Dammit I am not in love with you!!!!

Complex Web of Connections.

"The elderly gentleman standing next to the Dwights was none other than the retired Senator Macladden. He was one of the many Senators who was involved in a rigging scandal. But his involvement was never proved. Under the intense public scrutiny he opted for an early retirement to avoid further investigation."

"How is he connected to Ronald? And why is he listening to that man?"

"Easily answered. He is Ronald's Grandfather's younger brother. Basically he is his Grandfather. Also he is the one supporting Ronald's foray into politics. From the looks of it every move that boy (said in a totally condescending tone) has ever made has been planned by the Senator. Including his relationship with your sister."

"Coming on to Senator Macdonald. You all must be familiar with him but just for the narrative I'll introduce him again. He came into prominence for his stand on developmental projects specially since the recession. He has been related to many issues including the gun laws, homosexuality and the issue of climate change and halting of projects for environmental damages. He has quite a controversial stand on immigration laws and the crime nexus. But on the other hand he is known to have connections with very many corrupt businessmen and politicians too. Livvy and family this is going to sound bad but your mother has been dating him for a very very long time. Long before anybody knew about it. In fact after researching her dating history, I've reached the conclusion that she dated younger men for him. There seems to be some connection between the men, your mother and him. I can get you a full report just like the one I gave to Blaine."

"No thanks I rather not be exposed to the sordid details of my mother's foray into granting sexual favors for benefits. That is not something I want to know ever. Never ever mention her cougar days to me unless they have some direct bearing on me."

"So what do the two gentlemen have to do with this whole mess?" Thank god for Alex who knows how to divert attention from uncomfortable topics.

"Nice of you to bring us back from that dark place mate. Good question. Well when I was investigating Ronald and his family, well some skeletons popped out of that particular closet too. Ronald's cousin too had entered into the world of politics. If reports are to be believed he had quite a bright future and was announced as a candidate for Mayor of Chicago. Specially since he had his Grandfather's backing and connections. However the boy lost the elections and disappeared from the limelight. Last heard he was seen in Australia. Nobody knew what happened but behind closed doors the story goes that he came to know how his political career was based on corruption and crime. He purposely lost the election and left fearing for his life. "

"Now Ronald had never wanted to be a lawyer. He considers himself to be far more ambitious and seems to think he could achieve what his cousin couldn't. Throw in a Senator whose one grandson embarassed him in political circles whose out to redeem himself by making his other grandson a success and another Senator who has hopes for the Opal Office in the White House and whose supporting Ronald to achieve that aim. Only thing Ronald needs is a good image and good family connections. Thats where your mother came in. She supports his political career as well as her own squeeze's dreams for the Big Office. You are just the pawn. I think your sister is involved in something far more serious than her lesbian relationship that Senator Macladden refused her as a future daughter in law for the Dwights. They don't know about her and Alicia but even if they did they had already decided on Livvy as a better candidate much before the wedding happened."

"So what you're trying to say is that he threw the wedding purposely. Like it was planned?"

"I think they had decided you suited Ronald far more than Felicity before the wedding. Whatever happened on the day of the wedding was planned with one thing in mind- forcing Livvy to get married to Ronald. Your mother calculated that the allegation of stealing your sister's fiancé would make you amenable to redeeming your family's reputation. Since the scene was set in such a way that it seemed like you had dragged your family's reputation through the mud. You were saved by the timely intervention of your boyfriend. Otherwise you would have been married to Ronald and returning from your honeymoon in Majorca by now. "

"Son of a bitch! They tricked me!" I just had an epiphany after all that Adrian said. Now it was all making sense. The stupid superstition, the fight over MOH, me being forced to take up the position last minute etc etc. I always had my doubts on the day when my mother's heels ripped my sister's gown but I let it go thinking it happened because of pre wedding jitters." So does that mean Felicity and Ronald's relationship wasn't real? Like ever?"

"I wouldn't know but from what Blaine has told me about your mother, she could have joined in the Dwights and Felicity would have been the perfect bargain. Its not like the Dwights aren't rich and have no social standing. It is possible that the wedding was on track before they found out whatever it is that disqualified her as Ronald's wife."

"That makes sense. My mother is always out to further her connections and lift her so called social standing. And it is no secret that Felicity too would do anything to get her own corner office. It makes perfect sense that my mother would agree to a match between Ronald and Felicity. Probably agreed to it because of whatever bargain she had with Senator Macladden. And when they disagreed with going further with the wedding, she decided to offer me as a replacement bride to keep the original bargain intact."

At this point everyone was trying to come to terms with all the information and conspiracy theories thrown at them by Adrian. I think the most shocked by all these revelations would be my Grandparents. Never in their wildest dreams would they have imagined their daughter falling so low as to bargain her own flesh and blood for political and social benefits. I was wondering if my mother was by chance exchanged in the hospital as a baby. Or if she was adopted. Either choice would explain the drastic gap in genes and personality.

"I just have one question." My father was perhaps wondering about something far more important than my concerns for my mother's lineage. So I decided to pay attention to him. Sometimes he surprises everyone with his intelligence (like the time he monitored my mother and gathered evidence on her). And his quirky personality and intellect makes it possible for him to see or figure out angles that we normally can't. Maybe he has found some angle or possibility that we haven't discussed yet. "Are Senator Macladden and Senator Macdonald related somehow?"

Thats his question? Never mind all that I said about my dad's intellect. Clearly he just proved me wrong with that inane question.

"Why do you ask? What relevance could this possibly have on our situation?" Alex asked my father. He probably didn't see any point to this line of questions. My boyfriend being a businessman is is a staunch believer of 'Time is Money' and probably considers wasting time as a loss.

"What if they have some history between them. What if there is some connection that we are ignoring between them? Something that could possibly spell trouble for us."

"Blaine has a point. We know only the most basic information about them both. If their association goes further behind in their past then it would be advantageous to know about it. Prevent surprises of the nasty kind being sprung on us. After all isn't there a saying 'Knowledge is Power'? Could be a possibility that we are ignoring and is worth a look into." Clearly Adrian believed in my father's line of questioning. And if a supposedly retired MI6 spy trusts my father's so called intelligent question as worth an investigation then it probably needs investigating.

See I told you my father is a being of superior intellect. Far more superior than anyone else's in the room. Yeah yeah I know I am being a hypocrite. But for a moment there I did think he was asking a stupid question. It was my bad. I promise to never question my father's intelligence again. If only he plans this operation with the same genious and panache with which he asked this question then I'll probably escape this mess sooner than later.