I can count on my fingers, he never wanted me here that much he had made clear from the day one.

I could care less if he and his little buffoons wanted me out, but it doesn't mean they could get Leah Rivers out, I fought tooth and nail, day and night, he cared less at first but my feats were a growing pimple in his nose and he tried to pop it, sucks for him, I am still here, next to his office trying my best to kick him out and secure the seat for me.

"it's Xavier" Stilling the pen in my hand I frowned at him, Tobias swiftly typed away in his phone, a deep frown marring his forehead.

"what is Xavier?" Mumbling some curses under his breath the blonde pocketed his phone and got up bending down to tie his shoe.

" the young Monroe was the late one, Orion just texted. Evander is already waiting upstairs. someone's eager to make an impression," Evander Monroe, the eldest son of the Monroe family, it was not a shock that Evander wanted to make a good impression, the man was a perfectionist who won everything he wanted, except sometimes when he fought with his younger brother. strengthening out my suit jacket and grabbing my phone I followed behind Tobias outside my office.

"did you know that Kyle was suspecting about me cheating on her," Tobias asked out of nowhere as he pressed the lift button. I had to bite my lips to control the snort that threatened out of my mouth at the glaring man kid in front of me, did he really not know he was the cutest when he did that?

"don't you dare laugh at me, Leah. did you or did you not know my wife was doubling my fidelity?" Tobi was fuming at this point, as soon as the elevator opened he swiftly walked inside with smoke coming out of his ears, it was really a site to see but the latter always had it bad for this woman and he never forgets to show it off but the perks of being an ex man-whore and having a pregnant wife is not really a good mix for anyone's sanity.

"it's not my fault that she thinks you still have hots for older women, you indeed slept with loads of them and if anything you should thank me for convincing her that you are not fuckking Mrs Andrew " I shrugged leaning back at the elevator Wall, Tobias frowned in confusion at the mention of his 57-year-old client. As the look of realization passed his face, it morphed into chaste disgust.

" Mrs Anderw? out of all women out there Mrs Andrew? For fucks sake I am not- you know what? it doesn't matter, I will handle it when I am home, if she is insecure she should talk to me, I love that woman too much to even think about another woman yet an older one. "and I did not doubt him a bit, Tobias sighed running his hands through his already messed up hair. If anything he was obsessed with his wife even when she looked like she had swallowed a huge watermelon. I had repeated the exact same words as him when I had met her last week for lunch, she was pretty much pissed at me for assigning him on that case but it's Kyle we are talking about, she doesn't get angry unless her pregnancy hormones messed up her sanity and there is nothing that food can't make up with kyle.

Taking a step towards him I caught his hands in mine which has turned a bit cold from the elevator holder " It's her hormones, Tobi, that woman loves you to death don't even doubt that for a moment, she thinks being pregnant made her unappealing and you don't want her anymore, it's kyle we are talking about, her insecurities are getting into her head, talk to her she needs it as much as you needs it" pulling him in for a hug I grinned when he grunted in discomfort.

"wait till I tell Orion you cheated on Kyle with Mrs Andrew, he is gonna cut your limps apart" At my threat Tobi narrowed his eyes at me as I got out of the elevator with Tobi on my heels, Orion loved Kyle as if she was his own sister and her tears could do wonders when used wisely against him.

"yeah? why don't you also tell him I had a threesome with her ex-husband before their divorce "

"What threesome?"Tobias shot me another one of his glares before he turned towards Orion who was walking out of the room next to us with an open file in his hands.

" I was telling Leah I am a married man and to stop asking me to do something so low, you know I would never cheat on my wife right?" Tobi batted his eyelashes feigning innocents, Orion knowing both of us rolled his eyes as he walked past both of us towards the waiting room.

"so what's happening ?" Tobi asked walking up to Orion.

"Evander and Xavier are here, I think Arlo is with Xavier, he was desperate to delay this meeting till he arrived and that was just a few minutes ago," Orion said shuffling through the files in his hands and handing some to Tobi.

"Isn't he the adopted son, what are the odds that the BODs would twitch a finger for him?" Tobi asked as he pointed towards the waiting room.

"so? Is there a rule stating that he cannot have equal possibilities as his brother just because he is adopted, Tobi ?" Tobi could be an ass sometime, but being insensitive to such a topic was even a new low for him.

"you know I did not mean that Leah, I really don't think those assholes inside that room would spare him another glance not when he does not have the same blood as his brothers " Tobi glared at me earning an eye roll from me.

"if his father wants him to fight for this position he should and Evander did not speak up about him being adopted when they were sighing the contract, if those assholes have a problem with it they can all go to hell for all I care, my vote will not be having 'adopted ' as a filter " Xavier have achieved more in his young age, adopted is just in others point of view, their mother has treated them as equal till her last breath, she have always loved both of them as her own. Maybe being adopted did put a lot of pressure on Xavier's shoulders as he would have found the need to prove himself to these kinds of jerks, growing up The Monroes were a perfect family for the public even though all of the drunk fights and feuds between the brothers were swept off from media eyes.

"Why has the meeting not started yet?" turning towards me Orion nodded towards the waiting room. " Evander and Xavier are waiting inside there and the BODs are inside the board room pretty much bitching about everything and nothing, Arlo is inside Mr Monroe's office convincing him about god knows what" As if on cue the door to Mr Monroe's office opened causing the three of our head to snap towards the direction. Mr Monroe walked out with Arlo on his heels, seeing the three of us standing there Arlo slowed down and swallowed whatever bullshit he was gonna feed Mr Monroe.

"Miss. Rivers, glad we could meet here, would you mind doing me a favour please ?" Mr. Monroe asked nodding at me, the man even in his late fifties was still a piece of work, it might be the genes, he still managed to dampen several panties with that heavy voice and boss Vibes but only if he wasn't the biggest asshole he was I would have appreciated all the above qualities.

Nodding at Mr. Monroe I took a step towards him "Morning Mr. Monroe, how can I help you?" Tobias snickered behind me earning him a stomp on his foot from me.

Asshole!

"Will you make sure tha-" he was cut off by the loud banging from the waiting room, it was soon followed by another one causing to everyone run towards the room in utter panic, Mr Monroe following behind Arlo as some colour full words flew out of his mouth.

Orion and Tobi entered the room first opening the door completely, I had to cover my mouth as soon as the gasp left my throat, everyone froze for a second seeing Evander straddling his younger brother's chest as he punched him square in the face before Evander could land another blow Xavier had him pinned beneath him down locking both this hands above his head and threw a punch square on his already bleeding jaw. Yellings and shouts followed as Orion and Arlo parted the pairs away from each other, I stood still gaping at the scene as Tobi looked entertained with no interest to help Orion or Arlo.

"Jesus Christ" Mr. Monroe cursed as he slammed the door with a bang silencing the whole room. Evander pushed off Orion and turned away from the whole scene mumbling curses as he tried to feel his broken and bloodied nose.

"hey there Dad" Xavier muttered as he too shrugged off Arlo with a glare, rubbing his blooded jaw as he somewhat tried to smile at his dad who looked like he was ready to bury both of his children right there right now.