NO DOUBT [bwwm]

• 23 • The Big Evil Plan

"You're gonna need help with that?"

I finished piling up the chair I was holding, before turning to Orlando. We were alone in the huge ball room, everyone had left since the party ended an hour ago. "It was actually the last chair, thanks. You really need to work on your timing."

"Are we back to passive aggressive Josie?" He asked jokingly.

"Hm, considering your horrid timing cost me a broken nail, yes she is back," I joked back.

"You really did a number on her, she looked atrocious, when she left," he complimented.

"Why, thank you. I don't usually brag about my fighting skills but I'm pretty sure the state of Francesca's hair speaks for itself," I said proudly. "Was it all part of your big evil plan?"

He narrowed his eyes a moment than answered, "Honestly, no. But I'm glad you intervened, because it sped up the whole process."

I nodded, "The process of what? Ambushing Francesca into admitting she wasn't pregnant?"

"Nope," he bluntly spoke. "The process of getting exactly what I've wanted for a while."

"And do you have it?" I inquired as he took a few steps closer, and brushed a stray strand of hair away from my face.

"Not yet. Soon enough though," he confidently affirmed.

"So you knew? And you went along with that whole engagement thing? Why?"

"Mainly because I wanted to see how long she would drag the lie. She also seemed to desperately not want to let go of me, which made me doubt her sincereness, so I put it to a test."

"And you were right. What she did was just- awful."

He deeply sighed, "I agree. But I guess I just wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. Part of me felt tempted to simply ignore the chance that she could be lying because of how much I want to become a father. I'm just sorry you got caught into the aftermath of it all," he nervously chuckled.

I shrugged, "I can't say it's the first time." I didn't mean to, but I sounded much more resentful than what I actually was. "I-"

"No, no, I get it. You went through a lot of drama, all because of me, I get that you're upset."

I scoffed, "Upset wouldn't be the right term. More like... 'tired'. Tired of you putting me in those silly childish situations with your main chick, of you playing games- "

"Stop calling her that, Josie," he ordered with a firm tone. "I thought I had made it obvious by now that I'm not playing games, there's no other woman that's got me hooked like you do. No one else. And I know that I have failed to prove it to you, but I'll never make that mistake again."

"So you'll understand why I have a hard time trusting you."

"I do, and I can only imagine I'll have a hard time earning that trust back. But I'll take that time, and I'll work for it. If you just let me. Please..."