LN Cronan

 Me too!!!! And if the server overloads this morning, I'm going to try to post Chapter One into this thread. It might be later in the day, though -- unfortunately, an hour after "Release Hour" I'm due in my doctor's office for my annual physical. If I've gotten to see Chapter One already, I imagine my pulse will be racing. If I've been thwarted in my attempt thus far to see it right away, my blood pressure could be up.

Throwing out random thoughts about Chapter Fourteen.  Gideon's brother, Christopher, really was a creep, telling Eva on Thursday he and his family was psyched about the new relationship. Wednesday the tabloids had been running rampant with false rumors Eva was juggling two boyfriends (Gideon and Cary) and that Gideon the playboy was juggling at least two socialites (Eva and Magdalene). There even were pictures of Eva/Cary looking relaxed and loving over lunch and Gideon/Magdalene smiling outside a restaurant hours later at dinnertime. Knowing d*** well that Gideon has never attended any of these parties the Vidals throw at their estate, he manipulated Eva into agreeing to come with Cary. Magdalene was on the guest list too, something Eva wouldn't have known about -- and certainly would not have known Magdalene's longtime closeness to the Vidal family. I'm sure that S of a B was gleefully thinking about all the drama that would erupt, in the middle of a very fancy party and behind his brother's back. He probably had these sick fantasies of Magdalene and Eva having a cat fight. He'd f*** Magdalene on Sunday, then set about getting Eva into bed. After all, Eva demonstrated she's not adverse to having multiple lovers simultaneously (so Christopher had been led to falsely believe, thanks to the gossip mongers.)  In Chapter Fourteen, Gideon asked Stanton if he (Stanton) knew where Nathan now was. Did Gideon hunt down Nathan first, or was it Nathan who hunted down him (and Eva) because Nathan learned she (and Monica too) now lived in New York City? Gideon had vowed to Eva he's make Nathan wish he were dead. That's NOT the same thing as I want to kill him. But imagine how bad "wish he were dead" could potentially come back to haunt if Gideon said words to that effect to Stanton. Is this why the cops later got copies of videotape from Stanton's office? To document how far in advance of Nathan's death Gideon had met with Stanton? We know, too, through Monica, the cops have been hounding Stanton. Maybe in addition to trying to use Eva against Gideon, the cops had pressured Stanton about Gideon? Did Stanton, wanting to protect himself and Monica from any sort of conspiracy charges in Nathan's killing, throw Gideon under the bus?  When Eva asked Dr. Petersen if it were possible for two abuse survivors to have a relationship, I think Eva hadn't yet totally thrown in the towel with Gideon. This is a huge change from the beginning of the week, when Eva most certainly had washed her hands of Gideon after how he'd mistreated her Saturday night. By Monday, she had been determined to never, ever see him again. It took everything he had to change her mind. Yet here it was Thursday, and Gideon had dumped her. Angry and hurt though she was, she hadn't decided "well good riddance -- I ought never to have given in to him on Monday anyway." Sometime between Monday and Thursday, Eva's feelings had grown from strong physical attraction to deep emotional attraction. She fell in love with him, in other words, that week.

Chapter A Day Re-Read Project - Today is Chapter Fifteen of Bared  This chapter starts Friday (day 12) and goes into Sunday (day 14)  Key plot developments: Gideon ended four days of zero contact with Eva on Sunday, tracking her down at the afternoon party his family was holding at their estate. Gideon begged Eva for another chance, sorry about how things had gone Wednesday night (her walking out on him) and Thursday (him dumping her via a "Dear Jane" note.) As a show of his commitment to work on their relationship problems, he'd entered individual therapy and had set up couples therapy. They made love in the library of his parents' mansion.  Once each of us has read Chapter Fifteen, our homework assignment from Sylvia herself is for each of us to pick our favorite quote or paragraph.  The chapter re-reads also have been the springboard here for lots of discussion. We're continuing to touch upon the chapter of the day, but even more, discussion has been jumping backward into the earlier chapters and forward in the story (even into Reflected and the Entwined snippets) as the re-reading leads us to analyze how different parts of the Crossfire saga have been connecting.

Chapter Fourteen of Bared To You - The Reader's Guide  This chapter unfolds Thursday (day eleven.)  Key plot developments: Rather than talk about what's behind his sexually violent nightmares, Gideon dumped Eva via a "Dear Jane" note at work. Gideon did, however, talk to Stanton about what Eva told him (Gideon) concerning Nathan, a conversation we hear about second hand from a mortified Monica. Gideon's half-brother, Christopher, invited Eva and Cary to a music industry party the Vidal family had planned for that coming Sunday afternoon at their estate. Eva joined her mother for a joint therapy appointment she (Eva) requested with Monica's therapist.  New characters: Dr. Petersen - mentioned in passing several times before, this chapter is where he appears in a scene for the first time.  Gideon ends the relationship Eva had walked out on Gideon Wednesday night because he lied to her when she asked for honesty about his sexually-violent nightmare that had awoken them both. She texted him when she arrived home safe. But he didn't call, not then, nor call the next day. Instead, he dumped her via a note at her office early Thursday afternoon. "Thank you, Eva, for everything. Yours, G." (page 206) Eva's reactions were fear, agony - and anger. Anger that Gideon's had kicked her out of his orderly world because she'd threatened the status quo. Cary later offered Eva this keen insight: "You know the drill, Eva. He's going to keep pushing you away, because he's expecting you to fail him like everyone else has." (page 211) She (and we readers) had no way of knowing at the time that the incident with the nightmare was figuratively Gideon's worst nightmare. His whole adult sex life up to that point had been confined to hotel sex in order to avoid spending an entire night with a woman. His being horribly victimized as a young teen left him with a deep sense of shame and feelings he wasn't worthy of love. As an adult, he knew sooner or later, if he literally slept with a woman (as in fell asleep alongside her) she'd witness one of his nightmares, and would leave him in disgust.  This problem even stood in the way of him getting married. Eva intuitively sensed some sort of sexual trauma must be involved. She walked out that night not out of being triggered by her own sexual demons, but because she'd learned in therapy dishonesty is a deal-breaker. As upset as she had been Wednesday night, she hadn't planned on breaking up with Gideon. All along, she planned to try to work through the problem. By Thursday morning, she was already questioning whether she might have been wrong to have left his apartment. But the next day, Gideon didn't dare even talk to her, not even on the phone, because he was too afraid. So he ended things via a notecard.  More Eva family drama Though Gideon did not have the courage to even speak with Eva anymore, he still was gravely concerned about all she'd revealed to him concerning Nathan. Knowing that Stanton had paid money in recent years to help tighten the secrecy of the old legal proceedings, Gideon went to see Stanton at his (Stanton's) office. A distraught Monica told Eva about it. "He wanted to know what's been done to prevent information leaks. And he wanted to know where Nathan is .... he wanted to know everything." (pages 207-208) In return, Eva told her mother Gideon had the night to know to protect himself from blowback if the Nathan story got out and turned into a scandal that would tarnish Gideon's celebrity image. Thursday evening, Eva attended the joint therapy session she'd demanded requested with her mother's therapist, Dr. Petersen, to discuss Monica having stalked Eva via a cell phone Monica had given her. Dr. Petersen, who has been treating Monica for seriously dysfunctional obsessions over Eva's safety, even though Eva is a grown woman, reminded Monica in the session that what she (Monica) had done with the cell phone was wrong. He reminded Monica that Eva needs both boundaries and a sense of control over her life, things that were taken from Eva a long time ago (when Nathan brutally victimized her from ages 10-14.) After the appointment ended, Eva got a moment alone with the doctor to ask "Is it possible for two abuse survivors to have a functional romantic relationship?" (page 211). Dr. Petersen assured her "absolutely."  Two people connected to Gideon try to connect with Eva Prior to the "Dear Jane" note on Thursday, which arrived mid-afternoon, two people connected to Gideon separately sought her out. One failed, one succeeded. The failure was Magdalene, who showed up unannounced Thursday morning in the reception area at the advertising agency where Eva works. Rather than agree to see Magdalene, Eva immediately called upstairs to Gideon's assistant Scott, and asked him to send someone to get rid of her -- a ploy that worked. The agency main receptionist, Megumi,  reported with glee that Magdalene got upset when someone from Gideon's staff arrived to fetch her. Christopher Vidal Jr., Gideon's half-brother, succeeded in reaching Eva - went to lunch with her, in fact. His reason for seeing her was to invite her to a garden party his parents were throwing on Sunday at their estate, a music industry celebrity mixer for Vidal Records. Christopher used Cary as leverage, suggesting the exposure would be good for Cary's modeling career. Christopher admitted Gideon likely wouldn't go too, because he never went to such events, despite being the majority shareholder in Vidal Records. Christopher also explained Gideon's parents really wanted to meet her. Based on the photos published in the past few days (which included two separate occasions of displays of passion), the family concluded, "It's the first time we've seen him really into someone he's dating." (page 204). Christopher had no way of knowing (nor did Eva during lunchtime) the new relationship had already fallen apart. Â

 The sun is now rising in the eastern United States. Entwined Chapter One Day is upon us.

OK, doing my homework, which is to pick out a favorite quote or paragraph from the Chapter of the Day (which today is #14 in Bared to You.) Â Cary, consoling Eva after Gideon dumped her, still held out hope things would work out. "I want there to be happily-ever-afters for the f*****-up crowd. Show me the way, Eva honey. Make me believe." (page 212)

 I'm curious if I get a new title at the 1K mark, something even cooler than "Board Master"

 Oh she knew, all right, Gideon was in love. She could see that.  But she also could see that Eva was very vulnerable and easy to chase off. Gideon already had told Corrine that Eva was very insecure and jealous, the idiot. He all but begged Corrine to not upset Eva. Corrine saw, before dinner was over, upsetting Eva was like shooting fish in a barrel.  So Corrine knew she had a shot at killing the relationship by hurting Eva.

 Are you going to be able to sleep tonight?

 I think Corrine, all of a sudden desperate because of how Gideon ran after Eva the night before, showed up unannounced hoping to see him. Trying to catch him at lunchtime was her best bet -- probably her only bet. Chasing Gideon over the telephone wasn't going to cut it anymore -- Corrine needed to start chasing him in person. She was probably counting on him seeing her.  My guess: when she arrived, she saw Angus parked at the curb, where Angus was supposed to drive Gideon to a lunch meeting offsite (one Gideon blew off because of the crisis he had going on upstairs, Nathan in his office.) Corrine probably lurked in the lobby waiting to catch Gideon as he came through. Then she spotted Eva through the front glass walls of the lobby, standing across the street. On evil impulse, pulled the "stunt." Went out to see Angus, who by that point figuring Gideon wasn't coming down after all, offered to drive Corrine home.  Note: Angus would have known Corrine fairly well while she and Gideon were engaged. Angus started working for Gideon at age 20. Gideon and Corrine were together for three years, roughly his age 18 to 21. The final year, they were engaged. So Angus must have driven Corrine a lot.  Love Angus, though, that morning Eva hopped in the Bentley, after days and days and days of refusing rides. Then Eva ordered him to drive her to Corrine's residence. Hah!!! Angus must have thought "oh s***" inside, but he did what Eva asked.

 I'm sure Magdalene saw something awful in his eyes when he realized Eva just pulled a runner, probably a very serious one.  I think Corrine got a good look at his face too, and it dawned on her she had very serious competition. I even think something "snapped" inside of Corrine, because the gloves came off the very next day -- Corrine tried crashing Gideon's office, and then seized on an opportunity to pull the nooner stunt. Corrine went for all-her-glory triumph at the fundraiser to panic mode. What changed? Gideon -- running after Eva.

 Not sure on the exact figure of the character limit, but I think two pages per post would fit -- that'd be in line with some of the longer posts here. Ten pages of text probably wouldn't fit.

Keep in mind, anyone who opts to post the Chapter One text here, do so in chunks. Each of these "Reply to this topic" boxes has a maximum number of words/characters it will accept. So all of the chapter won't fit in just one box.

Magdalene has had a front-row seat, though, to some of Gideon's less-than-stellar treatment of Eva. All three of the occasions where the three of them happened to be together. Thus, she probably believes Gideon is to blame, along with Corrine, for him having lost Eva recently.  The three times Magdalene has been around them, and what she saw -- her old friend screwing up:  First date, the fundraiser for the advocacy center: Gideon in full icy-public-demeanor mode, ending with him arguing with Eva on the dance floor and then leaving on the spot. Almost immediately after is when Magdalene went after Eva in the ladies room to attempt to drive the final nail in the coffin.  Vidal garden party: Eva came to the party with Cary instead of Gideon. Gideon showed up angry and dragged Eva out of the garden into the house, presumably to send her packing in the driveway. Eva was furious as he pulled her away. Magdalene waited a little bit, then went into the house, obviously to to find Gideon, figuring Eva's gone. That's when Magdalene instead found Gideon making love to Eva in the library.  Night Corrine crashed the fundraiser: Gideon immediately went off with Corrine on his arm, to talk to her alone. Eva sat miserable with Magdalene, tossing back drinks and having just been blindsided by her (Eva's) own boyfriend. Then Gideon and Eva disappeared for a short while (Magdalene naturally would have assumed they went somewhere private to argue.) When the pair of them returned and sat down to dinner, Gideon allowed Corrine to again monopolize him. A jerk who hated Gideon (Lucas) called Gideon on his (Gideon's) mistreatment of Eva, and Eva, knowing Lucas had a point, agreed with him. Then she walked out on Gideon, who full of remorse went tearing after her soon after.  I wonder whether Magdalene got a look at Gideon's eyes when he read Eva's text announcing she was out of there. Terror? I've always wondered too, how awkward things probably were at that table between the time Eva walked off and a couple of minutes later when she texted Gideon she was out of there. Did Gideon and Lucas fight while Corrine sat there suddenly forgotten?

 Excellent!!!! I'm pretty certain you'll get into the site, because you always have such great luck. I'm hoping I'll be able to get in as well. But we can't be the only two here posting back and forth OMG while others here are going AGHHHHH after the server swamps.  We all gotta get 'er read right away and get going on dissecting it all!!!!

 Gideon is not used to women walking away. Because they've always chased him. And all he had to do is snap his fingers and they'd run back.  He just didn't get it that Eva isn't like any of those other women who will grovel, beg, settle.  First date: he pushes her away emotionally. Next day: assumes she'll talk to him on the phone. Monday: assumes she'll still have lunch with him. Result -- he had to beg her to give him another chance.  First breakup: he pushes her away. By next day: knowing he screwed up, he figured she'd come back on her own. He was waiting for her to make the next move. By day four: finally figured out he needed to beg her for another chance.  Week he killed Nathan: he pushes her away. Six days into mistreatment: she dumps him More than a week later: still expects her to wait for him. When she tells him "there is no us" he says "stop saying that." Claims to her that she has him. She tells him it's not true - and she's already moving on.  That final time he finally got it -- if he didn't change, she was gone for good.

 Plus Corrine immediately made use of the fact Gideon didn't talk about her at all to Eva. Knowing his past tendencies against talking about things, Corrine figured she could feed Eva anything she (Corrine) wanted and if Eva tried asking Gideon about it, Gideon would be reluctant to talk about it with Eva.  Weeks later, Corrine was still up to it. During the showdown on Corrine's doorstep, Corrine was careful to ascertain Gideon wasn't even aware what Eva was doing. Corrine knew he hadn't been spending any time with Eva, but now Corrine confirmed suspicions Gideon wasn't even in any sort of contact anymore with Eva. Which actually had been the case for a while, right on up to brief contact 24 hours before (the elevator encounter.)

 Destroying the notes -- that "claim" is what told me the detective was lying through her teeth. Cops do not destroy records, least of all with homicide cases, because such cases technically stay active forever if not "solved" via arrest. With all other serious crimes, a statute of limitations exists. When the time runs out, and no arrest has been made, the case is finished. At that point, the case file is useless. Murder files never run out of time. The case may be considered "cold" -- but it still is an open investigation.  Plus, we know videotape was seized from Stanton's office. Given the fact Gideon never EVER phoned Eva once the body had been found, it's safe to say his phone records got pulled too. The cops would have gotten copies of all the old case files concerning Nathan's past crimes. Did all of that go into someone's fireplace to get torched? I think ... NOT. The notes didn't either.

 Sylvia has hinted that Corrine is history because Corrine hurt Eva. Makes sense. What Corrine did was a lot worse than Magdalene.

Oops, double post. Anyhoo, all the evidence Graves did tell Eva about is circumstantial, not "direct" evidence. Â However, cases are tried and won every day on circumstantial evidence. Forensics help, but cases can be built without them. The only slam-dunk evidence is a confession.

 Actually, the only evidence we know about is circumstantial, because all we know about is the evidence that Graves decided to tell Eva about. I think there's more that she (Graves) didn't talk about.  For one thing, we know from Monica wailing to Eva a couple of days earlier, the cops showed up at Stanton's office to seize copies of security tapes. Graves said nothing to Eva about Stanton.  Graves was trying to manipulate Eva, not be 100% honest with Eva.

I've completely reconsidered Magdalene as a character because of all of this careful re-reading of the series, one chapter at a time. Â I think Magdalene is subtly (and cleverly) portrayed as what Corrine actually should be but isn't - a true old friend to Gideon who wants what's best for him and who "gets" it that she (Magdalene) does not stand a chance at being anything more than an old friend. Magdalene comes across as a b***** on the surface but who is genuinely honest underneath. Contrast that to Corrine who comes across as sweet on the surface but is dishonest and self-delusional underneath. Â Magdalene wants her old friend to be happy, even if that means another woman making him happy. She wants to be his friend. Corrine wants Gideon no matter what, even if it means destroying happiness he found with someone else. Under the cover of "friendship" she's been trying to manipulate him the whole time, sensing at least enough to know there's something broken there.

The murder case is, when Entwined opens, close to the point where it would be time to decide whether or not to indict/arrest Gideon. The detectives have figured out he did it, have already broken his alibi, and are now building the motive side of the case. Â The easiest way that the case would go away at this particular stage -- on the threshold of decision on whether or not to arrest -- would be the prosecutor determining the evidence isn't strong enough to meet the burden of proof. Under the U.S. legal system, the prosecution is always the side with the uphill battle. Gideon's team doesn't have to prove him innocent -- EVERYTHING rests on the prosecution proving guilt. Â I'm convinced Graves lied when she fed Eva b******* the cops basically decided on their own to drop the case because Nathan was a dangerous scumbag but Gideon's no danger to other people. However, it is possible the prosecution will decide that even though they know he did it, knowing it and proving it to a jury are two different things. This is not simply the prosecution being afraid of the best defense lawyers money can buy. If the prosecution had the evidence to do it, they'd go after Gideon no matter how rich he is. If the prosecution knows the evidence isn't enough to meet the burden, they'll back down now rather than lose the trial.

 I'm convinced Magdalene is being catty to Corrine, and not just to get even either. Corrine may be in a state of denial Gideon is deeply unhappy, but Magdalene probably sees crystal clear he's in agony. Probably understands that Eva being gone is the reason. Probably blaming Corrine for having destroyed Eva's trust in Gideon, driving Eva away forever.  Bottom line: Magdalene saw Gideon fall in love, then Corrine crashed back onto the scene, Eva's gone and Gideon is heartbroken. Magdalene would blame Corrine for it all.

In both of the prior Chapter 15, Gideon has done something to "save" Eva. Save their almost-ended early relationship in Bared. Saved her life in Reflected. Maybe this is the Chapter 15 that Eva "saves" Gideon from his darkness, does something that finally convinces him the nightmares won't ever stand in the way of them being able to share a bed, a home, a life -- marriage, in other words.