Done Being Friends (22 page)

“Miller? What the...”

“He’s giving an interview to everyone who would have him, talking about how you are destroying the company and how your father is going senile.”
 

Faith blew out a huge breath and walked over to her seat. “Jessica, do whatever you can, within the legal means of course, to screw him over.”

Jessica sniggered. “I rarely see you so vindictive.”

“Wrong, I’m always vindictive. I don’t cower into corners when people do me an injustice. Certain things I don’t mind letting go simply because I do not think it is worth my time, while others,” Faith stopped to point at the screen and continued, “Others need to be taught that there will be consequences to their actions.”

“Whoa, I never knew that there was an ice-cold business woman in you Faith.”

Faith gave Jessica a small smile. “Now, whatever you can do to screw him over, please go ahead and do so. Have fun.”
 

Jessica returned her smile. “I will.”

“Jess, wait!” Faith stopped her before Jessica could open the door. “Are we good?”

Jessica gave her a quizzical look, uncertain about what Faith was referring to. “What do you mean?”

“Dylan.” She saw Jessica’s eyes widening so she gave her a moment before she continued, “I’m sorry I was so dense about it. I’m sorry about this mess we’re in and I’m sorry if you got hurt. I never meant for that to happen.”

Jessica’s eyes teared, and Faith gasped. Jumping out of her seat, she hurried over and gave her a hug. “I’m so sorry Jess, I’m sorry about everything.”

“I was so furious with all three of you for dragging on the mess day by day, but now I realized that my problem will not be solved until Dylan learns to let go. It’s not your fault.”
 

Faith took Jessica’s hand and dragged her to the couch. “We were all at fault I guess. My cowardice attitude of hiding my feelings for Zac. Zac’s ridiculous notion of bad love genes and stepping back for Dylan, and Dylan,” Faith paused, finding a right word to describe the situation.

“Dylan’s bullheadedness.”

Faith gave a wry smile. “I guess you can call it that.”
 

Both of them fell silent and after a minute; Faith finally spoke. “He doesn’t love me. He thinks he does, but he doesn’t. If it were the other way round, if I had rejected Zac, he would still have made sure I made it to the office safe.” Faith saw that Jessica was ready to jump into Dylan’s defense, so she took her hand.

“I’m not blaming Dylan. I understand that he was hurt. I’m just saying; he wouldn’t have done that if he truly loved me.”

Jessica wiped away her tears. “If only he can get that into that thick skull of his.”

Faith chuckled, and Jessica joined in.

“Now then, can we talk about something of a happier nature?”

Faith raised a brow and looked at her. “What do you want?” Faith asked suspiciously.

Jessica pulled out the magazine, which was clipped in between the files. A gossip magazine.
 

Faith gasped as she saw the cover page. Zac kissing Faith outside the restaurant where they had lunch at the day before.
Childhood Sweethearts Bonding Over Tragedy?

“So you guys are seriously together now?”

Tossing the magazine aside, Faith returned Jessica’s question. “Jessica, you are a topnotch lawyer working for a multimillion company, and you read gossip magazines?” Faith faked an appalled look on her face.

“Don’t try to change the topic. Are you guys dating?”
 

Seeing that there was no way Jessica was letting it go, Faith decided to answer it simply. “Yes.”

“Finally! Finally! I’m so happy for you!” Jessica smiled as she sat down on the couch in the office.

“Why does everyone keep saying that?”
 

Jessica raised a brow and cocked her head to the side. Faith knew that she was waiting for an elaboration.
 

“That we
finally
ended up together, like it was expected.”

“Faith, I have told you a gazillion times that he is in love with you and you with him. Everyone can see the way he looks at you. Throughout college, he was so protective of you, and he was always there whenever you needed him.” Jessica laughed as she thought of the memories of the old times.
 

“Remember the time when you got so angry that you ditched your date? The moment you called, he dumped his own date to drive all the way down to pick you up. And the time when you fell sick, he skipped all his lessons, ignored all his work and stayed by your side 24/7.” Shaking her head, she sighed in disbelief. “He has been your knight in shining armor for the longest time. All the girls in college were so jealous of you! When I saw how he took care of you in college,
I
was jealous of you. Only the two of you couldn’t see that you were in love with each other.”

Faith knew. Faith knew every little thing that Zac had done for her, but he had always made it seem like it was because they were childhood friends or brotherly love. She had wished it was more, but Zac never did expressed otherwise, so Faith had kept her feelings locked away in a corner of her heart.

Faith smiled at Jessica. “He asked me to marry him.”

Jessica’s mouth fell open. “Really? What did you say? Please tell me you said yes.”

“Sort of.”

“What?”

“We have a deal that in six months’ time, if he is still crazy about me, I will agree to marry him.”

“My bet is that he will still be there, and you will be engaged! Oh congratulations, Faith!” Jessica gave Faith a tight hug. “I am so thrilled about this!”
 

As the initial buzz died down, Jessica hesitated before asking, “Are you going to let Dylan know about this?”

Faith leaned back on the couch and let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know, Jess.”

“I think he deserves to hear it from you, or Zac, personally. Think about it.” Then standing straight she adjusted her coat, getting back to the business-Jessica. “And now, I’m going to screw someone over...legally.”

No doubt there was a vicious lawyer in her, ready to be unleashed on Miller. No one should mess around with women.
 

Faith continued sitting on the couch, dwelling on the conversation she had with Jessica. With everyone they knew telling them the same thing, Faith was starting to feel like a fool. He did love her; he had always loved her. Why did she even doubt that? Zac would never just fool around with her; he would never hurt her that way, and he would never have taken that step if he wasn’t sure of his feelings.

Oh well, it’s just six months.
 

Sighing, Faith wished there was something she could do to let Dylan understand that he didn’t really love her; and that it wasn’t worth losing someone like Jessica over an infatuation.
 

Then again, she seemed to be the last person who should get involved. With no solution in mind, Faith decided to focus on her work instead. For now, there were pressing issues to settle.

“Chelsea, get the Head of PR over. There is some damage control we need to do,” Faith said through the intercom.
 

She was getting the hang of the job and was rather enjoying it. Though a heavy responsibility, she was glad to take the load off her father. She had been putting in an effort help children all over the world, hoping to make a difference in their lives. Yet, she had been selfish enough to forget that her family needed her help and support as well.

She was still going to contribute money to the children; there was no way she was going to forget about them, but her priority now would have to be her father. Her father had been taking care of her all her life, and now it was her turn to take over. She was no longer a child.

Just before lunchtime, Zac called. “I’m sorry love, the meeting is taking longer than expected. I can’t meet you for lunch today.”

“It’s all right, silly. I’ll just take a cab over to visit my dad and sponge off my parents for lunch.”

He laughed at her statement. “All right. There is no need for the cab though; I had Mindy to drive the car over. It should already be sitting in your parking space.”

That was just exactly what Zac would do. Even if he couldn’t meet her, he would make every necessary arrangement to make sure she was well taken care of. “Thanks Zac.”

“Hi mum, grandma, where’s dad?” Faith strolled into her parents’ house to find the two ladies sitting on the sofa with a pile of invoices and papers before them, probably another charity night gala that they were organizing.

Despite all the stories about mother and daughter-in-laws, the relationship between her mother and grandmother had always been great. Perhaps because her grandmother had always been really modern and was always supportive of her mother. If they did quarrel, it was never in front of her.

“Hi darling, he’s taking a nap. Where’s Zac?”
 

“His meeting ran late, so I thought I would drop by for lunch.”

“Sure my dear, you can join us for lunch. Now, since Zac is not around, can you tell me why you are making that poor boy suffer?” Her grandmother laid down all the papers she was holding and took down her spectacles.
 

Faith joined them on a single seater next to the main sofa. “I’m not trying to make him suffer. I just wasn’t sure. We just started out, and I was...I wasn’t sure. That’s all.”

“He loves you. He loved you since he was a boy. I don’t know what took him so long and what was with the women in between, but I have always known that he loved you. Your grandma sees everything. You can trust me.”

“Yes grandma, the women in between. I’m nothing like them, not in looks or personality. I’m boring, I don’t like to go out and party, or entertain people. I like to stay home and read or watch a good movie. I’m plain and boring.”

“Of course you are different from those girls. We didn’t raise a child to spend her time on booze, partying or dressing up. You are much better than all those girls out there. You are way way way better, and you are NOT plain.” Before Faith could protest, Mrs. Preston raised her finger to stop Faith from speaking. “I’m not saying that because I’m your mother. Zac can see that. And don’t you, for one moment, think that we don’t know about all the suitors you have turned down.”

“And you have always loved him too! His presence alone is always enough to put a smile on your face. Remember when you went on your first mission trip? I know you were insistent, but I could see the apprehension in your eyes too. However, the moment Zac announced that he was going, all your worries melted from your face,” Her grandmother added.

“I know. I know. It was just so sudden. I was shocked, that’s all.”

“So that is a yes? You will say yes to him?” Her grandmother looked as if she was ready to jump up and squeal like a little girl.

“Yes it is. At the end of our six-month deal.”
 

“What?”
 

Right, they don’t know about it.
Of everyone Zac had been announcing the story to, he had missed out the people who would have derived the most joy from it.
 

Again, she repeated the story that she had said so many times. Her mother simply smiled and shook her head while her grandmother gave a long exasperated sigh.
 

“It’s six months grandma, don’t behave a though it will take six decades.”

“I’m an old lady, Faith, who knows if I can wait another six months.”
 

Faith rolled her eye. “I’m sure you have many more six-months grandma.”

By the time Faith got back to the office, Jessica had all sorts of court letters sent to Wilson Miller and the head of PR had the video of Miller acting like a deranged man trying to swing a punch at Faith in the meeting room played over every channel.
 

They had completely destroyed his reputation and had truly screwed him over.
 

Faith sighed. She had no qualms about protecting the company her father had built and Wilson Miller was getting under her skin, but she would have preferred a more amicable ending. There really was no need for things to turn out like this.
 

Settling one of the resorts, she had to check on the coordination of the opening of another. She worked all day, not realizing that the sun was starting to retire for the day.
 

“Snack delivery.”

Faith looked up, startled. She had recognized his voice immediately but was the last person she expected to see.

“Dylan?”
 

“Hi babe.” He stood by the door, not stepping in.
 

“Come in.” Faith smiled. They had been friends for the longest time, and she just wanted to get past the awkward phase and move on.
 

Does he know?

Faith kept her smile on her face, not sure if she should mention it or let it pass if he didn’t ask.

“Zac told me that you got hurt that day...the day I drove you to work.”

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
They had talked. Perhaps, Zac had already told him.
 

“Still, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let you walk.” He walked over and placed a small box on her desk, before sitting down on the chair opposite hers. “Cheese cake.”

“You’re forgiven.” Faith smiled and opened the box. She wasn’t hungry, but she didn’t want Dylan to think that she was still angry with him. A small fork was inside the box, so she picked it up and started eating. “Want some?”

Dylan shook his head. “So, there was some drama going on the news this morning. You handled it well.”

“Thanks. Wish it didn’t have to end up this way.”
 

Dylan nodded, placating rather than comprehending. Unlike Zac, Dylan wouldn’t understand why Faith would feel horrible about what had happened. Even though he knew that such an episode might result in a long or permanent unemployment for Wilson Miller, to Dylan, it was a necessity, and he always did what he needed to get what he wanted.
 

“How’s your dad? Better?”

“Yes, he’s back home and much better. Thanks for asking.” Faith kept her eyes on the cheese cake.