CHAPTER 111: MANY THINGS TO CONSIDER
"This is a man who likes you Diana, and even has a crush on you, which is probably why he gave you the contract," Monica stated bluntly.
Diana placed her palms on her forehead and rubbed her temples, deep in thought, without responding.
"Well, don't think she's unaware of that, Monica," Valerie continued.
"I don't know, Monica. Maybe he's just being nice." Diana stated plainly.
"He's being more than nice," Sandra countered.
"Who knew getting to the top on our own would be so hard," Grace commented dryly.
"No one ever said it would be simple," Sandra replied.
"There's always more than one way to handle situations like this," Diana said suddenly, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
The girls turned to her with eyebrows raised, the same question in their eyes: *How?*
"You might not like this idea," she warned.
"Just spit it out already, Diana," Valerie said impatiently.
Diana cleared her throat before speaking again. "He could know about my marriage, but I'd tell him it's just a simple arranged marriage, nothing more. At least until we get what we want," she finished.
"Mmm, that could work," Monica mused. "At least he won't feel too bad if he thinks its a predetermined arrangement".
"So, how do you plan on doing this, how do we pull it off?" Grace asked.
"The discussion would only come up if he notices my ring, right?" Diana replied. "If he sees it and asks about it—which he definitely will—I could tell him I just got married, and it happened so suddenly that I barely expected it. That's not exactly a complete lie."
"And how does that make him think it's an arranged marriage?" Grace asked again.
"Seriously, Grace?" Sandra interjected.
"When you hear 'just got married,' 'so soon,' and 'barely expected it,' what's the first thing that comes to mind?" Valerie asked.
"Well, either the marriage was rushed or arranged for some personal interest or reason," Grace admitted.
"Exactly," Diana said. Realization dawned on Grace as she nodded and smiled.
"Or we could just save everyone the trouble and take off our rings at the event, then put them back on afterward," Sandra suggested dryly.
"That's an option," Monica agreed.
"But what if our husbands come to the event? If anyone's name might not be on the invitation list but still manages to show up, it'll be our husbands. Some other dignitaries will come with VIP invitations, which I'm not handling," Diana protested. "I'm only in charge of the standard silver invitations."
"Whew!" Grace exclaimed.
"Let's just stick to our original plan," Monica said suddenly. "I can't take the risk of removing my wedding ring and having my husband find out. He would go ballistic."
Everyone knew Jerry, Monica's husband was not one to be trifled with.
"I totally understand," Diana nodded sadly. "And the other guys won't find it funny either. They'll think I gave you the idea."
"True, true," the girls echoed.
"When is the event?" Valerie asked.
"Next two weeks Saturday," Diana replied. "I'll send the dress theme to the group chat, and your invitations will be delivered specially."
"Okay," they chorused.
"The guys said you're also planning your husband's birthday, and that's in two weeks too, right?" Grace asked.
"Yes, it is. So, the next two weeks will be busy for me."
"Don't worry, we're here for you. Whatever you need," Monica said, hugging her. The other girls joined in, embracing her.
The women nodded, their determination renewed. They spent the rest of the meeting discussing strategies, brainstorming ideas, and preparing for the challenge ahead.
As they left the office, a sense of excitement and anticipation hung in the air. This was more than just an event; it was a chance to break free from the constraints of their lives, to step into the spotlight and make their mark on the world.
As Diana left the meeting, a sense of determination filled her. She had a plan, and she was ready to execute it.