having to pay me. Especially now that I don't even need the money. Why do you ask?"
Beth didn't answer right away.
"I'm sorry to ask but, if you wouldn't mind saying, how much does he pay you?" Beth inquired.
Tracy looked at Beth like she had two heads. Jennifer's expression was one of surprise, as well, but she shrugged and replied.
"Twenty thousand a month," she said. "I was also granted shares in his company. Not many, but I figured it was only fair since I helped him build it. And every time he begs me to sell them back to him I laugh to myself, knowing that it kills him to have to answer to me on any level, even if it is only in financial terms."
"I had no idea that you received that kind of settlement," Tracy said in surprise. "The tabloids made it seem as if you were short-changed in the divorce!"
"Believe me, I was. What Stephon pays me is mere pennies compared to what he is worth," Jennifer explained. "His company alone is worth over thirty billion, and that doesn't even include his other interests; the ones that he hid from the courts during our divorce. But it's enough for me. As long as writing that check every month reminds him of how badly he treated me."
"Piece of trash," Tracy added.
Beth mulled over what Jennifer had said. Stephon was paying her a hefty amount, year after year, with no idea as to how long it would continue. He was on the hook for as long as she remained single. And that could, potentially, be forever. That had to be a thorn in his craw. But would he resort to murder to keep his money?
Beth didn't know Stephon well enough to speculate. But she couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer if there was even a chance that he was involved in what had been going on. And the more she thought about it, the greater that chance seemed to be.
"Why do you ask, Beth?" Grey questioned.
"I was wondering if Stephon could be capable of harming Jen," Beth answered truthfully.
"Stephon may not like having to pay me but he wouldn't hurt me," Jennifer said.
"Are you sure?" Beth asked. " Absolutely sure?"
"Yes. I'm absolutely sure that Stephon wouldn't hurt me," Jennifer confirmed. "We argued when we were married, in fact we fought like cats and dogs, but Stephon was never physical with me. There was never even a threat of violence. That's not his style. He's much too sophisticated, too much the urban socialite, to be a wife-beater," Jennifer said dryly.
"You're not his wife, anymore," Beth said under her breath.
"What are you getting at, Beth?" Grey asked, well aware that this was not simply curiosity.
"Yeah," Tracy added, "spit it out."
Beth caught her breath and tried to get the words to come out of her mouth.
"Now, Beth," Grey insisted.
"What's going on?" London asked, his concern growing.
Beth could feel everyone's eyes on her. Gathering her courage, she sighed resignedly and told them about the man under the banana tree.
"And you thought it best not to tell anyone?" Grey snapped.
"I was going to," Beth retorted.
"When?" Grey bit out sharply.
Beth was stunned. Grey had never been this upset with her and she didn't like it at all. Actually, she couldn't recall a time when he'd ever been upset with her at all.
"I'm sorry," Beth said quietly. "I didn't want to make any wild accusations. I wasn't even sure that it was Stephon. After all, I've never even met him in person."
Grey was ticked that Beth had not spoken earlier. But he understood. She had been so used to dealing with things on her own that sometimes she'd forget that she had a husband that she could turn to.
He could feel his initial anger ebbing and the look of remorse on Beth's face softened his heart. But he knew London felt different. Grey could sense his fury.
"I understand, Beth," Grey said gently.
"So do I," Jennifer said kindly, placing a hand on Beth's knee. "And, honestly, I don't think
Beth didn't answer right away.
"I'm sorry to ask but, if you wouldn't mind saying, how much does he pay you?" Beth inquired.
Tracy looked at Beth like she had two heads. Jennifer's expression was one of surprise, as well, but she shrugged and replied.
"Twenty thousand a month," she said. "I was also granted shares in his company. Not many, but I figured it was only fair since I helped him build it. And every time he begs me to sell them back to him I laugh to myself, knowing that it kills him to have to answer to me on any level, even if it is only in financial terms."
"I had no idea that you received that kind of settlement," Tracy said in surprise. "The tabloids made it seem as if you were short-changed in the divorce!"
"Believe me, I was. What Stephon pays me is mere pennies compared to what he is worth," Jennifer explained. "His company alone is worth over thirty billion, and that doesn't even include his other interests; the ones that he hid from the courts during our divorce. But it's enough for me. As long as writing that check every month reminds him of how badly he treated me."
"Piece of trash," Tracy added.
Beth mulled over what Jennifer had said. Stephon was paying her a hefty amount, year after year, with no idea as to how long it would continue. He was on the hook for as long as she remained single. And that could, potentially, be forever. That had to be a thorn in his craw. But would he resort to murder to keep his money?
Beth didn't know Stephon well enough to speculate. But she couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer if there was even a chance that he was involved in what had been going on. And the more she thought about it, the greater that chance seemed to be.
"Why do you ask, Beth?" Grey questioned.
"I was wondering if Stephon could be capable of harming Jen," Beth answered truthfully.
"Stephon may not like having to pay me but he wouldn't hurt me," Jennifer said.
"Are you sure?" Beth asked. " Absolutely sure?"
"Yes. I'm absolutely sure that Stephon wouldn't hurt me," Jennifer confirmed. "We argued when we were married, in fact we fought like cats and dogs, but Stephon was never physical with me. There was never even a threat of violence. That's not his style. He's much too sophisticated, too much the urban socialite, to be a wife-beater," Jennifer said dryly.
"You're not his wife, anymore," Beth said under her breath.
"What are you getting at, Beth?" Grey asked, well aware that this was not simply curiosity.
"Yeah," Tracy added, "spit it out."
Beth caught her breath and tried to get the words to come out of her mouth.
"Now, Beth," Grey insisted.
"What's going on?" London asked, his concern growing.
Beth could feel everyone's eyes on her. Gathering her courage, she sighed resignedly and told them about the man under the banana tree.
"And you thought it best not to tell anyone?" Grey snapped.
"I was going to," Beth retorted.
"When?" Grey bit out sharply.
Beth was stunned. Grey had never been this upset with her and she didn't like it at all. Actually, she couldn't recall a time when he'd ever been upset with her at all.
"I'm sorry," Beth said quietly. "I didn't want to make any wild accusations. I wasn't even sure that it was Stephon. After all, I've never even met him in person."
Grey was ticked that Beth had not spoken earlier. But he understood. She had been so used to dealing with things on her own that sometimes she'd forget that she had a husband that she could turn to.
He could feel his initial anger ebbing and the look of remorse on Beth's face softened his heart. But he knew London felt different. Grey could sense his fury.
"I understand, Beth," Grey said gently.
"So do I," Jennifer said kindly, placing a hand on Beth's knee. "And, honestly, I don't think
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