An unescapable fact

After Laila had finished laughing at Noah's reaction, she showed him her friend's anticipation skills.

She began by saying, "I'm afraid I can't do that. She has outsmarted you this time my dear." before she read Maria's last message.

"Don't bother telling me you are busy or that I can't come. I know those will be the words coming from Noah's fragile and easily bruised ego. You can just tell him that he owes me since he interrupted your trip to my house. Besides, I have already booked my flight and this is happening. You have far too many rooms in that ridiculously large house for me to be in anybody's way."

Laila let out another chuckle because of Maria's words while Noah felt vexed. "Damn it. That woman is so aggravating. If she wasn't such a good friend to you I would have shown her the consequences of bruising my 'fragile' ego."

Laila stroked Noah's face as she tried to comfort him. "Don't let her words get to you like that. You know she only says these things to rile you up. By letting her words affect you so much, you are giving her exactly what she wants. Besides, if she and Steve end up together, she will be in your life frequently. So, you should find a way to deal with her instead of fighting it every step of the way. Unless you enjoy the fights of course. In that case I won't interfere in your friendship with her."

Noah rolled his eyes and made a grumbling sound to show that he agreed, although albeit a bit reluctantly. Even if Maria and Steve didn't get together, she was still Laila's closest and dearest friend. So, if her being in their lives would be an unescapable fact, he would have to find a different way to get even with Maria. He certainly couldn't let her have the last laugh by figuring out his reaction to her stay before he had had the pleasure of saying it. After that he might consider a truce. Though he had to admit, he did enjoy the relationship they currently had.

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A few days had passed since the trip and many things had happened. Maria had let them know that she would be coming by the end of the week. In the days between her and Noah returning to the mansion and Maria's coming to stay with them, Laila had plenty of things planned. She wanted to visit her parents since they too had returned home and she hadn't seen them in quite a while. Not that she used to visit them that often back when she was living her life with Jake. They were quite busy for two retired people but now that they were in town, she couldn't waste the opportunity to catch up on their travels.

After that she would see if she could go visit her in-laws over at the countryside in order to see how they were doing and inquire about the health of Noah's grandmother as well. She couldn't just waste this pregnancy sick leave by sitting at home all day doing nothing. In fact, she might as well enjoy it while it lasts as she planned to resign at the start of the new week. Her and Noah's trip had made her realize many different things among which the fact that if she was ever going to quit and start working on her own dream, it would be now. She now had the time, the ambition and the determination.

But first she had a tea planned with Olivia, who of course could not be warded from their home since the day she and Noah returned. She would often come around three for 'tea' and use that excuse to stay until dinnertime. By then Laila would have no choice but to invite her to stay, giving Olivia an opportunity to get chummy with Noah. He of course now knew Olivia's intentions, causing him to become even less receptive to her hidden advances. But none of this, not Noah's responses, not Laila's unwillingness to invite her, nor her presence during her flirtatious comments and jokes, stopped Olivia from trying.

Over and over again she would try to take the seat next to Noah. Claiming that a husband and wife shouldn't be seated next to each other but across from one another as to not make a guest feel unwelcome. She would make a joke that was in poor taste no matter what way you looked at it and would use her laughing at her own joke as the reason to touch Noah's arm, hand, shoulder. Each occasion would be followed up with a remark at how muscular he was and that he must be working out regularly to stay in a shape like that. Wondering how he managed to do so with a demanding job like his. All the while Laila would roll her eyes while Noah fought the urge to do the same.

Despite all of Olivia's nastiness and everyone's clear dislike of her, both the staff as well as the owners of the estate made sure to keep their real emotions hidden. Giselle was even going above and beyond in her politeness and servitude to make Olivia feel like her words spoken last time they had met, had been effective. Boosting her already inflated ego and lowering her defences. No matter what the truth was, Olivia could not find out that they were on to her nor their plans until it was far too late for her to stop them. Until then patience was key.