Cake Tasting

Thea tossed her bag onto the bed before sinking into her bed, taking off her shoes. It's been a long and rather successful day.

Her mind roamed back to Adam and how he had shown up unannounced. Thea felt a pinch in her heart; he knew where to find her and yet, he didn't come to apologise to her, to tell her he trusts her.

But the only time he does show up, it's to ask if she could save his company from drowning in debt.

A slow smile crept across Thea’s face. This was exactly what she had wanted.

For Adam to see Posy’s incompetence, to be forced to swallow his pride and beg her, Thea, for help. The pain of his betrayal still lingered, a dull ache in her chest, but it was now overshadowed by a quiet sense of satisfaction.

The game, it seemed, was back on.

Her phone was back in her hand, her thumb hovering over the contacts. She couldn't call Adam back just yet. She needed to let him sweat, to let the silence and the financial losses work their magic.

No, her next target was the source of all the chaos herself. Posy.

She knew she needed to keep her on her toes. There's no way Posy would want her to return to the company, and judging by how frantic she was over the phone, she knew Adam's plan to pull her back into the Balmero Company.

And nothing works more than keeping Posy on her toes. Knowing how impotent she is, she would make a mistake, take the wrong step and that would be her opening.

Thea desperately wanted to keep Posy on her toes, to watch her squirm and panic as her world crumbled around her.

But first, she needed to know where Posy would be. She needed to know everything about her intentions for the wedding.

She dialled Clara's number.

She wasn't sure Clara would have the information she needed, but it would be worth a try. She could know exactly where Posy was, and Thea knew that Clara, having been mistreated and pushed around for far too long, would be more than happy to help.

The phone rang twice before Clara’s hesitant voice answered. “Hello?”

“Clara, it’s Thea.”

“Ms Thea! It's good to finally hear from you.”

“Yeah. I'm still going through the file you sent to me but I need your help with something. It's really important and I would appreciate it if you do everything possible to find out.” Thea said.

Clara is suddenly excited, delighted that she could be of help to Thea finally.

“What is it, Ms. Thea? Tell me. I'll do everything I can to get it done.”

“Is it possible that you might have an idea of what Posy's schedule looks like?”

Clara sighs, she couldn't be so sure. “I'm not sure but give me a few minutes and I'll find out.”

The line went quiet. Thea paced the room in gentle strides, hoping that Clara would be able to find something.

“Ah! I found out!” Clara's voice echoed from the other end again. “She was supposed to be at Cake Stars today. It’s her cake-tasting appointment. She has to make a final decision on the wedding cake.”

“Thank you, Clara. I'll reach out to you later.”

Thea ended the call, a triumphant smile on her face. Her first move had been a success. She now knew exactly where Posy was. It was time for a visit.

She got dressed, choosing a simple but elegant dress. She didn’t want to look like she was in a competition; she wanted to look like she was in control.

She called for Ethan, and together, they got into the car.

The drive to Cake Stars was a quick one, and as they pulled up to the storefront, Thea’s heart began to beat a little faster.

She saw the familiar outline of Posy through the large glass window. She was standing with a decorator, a frantic look on her face as she gestured wildly.

A mountain of tiered, half-eaten cakes sat on a table before her, a testament to her indecisiveness.

Thea took a deep breath, composed herself, and walked into the store, a warm smile plastered on her face. A small bell chimed as she pushed the door open, a sound that seemed to echo in the silent, tense room.

Posy turned around at the sound, and when she saw Thea, her face drained of all color. Her mouth fell open, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and pure terror. She looked like she had seen a ghost.

“Thea? What… what are you doing here?” she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

Thea’s smile widened, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Posy! What a pleasant surprise. I just happened to be in the area and thought I'd drop by to get a cake! How is the planning for the wedding going?”

Posy’s face hardened. She couldn't let Thea stay. Not here. Not now.

“You can’t be here. You need to leave. Now.”

Thea ignored her, her gaze falling on the various cake samples on the table.

“These are beautiful, Posy. The decorators here are incredible. You’re lucky to have them.”

“Thea, this is a private family matter. You need to leave. I’ll call you later,” Posy said, her voice low and menacing.

“A private matter? What do you mean? Besides, I’m your maid of honor. Don’t tell me you forgot?” Thea said, her voice sweet as sugar.

Posy’s eyes flickered open in remembrance, she bit her lip almost as though scolding herself for being so careless. Posy’s gaze darted back and forth between the decorator and Thea, her mind racing. She was trapped. She couldn't risk telling the truth.

The decorator could go around talking about their discussion or spreading rumours. It's only a matter of time before people find out that Thea was not a friend, but a rival.

"I… I didn’t think it was important enough to mention,” Posy stammered, her voice shaking.

“Not important enough to mention?” Thea retorted, her tone sharp and full of suspicion. "Your maid of honor is not important enough to mention? What's going on, Posy? Why do I feel like you're hiding something from me?"

Posy looked at Thea, a silent plea in her eyes. "You need to leave, Thea. You can't be here."

Thea stepped closer, her voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial whisper that only Posy could hear. "Don’t you want my help, Posy? Don’t you want me to help you make this wedding perfect? After all, it is my duty as your maid of honor."

The threat in her words was palpable. Thea knew that Posy was struggling with the wedding plans, the company, and, importantly, struggling to keep Thea far and away from her father's reach as well as Runes.

It was a trap, and Thea was watching her walk right into it.

Posy’s eyes widened, her mind racing. She had no choice. She had to accept Thea’s help. She had to keep her close, to monitor her every move, to make sure that she didn't expose her.

"Ms Posy, what's going on?" The decorator asked. "Why won't you let Thea help you? She's your maid of honor. She's supposed to help you. It would be a huge help to you.”

Posy looked from the decorator to Thea, a look of pure, unadulterated defeat on her face. "I… I just… I didn’t want to bother her. That’s all.”

"Nonsense," the decorator snapped. "She's your maid of honor. She's supposed to help you. Now, let's get back to this cake. I want a final decision by the end of the day.”

Thea smiled, a silent victory in her eyes. She had won. For now. Posy was now forced to have her around, to involve her in her life, to accept her help, even if she didn't want it. She had to watch her every move, and Thea knew that this was a game she would win.

Posy turned back to the cake, her eyes fixed on the designs, but her gaze never left Thea.

She had to get rid of her fast. And she had to do it before anyone else found out what was really going on.