Chapter 12

“Hello, Daniela!” the intruder said, surprising Daniela.

“James!”

“What’s wrong, Daniela? Cat got your tongue?” James taunted her.

“I-I-I don’t understand?”

“You’re probably asking if it’s really me…or my ghost?”

“Uh, yeah. I thought I killed you?”

“Let me give you a tip…always check to make sure there’s no pulse before you assume someone’s dead.” James warned Daniela.

“But, you were just lying there?”

“Hello, you couldn’t check to see if I was still breathing!” James said angrily.

“So you’re alive? What do you want?”

“I want you to come back home and stop your shenanigans with this guy!”

“And just how did you find me?”

While Daniela was trying to make a break from James, Tyler was beside himself as he listened to the two of them bicker.

“It wasn’t that hard.” James told her. “All I had to do was look in your drawer.”

Daniela knew she put her journal in there…the one with her plan to steal Cassidy’s husband from her. 

“So you know…big deal!” Dani said, trying not to cave to James’ threats.

“Well, what would Tyler here think of your plan?” James asked. “Think he’d be happy with you?”

“So, you were trying to gaslight my wife?” Tyler asked angrily. “Cassidy was right all along and I didn’t listen to her?”

Tyler sat down thinking about how he just left Cassidy at the mental institution. He believed Daniela over his own wife?

“Look, I don’t know what kind of game you thought you could play on me on my wife, but I want you out now!” Tyler told Daniela.

Tyler left Daniela alone with James as he went to get his keys to see if he could rectify the situation with Cassidy.

James and Daniela went back home where life went back the same way they had been living…but this time, Daniela was plotting to rid the world of James once and for all. 

Chapter 13

Tyler brought Cassidy home after learning of Daniela’s plot when her not-so-dead husband showed up, ruining Daniela’s scheme to get Tyler into bed. Tyler couldn’t believe he nearly went to bed with Daniela. And what’s more, he couldn’t believe he let Daniela think Cassidy was crazy and put her in an institution. Luckily for Tyler, he had the most forgiving woman for wife. 

Cassidy was just glad it was all over and they could forget about Daniela and her plot to come between them. 

Tyler and Cassidy enjoyed the next 6 months happy and free from Daniela’s drama and schemes. Cassidy had a surprise for Tyler and made a special dinner when he got home from work to announce her news.

“What’s the big celebration?” Tyler asked as soon as he walked in the door.

On Tyler’s plate was a baby rattle, “Cassidy, are you suggesting…..” Tyler said, unable to finish his sentence.

“Yes, baby. We’re having a baby!” Cassidy announced, the glee in her voice as Tyler kissed her.

Meanwhile, life wasn’t going so well for Daniela. She had to endure parties with James and play the dutiful wife. It made her more envious of Cassidy’s life and she vowed to come up with a plan to get out from under James’ thumb. But first, she had to find a way to have James murdered.

Daniela saw her chance when a charming young man came up to her and started talking to her while James was schlepping it up with his business colleagues.

“Hello.” The young man said to Daniela.

“Hello.” Daniela replied back.

“I’m Ronny.”

“Daniela. But you can call me Dani.”

“What’s a pretty lady doing all alone?”

“My date left to schmooze with the guests.” Daniela said, more bitter than she wanted to sound.

“I’m sorry. What a creep!” Ronny said.

“Yea. Tell him that?”

“If you were my date, I’d never leave you alone.”

Daniela saw her chance and spirited Ronny off to have a talk with him, and Ronny was more than willing to go along.

“What?! You want me to kill your date?!” Ronny said, appalled that Daniela would ask him.

“Hey, if you do, you can have me all to yourself!” Daniela explained, knowing she was lying. As soon as Ronny agreed to do what she wanted, she would be out of the city and on her own again.