02 || Cape Town

It was around 5 p.m. when MJ arrived outside her friend's apartment building. 

Liam never thought MJ Billings had friends. The only person close to a friend he knew was Anita. MJ never spoke about this friend. He had never heard of her. 

When they arrived at the building, she was colder and the hatred on her face was inevitable. She stepped out of the car and watched as an elegant woman who looked like she had just stepped out of a magazine stepped out of the huge building, simply wearing blue denim jeans, a white top, a light woollen navy blue jersey, and black push-in sleepers. She was a white woman probably in her early thirties. She was slender and had long, dark hair that reached below her shoulders. 

“May Jeanette!” She squealed, but MJ returned a tight-lipped smile. 

“Call me that again, and you will regret ever calling me.” She threatened, and Sonya Smith’s smile faded. 

“It’s good to see you too!” Sonya said sarcastically. Liam sensed the tension between the two. For friends, they did not look quite happy to see each other, the looks they gave each other and the loud silence spoke volumes. 

“Liam, do I need to remind you why I pay you?” MJ said coldly, snapping Liam out of his thoughts. She threw Sonya an icy glare and trudged into the building as if she owned it, leaving the two behind. 

Liam loaded off MJ's luggage and took it into the building, and then found Sonya still waiting outside. He wondered why she was still outside while MJ waited impatiently outside her apartment door. When she saw him walk past her towards the car, she stopped him. "Agh, I'm sorry about that." Sonya apologized, and Liam glowered at her. "Is she always like this?" She asked with concern, but he would be a fool to believe her. 

“I don’t discuss my boss with strangers.” He said before he got into the car and sped off. 

Sonya looked at the tyre marks in shock. "How rude!" She scoffed and marched into the building. She took the stairs to the apartment and stopped at the end of the staircase when she spotted MJ tapping her foot impatiently. 

"Took you long enough," MJ muttered and picked up her luggage next to the doorway. 

“I don’t see you losing any cent by standing there.” Sonya retorted and opened the door, and then she walked in, leaving MJ behind. 

MJ walked in and placed her luggage down. She stepped into the open and took in her surroundings. Sonya's apartment was at least ten times smaller than her house, but it felt like a home, unlike her own million dollars mansion. MJ probably liked this place more than the owner. It was simple and homely with everything either originally blue or painted in blue, but overall the entire apartment was covered in baby blue. 

“Let me show you to your room.” Sonya offered sassily and crossed her arms while leaning against the doorway that led to the bedrooms. 

"I know how to find my way," MJ said and pushed past Sonya, knocking her with the luggage. 

Sonya ran her tongue over her teeth and growled, pulling on her hair. It took her a lot of restraint not to kill MJ. 

MJ arrived in her bedroom and assessed it. Nothing had changed, everything was still the same way she left it the last time she was here. The room was painted in baby blue and almost everything in it was blue, except for the bedcover and wall wardrobe, which were white. 

She sighed and packed her clothes in the wardrobe, and then took a shower in the shared bathroom. Once done, she went back to her bedroom and dressed. 

MJ walked out of her room and was about to join Sonya in the sitting room when she found her lying on the couch while speaking on her phone with her boyfriend. 

“But I miss you!” Sonya whined like a child. 

“I miss you too and I can't wait to see you! Just one more week till MJ returns from her business trip, then you and I can be together again.” He said. 

Sonya remained quiet for a while, a sour expression on her face. 

“Sonya, are you still there? What’s wrong, baby?” He asked worriedly. 

“It is Nana, Jorge!” Sonya cried. 

“What about Nana? Did she start insulting you again?” Jorge sighed. 

“She is sick, Jorge!” She finally managed to say. 

MJ did not like emotional people, and watching Sonya ‘cry’ made her want to pull her own hair out. 

“Do you need financial assistance? You know you can count on me, right?” Jorge said. 

MJ smirked, proud of her brother for treating Sonya Smith like the gold-digger she was. 

Sonya composed herself and quickly sat up. “No!” She shouted. “I don’t need financial assistance.” She said and cleared her throat. 

“Then what’s the matter?” Jorge asked, confusion evident in his voice. 

Sonya sighed and stood up from the couch. “My boss.” She muttered and paused for a while. “If I can get someone to stand in for me at work then I am free to go, otherwise he is going to fire me.” She sighed. 

“Oh, man! I should have known he was going to do something like this.” Jorge muttered. “Listen, don’t worry about him; I’ll handle him, okay?” 

“No!” She almost yelled. “No, please. You will just complicate things, and besides, I found someone to stand in for me; I just have to make sure that they are on board.” She said and plopped down on the couch. 

“Okay, honey, if you say so. Listen, I have to go; something just came up. I’ll call you later, okay?” 

“Okay, babe. I-” She started, but the line was already dead. “I love you.” She whispered sadly. 

MJ scoffed and walked into the sitting, her high heels clicking against the carpet. “What a show!” She said, and Sonya’s head snapped in her direction, her eyes the size of saucers. 

“How long have you been standing there?” She asked, but MJ ignored her and assessed her with piercing cold eyes. 

"You can manipulate my brother all you want, but I won't let you drag his name into the mud by letting him fight your battles, Sonya," MJ said coldly. "I know women like you who prey on rich men and leave them broke." 

“I love your brother!” Sonya said angrily. 

"Like hell you do!" MJ snapped, causing Sonya to jump. "It is what it is, Sonya Smith; you are nothing but a gold-digging whore, and I will not let you ruin my brother's life!" 

Silence followed as Sonya closed her eyes, tears spilling out of her eyes. “I cooked dinner.” She said as she noticed MJ’s outfit and fancy black and gold handbag. 

MJ was wearing a short, knee-length, black pencil skirt, a matching V-neck black jacket, and black closed heels. Her hair was let down into her right side, and she was wearing a matching, gold jewellery set. 

"Poison is not really my thing," MJ said coldly as she pushed past Sonya, and then she left the apartment. 

"This conversation is not over," Sonya shouted angrily after MJ slammed the door shut.