You Don't Have To Lie

"You look a little better today." I spoke as I approached Julie inside of Amethyst.

"I'm definitely feeling better. My child decided to give me a break today on visiting the toilet." She gave me a joking smile.

"Good." I gave her a smile in return.

I was still a mix of emotions to be honest. I pushed them away though to remain focused. Meredith and Alastair would be arriving in two days. They would be easy to capture as they would need a ride to the airport. It was Zachariah I needed to get a hold of. His identity was confirmed but I didn't know exactly what his whereabouts were.

"I received my invitation in the mail." She smirked as she referred to the wedding invites I had sent out last week. "They look phenomenal. I can't wait to see you on your big day!"

"Thank you." I responded. "Are you sure you're still good to do this whole maid of honor thing? You'll be pretty close to having the baby and I don't want you feeling like you have to."

"Kay," her tone was serious. "I will go into labor and give birth in the bathroom if I have to just to make sure I'm present for your big day."

I let out a small chuckle. "That's a bit extreme Jules."

"We've just been through so much together. From talking trash about gross clients to well, all of this." She looks around the store. "I wouldn't miss my best friend's wedding for anything in the world."

"That's sweet." Julie had always been so supportive. I was glad to have someone like her in my life. "However, if you go into labor at my wedding please go to the hospital after the ceremony at least."

"No promises." She jokingly smirked. "Now if you'll excuse me I need to go pee."

"Okay." I nodded and headed inside of the backroom.

I still had to make sure my work was getting done. It was time to start figuring out the details for the new spring line. It wasn't easy though. I was feeling blocked right now. Until this whole situation was done and over with I probably was going to be struggling on my designs.

I had been staring at a blank piece of paper for about fifteen minutes when there was a knock on the back room door. I looked up and put my pencil down. "Come in."

Sam poked her head in through the door. "There's someone here to see you."

I wasn't expecting anyone. My face developed a puzzled expression. "Did they say who they were and what they wanted?"

She glanced back and stepped inside the room, shutting the door behind her. "No, I'm pretty sure that it's the one guy who had come in and paid with the prepaid gift card. The one who came in to buy a dress for his girlfriend."

Zachariah. Who else could it be? What was he here for though? Did Meredith send him my way?

"I'll be right there." I finally spoke.

"Okay." She nodded and exited the room.

I smirked to myself as a thought entered my mind. Here I was looking for a way to track him down and he brought himself into my store. This was going to be easier than I thought. I just had to act a little more so he wouldn't know something was up.

I stood up from the chair and straightened my skirt. I took a deep breath to help relax myself. I then let it out and headed for the door. I can do this.

"Hey." I greeted the man I now knew as Zachariah with a fake smile.

"Hey." He flashed a smile in return. "I was in town again and thought it might be nice to stop by and pick something up for my girlfriend again."

"Zachariah." I noticed he was surprised that I knew his real name. "You don't have to lie. Our grandmother informed me that she sent you here to check in on me."

He nodded. "I wish she could've told me that." I could tell there was a slight annoyance in his tone directed towards her.

"So why are you really here?" I asked.

"After your phone call she just wanted me to check in and make sure that you're alright. She fears that maybe Damon had been abusing you or something." He answered.

Damon, abusive? I scoffed to myself in my head. Of course that's where her mind would go when it came to that call. Damon may have had some punishments when we were still only in an agreement, but I wouldn't call him abusive. He was far from it.

"No. Nothing like that." My face grew serious. "I'm just not happy anymore and he's just such a tyrant that I will be left with nothing if I go. That's why I turned to the only ones who could help me."

Judging by the information I had received, Meredith had been waiting for this moment. She had sat by patiently waiting for the day I would run to them for help. Then she could swoop in and help me while getting closer to the trust fund my father had for me. She didn't know that I knew that's what she was doing though. To her this was me genuinely coming to them.

"Is there anything I can do for you now?" Zachariah asked.

"No." I shook my head. "I can't raise any suspicions or he won't go on his business trip. For now I just have to wait it out until he leaves tomorrow afternoon. Speaking of which, maybe tomorrow night we can get dinner?"

"Are you sure?" He raised a brow.

"Yes." I responded. "I want to know more about our family. I want to know about Dallas so I'm prepared for the change I'm about to make. The only things I've heard about everyone is from Damon, I want to hear how you guys really are."

He thought for a moment. "That should be fine."

"Perfect." I smiled. "Let me get your number and I'll send you the details."

He wrote his number down and then we said goodbye. I watched as he exited the store and pulled out his phone. I assume he was probably giving Meredith a call. As her puppet he probably needed to report back to her when it came to me.

"A tyrant?" Julie questioned once we were alone. She had witnessed the entire conversation. I hadn't gotten the chance to tell her all the details from yesterday. "Is everything okay?"

"Sit." I instructed. I then proceeded to give her all the details I had found out myself. I could tell by the look on her face her mind was blown.

"So what was all that about?" She asked once I finished telling her everything.

"That was me figuring out how to lead him into an ambush, that way Damon can take care of his shooter accordingly." I answered.

She smirked. "See, I told you that your husband is rubbing off on you."