THIRD PERSON POV
As Maxie stood up,her mind reeled with the revelation that Tory was part of the Langley family. Her thoughts were in disarray. She needed to get out of there, but her legs felt like lead, her emotions were in turmoil. She felt like she was going to lose control, and her mind was racing with thoughts. "I need to get out of here," she muttered to herself.
Tory's expression was concerned as he stood up. "What's wrong? Are you fine?" he asked, his voice soft.
Maxie's voice was icy. "I'm good. But I would like to leave," she said, her words clipped.
Tory's eyes narrowed. "What is the matter?" he asked, his voice firm.
Maxie's anger boiled over, and she spat out the words. "I need to go."
Tory's face was set in a determined expression. "I'm not letting you go until you tell me what's wrong," he said, his voice unyielding.
Tory's eyes followed her, a mixture of concern and confusion on his face. "Okay, okay. No problem. Just wait for me. Let me go settle the bill. I'll be back," he said, his voice softening.
As Tory walked away to pay the bill, Maxie stood there, her mind reeling. She felt like she was going to lose her grip on reality. She looked around the room, trying to get a hold of herself, and her gaze landed on Beatrice and Diana.
A thought came to mind, and she grabbed her bag, her movements decisive. She started walking towards them, her heart pounding in her chest.
As she approached their table, she slowed down, not wanting to draw attention to herself. She passed by without them seeing her, and that's when she heard Diana's voice.
"You mean Sharon went with Ace this weekend?" Diana asked, her tone casual, yet laced with an undercurrent of interest.
Maxie's heart skipped a beat as she processed the words. Sharon and Ace? What was going on? She felt like she was walking through a minefield, and she didn't know what was real and what wasn't.
Back at the table where Beatrice and Diana were sitting, the conversation between them continued...
Diana's face twisted in anger as she sat at the table, her eyes flashing with resentment. She held her hand to her forehead, as if trying to ward off a headache. "So, after all this time, Sharon still comes back to cause trouble," she muttered, her voice low and venomous.
Beatrice's expression was cold and calculating. "Well, I told you we should have taken care of her permanently then," she said, her voice devoid of emotion.
Diana's eyes snapped towards Beatrice, her gaze icy. "Shut up, let me think," she snapped, her voice rising.
The two women sat in silence for a moment, the tension between them palpable. Then Diana spoke up again, her voice dripping with malice. "I wish to take care of her. I wish to take care of Sharon permanently too, so she doesn't just come up and bring up troubles for me and Ace."
Beatrice's expression didn't change, but a hint of interest flickered in her eyes. "Ace's father keeps on covering for her, and I don't know why," Diana continued, her voice filled with frustration and anger. "It's like he's waiting for her to slip up so he can swoop in and save her."
The anger and resentment in Diana's voice was clear, and it was clear that her feelings towards Sharon were far from friendly.
Diana's expression changed, and she spoke up again, her voice dripping with sweetness. "I need you to be more friendly with Sharon," she said, her eyes glinting with calculation.
Beatrice's expression remained neutral, but she listened carefully, her eyes locked onto Diana's face. "How close?" she asked, her voice devoid of emotion.
Diana's smile was cold and calculated. "Very close. She has a best friend, right?" she said, her voice dripping with malice.
Beatrice's eyes narrowed slightly, but she nodded. "Yes, she has a best friend. Her name is Maxie and she works at your branch," she said, her voice flat.
Diana's smile grew wider. "Good. I want you to be closer to Sharon than Maxie," she said, her voice dripping with intensity.
Beatrice's expression didn't change, but she hesitated for a moment before speaking. "That would be a little bit hard because Sharon does not just allow anyone...," she said, her voice cautious.
Diana's eyes flashed with anger, and she cut Beatrice off. "Are you up to the task or not?" she asked, her voice cold and menacing.
Beatrice's expression didn't waver. "Of course, I am. I will do it," she said, her voice firm.
Diana's smile returned, and she stood up abruptly, grabbing her bag. "Good," she said, her voice short and curt. With that, she turned and left the place, leaving Beatrice sitting alone at the table.
Diana slid into the driver's seat of her car, the leather creaking softly as she settled in. For a moment, she just sat there, her fingers drumming a staccato beat on the steering wheel as she struggled to contain her anger.
Her eyes flashed with irritation as she pulled out her phone and dialed a number, her fingers moving with a precision that belied her emotions. The phone rang repeatedly, but there was no answer. She tried again and again, her anger growing with each unanswered ring.
"So you won't pick up Aec..." She muttered low to herself
Finally, she tossed the phone onto the passenger seat and started the car. Her destination was clear; the Langley family estate, where she would confront Ace's family about his latest disappearance.
As she drove, her mind replayed the events of the evening, her anger and frustration simmering just below the surface. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps.
When she arrived at the mansion, she strode into the living room, her high heels clicking on the marble floor. Ace's father emerged from the study, his expression serious and concerned.
And then there was the stepmother, her face a mask of sweetness and light. "Oh, darling, what brings you here?" Mrs Langley asked, her voice dripping with honey when she noticed Victor in the room with them
Diana's gaze flicked over the both of them, her eyes flashing with anger and frustration. She knew she had to be careful, to play her cards just right. But she couldn't help the way she felt, the way her emotions seemed to simmer just below the surface, waiting to boil over.
"What is wrong, Diana?" Victor Langley asked, his voice calm but concern etched on his face.
Mrs Langley's expression, however, was a different story. She was smiling, her eyes gleaming with a knowing light.
Diana's face twisted in anger, and she didn't bother to return Mrs Langley's smile. Instead, she turned to Ace's father, her voice breaking as she spoke.
"I heard that girl Sharon... I think that's her name... she... she took Ace away from the house again. He has not been home all weekend," she said, her words tumbling out in a rush.
Ace's father's face darkened, his expression turning thunderous. "What do you mean?" he growled, his voice low and menacing.
Mrs Langley's smile never wavered, but her eyes flickered with interest. She watched the scene unfold, her expression unreadable, as Diana continued to vent her frustration and anger.
Ace's father's expression turned stern, his voice firm as he spoke. "I see Ace must be very stupid for putting up all this unnecessary drama and putting lives on the line," he said, his words dripping with disapproval.
Diana, still crying, looked up at him, her eyes pleading for understanding. Ace's father softened slightly, his voice gentle as he said, "Don't worry, I will talk to Ace."
But Diana's pride got the better of her, and she tried to salvage what was left of her dignity. "Don't worry, I will manage this on my own," she said, her voice trembling. "I shouldn't have come here to disturb you."
Ace's stepmother, who had been watching the scene with interest, rolled her eyes and walked over to Diana. She bent down, her voice taking on a sugary sweet tone. "Oh, my darling, don't worry. Marriage has its ups and downs, but we will talk to Ace for you."
Diana nodded, her face still streaked with tears. She took a deep breath, composing herself as she stood up straight and cleaned her face. Without another word, she turned and left the mansion, the sound of her heels echoing through the hallway as she departed, smiling.
At Maxie's, she stormed up to her door, her anger and frustration evident on her face. She knocked on the door, and Marcus answered, a mixture of surprise and amusement on his face. "Oh, your date got cancelled early, huh? What happened?" he asked, his tone teasing.
Maxie didn't bother to respond, pushing past him into the apartment. She paced back and forth, trying to call Sharon, but her line wasn't going through. "What the fuck, Sharon?" she screamed, her voice echoing through the apartment.
Marcus's expression turned serious, and he watched her with concern. "Hey, Max, what's going on? You okay?" he asked, his tone softening.
But Maxie was beyond reason, her emotions boiling over.