Free Fortunes Obsession by Jerome Reyer

Pennsylvania."
         Peter looked relieved. " Is that what's bothering you?  If it makes you feel better, my grandfather changed his name from Fortunato. Okay?Now we're even.  Let's get on with our lives."
         She took his hand. " No, Peter, that was the least of it. The rest of it is going to hurt.  This silk company, I work for.....Well I really don't work at all.  The man on the left side of your photograph of the park bench is the president of Trans-Orient Silk.  About two years ago, I started dating him.  He showered me with gifts and treated me at first like a true gentleman. As time went on, he showered me with more and more expensive gifts.  Finally, even though I wasn't particularly attracted to him, I had sex with him.  It's hard for you as a man to understand but I felt guilty taking all the gifts and felt that the only thing I had to give was my body.  He became infatuated with me and insisted I leave my job.  In effect, what I became was his mistress.  Peter, what I really am is a whore...a professional...a hooker.  I'm really no better than any of them. What I do is perform sexual acts for money."
         Peter turned pale. " Why in the hell did you let me fall for you? Why did you tell me you love me, if this is what you intend to continue to do?  His voice rose in volume as he became angry.
         She pressed a finger to his lips. " Please, let me finish. I want to get it all out at once.
         Many times I have thought that I wanted to get out of this life.  I dreamed of Mr. Right coming into my life.  All of the rest of the men I met, only wanted one thing. They wanted my body.  I figured I was better off where I was.  Sometimes, I really was turned on by my ability to earn money with my sexual wiles.  It was like being a great actress and being paid for my performances.  When I met you, I knew I had found Mr. Right at last.  I also knew that eventually I would have to tell you everything.  That seemed like a relatively easy task when the man had no face but now you've seen his face and what is more it seems as if he is involved in something shady.  Believe me, I know nothing about that.  Oh Peter, I want to stay with you, I want to be with you.  I don't  ever want to go back to him.  That was him on the phone the other night, not my mother.  He is out of town and he sensed that I had someone with me.  He threatened to kill me."
         Peter mopped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief.
         " I'm a little sick to my stomach over this whole thing. I really don't know what to think or what to feel. I feel as if I'd just fallen off the mountain.  I really don't know if I can love you or if I want to love you.  What I would like to do now, is put you in a cab and have you go back to your apartment.  After that, I'd like some time to think this whole thing over."
         The tears streamed down her cheeks and her voice came spasmodically, intermingling with weeping.  " I'm begging you Peter, please don't leave me.  I can't go back to what I was after what we've had.  You don't have to love me.  I'll even help you get to the bottom of the mystery of the switched briefcases.  Please don't send me back there. Hold me Peter, please."
         His countenance went cold and his face took on a cruel and dark look.  " I can't hold you Dara. I'm not an actor. I'm real and the last thing I feel like doing now is holding you.  As far as helping me find the mystery, that no longer seems important to me. I've just lost what I thought was the rest of my life."
         The weeping accelerated. " Peter, a few minutes ago, you told me that anything that happened before we met was in the past and didn't matter.  You don't have to lose me. From the moment we met I was yours forever."
         He did not soften at all. " I don't care what I said.  I only know how I feel now and what I feel now is revulsion.  Please go. I have to have time alone to get my