THE RIVAL

Liora

This morning I had to meet up with Diella and knowing that she was my competition pushed me to dress my very best. The Cafe she chose was uptown, a very expensive diner, and I wasn't so sure I would be able to afford the coffee they served there. 

Everett hasn't yet opened the account for me that he said he would. 

When I walked into the cafe, Diella waved. My breath caught in my throat. She was absolutely stunning. I immediately wondered why Everett said he wasn't attracted to her. Taking a seat in front of her, I felt so small. 

She smiled when she saw me. "Liora, how lovely to finally meet you." 

I sat down across from her. "Thanks for inviting me." 

"Of course," she signalled over to the waiter. " I wanted to meet the woman who captured Everett's attention, after my many failed attempts to." 

The waiter came and Diella ordered some complicated coffee, I ordered black coffee, knowing I wouldn't even touch it. I didn't drink black coffee, it was just the least expensive thing on the list. 

"So," Diella started, landing her beautiful Hazel eyes on me. "Tell me about yourself. Where did you school at?"

"I went to State University. I had a marketing degree."

She clicked her teeth disapprovingly. "Well, I went to Yale and that's where I met Everett. His parents and mine were huge sponsors of the school so we became close."

I nodded my head, already seeing where all of this was going.

"Everett and I have such a special bond." She continued. "We share inside jokes, we have history and then Nuala is like a second mother to me. She calls me her daughter."

"That's nice."

"It is." She agreed. "So when this engagement came up, it was a surprise. He would have told me if you had a lover."

"Well, you're not exactly as close to Everett as you make it to be. He wouldn't have told you."

She stared at me, surprised I decided to be rude when she was civil. When she smiled again, it was evil. "Let me cut straight to the chase." 

Better. 

"Everett and I will end up together. Everyone expects it to happen, and if he is not willing, I will make it happen. This engagement of yours is only an obstacle but I would find ways to ruin it."

My jaw clenched. "You seem very confident."

"She nonchalantly shrugged. "You know that if his parents don't ship the engagement, it won't happen. All I need to do is just talk to them."

I laughed. "What do you mean it won't happen? It just happened. Besides I'm pretty sure that if Everett was easily swayed by his parents, he'd have been with you by now. Don't you think so?"

I grabbed my bag so I could stand up and leave, but then the waiter bustled over with a tray of our coffee. 

"You'd have to pay for your drink, Liora. I'm not helping you out of this one."

"How much is it?" I asked the waiter as I opened my purse. 

"50 dollars."

 I spun my head up so fast, I thought my neck would break. " I saw five dollars on the menu." I grabbed the menu and the fifty dollars stared back at me ominously.

"If you stay behind and let us finish this conversation, I will pay for your bill." She said with an amused chuckle. I had no choice but to sit down. 

She leaned forward. "I'm very interested as to how you met Everett. You both are worlds apart."

I thought about lying but what was the point? " In the lobby, and I proposed to him."

She was so shocked, she choked on her drink. " You proposed to him in public. Oh darling. He loves a good joke and must have humored you."

I gave her a cocky smile. "Yet here I am, with a ring in my finger. Whereas you, who have been pining him for years, have nothing to show for it."

Her smile turned cold. " Listen, I like you. You're feisty, I like a good sport, but for your safety, I'm giving you one last chance to break up with Everett gracefully. Tell him that you're not meant for his world. I'll make sure you get a generous settlement and everyone wins."

"I don't want to. You can't do anything to me, I'm under his protection."

"Then I'll have to make things very difficult. I don't want to but I will. Everett is mine." She stood up, smoothing her dress, then she slid a 50 dollar note over to me. "Think about it. You have until tonight's dinner."

She walked out, leaving me sitting there with my untouched coffee. 

Everett's parents lived in a mansion in the suburbs. The house was huge with columns and a circular driveway. I felt sick looking at it.

"Relax," Everett said as we pulled up. "It's just dinner."

"With your parents who hate me and Diella who wants me dead."

"My mother doesn't hate you. She's just disappointed you're not Diella." He squeezed my hand. "Remember. We're in love. Madly, stupidly in love."

"Right. In love."

We walked inside. A woman rushed forward immediately. She had auburn hair and green eyes and looked like she'd never had a bad day in her life.

"Everett, darling." She hugged him. Then she turned to me. "And you must be Liora. How wonderful to finally meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Montague."

"Call me Nuala, please." She looked me over, her smile tight. "What a surprise this engagement was. It was so sudden."

"When you know, you know," Everett said.

A man appeared behind Nuala. He was tall, had gray hair, and same cold eyes as his son. Zyler Montague. He looked at me like I was something stuck to his shoe.

"So this is her," he spat.

"Dad. Be nice."

"I'm always nice." Zyler walked past us toward the dining room. "Let's eat. I have a conference call at nine."

We followed him. The dining room was bigger than my apartment. It had a long table with twelve chairs. Only five were set.

"I hope you don't mind," Nuala said. "I invited Diella. She's practically family."

Diella walked in right on cue. She'd changed into a black dress that hugged every curve. She smiled at Everett. "Hello, darling."

She sat next to him. I sat on his other side. Nuala sat at the head of the table. Zyler at the other end.

Dinner started. Nuala asked questions about how we met. Everett lied smoothly. Diella kept touching his arm, laughing too loud at things he said. She wanted to be noticed by him, she was getting the attention. Zyler said nothing, he just watched me with those cold eyes.

Under the table, Everett grabbed my hand and squeezed. His thumb stroked my palm in small circles that made my breath catch. 

Diella noticed our joined hands. Her smile froze.

"So tell us, Liora," Zyler said, his voice sharp. "What exactly do you do at my son's company?"

Before I could answer, Diella laughed. "Oh, didn't you hear? She was dating Flynn West, Everett's assistant. Until she caught him cheating and proposed to Everett in the lobby. It was quite the spectacle."

The table went silent. Nuala's eyes widened. Zyler's face darkened.

"Is this true?" he demanded, looking at Everett.

Everett's grip on my hand tightened. "Yes," he said calmly. "And I said yes because I wanted to."