Chapter 4

After a couple of minutes of complete silence, when all that could be heard in the house was the sound of their breathing, Maggie realized that Jackson was serious, and cold sweat beads formed on her forehead.

"You are serious…" she muttered, stood up, and started to walk in circles around the living room. "Do you even know how it came to this? How this happened?" she just realized she forgot to ask the most important question.

"Yes, I do. My lawyer and I did some research, and the data that my PI provided made all pieces fall into place." Jackson made a quick pause, it looked like he was contemplating with himself whether he should tell her the truth or not, and after a sigh, the first sign that showed he wasn't as calm and collected as he appeared to be, he asked "Do you know who Julia Hendricks was?"

"Was?" Maggie was confused "There was a girl in my high school with that name but I haven't seen her in years, she moved away before the graduation." she blinked a couple of times feeling the headache coming back. "No, wait, I saw her once on the campus before my mother got sick, but it was brief… oh, my God, that was right around the time when my purse was stolen… all my documents were in it at the time! Oh." Maggie felt all her blood drain from her face, and she felt like she was about to faint, so she stumbled towards the sofa and sat next to Jackson and leaned her head back as far as she could.

She remembered that Julia joined their high school as freshmen, and people started confusing the two of them since they were so much alike, they were equally tall, they both were blonds with long hair, and their facial features were quite similar. Only when they stood by each other, you could notice the difference and that they were in fact, not that much alike. Everything about Maggie was soft and kind, she had blue eyes and milky complexion, her brows and eyelashes were light in color too, her upper lip was just a little bit fuller than the lower one and a little asymmetrical too, while Julia had perfectly tanned skin, dark brown eyes, and absolutely symmetrical features. Their personalities were total opposites. Maggie was friendly and kind, ready to help with anything, honest and funny... while Julia was like fire in everything that she did. She was loud and easygoing, she could make trouble out of scratch, and she knew exactly where to find one when she wanted. It was a natural talent. But she was fun to be around. She started hanging out with Maggie and her friends after they bumped into each other in the hall and noticed that what everyone was talking about was actually true. They did look somewhat alike.

Julia moved away after a couple of years, she didn't even graduate with them. She didn't say goodbye, she just didn't show up for school one day, and she never returned their calls. Maggie forgot about her until one day, Julia showed up on campus a year later. She was exiting the dorms when Maggie noticed her by accident and called to her attention. They spoke for a while, and then Julia said she was in a hurry and left, and Maggie never saw her again.

A couple of days later, she realized that her wallet was stolen, and at the time, she thought it was just a mugging. Her ID and the driving license were in the wallet too. It looks like Julia got a passport in Maggie's name. Did she plan to leave the country under a false identity?

"Wait? So you married Julia? Where is she now? Why are you here? You should clear this up with her!" Maggie turned her head towards Jackson, who was still in the same position as before.

"I would. But she's dead," he answered coldly.

"Shit."

"Yes. Exactly. And that brings us back to you… so, what do you say to my proposal?"

"What if I refuse? What if I want nothing to do with what you have planned?" she questioned.

"You are not in a position to refuse. There's too much at stake for you." Jackson answered sounding very sure of what he said.

"What if I do?" Maggie pressed further.

"Then I'll make sure you regret your decision. I am a powerful man, Margaret. I will make your life a living hell if you refuse this." his voice carried an ominous note, and it caused Maggie to shiver. "I will make you lose both of your jobs, and then what will you do? And the bank… uh, I bet I can make them use every loophole in your contract, so you lose the house. What if I bribe the hospital to …" but Maggie's frightened scream stopped him. She realized what kind of man she was dealing with.

"Stop! Ok, just stop. You can't do that!"

"Do you want to bet? I am a rich man, Margaret. And after all, money does make the world go round." a sly smile appeared on the corner of his lips, "How long do you think it will take me to find a soft spot of your mother's doctor? Or what the bank manager hides in his closet?"

Maggie closed her eyes tightly and pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers. This man knew what he wants and how to get what he wants. And this time, he wanted her cooperation in whatever he had planned. If only there wasn't her mother's life at stake here, she would fight till her last breath against him. But some things are too precious to gamble with. She sighed. She knew the choice she had to make and looks like he knew it too.

"Fine! I'll play in your little charade, just don't dare do anything to my mother. I don't want to go to prison for murder…" she agreed.

"You made the right choice, dear," he commented sarcastically and rose on his feet. "I'll give you a couple of days to set your thing in order, and then I'll expect you to come to Chicago." Jackson pulled a white envelope from his pocket and handed it to her. "There is a plane ticket there and one of my credit cards. Get some decent clothing before you come. I'll prepare the contract for our agreement before you arrive." he was already at the door.

"I don't understand what you get out of this? Wouldn't it be less 'painful' to just get a divorce and never see me again in my life?" Maggie followed him, still trying to reason with him and find the easier way out.

"I'm afraid that things are not that simple. You see, we have a baby together, and that baby needs a mother." Jackson stated on his way to the car parked right in front of the house, not turning back to look at her before he drove off, leaving Maggie completely flabbergasted.