Harry looked for Daniel with his eyes, he knew well what was going to happen as soon as he realized what Reed was doing. But he was nowhere to be found, he had to do something to get Deanna out of the guy's clutches and he had to do it right away. Yet he was still anchored in place, his body screaming at him to move and his head screaming at him not to. In a deep dark part of her mind, the one which he didn't dare even mention, he was waiting for Daniel to show up so that the weight of his temper would fall on her. Because he knew him well and his jealousy would not be directed at Leonard.
And Daniel wasn't in the room, he was holed up with his father, some board members and accounting discussing heatedly in an adjoining room. Just that night unnecessary approaches and questioning had to come to him that could have waited until Monday. He was exasperated and anxious to get back to his wife and these guys were holding him back by reproaching him with nonsense. A thick broth was forming.
- Your daughter-in-law has no shame, Camilla. Leonard Reed! And in front of everyone, where is Daniel? - Arlene was burning with mock indignation.
- I knew she was a gold digger from the moment he brought her home. Always putting on a show! I told him not to marry her -
Leonard was hogging her every time, moving her unnoticed by Deanna into a corner. He was telling her about a soprano his Foundation had sponsored 10 years ago and was now singing on the stages of Sydney and London, about the pieces she was performing. Some of them Deanna herself had sung on campus stages.
- Do you know what will happen when your son comes back? It will be a scandal! -
- For God's sake... Tell Beverly...
- What? -
- Tell Beverly to hold him until Reed leaves or we'll have a scene, Daniel has no scruples about showing his displeasure... - And she was saying it in a nice way.
Arlene urgently asked her daughter to hold Daniel with any excuse outside the room.
-Camila fears a scene because of her daughter-in-law's behavior. Try to talk to him about anything or take him someplace else... Maybe you can spend some time chatting alone... -
Beverly would never lend herself to something like that, but it was one more excuse to trigger the reactions she hoped to see. She would talk to Daniel, but in her own way. She knocked on the door where the men were arguing, from outside Daniel's strict voice could be heard. He was annoyed and fed up. But he was silent when he heard the knock.
- Yes!" he shouted.
Beverly peeked in.
-I'm sorry to interrupt you, but... Daniel I need to talk to you for a minute..." It wasn't a question.
Daniel adjusted his vest a bit obfuscatingly, and stepped out. He tried to contain himself in front of Beverly.
- What's going on? - He asked dryly.
-I don't usually do this, but there's a commotion going on in there," she said, pointing to the reception room.
- What's going on? -
- Well... Leonard Reed and your wife..." She feigned cowardice and the expression on her face was one of regret.
Daniel didn't need to know anything else, just hearing Leonard's name was enough to deduce what was going on. That bastard! The frown on his face froze and his eyes hardened. He re-buttoned his jacket and without a word to Beverly walked into the reception room. She hurried after him.
When he spotted them chatting animatedly, something began to burn in his chest. Reed saw him walking in her direction and hurried to take a business card out of his coat, his time with the little lady was over. But he still felt satisfied, he was a scoundrel and he didn't care what the next few days would say about him for his boldness with Mrs. Crusher.
Beverly paused in the doorway and the unleashing she expected began. Harry was also moving in the same direction, engrossed and his face charged with anger. He never noticed Daniel who was walking towards them also at a steady pace and with an aura of danger passing between people without looking at them. Camila held her breath and the room seemed to become charged with tension. Would Daniel make a fuss?
- Let me give you my card, if you need anything, don't hesitate to call me -
- She doesn't need it - Daniel told him, appearing between them and taking Leonard's card to crumple it in his fist and put it in his pocket.
- Crusher, congratulations on your new wife! -
Harry's expression changed again, his eyes were shining and he was clenching his jaw angrily. Oh my God, it's true! Beverly smiled underhandedly trying to hide her surprise.
- Get out, Reed, before I have you taken out... You know I will - His tone was harsh, leaving no doubt that he was angry.
- Calm down, Crusher. We were just talking about things we had in common... -
- You have nothing in common -
- You're always inflexible, but I'll back off anyway... Ms. Crusher... –
Deanna nodded her head in response and Leonard pulled back full of delight. She was looking at her husband in confusion. But Daniel wasn't looking at her, he was trying to appease himself. His temper had been aroused by the argument in the next room and now jealousy and disdain for Leonard were choking him. But he wanted to calm down, he had made a commitment to himself to placate his demons and not take his reactions out on her.
He had no reason to be angry with Deanna, she didn't know the man's reputation. The room was full of people who had already exploded in comments and whispers. He wasn't interested in that, he wasn't interested in those people or what they might say about him. They would talk about Deanna to exhaustion. Without knowing it, the reputation they had already given her as an opportunist would now increase.
Daniel took a deep breath and lowered his eyes to look at her. She looked directly at him with a question mark reflected in her own. He saw her caramel hair, her lips made up, her blushing cheeks, the line of her neck so fine and defined. Everything radiated youth and beauty, of course that bastard was going to look at her! Suddenly the rage he felt for Reed turned on himself. He shouldn't have left her alone.
- What's the matter? -
She asked him trying to make her voice sound soft. If she knew him well that had been another scene of jealousy. It caused her tenderness, but at the same time she knew it could explode as it had happened before. And tonight was not the ideal night for that, all his colleagues were present.
- Nothing - He answered with a hoarse and exasperated tone. He couldn't get his revolutions down.
- Something's wrong with you... tell me... -
Camila chose that moment to appear, she didn't want a scandal, but she couldn't contain herself either. Daniel waited for her to stop in front of them and before she could say anything he blocked her.
- Not now, Mom -
- Daniel...
- Not now, Mom," he repeated sternly, gritting his teeth.
Deanna took a step and grabbed his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. She was trying to calm him and at the same time reassure him that nothing strange had happened. Feeling her soft skin touching him was worse. Inside him there was a mixture of jealousy, anger, reasoning and logic that churned endlessly. He could never contain himself when it came to her, there was no way and yet he was struggling to do so.
Ignoring Camila he turned and said to her:
-Come with me... -.
She gave him back an almost imperceptible smile.
-Yes-
He didn't let her go and they walked to the other exit of the room calmly, without hurry. Daniel was giving himself a few more seconds to try to get a hold of himself and Deanna was trying to contain him.
Beverly could see Harry plop down in one of the chairs, tired and defeated.