Page 123 of Left

“You two little shits think your stunt was cute? Do you think I was the only one humiliated by your little show? Did you think of how this would make your mother look?”

“Like a saint for putting up with your duplicitous ass for all those years. I have outings to plan. I’ve got to go,” Manny announced as he hung up.

‘The pair’, as Ivy had started calling them, made plans which included being everywhere that Larson would usually frequent. They made appearances on the golf course.

Larson was beside himself when Manny gifted Leonardo membership to his country club, and his peers welcomed the ‘lost twin’ with open arms. Manny had never frequented the club, but the more Larson complained to him, the more her husband managed to carve out time to make appearances.

Manny also allocated time to attend the opera and ballet. His father adored both and was a patron. Larson’s favourite restaurants were now the pair’s preferred location for lunch. The one hobby of Larson’s that the pair didn’t infiltrate was his hunting lodge. Which was only because of their dislike of the activity. However, his old friends excluded him from hunts.

Despite the campaign of the pair, Larson still held out hope that Grace and he would reconcile. Their reconciliation was not to be. Grace followed through on her promise and filed for divorce. They had been together so long there were things Larson had forgotten about… like their prenup.

Grace’s father had it drawn up, and it protected her. Not only did it leave her with much of the wealth she brought into the marriage, but it also made provision for her to take half of the wealth Larson earned while they were married.

Admittedly, the clause that caused Larson the most heartache was the cheating clause. Grace hadn’t even been aware it existed. Anna Harkness found it though. Under the cheating clause, the majority of Larson’s stock in Scotts now belonged to Grace. Larson went from being the second largest shareholder in Scotts to a minority shareholder. It was a crushing blow to him, especially when he realised Grace had every intent of taking the shares.

“Imagine the nerve of Larson. He thought I would allow him to keep the stocks. He said he knew it was the hurt making me act out of character and asked me to reconsider.”Her mother-in-law recounted.

In fact, her mother-in-law had put a lot of thought into her decision. If Larson was struggling with her claiming her shares, he would be beside himself once he learned what she intended to do with them. When those plans were revealed, it would no doubt drive Larson deeper into a depressed state. He was still very wealthy.

Although Grace could have taken the home they lived in, she happily allowed him to have the property in the divorce agreement. What she couldn’t do was to prevent her estranged husband from becoming a social pariah. Not only had he lost respect among his contemporaries because of the pair’s targeted campaign, people genuinely liked Grace. In fact, most people tolerated Larson because of Grace. The woman was a personable philanthropist who never forgot a name.

Larson discovered men who he had considered his friends had no qualms about taking their shot with Grace. The whole thing was almost comical, except every time Larson caught wind of it, it resulted in yet more angry phone calls.

The situation, which was completely humourless, was when Larson had to be removed from the Scotts’ office by ambulance. Manny called a board meeting and requested Larson be removed as a consultant of the Scott board. Not one other member stood with Larson. His heart rate became so elevated Ivy had feared that he had gone into cardiac arrest. Thankfully, the incident occurred after the meeting in Manny’s office. No one else was there to witness Manny’s reaction.

“Manny, help me!” Ivy cried as Larson crumbled to the floor while her husband stood frozen. As she loosened her father-in-law’s tie.

“Help you? No. Doc, leave Larson.”

“I know you’re angry, but I took an oath.” Ivy stabilized Larson until the ambulance arrived. It turned out her father-in-law didn’t have a heart attack but suffered a full-blown panic attack.

After his moment of weakness was displayed by Manny and his wife, and Ivy came to his rescue. Larson retreated. His silence was a bit unnerving.

However, it was a part of their new normal, which Ivy could live without. The other parts weren’t too bad. While they essentially lost one member of the family as Larson was now deemed a persona non grata. They had gained new family members.

Emmanuel still grappled with his relationship with Leonardo. Even though their seamless collaboration wreaked havoc in Larson’s life. Their initial introduction wasn’t something he could just overlook. He was always on ready… waiting for Leonardo to step out of line.

Leonardo recognised it and went with the flow,“I get why you aren’t in a place to trust me. I just hope we get there.”

The boys followed their father’s lead, and while they had a relationship with Leonardo it wasn’t the warm familial bond they shared with Frank.

Oliver had told him,“look, as far as I am concerned you are on probation. Personally, I’ve always believed probation should be a long-life thing.”

The sentiment didn’t extend to Tommy. He was welcomed with open arms by his older cousins. Oliver had taken one look at Tommy and declared him the cutest kid. Of course, everyone else recognised the hubris in his declaration. Tommy was a mini-Oliver walking. Sage adored her little cousin. Unlike her brothers, she had come to really like her Uncle Leonardo.

Along with Tommy came Jasmine. While she was happy for her son to spend time with his extended family. She remained reserved around the family. Ironically, the only person Jasmine seemed to connect with was Ivy.

To hear Frank tell it,“of course you two get along. You both look so much alike.”

Everyone saw it except for Manny and Leonardo. Frank had mentioned it to them.“Genetics are serious. Though you did not grow up together, you fell for women who resembled each other so much they could have been family.”

They both objected, expressing Frank was way off.

Despite Ivy telling them, “how can you not see it? There isn’t a doubt Jasmine and I look alike.”

Leonardo had responded. “No offense, Ivy, but I don’t see it. You two don’t look alike.”

Manny had been just as adamant as his brother. The pair exchanged conspiratorial looks. Frank and Ivy shared their own look. Were the pair completely delusional?

---