Is she not coming?

Back in the apartment, Dana and Lara settled on their favorite couches with a cup of coco.

“Now can we talk about why you are acting weirdly?” Dana looked at Lara with an aura that did not leave room for negotiation.

“Actually, I want to tell you but I don’t know how?” Lara hesitated. This was very rare for Lara, who was straightforward and straightforward. She would never hesitate to speak her mind.

“What is it about the topic that makes you hesitate?” Dana prompted gently.

“I don’t want to hurt you?”

“Is it something you did?”

“No… ” Lara lowered her head guiltily "maybe unintentionally."

“Well, if it’s unintentional, why would I be hurt? Am I unreasonable?"

“I mean my involvement is unintentional but not the matter as such, isn't.” Lara explained.

Dana thought for a moment before asking “Do you think you would want to know if our roles were reversed?”

“Yes”

“Then you know the answer” Dana smiled.

Lara looked at her peaceful expression and asked carefully “How would you feel if you realized one of your friends betrayed you or rather was never a friend?”

Dana scrunched her eyebrows and pursued her lips “Depends on the person and the extent.”

Lara looked at her clear eyes and nodded as if making the decision.

“Actually it’s about Therese.” Lara looked at Dana to see if there was a change in expression.

“I guessed”

“How?”

“Didn’t you have it written all over your face from the minute I came out of the box?”

“That obvious?” Lara sighed. She took a deep breath and continued “How sad would you be if I told you that she was using you?”

Dana thought seriously before opening her mouth “That’s hard to say. I would definitely be sad, but it depends on what she did”. Observing Lara’s unconvinced expression, she explained “I have been friends with her for close to a year now, so obviously, if I realize she was not sincere, even if it’s innocuous, that would hurt like a cut. However, if she did something malicious it would be more hurtful like a throbbing stab” She paused before continuing in a demanding tone “Now cut the crap and spit it out!”

Lara told her how she overheard Maylin and Zara in the restroom corridor while she was waiting for Dana. She told her how they said that Therese had purposefully befriended her to get close to Jeremy and also size up whether she had any affections for him. They would later gather to mock her. Therese taking up this role was partly because she knew Jeremy had been given an offer with promotion, which he declined. She had plotted to make Jeremy give up on Dana miserably and take up the job and she could accompany him and make him fall in love with her. It wasn’t Jeremy who insisted on coming today but it was Therese who taunted and forced him to come. She also told him that Dana might be making a farce to get rid of him. She gave him hope, so when he fell, he would be more miserable. She then pulled me into the loop by telling me to tell you that if you didn’t bring anyone as your partner today, Jeremy would never believe you and pursue you with even greater passion. How could I foolishly walk right into her design?” Lara slapped the back of her head.

“Oh...” Dana said in a low voice, but there was no change in her expression.

“Are you really not offended?” Lara asked, uncertain of her discernment skills.

“Offended? Why should I? It’s not a crime to like someone …. Is it?" She asked with a nonchalant expression.

“But she abused your trust and pretended to be your friend!”

“Yes” Dana lowered her eyes, a sorrowful glint flashed past her eyes, but she smiled at Lara. “It’s not a crime to love someone. Isn’t there a saying it’s all fair in love and war? She was just doing what she needed to win her love and she didn’t really hurt me. I didn’t want Jeremy tagging along to increase my guilty conscience. It was just the right medicine in the right dose.”

“You….” Lara didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know if she should continue revealing what she had overheard. This was not what changed Lara’s attitude towards Therese. What shocked Lara was when she overheard the back-up plan if Dana was unable to find a partner or if Jeremy wasn’t convinced. She was toying with the thought of whether she should or shouldn’t.

“But these silly tricks shouldn’t have repulsed you. You would usually want to stay and bathe them with your sarcasm. Is there something you’re hiding or haven’t you finished speaking?”

“You know me best” Lara got up, put her cup down and sat beside Dana hugging her shoulders. “Whatever happens, you will always have me!”

“Ha… ha…ha…” Dana laughed as she pushed Lara away “No need Madam! You’re too expensive, I can’t afford you.”

“Ha…ha…ha…” Both of them laughed as Lara threw the cushion at Dana.

Dana stood with her hands on her hips and tapped her feet, feigning a furious expression “Now are you going to spit or should I make you?”

Lara stopped laughing and pulled Dana to sit beside her. She looked at Dana with a glum expression “She was going to spike your drink and send you to one of the suites upstairs where she had organized a man to wait. She was then going to pretend that you were missing for a while and drag Jeremy to search for you.”

“What?” Dana gasped… her face turned pale.

Lara couldn’t bear to see her in this woeful state; she hugged her “Don’t be sad. It was all fine. Wasn’t it? That guy must be a first-rate actor. Jeremy was so convinced, you should have seen his face. I heard him mutter ‘no wonder I didn’t have a chance’ and you should have seen Therese’s face as she watched Jeremy walking. The only thing she didn’t expect was for Jeremy not to stay and drink. She ran after him as he walked out soullessly. He didn’t even hear her.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt Jeremy to that extent. I just didn’t want him to wait indefinitely pausing his life when I didn’t have any feelings for him. I also know that Emily really loves him and he also has a good impression of her.” Dana said in a low tone.

Lara had successfully bought Dana out of her dejected trance from hearing about Therese’s sinister plan and she sighed. She quickly caught up to the new character.

“Emily?? Who’s that?”

“She also works with us. But is in the sales department with Jeremy. I quite like her. She is very frank and straightforward.” Dana laughed and added “She even told me that we can’t be friends because I stole the attention from the man she loves and yet she always gives me company when I am on my own”.

“Could that be another Therese guise?” Lara asked with sarcasm.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Why?”

“Coz it’s always when Jeremy is not around” she paused, “unlike Therese, now that I think about it.”

Lara nodded but didn’t say anything.

“Actually, I really feel sorry for her. They missed each other terribly once. I didn’t want to be the reason they miss a second time”

“Oh??” Lara asked with curiosity.

Dana explained that Emily and Jeremy were at university together and were friends. Neither took the initiative to open up and then one thing led to the other and Jeremy married his ex-wife and Emily married someone to spite him. She eventually fell in love with her husband. These two couples met overseas on a trip and once they got drunk, Jeremy and Emily sat reminiscing about the past while their partners went to sleep. Both of them confessed how silly it was that they had feelings for each other in the past, which shocked the other. But they each decided to take that as drunken banter, pretended that they never said it the next day and maintained their friendship and kept in touch. A few years later, Jeremy’s wife cheated on him with her boss and they got divorced. Emily stayed overseas with her husband due to his work and they didn’t meet for another few years till Emily’s husband passed away and she returned home. This time, although they met, they maintained their friend status and helped each other. Eight months ago, I joined the company as the Training and compliance manager. I am not sure why, but Jeremy seemed to have fixated on me from then on. Emily even said that he would ask her for advice on how to woo me and she initially befriended me to see what my likes and dislikes were. The funny thing is, this silly lady would stupidly pass this info on to Jeremy. Later she felt uncomfortable and declined to play the intermediary. I asked her why she did it initially and if it was not better to just mess it up and she replied, “I don’t want him by messing up his happiness.” Dana sighed "That’s why I wanted to use all means possible to make Jeremy give up.”

Lara nodded in understanding and smirked “Why didn’t you make friends with her rather than Therese? I like her better.”

Dana shook her head “Every encounter has a purpose. As long as the experience isn’t painful, it’s alright.”

“Purpose?” Lara twisted her lips in dissatisfaction.

“Let’s leave that topic and forget about unnecessary encounters?” Dana raised her coco cup.

Lara picked hers up and clinked it with Dana “Looking at me clinking coco cups instead of wine glasses or beer bottles, you have made me turn into a 10-year-old”, she giggled.

After sipping their coco in silence for a few minutes, Lara raised her eyebrows. “But isn’t Jeremy going with Therese to take up the new position? Oh poor Emily… I so want them to be together now!” She pouted.

Dana smiled mysteriously.

“What”

“Did Jeremy say he was going with Therese?” Dana asked calmly.

“But… he invited us to farewell, remember? Oh right, you weren’t there.”

“No, he came back and told me.”

“See…. That’s why I said Emily missed out again.” Lara pouted cutely.

“Jeremy told me he is taking the offer with U country not E country. Emily has already taken up the job at U country 2 weeks ago.”

“You mean Jeremy has 2 offers?”

Dana nodded.

“I think I am in the wrong profession. I should join your company” Lara complained.

“Yes…. I think that, too” Dana smiled. “It’s not the company, it’s the role.”

“Whatever… I am too lazy to have this philosophical banter with you” Lara moved closer to Dana and asked with a mysterious expression “How did you shatter Jeremy’s glasshouse? How did you get that disdainful man to cooperate?” Lara raised her eyebrows provocatively.

Dana pushed her away and yawned “I am tired….. ah!!”

Before she could finish, Lara pulled her back; Dana lost her balance and fell on the lounge.

“Not so fast roadrunner.” Lara patted her hands roguishly “it’s your turn to spit.”

Dana blinked innocently.

“Not working dearie… spit” Lara made a mocking face.

Realizing that Lara would not let her off, Dana admitted defeat and sat back on the sofa.g “Actually, I don’t know either. One minute he mocked me, saying that even if he had to act, it wouldn’t be with me and then when I said good bye as Jeremy came, he pulled my hand and acted the role to perfection and then…” Dana paused.

“Then” Lara prompted excitedly, “and then what girl?”

“Well… I thanked him and he said it wasn’t sincere enough and that if I was sincere I would give a thank you kiss and treat him to dinner later” Dana stopped as she felt embarrassed to narrate further.

“Kiss….” Lara asked with gossipy eyes “You didn’t … did you?”

“Well…. I was just going to kiss on the cheek as you guys customarily do here for greeting”

Lara stared with excitement as she predicted the rest, remembering Dana’s lost state when she came out of the box, but she still wanted to hear it from Dana; She prompted “And…”

“Well… er…em… when I was close to his face, that bastard turned his face and I kissed him on his ….” She covered her lips as she spoke.

Lara looked unconvinced with raised eyebrows.

Dana could only continue miserably “but he forcefully kissed me when I pulled back. Bastard!” She cursed again before continuing “that’s when Jeremy came back to invite for his farewell.”

“OMG” Lara screamed, “No wonder Jeremy lost his soul … tsk …tsk… how ruthless” and with a gossipy tone she moved closer to Dana “and how was the kiss?”

“You… you….” Rosy streaks crept up Dana’s cheeks while she stuttered … unable to say anything, she threw the pillow at Lara and walked to her room yelling “This topic ends here. You are not allowed to bring it up again” and banged her door shut.

“That good, eh?” Lara grinned, heading towards her room.

2 days later

Ben didn’t know why, but he was getting agitated. He couldn’t believe that his encounter with Dana was a chance and there were no schemes and she wouldn’t come to find him. He had waited patiently these two days…. Patience was something Ben didn’t have. Realizing that this was the day of the “so-called suiter’s” farewell, Ben decided to look for Dana there under the pretense of their previous act. He pressed the bell for his secretary. An elegant beauty walked in swaying her hips.

“Ben” She called sweetly as she waited for his orders. She had a seductive smile on her red lips.

“Do I have anything on after 5pm?” Ben spoke without acknowledging her charm. This was the first time Ben ignored her. He would usually have a mischievous smile and a roguish remark when she smiled at him like this. Lisa had been noticing the subtle changes in Ben’s attitude for the last two days but was still shocked with his indifference. This was the first time she was summoned in the last 2 days. These days she even doubted if he was working or just sitting there dazed. She puffed up her chest and asked in a concerned yet seductive voice “Ben, are you alright?”

She walked closer to him and raised her hand to touch his forehead. He moved with a trace of displeasure on his pretty face “What the heck? Can you not understand a simple question? Do you or do you not know my schedule for tonight?” He growled.

“Eh?” Lisa was frightened by this sudden change in character. She quickly calmed her composure “Let me have a look, CEO”. She walked out of the room with a puzzled look, went to her desk and picked up her iPad and walked in. She flicked onto the calendar and responded in a respectful tone “you have 5pm at A-one plaza with the director for expansion proposals and 7pm at Skylight with Andrew Holster”

“Reschedule both. I have another commitment for tonight”. He threw a sentence arrogantly and walked out, leaving a surprised Lisa.

Shadow ran to the car, seeing Ben alight from the lift. “You’re early.”

“And you’re nosy!” Ben smirked “Drive.”

“Where to” Shadow asked as he turned the ignition on.

“Hudson hotel” Ben replied with a straight face.

Shadow’s eyes filled with gossip. He kept looking at Ben through the rear-view mirror.

“Get me a room with the best view of the entrance” Ben ordered, while he kept reviewing the documents in his notepad “Actually get a room and surveillance for all the exits and entrances of the hotel” he corrected on second thought.

“Boss…” Shadow could no longer hold his appetite for gossip.

“Is there a problem?” Ben asked indifferently.

“No… no… why would there be….” Shadow shrugged.

“I want to see what that female is all about!” Ben justified his intentions righteously.

Shadow shook his head although his eyes lit up with gossip. ‘Oh Boss… why do you have to pretend? I am not going to fight with you for a lady. I can even help you catch up with her so that I can also have a life.’

Ben could not explain his outburst at Lisa. Not only did he find her annoying, he also wondered if there was something wrong with his head to be able to tolerate her previously.

Shadow was very efficient. Very soon, the hotel manager walked in with the IT team and organized a few monitors in the room with a view to all the entrances and exits of the hotel.

“Sir, just press the second button on this device and it will directly connect you to the head of security. I have arranged for him to be on standby.” The manager said in a respectful manner and handed him over a black communication device.

Ben received the device and raised his eyebrows at Shadow.

Seeing the interlude between the two of them and understanding the nature of covert operations, the manager quickly added “my people are very professional and tight-lipped. Good luck on your mission Sir! The country is very grateful to devoted people like you who are extremely busy and yet volunteer to assist the government.” The manager didn’t forget to flatter Ben, who in Dorsen didn’t know that he was the head of Adalase enterprises.

He walked out with his team after making sure everything was working fine.

“What was that all about?”

“I told him that you are assisting the government in catching a drug smuggling team and you received a tip that they might have a meeting here today” Shadow touched the tip of his nose to hide his guilt.

“You what?” Ben looked surprised. Shadow was his most efficient and powerful assistant, but he never knew that he was a spontaneous fibber.

“You didn’t think the hotel would offer access to their surveillance systems for you to catch up with your love interest… did you? Shadow retorted out of embarrassment.

Ben shook his head and turned his attention to the monitors as he had nothing to refute him with and the guests were arriving through the front door.

Ben and Shadow watched the monitors intently, not missing a single person entering.

“Is she not coming?” Ben mumbled despondently as he stared at the monitor. It was past 6:30 and yet there was no sign of her. He had planned to appear before her magnanimously.

“Boss, shall I go downstairs and check out?”

“Um…” Ben nodded as he closed his eyes tiredly leaning back against the chair, murmuring in his heart ‘Where are you? Why are you not appearing?’

Shadow returned 10 minutes later.

“Boss, she isn’t coming. She apparently said her goodbyes earlier at the company. She is not a fan of these parties.”

“Is the source reliable?”

“It was the person who organized the party at skylight the day before yesterday and is said to be a close friend of hers.”

“Um…” Ben kept his eyes closed. After a few minutes, he got up and walked towards the main suite. “I want to rest. You can go back if you want or rest in the other room.”

Ben's face was filled with gloom the minute he turned his back.

“I’ll stay.” Shadow replied and walked towards the other room ‘Your home is 10 minutes away and you want to stay here…. Oh CEO! You are too willful.’

Shadow stopped with his hands on the knob “Boss dinner?”

“I am not hungry. You go ahead. Charge it back to this room.”

“Then I won’t be polite” Shadow replied playfully, but turned and looked at Ben’s dejected back and shook his head before entering his room.