A Second Chance For Revenge

I heard the news from Sarah that Tila and Phillip were supposed to have a date tomorrow afternoon. The idea of them together, especially after everything I had been through, made my blood boil. But it also gave me an opportunity. If I could get to Phillip first, before Tila had a chance to work her charm, maybe I could turn things around.

I needed Sarah's help. Sarah was a journalist, and more importantly, she was also Phillip's cousin. She had connections, and she could find out where they were meeting. I knew I had to act fast if I wanted to make a difference. Sarah agreed to help me, and soon enough, she sent me a message with the details of their meeting spot. It wasn't far from where I lived, a quiet café on the edge of the city—a place where the rich and influential liked to gather. I knew it would be the perfect spot for a conversation with Phillip, especially if I got there first.

The next day, I woke up early, determined to get ahead. I couldn't let Tila have the advantage. I arrived at the café well before their scheduled meeting time, my heart racing as I stepped inside. The place was quiet at this hour, just a few early birds sipping their coffee. I took a seat, my eyes scanning the room, waiting for Phillip to show up. This was it. The moment I had been preparing for.

The minutes seemed to stretch on forever. Then, the door opened, and there he was. Phillip. He stepped inside with an air of calm confidence, the kind that made him seem even more out of reach than he already was.

He scanned the room, his eyes moving across the few occupied tables. When they landed on me, I could see the flicker of surprise, but it quickly turned to something more. Curiosity, maybe? He walked toward me, his steps slow, calculated, and yet... smooth. As he approached, I stood up to meet him. I needed to be in control of this. I needed him to see me.

"Faye," he said, almost as if he had been expecting me. But his voice held a surprise, a slight hesitation, as though he'd been caught off guard. He quickly cleared his throat and continued, "I wasn't expecting you here."

I didn't let his surprise affect me. Instead, I smiled, though it was more for myself than for him. "Funny, I wasn't expecting you either. But here we are."

Phillip pulled out the chair across from me and sat down, his eyes never leaving mine. He had an air of coolness about him, but there was something sharp in his gaze that told me he was sizing me up. I had prepared for this, and knew exactly what I needed to do. I wasn't going to waste any time.

I went straight to the point. "Phillip, what do you think about marrying me?"

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, his lips parting for a second as he seemed to process my bold question. He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest as he studied me with a hint of amusement. But there was something else there too—something more calculating, as if he were figuring me out.

"Marrying you?" he repeated, his voice neutral, almost too calm. "Well, that's a bit of a jump, don't you think?"

"I'm serious," I said, my voice steady. 

Phillip took a deep breath, looking at me with that same intense gaze. There was silence between us for a moment, a quiet tension that seemed to fill the air.

"I've done some digging into your family background," he said slowly, his tone matter-of-fact. "I know who you are. You come from money, and your family has influence, though it's not the kind that most people would brag about." He paused, letting that sink in for a moment. "I can respect that. But I'm not sure your family's business aligns with what I'm looking for."

I clenched my jaw at his words. So, he had already judged me. My family. What did it matter? What he didn't know, what nobody knew, was that I wasn't bound to their choices anymore. I had my own plans now. But I didn't show my frustration. Not yet.

"Then what do you want?" I asked, keeping my voice even, my eyes locked onto his.

Phillip leaned back, seemingly considering his words carefully. He took a moment before he answered, looking at me like I was a puzzle he was trying to solve. "Someone who has beauty. Someone who knows how to stand out. Someone who can be an asset to my name."

My heart skipped a beat, and I couldn't help the flash of anger that surged within me. Beauty? Was that all he cared about? Was that all that mattered to him? I had never been the kind to rely on my looks, but hearing him speak so casually about it made something inside me snap. My fists tightened under the table, but I forced myself to stay calm.

"I'm more than just my looks," I said, my voice low but firm.

Phillip didn't seem to notice my frustration. Instead, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a room key card. He placed it on the table between us, his fingers brushing the edges of it. "Being attractive is an advantage," he said, his voice cool and dismissive. "It's a simple fact. If you want to be someone important, you need to have something that people notice. Something that makes you stand out.

I stared at the room card. It was a humiliating gesture. It felt like he was offering me a deal, like I was just another option to him, a mere means to an end. My face burned with frustration, but I didn't let it show. I kept my gaze fixed on the card, trying to steady my breathing.

"Is that all it takes?" I said, my voice quiet but sharp. looks?"

He looked at me with amusement, his eyes glinting as if he enjoyed seeing my reaction. "For some, yes. But if you can prove that you're more than just what you look like, that would be... interesting."

Before I could respond, the door to the café swung open, and I saw her. Tila. She walked in with her usual confident, self-assured stride. Her eyes immediately landed on us, and I could see the surprise flicker across her face when she saw me sitting there with Phillip. She wasn't expecting this. She wasn't expecting me to be here, trying to take what she thought was hers.

I didn't hesitate for a second. I grabbed the room card off the table and stood up abruptly, my eyes locked on Phillip's. "If you're serious about what you said," I said, my voice low, "then come with me. I'll show you what I can offer."

Phillip's eyes widened for a second, but then a smile curled on his lips. He stood up, his gaze never leaving mine. Without a word, we headed to the reservation room. Tila's eyes followed us, and I could see the frustration building on her face. I knew what she was thinking. She knew exactly what I was doing. And I didn't care.

I walked a

head, my mind racing with what I was about to do.