The SSS Star Elite Team, or the Tri-S Star Elite Team, was the general's strongest elite team, but ever since the death of their general, nothing feels like home anymore. They moved separately and did something reckless, yet they didn't hurt each other and found their truths again. Through Rose Slayer, they reunited again.
"Delta, she's always with us. That's why we're doing it." With sympathy, Omega patted his back and grinned with assurance.
"And Rose, what's her position on this play?" he asked them.
"Just like my code, I saved and hunted those who betrayed her for an affirmative reason," Rose Slayer answered when he caught something familiar but didn't dare say it.
"Like what you did to me…you…" he mumbled, understanding the turn of events in his life, making him trust Rose Slayer's words; however, he wondered something. "Are you hearing the general's command?"
"A whisper," she corrected, making Josh grin—he confirmed it.
"Then I'm in. I'll be the Delta Fog she always knows and is proud of," Josh decided firmly.
"Now, it's time for the real game," Rose Slayer thought smugly while listening to their conversation—a plan against those who killed their general.
***
Another day, another blasting song echoed through the household of Saison-Monsour, except something was slightly different. It was Skylar's turn to be groaning in annoyance. She immediately stormed off the bed and out of their bedroom, only to shout at her husband in the kitchen.
"VINCENCIO! CUT THAT DISTURBING MUSIC OR I'LL…" Annoyed, Skylar shouted at the top of her lungs. But once she made it into the kitchen, she suddenly stopped. She stopped because of the sudden view before her. Vincencio, her husband, was shirtless and wore only his dark sweatpants. "Damn, that's a sight to see. I love it."
"You'll what, Wifey?" Vincencio teased amusingly because he could feel the familiar stare coming from his wife.
"I'll rape you," Skylar responded bluntly, making Vincencio shiver but grin.
"And you will, one day." He teased more, but this time, he felt something coming from his wife, making him gulp.
"No, right now." She smirked dangerously as she walked closer, making him turn off the stove and step backward.
"No, pervert, Wifey!" He teased and began running around the kitchen.
"Let me get you." She chased him like they were love-struck teenagers again, but a notification on Skylar's phone interrupted them. She groaned. "Hope this one is important, or I'll cut Medina's salary."
"Just pick it up, wifey." He chuckled and pecked her lips before plating their breakfast.
Text Message:
Secretary Med: I apologize for the inconvenience, Boss; you have a meeting with the Sterlings at 11 a.m. Sky Lux Hotel & Gallery Restaurant offers a city view.
"The Sterlings? He's not alone this time?" Skylar thought upon reading the notification. "This will be an interesting business meeting."
Text Message:
Secretary Med: PS. Please, don't be late; she's coming with him.
"I'm going to have some fun," Skylar thought mischievously without replying.
***
"Hubby, there's a rumor about Mrs. Sterling, so let me warn you not to take her advances." Skylar sternly warned her husband, fixing his collar while they were inside the lift.
"What rumors?" Vincencio curiously wondered, making Skylar sigh.
"Just agree. You'll understand once we meet them." Skylar responded with a slight smile before the lift opened on the restaurant floor of the Sky Lux Hotel Gallery Restaurant.
"Gregory is a good friend, although he's your past," Vincencio whispered, thinking about what she told him.
"I'm not talking about him but his wife." She whispered, holding something heavy, making him nod.
Arriving at the hotel's restaurant with a city view, the couple saw people filling the restaurant and occupying their tables. It warms them; however, they had a business matter with the Sterling couple at the VIP outdoor veranda. But seeing a familiar woman's back, Skylar decided to make an excuse and went to the powder room and let Vincencio meet them first. However, she didn't; instead, she carefully watched them and eavesdropped.
"I'm sorry, we're a little bit late."
"None taken, Mr. Saison-Monsour. Have a seat. We'd just arrived a few minutes before you came."
"And I presume this is your wife, Mr. Sterling?"
"Yes, this is my wife, Monica Sterling."
"Pleased to meet you."
"Likewise."
There was something in Monica's tone that didn't sit quite right with Vincencio, but being a polite business partner of Gregory, he shook her hand. But Monica's preying eyes couldn't divert from staring daringly or let Vincencio's hand go; instead, she leaned in, showing her cleavage that didn't matter to Vincencio, and whispered seductively, which didn't escape Skylar.
"Did you come alone?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"I ask if you came alone."
"Ah, no, she's in the restroom."
"I hope she'll take her time."
"Bitch. She's starting already," Skylar thought with venom, carefully watching from the side. However, she was amused when she heard his response.
"Are you talking about the ladies' thing?"
"Oh yeah, about that and to solo you."
"Gregory, you had a flirty wife. Put a leash on her, or my wife might do something she'll regret later."
"I will."
"You can do that instead."
"Honey. Don't start. They're important people for this to work."
"Unbelievable," Skylar whispered, shaking her head while listening attentively. But Skylar noticed the sour smile on Vincencio's face. "Oh boy, he's pissed."
Despite Gregory's warning and a disgusted smile on Vincencio, Monica is oblivious and tries to woo Vincencio into her seduction.
"Are you serious?"
"With you, I could be."
"I want to throw up."
"Alright, enough joking, honey. His wife might hear you."
"Intend to."
"And that's it. I've seen and heard enough," Skylar thought and composed herself before she emerged with a collected and intimidating aura. They jolted once she spoke coldly. "Oh really, want me to cook you alive? I'm good at burning things."
"Mrs. Saison-Monsour." Gregory bolted from his seat, shaking, but greeted Skylar politely. "Have a seat."
"I'm sorry, it took me a while. There's a line, which I hope this woman could see." Skylar indirectly hit Gregory's wife, Monica. But somehow, Monica Sterling suddenly looked pale upon seeing a ghost residing in Skylar.
"It can't be…" Monica's shocked voice echoed around their table, making the couple look confused at her. "…you're alive…"
"Wifey, what did you do?" Vincencio whispered when he noticed Monica's shocked expression when Skylar arrived.
"I didn't do anything," Skylar replied defensively, amusement flickering in her eyes, making Vincencio narrow his eyes.
"Really?" He didn't believe her. Skylar sensed it and sighed.
"Fine, I'll tell you later." She gave up and responded coldly, making Vincencio chuckle before kissing her hand. "Just play along."
"If you say so." He agreed and let her wife's scheme unfold.
"Honey, are you okay? You look pale," Gregory's worried voice asked her, but Monica kept staring at Skylar; from there, he knew. "She's not the Skylar we knew. She's different."
"Impossible," Monica mumbled, but it was loud enough for them to hear. "She's gone…"
"What do you mean, gone?" Vincencio asked curiously, playing the game his wife was doing.
"Like what I assumed before, my long-dead ex-fiancée," Gregory responded with a sad smile, making Vincencio nod.
"I see, I should have prepared for that," Skylar joked while pretending not to know them before adding, "You've mistaken me for someone else too."
"Are you not? Your looks, voice, and the way you carry yourself are remarkably similar to hers. The Skylar Saison that we knew," Monica replied firmly, her eyes glistening.
Although Skylar was still wearing her dark eyeglasses, she saw threatening tears on Monica's side, making her narrow her eyes. Curious, Skylar sensed the heaviness in Monica's tone like a pang of guilt and longing.
"Hm, that's strange...what secret have you been holding for this long, Monica Johnson Sterling?" Skylar thought, but quickly ignored it and kept pretending. "We might be identical, but like I told your husband before, I don't know you or anything about you. I hope you keep that in mind too."
"Alright, let's set that aside and talk business." Vincencio cut the thickening air and started their business meeting.
***
It had been two hours of meeting with food served on their table, but Monica could not shake the feeling of seeing a ghost from her past. She had been staring at Skylar, trying to compare the person she knew to her, but there was none, aside from the identical looks, voice, and posture.
"I like that. Be intrigued," Skylar thought mischievously while still engaged in the meeting. "Hm, that's okay. Add that idea for later since you have to focus on things that need your attention first."
"I agree with my wife. Let's focus on the exterior, and some areas needed severe updates before we could do the rest." Vincencio added, making Gregory agree as well and take another note.
"Alright, it's better than being overwhelmed." Gregory chuckled before taking a sip of his wine when his phone rang. "Oh, excuse me, I have to take this call."
"Go ahead." Skylar let him and ate her lunch while checking Vincencio's notes when she heard her.
"You're good at this, Mr. Saison-Monsour." Monica's teasing voice sent an irksome vibe into Skylar's ears. "Want to try me later?"
"I didn't realize you're not yourself tonight," Skylar answered sarcastically before Vincencio could say anything. "That's an improvement."
"If that's so, help me improve myself, Vincencio." Monica teased and winked at Vincencio, making Skylar scoff.
"Oh, really now? Admitting you're a whore is the first step of falling miserably." Skylar replied amusingly as she leaned on the table, face on her hand.
"Falling miserably isn't bad; you should try it too. Trust me, it'll send you to heaven." Monica copied her gesture and locked eyes amusingly with Skylar. Both were challenging each other, and Vincencio was witnessing it.
"Trust you? I better trust the fall instead of going with you." She scoffed before mocking Monica with a hidden threat, making her shiver. "But you are right, I deeply fell long ago, and it's a matter of time before I savor each piece. You won't be able to get out once I do."
"You're stepping too much." Monica felt threatened and started glaring at Skylar's grin.
"Oh, sorry, my heels were too sharp, like an edge of a knife." She retorted sarcastically, making Monica tighten her grip on the napkin. "Want some more?"
"You're nothing like her…" Monica said softly, but anger was still around her chest.
"At last, your stupidity is paying off." Skylar scoffed, but her smug grin stated danger. "I've been thinking if you're a stupid whore or just plain stupid for not getting I am not her."
"I'M NOT STUPID!" Monica lost it and snapped.
"So you're admitting you're a whore?" Skylar grinned tauntingly, making Monica furious and ready to refute when Gregory returned, happy.
"Woah, what's going on here?" Gregory asked, pretending not to feel the tension between the ladies.
"Nothing much, they were just having a verbal catfight, forgetting we exist," Vincencio answered teasingly, making Gregory nod.
"Hubby, I heard that," Skylar whispered in warning, not looking at him.
"Well, you two were doing it. You're fascinatingly sexy," Vincencio whispered teasingly. Skylar wanted to blush, but her eyes had been drilling holes in Monica's thick skull.
"Really? Can I watch it too?" Gregory joked.
"You can, but you'll get worried." He laughed, forgetting their wives having intensified staring contests on their seats.
***
The serious meeting was still in progress; however, there was an unimaginable ticking bomb around their VIP table. Their wives built tension by inserting sarcastic side comments between the meetings. It was getting hotter than a volcano's lava ready to erupt any moment.
"Vincencio, can I have that salad on your side?" Monica sweetly asked, and Vincencio handed the plate to her. But she intentionally touched his hand, making Skylar's expression more unreadable. "Oh, not sorry."
"None taken." Vincencio just smiled, but Skylar pulled him harshly back on his chair, making him amused.
"I'm impressed with how amazingly flirty you are," Skylar commented sarcastically, annoying Monica. "You don't care if you break someone over and over again. That's pitiful."
"Ahm, Mrs. Skylar, that's too much…" Gregory tried to get in between their wives' verbal catfight, but it was not working.
"Nothing is too much for a bitch. They want more, Gregory." Skylar replied coldly and left a warning tone for him. "They want more."
Gregory might want to save his wife's face, but the person he was talking to was someone he could not win against. He was torn between a cheating wife and his family business but chose not to choose anything and kept himself quiet.
"Vince, this meeting is going nowhere. They were both hotheaded women."
"I know, but don't worry, it'll be fine. I'm handling it, so let them handle their own."
"Well, you're right; let's talk business."
"Great, where are we?"
"The exterior's layout…"
"That's good, Hubby. I'll check on something," Skylar thought as her eyes burned against Monica.