She Gambled

"I promise Grandfather. We'll take care of mum."

With that they said their goodbyes and a very emotional Jake, with Gemma, in tow left for home.

At Jake's apartment it took a while to process this sad news for both Jake and Gemma. After a while, with a deep sigh Jake said, "I'm going to miss the old man. He was like a father to me, much more so than my father ever was. He only had eyes for Rufus."

The only answer Gemma could give was a hug and a kiss, saying, "I know."

Two weeks later.

Jake had just finished negotiations with a contractor to finish his, now their house in the woods. When the sad news came.

He wanted to have the house done sooner rather than later and Nathan recommended this one as fast, quality driven and reliable. After the decision to stay together Jake had redesigned the house and enlarged it considerably. Now it would become a house with five bedrooms, two living rooms with all that came with it. The house would be heated with deep geothermal heating and energy would come from a bank of solar panels and two wind turbines.

Jake sat in front of the house with the sad news in his hands when Gemma arrived. She tried to console him but only partly succeeded. Jake said he felt as if something was cut away from him.

The next day came the summons of the lawyer handling the estate to attend the reading of the will.

Jake went with Gemma and had steeled himself for what to come when he noticed that he was being followed by a black sedan. He quickly steered his car into a parking lot next to a mall and wanted to get out when the black car pulled over next to them. A woman got out and gestured to lower his window.

Jake did so with the motor running and his foot hovering over the accelerator until the woman showed her ID saying, "Sir, we're FBI and here to protect you until this business is over. When you arrive at the reading, please act as if you don't know we're here. All will be revealed at the reading as per Mr. VanDam's wishes.

Jake entered the conference room, leaving Gemma behind in the waiting room, finding his father, mother and Rufus Jr. already seated.

Rufus Jr sneered, "Look, the prodigal son comes to see if there is something for him to be found here. Well, I'll see to it that you get nothing, little rat."

The lawyer interrupted, "Sir, you behave, or I'll have you thrown out. Understood!"

Rufus wanted to say another thing but the lawyer, this time very forcefully, said again, "Sir, behave yourself. Next time you can sit outside the building waiting for your family. Now do you understand, and I demand a reply that you do."

Rufus muttered something and again the lawyer went in feet first. "I can't hear a word you say. Do you, or don't you understand that your next transgression on the house ethics will have you removed from the premises."

Randall veered up to interrupt but an upheld hand stopped him from doing so. He recognized a man not to be trifled with.

"Good, now with the shenanigans out of the way we can start the official part."

Jake suddenly was hit with an image. That of Gandalf, the wizard from The Lord of The Rings. The lawyer was such a person. Friendly and gentle, but with a combustible temper for people who tried to provoke him. Suddenly he became hard, unforgiving and swift with retribution.

He was pulled back to reality when he heard his name just in time to hear what was read aloud.

"That all my possessions as listed with this office are for my only son: Jakob Randall VanDam who from now on also will be my successor as chairman of the board of VanDam Aeronautical Industries."

What? What does Granddad mean with 'only' son? That's Dad, isn't it? What's going on? Jake thought bewildered.

Jake's mother sat serene in her chair, her lips curled slightly up with a little but content smile on her face while Randall and Rufus exploded.

"I'm his son and Rufus is my son. I'm going to tear you up, you fraud!" Randall roared at the lawyer.

The lawyer didn't even blink and pushed a button. Within seconds the door opened and four men appeared. They looked like they could tear the arms from a gorilla without breaking a sweat and took position next to the angry men. One growled to Randall, "You're not going to make me hurt you, will you mister?"

Randall deflated immediately but Rufus, not in possession of much self-restraint, tried to get at Jake shouting, "I'm going to kill you, motherfucker!"

The next moment he was sitting again. His face betrayed agony while he rubbed his thumb and wrist.

Now some modicum of calm was restored, the lawyer went on, "My dear friend Rufus predicted this little unsavory scene. That's why I asked these gentlemen to attend to keep the peace.

He looked at Randall and said, "Mr. VanDam has genetic evidence that you are not his son. He didn't divorce your mother without reasons. Ergo Rufus Jr isn't his grandson.

The lawyer waited a moment to let the message sink in and relentlessly pushed on, while still looking at Randall, "When he became aware how you treated your wife and that you, on company's cost leased an apartment and had yourself, again on the dime of the company, entertained by ladies from an escort service bureau, he made your wife an offer and she accepted it gladly.

He had your wife inseminated with his sperm and she became pregnant with Jakob Randall VanDam. We have notarized affidavits to that order and, again, genetic proof that the other son of Anna VanDam-Hansen and Rufus VanDam is Jakob Randall VanDam."

Randall looked like he was about to explode and indeed he did, "He lunged at his wife, "You slut. You cheated on me. You're going to pay for that. I'll sell you to a Russian whorehouse. I'll have you killed in the worst way!" He screamed.

The lawyer interrupted after gesturing to the two men to immobilize Randall. At the same time Rufus was doing a very good imitation of a goldfish on dry land.

The lawyer said to the men, "Please add this behavior and the threats to the file? And to Randall, "You will do no such thing. We have proof of embezzlement on a grand scale by you and your son. You stole from the company about six million dollars to provide for your depraved lifestyle, not including the amount of money you both stashed away on the Cayman Islands. You also sold security sensitive technology to rogue states and competitors. Therefore, some government agencies which are tasked with the security and safety of this country, the IRS and the FBI, are wanting to have an in-depth conversation with the both of you about that. Whether you like it or not, you both are going to help them with their investigations."

He looked at the four men, holding Randall and Rufus in their seats and said, "Will you please be so kind as to accompany these persons to the exit and hand them over to the authorities?"

Brooke was waiting outside. She saw Jake walk in with that woman Gemma. Gemma had been as good as her word, witnessing Jake's possessive arm around her.

Half an hour later her world collapsed when she saw Rufus and his father being walked out, had them read their rights and whisked away in separate cars.

What has happened here? Brooke thought. A few seconds later panic struck and she clamped onto one of the men accompanying the father and son out and handed them over to the Police.

"I can't say ma'am, all I can tell you is that they are going to help the authorities with their inquiries and that is going to take a long time." The man said.

One of them explained, "It seems that they are wanted for fraud, embezzlement, industrial espionage and passing sensitive technology to sanctioned countries. We won't see them again in the next twenty years, I presume."

"Who's going to run VanDam's Industries when they are not available?" Brooke asked while the hollow pit in her stomach deepened.

"The other man. The one who came in with that knocker at his arms.

Suddenly Brooke felt unreal. She didn't know what had happened inside the office, but Jake came out on top. The luxury life and the protection against Jake's lawsuit she was promised by Rufus had evaporated.

Feeling depressed she walked over to Rufus' car and found it unlocked with the key fob laying in the center control. In turmoil she drove home.

=====

Months later.

Brooke was at the end of her rope. Her very meager income wasn't nearly enough to provide for the necessities of her household let alone for the niceties and luxuries she was used to in her, what she called, former life.

She now had to find a plan to either increase her income or lower her expenses. The tuition of the children was especially a source of worries.

The only way out she could see was trying to get Jake to take care of the children and that meant that she had to seduce him out of the arms from that harlot again.

She stood naked in front of the mirror and failed to notice that her body showed the abuse she had given it. During her time with Rufus, she had been partying hard, drank a lot and sometimes when she had to 'service' him she took some substances to give her the stamina for the prolonged way she abused her body.

At Rufus' insistence she had undergone not a small amount of plastic surgery to tuck in her tummy she had after bearing two children, had her breasts firmed up and enlarged, had a facelift and her lips filled up.

The overall result was that she lost her natural look that had attracted Jake in the first place. Now she looked like that singer, Cher, but without the healthy glow. Brooke's skin was somewhat loose and artificial. Her breasts were like footballs without the natural jiggle that normally attracted so many men and her face, belly and legs were the wrong kind of smooth.

All this was overlooked by Brooke and she was confident that she would be able to replace that harlot Gemma without any problems.

====

Early in the morning.

Brooke sat in her car. She had it parked strategically so that she could see who would leave the house. If it was Jake, she would drive off and come back another time, if it was that harlot, she would wait a few minutes to ensure that there was little chance that Gemma would return and then she would go knocking on that door and reclaim her husband.

Suddenly she saw the blue Nissan Rogue appear and, in a flash, disappear around the corner.

She checked her makeup one more time, waited five minutes, stepped out of the car and walked over to the front door.

Brooke had heard that Jake designed and partly built the house himself. She forced herself to take a good look so she knew what to compliment on. She could always manipulate him into changing it into something more to her taste.

The house seemed to have grown out of the hill. It sat low on the top, the front facing the north. Its rather small face showed two large windows next to the door, the blinds closed

Brooke took a deep breath, pulled her shirt a bit down to enhance her cleavage, pulled the door knocker backwards and let go.

The knock reverberated through the house and Brooke waited. And waited.

Just when she wanted to turn around, the door opened silently and Jake showed himself.

He looked her over, his face expressionless, but saying nothing, he was definitely not inviting her in.

Brook squared her shoulders forcing her breasts to strain against the thin fabric of her blouse and finally said in a sultry voice, "Hello Jake, you are looking good, life is treating you well, I see."

"Brooke, Somehow I've been expecting to hear from you. What do you want?"

"I want us to talk. Aren't you inviting me in?"

Jake sighed, Let's get it over with, for once and for all. He thought. "Come on in then." He replied wearily.

He led her into his office. It was closest to the door and he didn't want Brooke to appraise the rest of the house. Jake had a good idea as to why she showed up.

He gestured to her to sit and took his chair at the other side of his desk and said, "Okay Brooke, talk. What do you want from me."?

"Aren't you going to show me the rest of the house?"

"No, why should I? Now, will you tell me why you are here?"

"Jake, don't you understand, we belong to each other, we have history and two children together. Now I need you to come back to me."

Jake looked at Brooke. His mind churning, What is happening here? Is she going bonkers?

Out loud he said, "We do have history, indeed. But my recollection of that history seems to differ a hell of a lot than yours. you must be out of your mind, thinking that you and I will ever be together again."

Jake's answer didn't seem to faze Brooke one bit. "I'll admit, I made a mistake but there are still the children to consider. I can't provide for them properly.

"They're not mine. I have compelling evidence that they are from my half-brother. So, why should I?"

"You raised them for the longest time and did a very good job at it. Rufus had never been able to properly take care of them."

Jake sighed and replied, "Don't you worry. I'll take care of them. Only because my mother, their grandmother asked me to. She begged me to take care of them so I made provisions for them in such a way that you can't get your greedy hands on the money. I'm definitely not willing to enhance your lifestyle."

Brooke became aggravated. This was not how she had envisioned this conversation. Jake had always been malleable to her needs and she conveniently had forgotten what had happened just before their divorce.

Now she ran into a wall. She wanted him to take care of her children and herself. She tried a different approach.

"Jake, she crooned, "I know I wronged you, but that was all to the influence of Rufus. Now he is out of the picture we can be very good for each other. Think about what I can do for you. I know tricks in bed that will blow your mind. Dump that frigid witch and come back to me. We can live the good life. The four of us, as the family we were."

Jake was silent for a few moments and Brooke thought she was winning the battle. She suggestively changed her posture, crossing her legs so that he could see her crotch and squared her shoulders, pushing her pumped breasts against the thin fabric of her blouse."

It had the opposite effect on the man in front of her.

"You're looking and acting like a prostitute. Our history makes me think that I should avoid you at all times. I'm not going to touch you, not even when wearing a hazard suit. As for your children: I arranged living quarters at St. Christopher's Crossing since Olivia will go to college there. Brian will live with his grandmother until he goes to college too. You will not be able to take proper care for him, nor provide proper housing, therefore I took care of that. You, however, will not receive a cent from me. In reality you have an outstanding debt to me."

Jake was silent for a minute and Brooke was absolutely stunned by his outburst.

Then he went on, "If you try to fight this, I will file a complaint for fraud and extortion, telling the authorities that the children weren't mine and that you ripped me off during the divorce because of that. Now get out. I've had enough."

When Jake fell silent, they both heard the door open.

Gemma peaked around the corner and Jake said, "Come on in, my visitor is about to leave."

A radiant Gemma with a very obvious baby bump entered. She almost strutted over to Jake and kissed him on his cheek. She whispered softly so that Brooke wasn't able to hear, "My suspicions were correct. There are two of them."

When Jake's smile got bigger and bigger Brooke couldn't contain herself anymore, "You are pregnant!" She cried out loud, seeing her plans for her and Jake going up in smoke.

Gemma and Jake looked at each other and Jake gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Gemma turned to Brooke and said, "Yes I'm pregnant. I'm giving Jake his own children. The children he deserved for such a long time. Now I heard that you were leaving? We need to make plans, redecorating the room for the children."

Suddenly the quarter fell by Brooke. "Children? You mean...?"

Gemma's face lit up. "Yes, I'm bearing twins. I'm three months pregnant. I became suspicious when my belly started to swell so soon. The first echo didn't show both fetuses because one was hiding behind the other. This echo showed two and their gender."

She kissed Jake hard on his lips and whispered, "Boys."

Brooke said, "You can't do that to me, throwing me to the curb, taking away my children, your niece and nephew."

Jake thought it time to drop all pretenses of civility and replied in a tone Brooke knew too well, but Gemma had to experience yet, "I don't know what Olivia and Brian are to me. You tell me and bear in mind that Randall wasn't the biological son of Rufus Sr. and I'm not the biological son of Randall, but from Rufus Sr. We share the same mother though."

Since Randall and Rufus Jr. were arrested, Brooke hadn't talked to them. Anna refused any rapprochement and wanted to have nothing to do with her.

It dawned on Brooke that she was well and truly isolated and left to her own. She had no decent work, lived in a sleazy apartment for which she had to sell her valuables, one at a time.

She let her head hang down and almost missed that Jake was talking again.

"If it was up to me, you can rot in hell. But my mother and Gemma are convinced that if I do that, you'll be a quivering diseased wreck of a human being. I don't mind that, but again they told me that you are still the mother of your children and they might feel obliged to take care of you and that would come at a cost I don't want them to pay. Therefore, I arranged a job for you. Simple physical work. It will pay for the rent and the basic cost of living."

Brooke had already applied for several jobs, only to be rejected first hand every time. To get a job she would have to look somewhere far away and she wouldn't be able to see her children at all.

Jake handed her a card with an address and a telephone number, while Gemma said, "This is your one and only chance to keep in contact with your children because it's the only job there is for you after the lawsuits are before the judge. If you don't take it, we will withdraw our hands from you. And we're not taking your children away. It's by their own choice that Olivia is going to live in St. Christopher's Crossing and Brian with Anna. They are well aware of what you did to what they thought was their father."

Now Gemma gestured to Brooke that it was time to leave.

In front of the door she said to Brooke, "In the end I win. I have Jake and I am going to have his babies. Your selfishness ruined Jake for you, you gambled on the wrong man for some perceived luxury. I have the better man and you have nothing.

Gemma gave Brooke a hard look and continued, "I warn you. If you try something with Jake, you'll find me in your way. If you try to manipulate your children and try to set them up against him or hurt Jake in whatever way I'm coming for you and I will not stop until you are completely destroyed. Do you understand?"

Brooke's mouth fell open by the unveiled threats and the raw animosity Gemma exuded.

"Answer me! Do you understand? You've hurt Jake enough and this will stop here and now. Do you understand what I am saying?" Brooke said very forcefully, almost shouting.

In a small voice Brooke replied, "Yes, I understand. No direct contact with Jake, only via you."

"Yes. And now get out."

The Brooke who stood so confident in front of the mirror a few hours ago, was no more. During the last 45 minutes her world had crashed.

Broken Brooke walked to her car.

Inside Gemma snuggled herself in Jake's lap. She sighed, "You're mine. It took me almost twenty years to get here, but we are together again. Despite Brooke and thanks to her stupidity."