Chapter 4 : Phase Three

Sharon’s POV

The music pulsed through the room, a steady thrum that matched the beat of my heart. Derrick had been persistently trying to make small talk, but I kept my responses to him curt and polite.

I remembered Tina’s words: "Don’t give him the satisfaction of knowing you still care. Let him chase you." So, I played hard to get.

"Sharon," he said, his tone guarded but curious. "I wasn't expecting to see you here tonight. Sports and parties haven't really been your thing."

I shrugged nonchalantly, playing the part Tina had drilled into me. "Actually, I was here on business. Just got hired as the new agent for the baseball team."

Derrick’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and then a genuine smile spread across his face. “Really? That’s great, Sharon. I know you’ve always wanted a role like this. I'm proud of you.”

Damn it, the way he looked at me now fanned a flurry of emotions, but I couldn't let him see. If I was to stand a chance of winning him back, I had to follow Tina's plan.

I nodded, keeping my expression modest, though inside, I was relishing his praise. “Yeah, I was grateful for the opportunity. Even though they're just baby steps, it's a start.” I let my tone stay neutral, as if it was no big deal.

“Well, I'm happy for you,” he said, his eyes softening the way they used to when he was still mine.

“Thanks,” I replied, keeping my tone light.

His brows furrowed slightly as if he was trying to figure out why I wasn’t biting. “You look... different tonight,” he said, his gaze traveling over me, lingering a little too long on my neckline. "Cute dress." His lips twisted into that famed Derrick smirk again. Any random girl would have swooned at the sight, but this was familiar ground to me. I knew him well.

I fought back a triumphant smile. “Is that so?” I replied, taking a sip of my drink, deliberately showing more interest in the cocktail than in him. “I hadn’t really thought about it.”

He chuckled. “I haven't really had the chance to talk to you after... " his voice trailed off, and my mind immediately went back to that night. The night he and Chloris shattered my heart into a billion pieces.

He cleared his throat and added, "I mean, it’s been a while, right?”

I nodded, giving him just the ghost of a smile. “Yeah, I’ve been… busy,” I said, allowing my eyes to meet his for a fraction of a second before glancing away, pretending to be distracted by someone across the room.

“Anyway, enjoy the party,” I added, and without waiting for his response, I turned to walk away.

Just then, someone's voice broke through. “Sharon!? Is that you?"

I did a full 180 to see who had noticed me. He was tall, really tall. I recognized him as one of Derrick's teammates. "Yes?" I said with my most elegant voice.

"Oh wow, it is you." He said, " Well, for starters, I just want to say you look absolutely stunning tonight,”

"Aw, that’s so sweet of you," I replied. I hoped Derrick heard that.

The tall guy smiled like a horse that had been fed a treat. Then he directed my gaze to a group in the corner of the hall. "My friends and I would like to get to know you, Miss Sharon. Care to join us?"

It was now that I turned my gaze back to Derrick. I wanted to see if he was the least bit perturbed by the whole encounter. He was, but he held it in. The tall guy followed my eyes and gasped when he saw Derrick, although I had a feeling he knew Derrick had been standing there all along.

"Ah, dang it, Derrick, didn't see you there. Mind if I borrow Sharon for a bit?” he asked, his tone light but carrying an edge of confrontation.

Derrick's jaw tightened for a brief moment, but he quickly masked it with a polite smile. "Sure, go ahead," he replied, though I didn't miss the flash of annoyance in his eyes.

I took the opportunity, sliding my arm through the guy’s and letting my fingers linger on his bicep. I made sure Derrick saw the way my fingers trailed down. The guy chuckled, enjoying my touch, and I leaned in closer as he led me toward a group across the room. I could feel Derrick's stare following us, just as I'd hoped.

As I made my way around the room, I talked to every guy I encountered. I flirted, I laughed, I touched their arms lightly—enough to leave a lingering impression without giving too much away.

The way their eyes followed me, I knew if we had met under different conditions, they wouldn't waste any time getting under my dress. Well, according to Tina, that meant I was doing it right.

But through it all, I just wanted to make Derrick jealous. Whenever I caught him looking my way, I would laugh a little harder at a joke or caress an arm slightly more than required. Whatever it took to make him miss what he had.

Every so often, I’d catch a glimpse of Chloris wrapped around him like the snake she was. She was gorgeous; I’d give her that. But tonight, I was stealing my man back.

As I moved from one group of guys to another, I picked up on some conversations about the team.

“Did you hear? Coach Williams resigned,” one of the guys said, his voice low as if sharing a secret.

“Yeah, and he took our agent with him. Can you believe it?” another chimed in.

“That means we’ll need a new coach, right?” the first guy asked.

“Exactly. And word is, they’re bringing in someone big. A real superstar, apparently. Broke some kind of home run record. Can’t wait to see who it is.”

The entire team seemed excited about this new coach, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. The only name that mattered to me tonight was Derrick’s.

After a few more bouts of champagne and mostly harmless flirting, I allowed myself a glance in his direction. Just as I predicted, his eyes were fixed on me, not on Chloris. She was chattering away about something, but he barely seemed to be listening. I felt a surge of satisfaction course through me. I had him.

I decided it was time to make my move. Slowly, deliberately, I began to walk toward him, but just as I was within a few feet of him, Chloris stepped into my path, her eyes narrowed. She was holding a glass of red wine, and before I could react, she "accidentally" bumped into me, sending the wine splashing down.

“Oops!,” she voiced, her tone dripping with feigned innocence.

The wine splattered across the floor, but thankfully, most of it missed me. I couldn't say the same for my shoes, though—thanks to a figure that suddenly appeared in front of me, shielding me from the worst of it. I blinked in surprise, looking up at the stranger who had come to my rescue.

He was striking—tall, with sharp features that looked carved straight from marble. And he had a cold, almost otherworldly presence. His eyes were icy blue and seemed to pierce right through me. He was like a sculpture, perfect. Before I could even thank him, he turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving me dumbfounded where I stood.

Chloris let out a huff of annoyance, clearly upset that her little stunt hadn’t gone as planned. “I didn’t mean it,” she said, though the smirk tugging at her lips told a different story.

I wanted to scream at her, to throw the contents of my glass back in her face, but I remembered Tina’s advice: "Boys are more likely to sympathize with a girl who seems weak, who needs protecting." So instead of lashing out, I let my lower lip tremble and mustered the faintest tear, letting it streak down my face.

“Why, Chloris?” I made sure my voice wasn't too loud but loud enough for those nearby to hear over the music. “You’ve already taken Derrick from me… Why do you have to keep making my life miserable?”

That did it. Everyone nearby turned to watch our exchange. There were already murmurs being thrown about.

Chloris glared at the growing number of people showing concern for the sweet innocent little girl getting bullied. Her gaze locked onto me. "You little bitch! You think anyone is going to believe those crocodile te—"

“That’s enough, Chloris,” Derrick said, his voice cold. “You’ve gone too far.”

Chloris’s eyes flashed with anger. “You can't be serious, Derrick? It was an accident!”

“Enough with your petty games, Chloris,” he shot back. “Give Sharon a break.”

Chloris was dumbstruck, her mouth hanging slightly open. She cast a final look at me before turning on her heel, muttering something under her breath as she stormed off, leaving Derrick and me standing in the middle of the room with all eyes on us.

I fought the urge to smile and instead let out a soft, shaky breath. “I… I need to go change,” I murmured, glancing down at my slightly damp shoes. It was the perfect excuse to slip away, regroup, and plan my next move.

Derrick nodded, his expression softening. “Of course. Take your time.”

I turned and headed toward one of the guest rooms, my heart pounding with every step I took. Once inside, I shut the door behind me and leaned against it, letting out a long breath. I had done it—Derrick was right where I wanted him.

A soft knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. It was Tina. She slipped into the room with a knowing smile on her lips. “You dirty little minx,” she said, approval in her voice. "You were on fire out there. Couldn't have done it better myself."

I couldn’t help but smile back. “I learned from the best.”

Tina nodded, then reached into her purse, pulling out a small vial of clear liquid. “Now for phase three,” she said, her voice low and conspiratorial. “Once I slip this into Derrick's drink, I’ll lead him up to this room so you can really make him wish he never left. Once he's had a taste of those luscious lips, he'll come crawling back.”

I blushed slightly as I stared at the vial. This was it.

“What about me? I'm still too sober,” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Tina’s smile turned sly. “You’ll drink a little of this too, just enough to make it look like stupid old drunken sex.”

I swallowed hard, the weight of what we were about to do settling in my stomach. But this was for Derrick—for us. I nodded, "Fine, let's do it."