"Maybe it was some kind of defensive thing."

Harrison's brows flew up, and Mark shrugged. His friend, since they met, was good at coming up with contingencies. So, after a few minutes of debate, he decided to call him up to build up a string of reasons for Josephine's lie. Harrison could never pride himself on patience because sometimes his anger led more than his rational mind. He wasn't ready to face Josephine while he was still upset because his temper might clash with her, that wouldn't help anyone.

Mark was his next best option, he needed someone to talk to and Mark usually had some wisdom tucked away somewhere. Wisdom and a break were all he needed at this point. He picked an almond and caught it between his teeth, biting down hard as he looked over the railings, down at the city. The sun was already high up, dancing over the windows of the buildings below, heating the ground and the air.

"Do you like her?"

"Of course not." He took a sip of coffee. "I am dating her solely for the fact I just like seeing her face every day."

"I believe I was asking about Cassandra."

"Why would you be asking me that?"

"Maybe she believed there was some attraction, and in some desperate attempt to douse any fire, she tried to defame Cassandra. So, I ask again, do you like her?"

"Well, I have to admit that she is an attractive woman. I am not going to say I don't notice, if she is beautiful, she is beautiful. There is no need to lie. She is insane on more levels than I can count, but, yeah, I think she is attractive. It doesn't mean that I would forget I have a girlfriend because of it. I told Josephine I would be serious with our relationship, and I meant every single word of that."

"Knowing your record, am sure she thanked you without believing a word of it." Mark coughed slyly to hide his smile. Harrison cocked his head, disappointment on his face and Mark outright laughed harder. "I am sorry dude, but you know your reputation better than anyone. It's why you didn't do anything like dating. We both still don't know what Josephine has been through, she might have had some rough relationships."

"And if she didn't? If there is no reason behind her lying aside jealousy, what should I do."

"Talk some sense into her, at least. Sit her down, hear her side and see if it's something you can work through. Look, you just got back to the city after years of being away. I, on the other hand, only leave for vacations once in a while, my life is still centred around this city. You and Josephine lived elsewhere, maybe the move is taking a toll."

"Enough to make her conjure up Cassandra Hernández like some villain of her childhood."

Mark threw his hands up, kissing his teeth in thought. "Don't throw her under the bus just yet. Cassandra might not have been the big bad in high school, but she is the big bad now, in this time, in your line of work. You literally just told me she stormed your office and all but threatened to leave you in ruins."

"I don't see your point."

"You had a big fight with her, not even up to an hour ago, yet, here you are defending her over your girlfriend."

"I am not defending Cassandra over anybody. I do think she is a crazy woman, at least after today, but I don't think I gave Josephine any reason, back then, to think I was interested in the woman."

"You don't always have to give a reason." Mark snorted out, picking an almond from the small bowl and meditatively chewed on it in silence. "If my girlfriend is studying some guy, I wouldn't think much about it, depending on the status of our relationship at that point. If we are in a good place, she could drool on his photos and comment away at his posts, and I would only laugh and tell her how adorable it is when she has a crush. If we are in a bad way, on shaky ground, every guy she looks like would be like a threat to me."

"So you think because things are not solid with Josephine and me, she possibly thought I was gravitating towards Cassandra."

"Maybe, as I said, I am not making excuses for her or putting the blame on you. That's why am advising you to breathe and talk with her. Look, remove Cassandra Hernández from your business squabbles. Set her as another rich woman, in this seemingly normal city. She would be suitable for any guy, I should know, I have lived on her magazine cover pages for some months. Eyes, as blue as the sky, hair as brown as the earth she walks on, and a voice that sounds like music from a harp."

Harrison gagged on his drink, laughing into the palm of his hand with sputtered apologies. "You sound like you want to date her yourself."

"I am currently single, I am allowed to do that. Also, as a man of the law, I have never had the problems men and women of business have with her. Don't turn the wheels on me, we are talking about you. I think Josephine is not seeing Cassandra as your business rival, she sees her as an ideal woman. Complete with confidence and beauty, trust me that is a potion most men drink from."

Harrison laughed again, taking another subtle sip of his drink, allowing himself to think on Mark's arguments. He didn't live in Santa Montes at the time where Cassandra was a jovial businesswoman, he had missed the period, landing down at the time she became hard and vengeful. He did know what she was like then though, he had read some old articles, including the horrid ones that came out after her marriage fell flat. She smiled more often back then, her ventures were equally as ruthless even back then, but she was light-hearted. He admired her, maybe that threatened Josephine because admiration sometimes led to other feelings that could threaten his relationship.

"Yeah," he resigned, looking into the void of his glass half-filled with coffee. "I see your point."

This was the fifth time he had gone out to grab some food with Mark. He always seemed too busy to take her out these days, yet he went about with Mark whatever chance he got. They haven't had time to enjoy each other's company, even with all the promises he made to do so, work had taken over the time he prepared. Even with all his efforts to be a better boyfriend, he had the mind to admit that he was failing in some areas. Josephine, on her part, was trying, calling him whenever she could, texting, checking in, anything she could to hear from him at least a few minutes a day.

"Before you talk to her, maybe talk to yourself too. There is a reason between all this..." Mark's hands moved around. "Tension between you and Cassandra. You also need to figure out what it means to you."

"Tension? Seriously."

"My vocabulary is limited at this point, I can't think of a better word."

"There are apps for that. Download some, maybe give you a better range."

"Don't get smart with me. You've met this woman, how many times, twice, yet she has made a deep impression on you. Even you have to wonder at some point why that is."

When they met in the church, she had been calm, more poised, he liked that meeting. They had talked under the ease of the first meeting, no business was mentioned, and it all went smoothly. Her eyes had been lighter, no malice or judgment behind them, her voice softer, more relaxed. He had deluded himself into thinking that she wasn't the ravenous hunter the papers made her out to be. Then they saw each other again, under the heat of their own prejudices, and things were said, ugly, hurtful things.

"I just need the company to get back on solid ground. I feel like if I turn my back for too long, my achievements would slip out of my hands. Even more so with Hernández after me. That woman is on a mission, and she wants to see it through."

"She hates your guts. Maybe you should tell Josephine that, assure her that while you are still in the same line of business, you'd never see each other as anything more than the competition."

He smiled at the city, his fingers tracing the body of the warm ceramic cup. "Maybe."