“When are you going to Vanessa’s mother?” Tania asked after her patience ran out.
Emmy’s eyes remained fixed on the laptop screen as he saved his work on the laptop and closed the lid before his attention finally focused on Tania, who sat across from him in his office.
She looked just as desperate as she had during their first encounter, her eyes fixed intently on him, her hands clasped together in her lap.
“Why should I tell you that?” Emmy inquired as he leaned back in his chair, keeping his facial expression neutral.
Tania was shocked by Emmy’s response, but her gaze didn’t waver as she watched him lean back in his chair. Instead, she had a sly smile on her face.
“I think we are a team now. You and I are the only ones with concern for Vanessa.” She said.
Emmy knew she was trying to manipulate him, but he was determined to play along, to uncover her true motives.
“I understand that you are concerned about her, but I don’t think I can trust you yet. You have to earn my trust.” Emmy said, causing Tania to scoff.
“I already told you enough. What else can I do to earn your trust?” Tania said.
Emmy’s eyes never left Tania’s face, his mind racing with different possibilities. He didn’t know who to believe in Tania or Darryl. But he was determined to get to the bottom of the situation, to uncover the truth behind Tania’s desperate attempts to find Vanessa.
“Put your facade aside, why are you so desperate to find Vanessa?” Emmy inquired, hoping this time, she would tell the truth.
“Do you really want to know that?” Tania flashed him a questioning look.
“If it is the truth, yes,” Emmy replied with a subtle nod.
With his eyes still fixed on Tania, Emmy leaned forward, indicated that he was ready to listen, and Tania took a deep breath, launching into her carefully rehearsed speech.
“Before I tell you the truth, I would like to know if you are still interested in getting Vanessa for yourself.” Tania stated, her words calculated.
Emmy was confused by her question. What does the truth have to do with that? He wondered.
“Does that matter?” His eyebrows raised as he asked.
“It does. Your interest in Vanessa matters a lot.” She retorted.
Emmy sighed, “as you can see, I wouldn’t be entertaining you if I had no interest in getting Vanessa back.” He said.
“That is why I said we would make a great team.” Tania smiled.
“Before Vanessa came into our lives, Darryl was supposed to be with me. But as she came along, she had been a sort of distraction to Darryl. He bought her company because he wanted her to work under him, and gradually, both became close, and Darryl began to see only her.” She paused, trying to catch her breath.
Tania was not done, but Emmy had already figured out that Tania was never Vanessa’s friend, instead she was a rival, fighting against her for Darryl. He remained quiet, listening carefully to everything she had to say.
She cleared her throat before she continued. “I don’t know what Darryl had planned, but I know I can’t sit back and watch Vanessa and Darryl be together. I am the right woman for him. That’s where you come in, Emmy. You should get Vanessa back, and she will be out of Darryl’s life. Then I will get my Darryl back. A win for us.”
For a minute or two, Emmy processed what Tania had just told him. He had a mischievous grin on his face as he took his time to process her story.
His instinct was right, he said to himself. Right from his first encounter with Tania, he could tell that she was not a friend of Vanessa. Judging by his history with Vanessa, no friend of hers would want her to come back to him.
“Say something!” Tania snapped, pulling Emmy out of his thoughts.
“You’ve said it all.” He sighed.
“Are you ready to work with me?” impatience surged through her as she asked.
“Thinking about it, I don’t have much to gain if I join hands with you. This deal benefits you more than it benefits me,” Emmy said, as the corners of her mouth turned up.
Tania’s lips tighten as she tries to control her frustration. The last time she checked, she had on Emmy wrapped around her fingers. She had won him over, but things had changed now. Has he seen through her? Or was he never interested in Vanessa? She pondered in her heart as she formed another speech.
“Love is enough reason for you to join hands with me. You will get your love back. Or isn’t that enough for you?” Tania said passionately.
“Is love the only thing motivating you? With the burning passion in your eyes, I know your love for Darryl isn’t the only thing motivating you. You have a lot to lose if you don’t get married to Darryl and, at the same time, you have a lot to gain if you get married to Darryl. Why not cut a reasonable deal for me?” Emmy’s face lit up as he said.
Tania’s eyes flickered around the office, trying to hide the fact that Emmy had seen through her. She thought working with Emmy would make her scheme easy. But Emmy was hellbent on making things hard for her.
If she had known that Emmy would be hard to get, she would have stuck to her initial plan of manipulating Darryl until he agreed to do whatever she wanted.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Tania said with the hope that he would buy her lie.
“I can make it simple for you then. Darryl’s money, his inheritance, his company and other things that come with being his wife.” Emmy said, flashing her a knowing look.
“Fine.” Tania sighed, giving in to Emmy.
“What do you want?”
“I will help you get Darryl back, and you will help me become partners with D’Peters. That’s a fair deal.” Emmy winked after he explained.
“You know that’s close to being impossible,” Tania said.
“But it is not impossible. You can do it, I know you can.” Emmy said, with a mischievous grin on his face.
Tania’s words caught in her throat as she glared at Emmy with distaste. Only if she could wipe off the mischievous grin on his face. Suddenly, an idea dropped into her mind, causing her to smile back at Emmy.
“Get Vanessa out of Darryl’s life, and we’ll have a deal.” She said firmly.
Both Emmy and Tania had a sly smile plastered on their faces as they clasped hands together, sealing their deal.
“You won’t regret working with me,” Emmy said.