Chapter 33

Jasmine began to fret as well. How can Cara be eager to speak one minute and the next minute she's scared to say a word.
_Could it really be that bad?_ . She pondered.

Trying to reassure Cara, she reached out for her hands and squeezed them softly. Cara who had been lost in thoughts, raised her head to see a concerned Jasmine staring at her with a soft smile plastered on her face.

_I just made it pretty obvious._ Cara thought as she returned the smile.

"So, what was it you wanted to tell me?" Jasmine asked trying her best not to let her worries show. She now, more than ever needed to hear this news. It must mean a lot to have caused a switch in Cara's mood.

Jasmine held her breath as Cara lips parted, expecting to hear the worst. What if she caught Becca and Matt kissing or worse...

"Earlier today, when I went to get you a refill of your coffee..." Cara began interrupting Jasmine's thoughts.

She continued. "I had seen three women down the hall". She paused to make sure Queen Jasmine was following.

"Huh?... Three women?" Jasmine asked confused.

She pressed further. "Was it a dream?" She questioned looking more confuse.

Three women? From where? There's only Rose, Becca and herself. How can Cara say she saw three women. If they had more guests Matt would have informed her or at least, she would have gotten wind of it. Moreso, the person would have been present at the dining table.

At the drop of this question, Cara burst into laughter. How could the Queen be asking her if it were a dream after the explanation in the beginning.

Jasmine, looking at Cara, also burst into laughter. She realized just how silly the question was.

"Please, continue" she urged Cara.

"I saw Becca, Rose and one other lady... I haven't seen her before and we didn't have any more guests yesterday asides those two. So..."

Jasmine soon had questions.

_Rose and Becca? But they never get along._ She thought out loud interrupting Cara yet again.

"Yes , your highness, that's what I also thought until I saw them standing and plotting together." Cara replied.

Jasmine feeling she hadn't heard right, tried confirming. "What? Plotting?"

Cara nodded. "Yes, your highness."

Pausing to know if Queen Jasmine had any more questions. Seeing that there was none, she continued.

"They were plotting against you, your highness". She said to Jasmine and waited to see the effect of this revelation on Queen Jasmine.

Jasmine looked on, eyes popping out of her socket in bewilderment. A thousand and one ideas running through her head.

Cara satisfied by Jasmine's reaction, proceeded to saying more. "They had planned to..."

Knock! Knock!

Both Jasmine and Cara looked up startled.

"What a timing!" Cara exclaimed looking displeased.

Jasmine looked at Cara and then returned her gaze to the door, wondering who could be at the door considering she wasn't expecting anyone.

She called out. "Who's there?".

A maiden replied. "Your highness, someone is here to see you".

"Who?" Queen Jasmine asked.

"Your mother, your highness".

"Just great!" She muttered as she made for the door. That was Cara's cue to leave.

What a day indeed!

Chapter 36
Brrr! Brrr!

Maria Hall phone beeped as she walked out of Jasmine's room. She scurried through her purse trying to reach for her phone. She wondered who could be calling her by that time.

Brrrrr Brrrr... The incessant ringing continued and it only added to her frustration from having to leave Jasmine without completing her mission for the day.

"God damnit!", she cussed under her breath as the ringing wouldn't stop.

Brrrrrrr Brrrrrrr...
Finally grabbing the phone, she heaved a sigh of relief as she silenced the call. The noise had already become unbearable. One more ringing and she might have as well smashed the phone against the wall. It'd have been satisfyingly pleasurable as she'd be throwing all her anger and frustration with it. But she would have probably been in regret afterwards as she knew she wouldn't have been able to afford another phone. She was bankrupt and that was why she agreed to do this. Anything at all to fetch her good money. She missed being rich, not like she had ever really been rich.

Maria Hall believed that having a house, eating three square meals a day and living in freedom was riches and now that she was living alone and all by herself, she was sure she'd enjoy every bit of it.

She tried to imagine her life with actual money and affluence. Everyone would respect her then. Especially with her car... Oh sorry! cars. She thought, trying not to limit her self with her thoughts.
Oh yes! Houses as well and probably a husband.
"Oh no!" She thought aloud, shaking her head. She would have to give that one much thought. She really didn't want "men" headaches.

"Hmmm..." She sighed smiling. Everyone who had abandoned her would come crawling and begging her for a little of what she owns. She would look down at them and laugh. Afterwards, she would proudly show them the door and ask them to leave.

Bzzzz Bzzzz.
Her phone vibrated bringing her back to her reality. She checked to know who the caller was but it only showed unknown. It was a strange number.

Her brows knitted into a frown as she tried to figure out who the caller could be.
In what seemed like a split second, her face became pale as color slowly left her face.

Only one person! She thought.
There's only one person that calls her with strange numbers.

"Oh no!" She exclaimed aloud.
I better not keep him waiting, she thought as she hurriedly made for the exit.