The perfect bride

“The nerve of that jerk!” Talia screamed as she stormed into my office, slamming the door hard behind her. I dropped my pen and swiftly stuffed the journal I'd been scribbling plot points for my next book into my handbag. Dragging my eyes up, I exhaled softly, mentally preparing myself for what I was sure was to be another one of Talia's tireless rants.

I wondered who it would be about this time.

After a couple of months, I woke up this morning with a vague idea of what my next book would be about. And as I wrote that idea down, I was pleased to find out that my writer's block was now completely gone, everything seamlessly falling into place. I knew the exact direction I wanted my next book to go and was pumped to figure out a lot more as I wrote, but with my best friend here, there was no way that would be be happening soon.

“Not the best of mornings, I presume, babe?” I chuckled in greeting. There was only one person who could rile her up like this, and I had no doubt that whatever story she was about to tell was going be both funny and wild.

“Can you imagine? Phillip Rivers stole my original concept, twisted it on it's head, and presented it as his own! He won the project I've spent months preparing for — with my ideas. The board didn't even let me finish my presentation. They believed I copied Philip, meanwhile it was the other way around!”

I leaned back in my seat and allowed my gaze roam over Talia's disheveled, shoulder-length blonde hair — a few strands matted to her forehead. My best friend always looked flawless, but that was not the case today. Looked like Phillip got to her real good this time. They were always at each other's necks.

“Weren't you the one who sabotaged him the last time? You locked him in his office when he had an urgent meeting to attend and ensured he couldn't get out until twenty minutes after time, when you knew that lateness is one thing the clients loathe with a passion. I'd say he simply made things even this time.”

Talia grinned wickedly, gave her hair a flip, and looked pleased as she recalled that particular atrocity. “Oh, I got him good. If not for that, he'd have beaten me to securing that resort deal for our company. That was a multi-million dollar deal, Elena. If I'd lost it, I wouldn't have gotten a promotion or a raise. It would've all gone to him. Honestly, I was kind of bummed that he made it so easy for me, leaving his office keys lying carelessly about. He's usually very clever.”

“Mmm,” I giggled, leaning in, and giving her my full attention. She wouldn't leave until she'd exhausted her time, complaining about her biggest rival in Delmonte Enterprises — one of the leading extensions of the Delmonte real-estate empire. The Rivers and Delmonte families had been close business associates and family friends since forever, but Talia and Phillip never got along no matter what. It seemed they merely existed to bring each other down.

“With a stunt like that, don't you think it's only natural that he retaliated?”

“So you're on his side now?” She scoffed, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at me as though I'd betrayed her. But I wasn't supporting either of them. Even though they fought tooth and nail with each other, they ended up bringing in the best deals to the company, working together as a team indirectly.

“You know I'm right,” I shrug. “An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth.”