“I want the truth, Alexandra,” Stefano said, his voice low and demanding. Lexie looked away. “Father, please, I’ve already told you—“
“You are my daughter. I trust you with my very soul.
You cannot look me in the eye and lie to me. How long does Vivian have left? I have to know exactly how much time she has. ”
Vivian’s condition was a lie—a carefully crafted ruse to make Stefano pay for what he had done.
Nicholas knew it. Lexie knew it. And Vivian, pale and fragile in her bed, was determined to play her part to the bitter end. “Nicky, don’t look so glum,” Vivian said.
“Everything’s going our way. ”
“This ruse that you’re dying—this has got to stop, Aunt Viv. ”
“It will. I have a perfect way out of this.
”
“It’s everything but perfect. ”
“But the point is it’ll work. You just have to follow through on your assignment. Nicky, please.
Don’t let me down. ”
Nicholas sighed heavily and nodded. “All right. I’ll do it.
”
—
Carrie and Austin sat across from the marriage counselor in silence. “Please, have a seat,” Pat said gently. “I’d like each of you to describe what you feel the problem is—what happened—and why it’s brought you here. Try to be as open as possible.
Austin? ”
Austin’s jaw tightened. “For a while, I wasn’t sure Carrie and I had a marriage to save. ”
“I was unfaithful,” Carrie admitted, her voice trembling.
“And Austin found out about it in a very painful and humiliating way. ”
“I found Carrie in bed with her boss,” Austin said, unable to hide the bitterness. “I should have seen it coming. But at the time, I was helping a friend.
I just never imagined she would betray me. ”
“Austin, I thought you had given up on our marriage,” Carrie said, a tear slipping down her cheek. “I thought you had deserted me. ”
“Sami needed me.
”
“I needed you too, and you weren’t there for me. ”
“I was coming back. You knew that. You just didn’t want to wait.
You were waiting for an excuse to go be with your lover. ”
“He never imagined I would betray him,” Carrie said, turning to Pat. “He trusted me completely. That’s why this is all my fault.
”
“Please, while you’re here, there is no moralizing, no judging, no blame,” Pat said. “You are both hurting. Adultery does not occur in a vacuum. Austin, you must look at your place in this.
You must share the responsibility. ”
Austin shook his head. “Nothing’s really changed. Because she still doesn’t want to give up on Mike.
”
—
Mike Horton walked into the hospital lobby, still reeling from everything being said about him on national television. Ali McIntyre had delivered her performance perfectly—tearful, righteous, absolutely convincing. A crowd of staff members watched the TV in the break room. “Turn that up,” someone said.
Nancy smiled grimly. “And it’s about to get tougher. ”
On the screen, Ali’s voice carried through the hospital. “The man I was deeply, passionately in love with not only promised me the head nurse job, but he led me on.
He made me fall in love with him. He was using me to get his kicks. I was just another of his many conquests. He uses women and then tosses them aside.
A man like Mike Horton should not be in a position of power. ”
Craig let out a low whistle. “She just hit a grand slam. ”
Mike’s attorney, Mickey, paced the room.
“Mike, the Supreme Court has ruled that in cases of sexual harassment, the defense is prohibited from using the accuser’s sexual history against her. ”
“What about my sexual history? ” Mike pressed. “That means Ali’s barred from exposing my affair with Carrie, right?
”
“Afraid not. You and Carrie are fair game. ”
“Mickey, if my affair with Carrie comes out in court—if the media picks it up and runs with it, which they will—she’s going to be dragged through complete hell. And she’s going through enough already with this divorce from Austin.
”
“I know. It’s a very painful time for her. ”
“I’m not going to add to that pain. The faster we wind this thing up, the better.
”
“There is one way to speed up the process,” Mickey said carefully. “You’d have to agree to a very key concession. ”
“And what would that be? ”
—
Marilyn crossed her name off the surgery schedule, avoiding Mike’s eyes.
“Why haven’t I received notice of the surgical staff meeting? ” Mike asked Dr. Brook. “Well, actually, it was… we held the meeting without you.
We know you’re tied up with your lawyer all day, and under the circumstances, we felt it would be divisive. I’m sorry. ”
Mike stared at him. “Aside from the fact that half the staff is treating me like a pariah, I’m just swell.
”
Craig clapped him on the shoulder. “Look, buddy, this lawsuit’s been tough on all of us. ”
“Yeah. And it’s about to get tougher.
”
—
Ali sauntered into the meeting room with Gregory and her mother, Claire, in tow. “Oh, the P. R. princess isn’t here?
” Ali said, spotting Mike. “Didn’t think you went anywhere these days without Carrie. ”
“She won’t be here. This is strictly for clients and attorneys.
”
“Too bad. But then again, it really makes no difference. Carrie’s still going to get what’s coming to her. And so will you, Dr.
Horton. ”
“She’s nuts, Mickey,” Mike whispered. “I don’t understand how anybody can believe a word that comes out of her mouth. ”
“Mike, you have no control over that.
What you need to do is get control of yourself right now for this meeting, because it is critical. ”
Fran Hertz, the hospital’s attorney, stood at the head of the table. “If we’re all settled, I’ll get right to the point. The mission of University Hospital is to save lives.
In order to further that mission, we cannot have our chief of staff embroiled in a nationwide scandal. Therefore, the board has decided to settle this entirely before it goes to court. ”
“No,” Ali said flatly. “Absolutely not.
”
“The board is willing to bring in an arbitrator to find a fair and binding resolution,” Fran continued. “There will be no unnecessary publicity. Hopefully, with a little give and take on both sides, we’ll be able to reach a settlement we can all live with. ”
“I refuse,” Ali said, her voice rising.
“I’m not making any concessions to anyone. I want justice. ”
Gregory leaned in. “Arbitration pretty much guarantees a settlement, Ali.
A jury, on the other hand, could rule against you—and you could end up with nothing. ”
Claire nodded. “The hospital is determined to end this case. They’ll pay you a great deal of money to settle.
It’ll be a big win for us. ”
“Can we still question the witnesses? ” Ali asked. “Yes, definitely.
”
“So we can expose Carrie for the lying bitch she is. ”
“We’ll make our case here the same way we would in court. Trust me. By the time I’m finished, no one will be left standing on the other side.
”
Ali’s eyes narrowed. “Okay. We’ll do it. ”
Gregory turned to the room.
“Ladies and gentlemen, my client has agreed to arbitration. ”
Nancy and Craig lingered outside the conference room, exchanging glances as the door opened. “Well, now that the situation’s been labeled a crisis, the hospital wants a quick resolution,” Craig said with barely concealed satisfaction. “They must have taken your warnings to heart.
”
“What a tragedy for Mike. ”
“The poor guy might end up in an unemployment line. ”
“I’ll tell you,” Craig said, shaking his head, “it’s just too bad. Poor Mike is having such a difficult time upholding the Horton legacy.
”
—
Vivian was feeling better. Much better. She had color in her cheeks now—though Stefano attributed it to joy. “We cannot stave off the inevitable just for a few moments,” she sighed, letting a tremor shake her voice.
“Well, do you want me to go get Alexandra? ”
“No, no. I’m fine for now. I’m all right.
”
Stefano pressed his hand over hers. “Vivian, listen to me. You know that I will be here right to the end. I promise you that.
”
“I look forward to the end,” she said softly, then added, “The Bible says, as you sow, so shall you reap. ”
Behind Stefano’s back, Nicholas slipped into the office of Dr. Wu, a biochemist who had once helped Vivian implant a miniature receiver in her tooth—a device connected directly to her central nervous system. “I still have it,” Dr.
Wu said, unlocking a drawer. “It is truly an instrument of evil. What are you planning to do? ”
“My aunt has a big surprise planned for one Stefano DiMera.
”
Dr. Wu slid the device across the desk. “Your aunt suffered the tortures of the damned. ”
“Yeah,” Nicholas said, pocketing it.
“And we intend to see the man responsible suffer in the same way. ”
—
Ali’s deposition approached. She stood outside the conference room, glowing with anticipation. “Ready to testify, blondie?
” she said as Carrie walked past. “You’re in for it. Once my lawyer gets a hold of you, you’ll lose your husband. You’ll lose Mike.
Big-time loser, Carrie Reed. Loser, loser. ”
Carrie didn’t answer. She kept walking, her face pale.
Mike grabbed Mickey’s arm. “That’s good, right? I mean, this thing could be over soon, now that Ali’s agreed to arbitration. ”
“It may be,” Mickey said.
“But please, Mike, promise me until the case is really over—“
“No, I know what you’re going to say, and I’m not going to do it,” Mike interrupted. “I love Carrie too much to let her go through this alone. ”
“Mike, you and Carrie are fair game. Ali’s lawyer is going to drag your affair—“
“Then let him.
I won’t abandon her. Not now. ”
Mickey sighed. “Mike, the board meeting is in an hour.
Everything depends on what happens in that room. ”
“Then let’s go. ”
As they walked toward the conference room, Mike stopped. Ali was standing in the hallway, blocking the corridor.
“Mike, hello. On your way to the meeting? ”
“Saw you on TV. Nice performance.
Doing a hell of a job of tearing the staff apart. ”
“No, Doctor, you’re the one who’s doing that. You and your little slut, Carrie. She couldn’t face me, could she?
”
“She has nothing to face you about. ”
“Then why isn’t she here? ” Ali smiled, slow and cruel. “Oh, I see.
She doesn’t want the world to know what she’s done. That’s fine. I’ll say it in front of the arbitrator. I’ll say it in front of everyone.
By the time this is over—“
Someone called his name from down the hall. Mickey held out his phone. “It’s the board. They want to see you first.
”
Mike looked from Mickey to Ali, then back again. “I’ll handle this,” he said. But as he turned away, Ali’s voice followed him, soft and mocking. “No, Dr.
Horton. You won’t. ”
