Nora didn't trust Beth. Why would Beth help her when Veronica was her family?
"You're a weird woman, Beth. Why should I believe you want to help me when you are Veronica's cousin-"
"We are not related by blood. She's only called my cousin because her mother is with my uncle and I was being kind. Veronica isn't like she appears at first glance. She's heartless," Beth said, knowing Nora would enjoy this gossip.
Beth continued, "After everything my family did for her, Veronica turned around and acted like she didn't know us because she caught a rich husband. She's too good to sit with us or help my uncle after he spent so much money on her."
Nora was intrigued by the stories she hadn't heard before. Veronica and Liam were private with Veronica not wanting to interact with anyone unless they were important to Liam's business.
'I always knew she was putting on a show,' Nora thought.
Nora couldn't recall a time she had a long conversation with Veronica. She thought that Veronica was looking down on her or she was jealous that there were beautiful women around her husband. Women who worked with him could hold a conversation about work, unlike Veronica who many times, did not understand what was said.
"She must have done something really bad for you to be coming to the woman rumoured to be sleeping with her husband. Being heartless isn't enough for you to want to ruin her marriage. I've seen the way you look at him-"
Beth scoffed, acting like Nora wasn't right. "I do not want her husband. There are plenty of men in this city."
"But you always looked at him like you were in love. I've seen how many women look at him. It's how I feel when I look at him. You've got my attention," Nora said, leaning forward to place her hands on the table. "You should know you don't have a chance with him. He won't want anything to do with your family."
Whoever Liam ended up next wouldn't want to see him close to the family of his ex-wife. Why should Liam even want to be around the Harpers when he divorces Veronica?
"I could have had him if I wanted," Beth declared.
If Liam had just showed up at the arranged date, Beth was certain things would be different. Veronica had just been sneaky to approach Liam before then.
Nora bit her lip to not laugh at Beth to her face. What would Liam want in a woman like Beth? All Beth was good for was posting her life on social media. All Beth knew to do was spend money. Did she even have a degree in something?
"I had an arranged meeting with him but Veronica approached him even when she knew I was considering dating him. It was his loss but I have to look at her differently. We aren't close," Beth said, revealing something not many knew.
"I can tell. If the public knew things that you do, it would crush Veronica. If you want to hurt her, why don't you go to the reporters or to a blog? Why are you holding back?" Nora asked.
Beth faked a smile. Nora was a little too chatty now instead of just doing what she was told. "Do you want my help or not?"
"I don't," Nora replied, leaning back on her chair. She placed one leg over the other. "What is between Liam and I doesn't need to be explained or helped. Get someone else to hurt Veronica."
"You're already doing it which is why I came to you. You have to be smarter," Beth said, lifting her phone to reveal the timer moving fast. "If I send this to the same reporters or blogs you want me to go to, I should be able to ruin their marriage and in a way, ruin you."
Beth stopped the recording she started from the moment she sat down. "I wonder if anyone will be impressed by you when they hear you're the other woman. No one would care to fire you but the public never forgets things like this."
"I can see it now. Was Veronica's accident over being heartbroken that her husband had a mistress? You might get fired over that because the company wouldn't want to be tied to you. You might have a good job I can never do but I am smarter," Beth smiled.
Nora smiled, refusing to show Beth any weakness. It was already out in the open that she might be Liam's secret lover. The rumours were going to keep growing now that all this attention was Veronica. Everyone wanted to know what caused her to almost die.
Nora was one of the few hoping Veronica would never wake up so she could pursue Liam without it seen as wrong. "What evidence do you want to plant? I don't want to do anything you have in mind. I will leave it all to you."
"That's what I plan to do. It's going to be fun for me to plant the evidence. Are there any messages between you and him?" Beth asked.
Nora bit her tongue. Their messages for work excited her but there wasn't anything to make anyone see their work relationship as something more. "We mostly talked face to face and through emails. He's not stupid to send me text messages. I can't hand my phone over to you to let you use it for this plan."
"I won't," Beth said, uninterested in pretending to be Nora. "He's going to need her to attend parties with him and she has to go to the art gallery she owns. You should go there. Make him uncomfortable so Veronica will notice. I've already given her the idea that he cheats."
"Wouldn't a woman who once had nothing ignore that he's cheating?" Nora asked, seeing Beth's plans as too little to ruin a marriage.
Talk of her being with Liam was starting a few weeks back but Veronica did nothing about it. Nora was certain Veronica heard the growing gossip which was why Veronica refused to speak to her or even look her in the eye.
Beth wanted to reveal that Veronica no longer had her memories so it was easier to separate her from Liam but Evelyn said they were not to reveal this yet. There was money to gain from telling this story so she couldn't let Nora talk about it yet.
"She will leave him. You can bet on it. So, will we work together?" Beth asked, holding out her hand to Nora for it to be shook.
Nora looked at Beth's hands. Beth had already recorded her so she wouldn't put it past Beth to be having their photos taken. "I don't like shaking hands unless it is after I've been paid a good amount. I am interested in what you plan to do."
Nora stood up, ready to leave since her time was valuable and Beth wasn't worth it. "Show me something worth believing you can ruin that marriage. Then I will help you."
Beth lowered her hand. "You'll see it soon."
"Good. I can hardly wait," Nora said, looking forward to Beth's show.