Chapter 469: Sway

Ian listened to Mina's opinion and could not help but to agree. The first thing that popped into his mind was that they shared a common belief, and the second was that Zane seemed to be purposefully trying to sabotage him. He kept on adding 'imagine ifs' to the conversation until he eventually got Mina to wholeheartedly agree with his opinion, which made Ian feel the need to add his own set of parameters.

"President Lee, you may be the exception, but after being friends with someone, even if just for a month, you should know at least one thing that will hurt them."

"You think you know things about Zane?" He asked, and Mina nodded.

"I know that Zane likes people to think he is more promiscuous than he actually is." Zane's eyes widened, he had never told that to Mina, and he was surprised she figured it out on her own.

"What about me? What can you tell about me?" Drax asked.

"You don't know how to speak your emotions well, so you show them. You make Mills feel secure by always hugging and kissing her. You want her, and anyone else with eyes, to know that she is important to you."

"She is good," Drax said, scooping Mills into another tight hug that made her giggle.

"And what about President Lee?" Mills asked, but Mina looked down.

"I would rather not say."

"Oh, come on, I am sure he would like to hear it." Mina looked at Drax with raised eyebrows.

"But he may not want his friends to hear it," she replied, making all three men in the room stiffen. It was not what Mina said, but how she said it that let them all know she was talking about Ian's actions toward her.

----

Back in her room, Mina dug out the phone she had bought, and called Director Porter. The man was excited to hear from her and thanked her for getting all the promotional events scheduled and for securing him a bid for another production. Mina could only smile as she thought that Cylus was once again working to cover for her. She asked for Miss Lisa's number and her boss gave it to her, reminding her that she still needed to tour the studio.

Mina first called Cylus, but it was Vanya who answered his phone. She tried to be pleasant with the woman, who made it her business to point out that Cylus was still showering. Mina did not want or need that mental image, and she could hear the irritation in the woman's voice when she nonchalantly asked Vanya to have Cylus call her back. Mills, who was still in the room, laughed, because she too could hear the woman's annoyance, and Mina briefly explained why Vanya did not like her.

Before calling Miss Lisa, Mina blocked her number, because she did not trust the woman enough to have open lines of communication between them, but she did feel the need to make the call. Lisa answered the phone, not sounding like she was in the best of moods, and Mina opened straight to the point. She told Lisa that they were both suspects for the time being, and she believed that just the way someone had conspired to kidnap them both, that same person may be working to have them killed.

For the first time since they met, Lisa was nothing but attentive and humble while speaking to Mina. She listened to the woman as if she were her only lifeline. Lisa believed that Mina had sway with the president, who had taken a liking to the woman, and as far as she was concerned, she would tightly grip the hand that Mina was extending to her. With the conversation capped, Mills voiced her own opinion on the matter.

"Don't worry. I do not trust her. She has even physically assaulted me twice, but you heard the questions I was being asked. Lisa is the prime suspect today, but I will be tomorrow. I am not like her; I don't have a family name to protect me."

"But what if she tries to use the conversation against you?"

"Do you think they aren't already listening to everything we say? I can guarantee that my conversations are not just being tracked but recorded as evidence." Mills worked for President Ian Lee, not President Cameron Lee, like Drax. She knew little about the man but Mina's words rang true to her.

"But you were on the dancefloor with me."

"Which means that whoever spiked that drink wasn't a professional. If they were-"

"They would have served the drink while you were at the table" Mills had completed Mina's sentence, then shot out with a question that was seriously bothering her. "Mina, who are you really?"

----

Lisa was relieved when she found out that both she and Mina were suspected of tampering with the drinks that were served, but instead of using it against the woman, she had no choice but to work with her in figuring out who was trying to frame them. In truth, she had thought about putting something into Mina's drink, but she could not see how it would turn out bad for the woman. Either Ian would have taken Mina home or the President, and Lisa could not see any of those options as a negative.

Even she would have liked to sleep with Cameron Lee, but Lisa did not want him the way she wanted Ian, and she was steadfast in her belief that Ian was going to marry her. He had even hinted at it during her event, and although he had yet to propose, his actions sparked rumor that Lisa was glad she did not have to start herself. It had only been a few days since then, but the Anders Corp was already up-trending, with people trying to make preliminary investments into the company's projects in the hopes that it may open a window for them to one day work with the Lee family.

Even Lisa's studio was doing well, already near to being fully booked for projects up to three months in advance. None of the bookings were long term productions, but it was a hint that the facility was moving in the right direction. The biggest boon for the studio was its editing facility. Not just for photos, but for video as well. Many directors found it convenient in a way that allowed them to test experimental shots without having to wait days to see if their ideas worked or not.

Lisa stepped out of her room, and coincidentally she saw Charlotte standing in the hall, with an odd expression on her face. She may not have liked her, but Lisa was not cruel enough to ignore a clearly distressed pregnant woman. She approached, carefully helping her sister-in-law into her bed before asking her if she needed anything. Charlotte looked perplexed and Lisa pouted.

"You know, you and I may not get along, but that baby is still my relative." Charlotte chuckled a little, and then made another face. "Eww, please don't give birth now," Lisa pleaded, making Charlotte laugh loudly.

"Its practice contractions. I am thirty-six weeks along now." Lisa blanched.

"Why is your belly so small then?" She suddenly felt guilty that she hadn't prepared anything for the new arrival, who could literally show up anytime within the month."

"I got lucky. Other women in my birthing classes have tripled in size." Lisa shuddered. When she wanted to have Ian's baby, she had not considered all the changes that would happen to her body, and she wondered if she were truly ready to have a child. "Don't look so happy," Charlotte said sarcastically. "Besides, you are vain enough to work out throughout pregnancy." Lisa laughed, it was an insult, but it was true. There was no way she would let herself go.

"I'll take that as a compliment."