Maria sat in her room, her mind a whirlwind of schemes and calculations. She had set everything in motion to secure control over David's business empire, and now only one obstacle remained—Star. The girl was too perceptive, too sharp. If left unchecked, she could easily unravel everything Maria had built. She needed to act before it was too late.
"This girl… she's a threat," Maria murmured to herself, pacing the room. "If I let her go, she might report everything. If I keep her close, she'll figure me out. Damn it, what do I do?"
Meanwhile, Star and Mandume strolled through the market, their arms heavy with bags filled with Star's essentials and dinner ingredients. The bustling streets were filled with life, but Mandume's mind was preoccupied with something else.
"Hey Star, when my sister pushed you… who was she with?" Mandume asked, his voice casual but probing.
"She was with Tiffanie. Why?" Star replied, raising an eyebrow.
Mandume hesitated before continuing. "Did she really push you by mistake, or were they messing with you?"
Star exhaled. "Mendu, if I hadn't bumped into your sister, we wouldn't be having this conversation."
"Yeah, but it happened. What did Tiffanie say to you? I know she must've said something."
Star smirked. "Something about taking her Mandume away from her."
Mandume groaned. "Star, trust me—I have nothing to do with Tiffanie like that. She confessed to me, but I never gave her an answer. I didn't say yes, but I also didn't reject her. And now, she believes we're something that we're not."
Star crossed her arms. "Why are you explaining yourself to me?"
Mandume scratched his head, looking away. "I just… I thought maybe that was why you were avoiding me."
Star sighed. "Mendu, I was never ignoring you because of Tiffanie. I was trying to keep you from getting hurt. I didn't want you to think I was hiding things from you."
Mandume's gaze softened. "Star, I trust you. I know you wouldn't surprise me with something like that unless something happened."
"Why do you trust me so much?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I just do," he said simply. "It feels like I've known you forever."
A brief silence settled between them before Star asked, "Do you love Tiffanie?"
Mandume shook his head. "She's like a little sister to me. That's all."
"But she loves you," Star pointed out. "She's ready to die for you."
Mandume exhaled heavily. "I know. But I don't want her as my fiancée."
Star scoffed. "Yet, you led her on."
Mandume flinched. "I didn't mean to. I just didn't want to hurt her."
"And now she's built up expectations. You think keeping quiet was the right move? Imagine if the roles were reversed. You love a girl, she plays along but never tells you the truth. Then one day, you find out she never felt the same. How would you feel?"
Mandume looked down. "I… I see your point."
Star folded her arms. "Good. Now, what's your plan?"
Mandume took a deep breath. "I'll tell her the truth tonight."
Star's eyes widened. "Are you serious? That's going to crush her."
Mandume shrugged. "What do you want me to do, Star?"
"Do what's right," she pressed. "You've already let this go on for too long. If you reject her now, she'll assume it's because of me. And trust me, she'll make my life hell."
"And so what?" Mandume challenged. "Let her think what she wants."
"No, I won't let you be a jerk."
"I thought through my decision when I asked you to stay with us. I felt it was right," Mandume argued.
"We're not talking about me, we're talking about Tiffanie," Star snapped. "She's invested in you. Are you really just going to break her?"
Mandume clenched his jaw. "I don't love her. I never have."
"And that's the problem," Star shot back. "You've already played the role of her boyfriend. You either commit to seeing if something real is there, or you take responsibility for breaking her heart."
Mandume rubbed his temples. "You're saying I should… pretend?"
"No. I'm saying you should genuinely give her a chance. See if you feel something real. If it doesn't work, at least you'll know for sure, and so will she."
Mandume stared at Star for a long moment, then finally sighed. "Fine. I'll try. But if nothing changes, I'm ending it for good."
Star nodded. "That's fair."
As Star spoke, Mandume found himself lost in her eyes, his mind echoing a single thought:
You're my fiancée, Star. You have everything I need in a woman. You're beautiful, smart, honest, and loyal. I want to protect you. I must! My true feelings are for you, not her.
Star noticed his dazed expression and waved a hand in front of his face, snapping her fingers.
"Hello? What's up? Did you even hear what I said?" Star asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh... yeah, of course! I'll just do as you said. But... can you help me?" Mandume asked hesitantly.
"No, because otherwise, you'll have to live the life I created for you…" Star teased.
"No, I mean... can you help me stay?" Mandume rephrased.
"I'll stay only if you agree to what I said," Star said firmly.
"Okay, I agree," Mandume conceded with a sigh.
Neither of them spoke for the rest of the ride home. The air between them was heavy, thick with emotions neither of them were ready to name. And in the shadows of her room, Maria continued plotting, unaware that the biggest game of hearts had just begun.