Sitting on a couch with one of her long legs crossed over the other, Zary lifted her black sunglasses the moment Sam stepped out from the fitting room. She whistled at the perfection of him in that new outfit as well.

“We’ll definitely be getting this one too.” Zary told the sales lady next to her before she finally stood up. They had already bought quite a lot and spent so much time combing through this store that if they still did not leave, she might end up buying more than her car can carry. She never thought that dressing Sam up was this addicting. He just looks so good in everything that he put on! Zary mused to herself that it really should be a crime for being so good looking with such godly body proportions.

Once they stuffed their shopping bags in the car, Zary felt a little wilted and decided that they should go to her favourite restaurant get something to snack on and to freshen up while they were at it. Unfortunately for her, she had bumped into her ex-close friend, Arianne, who was also dining there just as they were headed towards their table.

Arriane was the woman who had gossiped about her. She was the one who had said that she should go sign herself into the nunnery. This woman was so insecure of her that she kept repeating this same topic over and over to as many people as she could who would bother to listen to her talk. Zary of course knew about what she was spreading out in her own circle as it later on reached her ears. It was inevitable as back then, they hung out in the same social circles – which was not that large considering Zary was not one who liked socialising much. Someone even went to the extent of recording what Arriane had said and sent the recordings straight to her. And it was due to this that Zary had heard her saying all those things – that Zary will never ever have a man until she grows old and grey. Arriane even made a bet with some of her friends if what she said earlier would come true before another round of laughter and ridicule followed her statement.

Zary had always ignored this woman even though Arriane continuously targeted her. She knew that Arriane was just extremely insecure of herself and felt inferior to Zary. Thus, she really was not worth Zary paying her any attention. She did not care of whatever was said about her and that was probably why Arriane was getting more and more aggravated. Zary had been treating her like she was a pesky fly and that pricked at her pride.

But that was before Zary found out that the cause of Karille and Hardy’s divorce was actually because of this same woman. Zary had accidentally bumped into them both one day and after doing some investigating, had found out that this woman had actually seduced Hardy. And now, Hardy seemed to be obsessed with her. Of course, Zary knew that the blame still fell on that bastard male for allowing himself to be seduced and had willingly fallen into this woman’s trap. But this vixen was also partly to blamed for deliberately setting her sights and designs on a married man.

Zary also had a strong hunch that this woman had aimed for Hardy mainly because of her. Since she could not elicit any reactions from bad mouthing her, she then aimed her schemes at her best friend instead! Just looking at the smug look on her face now was enough to make Zary’s blood boil. She had to grit her teeth and swallow the curses that would have spilled out otherwise when she turned to look at that pretentious b*tch that had called out to her.

“Zarina!” Arriane approached her happily, wearing that innocent fake smiling face of hers. “I have not seen you for a long while now. How have you…” She had started off trilling in that fake friendly voice of hers but suddenly trailed off when her eyes landed on Sam who was standing right behind Zary.

Her eyes flashed with lust and her red as blood lips hung open at the uber handsome hunk that seemed to be Zary’s partner.

“Oh my god…” Arriane gasped out, her expression now instantly turning from that faked innocent girlish approach to a lusty, seductive vixen – that was what she thought she was doing. She bit on her lower lip and released it slowly as her eyes never left Sam’s. “So f*cking gorgeous.” She whispered under her breath.

Zary could no longer stop herself from rolling her eyes. This b*tch! She had already seduced Karille’s husband, and now here she was trying to jump on another man?!

“This is Sam,” Zary wrapped her hand around Sam’s arm and then looked up at him. “My boyfriend.” The smile that she shot Arriane was scornful and filled with derision.

She heard Arriane’s sharp intake of breath. That statement must have shocked her.

“Sam, this is Arriane. An… old acquaintance.” Zary introduced her to him, purposely putting that pause on describing their relationship.

Arriane who had her eyes wide in disbelief smiled at Sam with the sweetest smile she could muster.

“Hello Sam, nice meeting you.” She stretched out her hand for a handshake when the waiter appeared and called their attention.

Sam lifted his hand, causing Arriane’s smile to widen, thinking that she had gained the victory over Zary with this first move. However, his hand had brushed passed Arriane’s and coolly said “excuse us,” pushing his arm to open up a path and leading the way for Zary to walk ahead. He had not even bothered to look directly at Arriane, and that was like a slap in the face for her.

The woman’s jaw dropped as she turned and watched the prime selection of a man wrap his arm around Zary’s waist as they both ignored her presence and headed to their table.

Arriane clenched her fists so tight that her knuckles had turned as white as sheets of papers.

…

At Zary and Sam’s table, the waiter finally left them when he got their orders. Zary was biting on her lower lip to stop a wide smile from bursting out. She liked the way how Sam had all but ignored Arriane’s handshake.

However, a while later, she saw Hardy entering the restaurant. That bastard! How dare he leisurely roam around in a luxurious restaurant with his freaking mistress when his son was bed ridden with an illness in a hospital and his…

Her smile instantly turned into rage.