Chapter 287: Life Lesson
Mina spent the better part of her workday avoiding Olivia and Peter. True to her word, Olivia only used Mina's name as a gateway and was taking care of everything else herself. So far, the woman and Peter had been inseparable, and if Mina was being honest with herself, she had never seen the man smile, with anyone other than Director Porter.
Still, Mina could not help but to feel bad for Peter's fiancé. Even if the woman had been stepping out on the relationship, it had nothing to do with Mina or Olivia, and neither woman had the right to interfere. If Peter found out on his own so be it, but to force him to confront it by tempting him was another thing entirely.
Mina's resolve eventually dissolved, and she felt like she needed to come clean. She strode up to director Porter and asked to speak to him privately. However, when the pair disappeared into a vacant make-up room, Mina felt uneasy and nearly lost the will to come clean.
"Just tell me," Director Porter said anxiously. Mina had been putting him on edge and her nail picking was not helping him at all.
"Peter's fiancé; does he love her?" Mina asked.
"Of course not, but his family asked him for grandchildren and Mary fits his requirements," director Porter replied.
"Are they trying to get pregnant?" Mina asked with wide eyes.
"Not as of yet," her boss answered, and Mina sighed in relief.
"Mina, why are you asking about this? If you know something, say it now."
"I- I saw a photo. It was of Mary with another man. It was taken three days before it was shown to me." Mina added.
"Do you still have the photo?"
"I never had it to begin with," Mina admitted.
"Who would just randomly show you a photo of-" director Porter cut his speech abruptly. "This should be interesting," he continued.
"Shouldn't we tell him?"
"No, this will be good for Peter,"
"Why?" Mina asked.
"He needs to be taught this lesson," her boss stated. "It will help him grow as a person."
"Does he even like Olivia though?" Mina asked. It did not make sense to her how two people who liked one another could not know it, especially since they had worked with one another.
"Not really, but hopefully he can learn something from this experience." Director Porter was silent for a few seconds. "Mina, don't involve yourself. It isn't your fight, and I can assure you, it isn't what you think it is."
Mina stared at the shut door feeling sorry for Olivia. She did not know all the details, but she wondered how heartbroken the woman would be if she were able to come between Peter and Mary, only to watch the man fall for another.
----
Peter was enjoying his conversation with Olivia. She was a beautiful woman, but she had never been interested in him nor he in her. She joked a lot, but she never gave him a real indication that she wanted anything other than friendship. Whereas she was much more open with others.
As a serial dater, Peter claimed he was looking for the perfect woman, who everyone knew did not exist. To Peter, Olivia was nowhere near his ideal. She was loud, she had too many male friends, and he was almost certain she was confused about her sexual identity.
However, those very same negative qualities drew him to her. There was something refreshing about a woman who grew up without restrictions, but Peter wanted someone he could trust, and Olivia was not it. At least that is what he had come to believe.
Peter found himself wondering how many men Olivia had slept with, and what she liked to do while in bed. He, himself, had been with many women from the Four Cities, and they were always interesting. Some were upfront, while others were more reserved, but they were all liberal when it came to matters of the opposite gender.
Taking in the woman's features, Peter wondered if he should take Olivia to bed at least once before he was officially married. He did not love Mary, but she was the closest to an innocent and pure woman he had found. Not to mention the fact that she never questioned him, and always did exactly as asked.
Before Peter knew it, the words he had been hiding left his mouth.
----
Olivia stared blankly at the man in front of her. She had been attracted to the docile nature of Peter, who she believed did not assume anything about her. Yet here he was asking her to spend the night with him, while he was still engaged no less.
All Olivia wanted to do was rekindle her friendship with Peter, show him the proof of his cheating fiancé, and be there for him when he needed her. If she was able to get the man to end his engagement, then, and only then, would she have tried to pursue him, but it looked as though everything she knew about Peter was a farce.
"What?" Olivia asked quietly. She had to make sure she heard him correctly.
"I asked if you wanted to leave?" Peter repeated, but with less confidence that time around. Peter did not understand why Olivia was acting so shocked by his words, he had seen her leave with many men, and he had heard about everything. "It's just a suggest-" Peter was cut off by the most solid slap he had ever received in his life. Olivia did not even look at him as she spoke.
"You jerk. I just came here to let you know that your fiancé is cheating on you. Want proof?" Olivia unlocked her phone and shoved it Peter. She shouted out further instructions before walking away. "When you're done, you can give my device to Mina, and by the way, don't ever talk to me that way again."
The altercation was witnessed and heard by everyone around, including Mina, who looked at Director Porter shocked. However, her boss wore a slight smile. He explained what he felt was necessary to her.
"Peter is quiet and passive, but if you recall, I had asked him if he slept with that actress you defended. That was because it wasn't an uncommon occurrence." Mina knew there was a reason Peter's fiancé did not like her, but she had only just connected it to the man himself.
----
For the remainder of the day Peter felt both humiliated and confused. He had not given Mina Olivia's phone because he could not stop looking through the many pictures of the woman, he was set to marry in the arms of someone he knew well.
A man who Mary had introduced to him as a relative. Someone who Peter had eaten dinner with and had even invited into his home. Peter would have questioned the validity of the photos, but he remembered seeing Mary wearing the same clothing mere days ago.
What bothered Peter the most, was how good of an actress Mary was. She was quiet, demure, submissive, and shy, all the qualities Peter had come to seek in a partner. It did not make sense that she would just randomly change after engagement.
That meant that Mary had always been hiding who she really was. Peter wondered how many people knew about it and how many were laughing behind his back.