If I Could

{56} - More Of That Jazz

One week later

Here she was, standing in front of Garden Lodge's door. Why was Belle Bulsara standing in front of Garden Lodge's door? It was because she needed a place to stay after one week of intense arguments with Rami. Of course Freddie agreed to it easily. He was all too happy to have his daughter and granddaughter there and he said so throughout their phone call.

"Hello there, roommate," Freddie smiled at Belle, then looked down at Alice, whose bright grey eyes were shining under a dim ray of sunshine. "Oh, sorry, it's not roommate. It's roommates."

"Hi, Dad," Belle smiled as she entered the house. "Thank you so much for letting me move in with you again."

"Darling, don't be ridiculous. You know I'd never deny you anything. What's mine is yours," Freddie smiled. He knew Belle was sad, but he didn't realise just how much until he saw his daughter's brown eyes filled with so much sorrow.

"Thanks, Dad. Same goes to you," Belle let out a weak smile.

"And who knows, maybe we can tell Roger to come over so he can cook French toast for us."

Belle laughed. "Wouldn't that be amazing?".

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Some people leave Rami's house and some other people arrive there.

"Good afternoon," Mary formally greeted the butler. "I'm here to see my daughter."

"I'm aware of that, ma'am," the butler replied. "But your daughther just left this house, for good, it seems. She took all of her possessions with her."

"What?", she frowned. She thought of asking the butler about what was going on but she assumed he would not know. "Well, thank you. Have a nice day," Mary shrugged, taking a step towards the exit.

"Mary," Rami called his mother-in-law's name as he locked his car. He had just arrived. "What's going on? You look distressed".

"Why did Belle leave?", she asked with worry.

Rami chuckled nervously. "I have to get back to my office in a few minutes so I'll be straightforward. According to her, she doesn't want to see me anymore. She's angry because I called her out on her trip to Austria. But I had no choice, Mary. She was with Roger Taylor. Can you believe that? That was deeply insulting!".

"She was with Roger Taylor?", Mary exclaimed with horror as her face blanched, bringing her hands up to her face. "That's disgusting. I'm very sorry Rami, I'm ashamed by my daughter's behaviour."

"Your daughter and your ex-husband are out of their mind. They have taken complicity to the next level."

"You have my full support," Mary assured, placing her hand over Rami's shoulder. "I'll see what I can do about this very wretched situation".

"Thank you, Mary. Glad to speak to someone who has common sense."

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Mary Austin was in Garden Lodge, appearing literally out of nowhere as Freddie and Belle watched two of his cats, Delilah and Tiffany, play in the garden.

"Who the hell let you in?", Freddie questioned, confused as Hell.

"Maybe I have formed some connections inside your staff," Mary said mockingly, showing him some keys. "Or maybe not. Never forget that I've got the keys to this house, Farrokh."

"Well, consider yourself lucky, because if someone had asked me for my permission to let you inside this house, my answer would have been no."

"I just want to ask some questions," Mary fiercely stated as she briefly looked at Belle, who seemed to be extremely nervous. "What is wrong with you two?", she raised her voice. "Belle, you were with Roger Taylor in Austria, as your father helped you cover it up. You're a married woman with a newborn daughter, for God's sake, Belle!", Mary gritted her teeth with extreme anger. "What a lovely team you two make, complicity at its worst."

"I'm not going to let you speak to my daughter like that, Mary!", Freddie exclaimed as he positioned himself right in front of Belle as a way to shield her. "You speak and blabber as if you knew about what you were talking about. We didn't know Roger would be there. And I know you don't care about this, but Rami has deliberately cheated on Belle for countless times and yet she forgave that when she really shouldn't have. Rami doesn't deserve someone as lovely and kind as Belle. She and Alice will be living here for as long as my daughter wants, and there's nothing you can do about it. Seriously, just cut it, Mary. We know you don't want her to leave Rami, you're always saying that, we know it, everything you say is just more of that jazz."

"If Alice ever feels the slightest amount of pain because of her parents' divorce, that will be your fault," Mary hissed, pointing her finger at Freddie before she pulled him aside so she could see Belle. "Belle.. it's a shame to see what Roger Taylor has turned you into."

"Roger Taylor didn't do anything, Mom. Neither did my Dad. If you want to blame anyone, blame it on me. But keep in mind that Rami cheated on me, even after his daughter's birth. He has no soul," Belle broke down in tears.

"I'm simply doing what you are not doing, which is putting Alice first."

"Enough already, Mary!" Freddie shouted as he grabbed her by the shoulders and scuttled her towards the exit. "You are putting your concern about what the public will say above your daughter's feelings. Get out of my house, now!".

"You're furious because you know I'm right!", Mary yelled with deep anger. "You're weak, Freddie, but I'm surprised to see that your emotional weakness has not interfered with your complicity with Belle."

"The most important thing I've learnt in my life is that if you believe in something, then it's wrong," Freddie blurted, but he still didn't regret his statement. "But maybe you're right about something."

"What is it?".

"My complicity with Belle. I'll always be her accomplice, Mary. That will never change, darling!", Freddie giggled and then shut the door.

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"I have information about Roger's girlfriend, Rami," Daisy said to Rami as they both rapidly walked to his office. "Turns out she works.. here."

Rami stopped walking and Daisy mirrored his action. "What?".

"Yes. She's a translator and interpreter. Her name is Jessica Maine."

"Hell, London is such a small city," Rami commented as he continued walking, followed by Daisy. "Well, call her department and tell them that I need to see her."

"Have you formulated your plan already?".

"Yes. We'll cause Taylor Enterprises' stock price to plummet."

"Are you being serious, Rami? That's extreme. Your own investment Taylor Enterprises will be affected."

"And? I will probably lose my money but that doesn't compare to the pain of losing an entire company. My main goal is to make Roger Taylor suffer."

But suddenly, a call to Jessica Maine wasn't needed anymore.

Jessica was firmly standing outside of Rami's office, her arms crossed over her chest.

"What are you doing here?", Rami asked Jessica.

"I came here to stop you from whatever you are planning on doing."