Chapter 23 What are you planning?
Dahlia.
" Please, don't touch my Mom and my son." She whispered, her earlier pride wiped from her face, and I nodded in approval. Remarkable attitude!
" I will do whatever you say. Just...just don't touch them." She added, hastily, as if she was afraid I would change my mind.
" Relax! Don't villain-paint me. My people are just keeping them company. " I reasured, with a cheeky smile dangling on my lips, and she looked even more scared.
" What do you want me to do?" She asked, her eyes gleaming with sincerity, and looking at her, a frown tagged at the corners of my lips. If she'd been willing to cooperate earlier, would we have ended up there? Dragging an innocent kid into the mess?
" I have several instructions. " I whispered, wearing a thoughtful look as I sipped on my coffee.
" I want you to continue working for Jason and Sofia. " I expressed, and I saw her eyes round in confusion.
" Ideally, you will follow along with the initial wedding preparations, but there will be slight changes," I added, before I opened my notebook.
" The wedding dress. I don't care what excuse you will give, but she won't wear that." I explained, and she nodded firmly, with a look that said, 'I got you.' And to be honest? I loved the current her more.
" And the wedding, you must make sure it goes on smoothly, that they recite their vows, and exchange their rings " I added, calmly, taking short breaks to sip my coffee while I went over the details with, and the scene looked so harmonious that anyone watching from the side would think we had the best work relationship, ever.
" But Miss Dahlia, if they go on with the wedding, what is it for you? What do you gain?" She asked, and to that, I fell deep into thought.
" What do I gain? Let's say, nothing, perhaps?" I whispered, smiling gently.
"I have loved Jason for over ten years. Maybe, I am willing to do him one last kindness before we part ways," I shrugged, and that only added to her confusion. Well, the more confused she was, the better. It was not her position to understand my plans, after all.
" Whether I gain or lose anything, that's none of your concerns, Miss Green. For your own peace of mind, just follow the instructions that I give you." I added, this time, sternly.
"Now, back to the planning. "
" Do you remember the part where the audience is supposed to watch a video of Jason and me? The memories we created, from childhood all the way to the engagement?" I asked, my heart throbbing with hurt as I recalled all the effort I had put into creating that part.
Some pictures that Jason and I took were blurry, and editing them had been a real piece of work.
And again, even after knowing each other for so long, we didn't have many pictures of just the two of us together. And I had to spend a lot of time, going through the old albums, ransacking through his family's storage rooms, just to find something, and it had all been useless.
He had seen me do all that, knowing very well that the photos weren't going to be needed, and yet, he had let me, and the thought of it had my stomach turning with bitterness.
" Yes. I recall that part...but there are recent photos of Sofia and Jason that they compiled and gave to me to prepare the videos." She explained, without even needing me to ask. So, that was the power of threats?
" Well, if they ask you, you are going to show them their video that you created, but when it comes to the display, for everyone to watch, you are going to swap it with another," I instructed, sternly. That was the most important part, after all. And I didn't want her to mess it up.
"Which video?" She asked, carefully, as if she was afraid of accidentally crossing me.
" I will give it to you tomorrow."
" Make sure you have noted everything that I just told you. There shouldn't be any mistakes. Those two shouldn't suspect anything either. "
" If you try to act smart, I might not even need to deal with your son and Mom. The police would be very pleased to get their hands on these papers, after all." I explained, pointing at the evidence against her on my lap.
" And that woman, the one you have been fooling for months, you know her background, don't you? She has roots in the underworld, if she gets to know the woman her husband has been cheating with, you wouldn't even live to regret it."
" Either way, you should know who to and not to go up against."
" Tomorrow, very early in the morning, we will meet here and I will give you the flash drive " I added, already standing to my feet.
" I hope you won't fail me this time, Miss Green." With that, I didn't even wait for her to respond before I left, leaving her frozen in place.
"Keep an eye on her." After taking a few steps from her, I instructed through the earpiece.
Yes. Although I had several things on her, I was still unwilling to take my chances. I wanted one of my men to watch her just in case she chose to betray me, again.
After my meeting with Miss Green, I straight-up went to my second location. I wanted to meet with Freya.
The reason I had cancelled our previous meeting was that I had wanted her to be investigated first.
After everything that had happened, of course, I would be a fool to trust everyone blindly, even those who appeared pretty harmless, and although I felt bad for having my best friend investigated, there was nothing I could do about it. I only hoped she'd understand.
" Honestly, Dahlia, I am glad he cheated on you " After explaining everything to Freya, those were the first words that left her lips, and for a moment, I wondered if I had heard her right.
I mean, I had just poured my heart out to her. I had just explained how, that son of a loser had cheated on me, not just with anyone, but with Sofia, that bcht!
As my best friend, Freya was supposed to be furious, no?
" Don't act surprised, Dahlia. I have never liked Jason and I never stopped telling you that."
"You deserved better than him and you knew it, and yet, you chose to stay, anyway "
"Now that he has cheated on you, I think I have a legitimate reason to kill him! That son of a gun!" She cursed, already looking like she wanted to kill someone, and that was the Freya that I was used to.
" But hey! You are getting married to Dalton, right? Then just forget about that Jason loser! I mean, your husband-to-be is a total knock off, the absolute dream husband!" And so dramatically, her mood shifted and she looked like a total fangirl as she described Dalton.
" So, do I get the best maids of honour position this time?" She asked, excitement glistening in her eyes, and as our gazes locked, a bitter lump logded itself in my throat.
Especially the 'this time' part had guilt gnawing at my conscience, and so did hatred.
What type of friend was I, really? I was even ashamed of calling myself Freya's best friend. To think that she would so carefully ask me if she could be my maid of honour, wasn't that wrong?
Wasn't that position naturally reserved for the bride's best friend? And yet, in the past, Jason had forced me into cancelling Freya as my maid of honour.
Yes. Although Freya clearly hated Jason, and more so, hated the fact that I was getting married to him, she had been willing to support me, since that's what I wanted, and throughout the rehearsals, the position of the maids of honour had been reserved for her.
We had even shopped for her clothes, shoes, and discussed the makeup and everything, only for Jason to disapprove, two weeks before the wedding.
And his reasons? He had wanted the maids of honour to be one of his lady friends, someone, for context, I didn't even know.
At first, I had objected, strongly, and it had come as a surprise to him, especially since in the past, I had rarely gone against him. He was used to my always doing whatever he told me to, that for a moment, my resistance had caught him by surprise.
Then he had used those familiar lines, the ones that always gave him the desired results whenever he used them on me.
' Women from our Riggs family listen and do what their husbands say. If you are unwilling to listen, with that attitude, I don't think you will be suitable for the position of the future Mrs Riggs. ' He had stated, his lips pulled into a thin line.
But unlike before, when those words used to make me apologise, I had maintained my stance, unwilling to have another woman as my maids of honour if not Freya.
The argument had been huge, it had escalated beyond my expectations and Jason had gone as far as threatening to cancel the wedding, and yeah, that had worked like magic.
The stupid me had been unwilling to lose him, so, I had conceded and gone ahead to explain everything to Freya.
I had expected her to be furious, to threaten to cut ties with me, and yet, she had received the news with unsettling calm.
'Jason is a jerk, Dahlia. So yeah, I am not surprised. That's something he can do. And he is capable of doing even worse, but since you, my best friend, are too blind to see him for who he truly his, I can only wish you all the best. And yeah, I will still attend your wedding, I have to see my girl in that wedding dress, even if I will attend as a guest.' She had whispered, tears rimming the corners of her eyes, and I had pulled her into my arms, whispering a thousand thank yous.
Looking back, after learning about Jason's betrayal and his plans to replace me with Sofia, I understood why he had wanted the maid of honour to be someone else, and not Freya. Since the bride was Sofia, the maid of honour had to be a person from her circle, no?
To think that the signs were there, but I had been too blind to see them, I couldn't have been more disappointed with myself.
And Jason, he was a jerk, just like Freya had always told me.
"I am sorry about what happened in the past. I will try to be a better friend from now on." I whispered, my tone edged with determination.
I was never going to allow anyone to come between my family and me, between me and the people I loved, and between me and my dreams.
From that moment on, I was going to live my life to the fullest.
"Don't talk about the past anymore, Dahlia! You are the best friend anyone could ever have! "
" And as long as you are not going to marry Jason, the past doesn't matter. "
" But I swear, if I am not your maid of honour this time I am going to kill you, Dahlia!" She warned, her tone all serious, and seeing her reverting to her usual self, a happy smile found its way to my lips.
In the past, my interactions with Freya used to be like that, carefree, reckless, but somehow, along the way, Jason happened and every time we met, it was always me, apologising for our missed arrangements, lunches I bailed on, and Freya trying to advise me against being with Jason.
And now, it felt like Freya and I were back to those old carefree days!
" Of course, you are coming with me. I already informed my Mom. She has everything prepared. "
"The wedding will take place in the afternoon. "
" It will be a seaside wedding, and for the sunset, scenic pictures, and calmer waves, the evening will be the ideal time."
" Also, that will give me enough time to burn their little universe, and while they wailed in agony, the two of us will board the plane, to my future, to my waiting husband, and my vows.." I whispered, wearing a distant look.
" What are you planning ?" Freya asked, leaning closer, gossip mode already activated.
" Nothing much..."
"I want them to tie the knot, say their vows, exchange their rings, share the kisses, and," I paused, smiling sweetly.
"And then I will show the world, just who Jason married.."