Phoebe looked at the cheque Jason had made out to her for the dress to be worn to the luncheon and though the amount was beyond what she would have asked, it still did not impress her the way it had done at first. Now, she wanted it all and the way to get it was to become his wife.

The next day, Jason drove to Phoebe's apartment to take her to the luncheon.

She had on a clingy long red designer gown which had a heart shaped opening behind that ended just on her waist, leaving her back bare.

The dress was very daring because the sides of her breasts were not well covered as well. Her full breasts and voluptuous hips were accentuated.

She looked really ravishing and knew it but she still wanted to know what Jason thought of it and got her answer from the appreciative smile that spread through his face.

He held the door open for her and said as she got in, 'You look tempting'.

She smiled her thanks but said nothing. She had wanted to ask if she looked tempting enough to be more than a bed mate to him, to be something more permanent like a wife but she knew that she dared not say that if she wanted to continue to be close to Jason. She knew his type. He would just break up with her if he as much as suspected her intentions.

He went round to the driver side, got in and got the car started. He had asked his driver not to bother driving them to the perty. He wanted to drive himself.

They got to the venue of the luncheon and were welcomed by the people who were already there. It was being held in honour of a business associate based abroad and they were expecting him to make his appearance anytime soon.

Not long after their arrival, Mr. Kim Kwon came with his entourage. He was a Chinese tycoon who wanted to invest in alot of business ventures, Jason's company included.

Discussions were held and of course some men threw glances Phoebe's way.But it could not be compared to the jealous glances Phoebe got from the women who had wanted to be close to Jason but had not succeeded. Some didn't even care that he was there with someone. They still came to him, being too familiar with him and Phoebe had to endure it. Consoling herself with the fact that Jason had brought her and not them to the luncheon.

'Jason, it's so good to see you. It has been so long that you have come to see me'. One said to him.

'Cassandra, you are looking as lovely as always. I missed you too. It is just that I have been very busy with work'.

'If you had really missed me, you would have done something about it', Cassandra said looking at him with a suggestive smile.

'Eh, this here is my friend and companion, Phoebe. Phoebe,this is Cassandra, a very good friend of mine'. Jason said quickly. He wondered why women could not observe decorum when it was needed.

Phoebe who had pasted a smile on her face,making believe that she was not affected by their chatter, offered her hands gracefully.

'It's a pleasure meeting you, Cassandra', she said. The lady called Cassandra barely placed her hands in Phoebe's and removed it almost at once as though she was afraid of contracting any disease from her.

'Same here', she said not even looking at Phoebe but at Jason who was already looking round and waving at some friends who just got there.

'Excuse me ladies, I will be right back', he said moving away from them. All of a sudden,he was feeling sofocated. For some reason, he remembered Nancy and wondered what she was doing. He regretted not having brought her. Then he caught himself. The reason he had got closer to Phoebe was to try and get away from Nancy and the growing attraction he was beginning to feel for her. Yet here in the midst of all these beautiful ladies and his beautiful companion for the evening who was willing to do anything with him,he was feeling lonely and thinking about the one person he was trying not to think about.

It was not going to be easy. He had got into the habit of asking the driver to stop Nancy off at the office while he came in layer or he left before she was ready,leaving the driver to bring her when she was ready.

Nancy had not made any comment and Jason felt that she had not realised that he was avoiding her.

They saw in the office of course and sometimes he brought her home but at other times, he gave one excuse or the other not to drive home with her.

But right now, he wished it was Nancy that had come with him to the luncheon and he could not understand the reason for the feeling. He may find her attractive inside and out. She was different from these women who cluster round him like vampires but she was pregnant with another man's child and though the fool had abandoned her, she may still have feelings for the rascal and the stupid man may come back into her life and then what would he do then?

The best thing to do was to keep his distance and see how things play out.

He walked into the open just to be alone but someone touched his shoulder from behind and he nearly screamed.

'Would these women not allow him a little rest?' he thought to himself in anguish.

He fixed a smile on his lips and turned round and indeed it was another woman but not any he had expected to see.

He was shocked to the bones as he stared at her face. Was he hallucinating?

He turned back, blinked before turning round again to make sure he was seeing the person he thought he was seeing.

The apparition was still standing before him. It was true then and not just the figment of his imagination.

'Good evening, Jason dear, how are you doing?'

Jason looked into the lovely blue eyes of his ex wife.

He still could not believe that he was seeing her. What was she doing here? He had thought that she would be travelling round the world with her husband Terry, enjoying herself and having the time of her life.

He looked round thinking that Terry must be somewhere behind but there was no one.

'Jason, I know that this must have come as a surprise to you, I mean seeing me again and here of all places, but that does not mean that you should not respond to my greetings now does it?' She asked smiling.

That smile had always been able to do things to his system. And he felt the smile drawing his close.

Rebecca was a really beautiful woman with a spell binding shape but why not, she had been a model when he had met and fallen in love with her.

He looked her up and down and Rebecca was glad she had worn the dress she had bought specially for this occasion and that she was looking her absolute best.She had known Jason would be here. He had confirmed from one of her friends and had come prepared to win him back or seduce him back into her life. She had realised that she could not find any that really loved her as much as Jason had done, even to the point of foolishness and extravagance.

His reaction flattered her. She had kept tabs on him and knew that he had not remarried since she left him.

He liked what he saw. Rebecca had not changed one single bit. She was looking even more beautiful and captivating and he knew that he not nearly as immune to her as he had thought.

'Rebecca, is that really you? You are looking really good. You are right you took me by surprise. I was not expecting to see you here, so pardon my bad manners.

How are you doing?'

'Very well thank you. And you do not have to apologise. I realise that I must have to taken you unawares and the shock of seeing me again must have made you speechless but that's okay, you have found your voice now and that's a good thing.I have always loved your deep masculine voice which grew deeper when we are alone in a loving embrace', she said smiling slyly.

Jason was disgusted. This fool would never change. She was coming on to him when she had left him and married his best friend? This was unbelievable. Was this how she had been carrying on behind Terry's back? He felt pity for the poor man stir in his heart and any attraction he had felt at seeing her after she had eloped with his best friend died instantly.

He immediately diverted her from whatever else she had been about to say by asking a question that he had wanted to ask since setting eyes on her.

'Where is your husband?'

'My husband? What do you mean,?' she asked perplexed.

'What do you mean? You got me to divorce so that you could get married to Terry who you loved so much, didn't you? Where is he?'

'You are mistaken. I could not have got put of one marriage only to get trapped into another. I loved Terry but I loved my freedom more and I was never going to get that freedom with you. So I got you to divorce me'.

Jason could not believe what he was hearing. He had obviously been mistaken. It was typical of Rebecca to think only of herself. He was sure that Terry had taken that step with the intension of making Rebecca his wife but must have been disappointed.

Not that it concerned him but he was curious to know where Terry was. But before he could ask Rebecca, someone interrupted.

'There you are Jason darling, I have been wondering where you had gone off to', Phoebe asked placing a hand possessively on his shoulder.

He did not mind one tiny bit that she was being possessive. Rebecca had to know that she no longer have a place in his life.

'Phoebe love, I had wanted to get away from a few of my friends and you were busy speaking to that lady so, I thought that I would come here. But if you are done, we can go home'. he said, linking her arm with his.

'So fast? Won't you at least introduce me to your companion?' Rebecca asked.

'Oh, Phoebe, meet my ex-wife Rebecca. Rebecca, Phoebe is a very close friend of mine'. Jason said.

Rebecca noted the linked arms and his use of close friend. She knew that she had no right over him anymore and she could not claim to love him but she still felt slighted. She was not used to that. She was always the centre of attention but she was willing to let this slide.

Both women shook hands, each assessing the other, Rebecca smiled smugly because she felt that this Phoebe lady was no match for her own ravishing beauty and class. And if Jason really cared for her as he was trying to show, then he would have been with her, being possessive and would never have left her to be alone here. It showed her their type of relationship and that she had nothing to be afraid of from the girl.

Phoebe thought that she had Nancy to contend with and now this beauty had come. Was she going to have to contend with her for Jason's attentions and affections too? And this woman had an edge because Jason had loved her intensely and had been devastated when she had left him. He may still be in love with her and with her looks and shape, who can blame him?

'Alright see you around Rebecca and please extend my greetings to Terry', Jason said pulling Phoebe away towards the party where they said their farewells and left.

All through the trip home, they were both silent. Phoebe had hoped that Jason would say something about his wife but he had kept silent and as much as she wanted to ask questions to satisfy her curiosity, she kept silent as well.

One moment there when he had called her his love, she had got a swollen head,thinking that he was beginning to feel more towards her but when he had introduced that woman as his ex wife, she realised he was just using her to make Rebecca jealous.

What did that tell her? That he was still in love with his ex wife? She hoped not because she did not want that kind of complication and why did the woman have to come back now?'

Author's note:

Dear readers,

I am honoured that you find my books worthy of your time. I shall try to endure that you are not disappointed.

Thank you so much for your patronage and compliments of the season.

Jason could not say anything on the way home. He was still shocked at having seen Rebecca again. He had alot of questions , that he needed answers to but his pride had made him leave her there and gone home with Phoebe. Rebecca must have laughed him to scorn thinking that he had run off like a coward because he couldn't face her. He wondered why he had not waited a little bit and asked the questions that had been eating him up inside.

He didn't know what became of Terry with who she had run off with and why she felt she had to do all that she had done to him.

He had thought that he was over her but having come face to face with her, he was not sure anymore but he was damned if he was going to let her have any inkling of his confused emotions.

He knew that he had to speak to Phoebe to explain some things to her. It was not fair to be silent this way but he just could not help it. It felt like his past had come back to haunt him.

'Oh God, she was so beautiful', he thought to himself. More beautiful than she had been when they were together and it rattled him that that was the case. He had tried all he could to give her the best. How come she was looking better than when they had been together or was he thinking that she was because it had been a little over a year since they had last seen?

He didn't know that he had thought aloud and was shocked when Phoebe replied, 'Yes she is, isn't she?'

He looked at her in confusion

He had thought that he had thought about it in his head but he had obviously spoken put loud for Phoebe to have said this bit to be sure, he asked, 'Who is?'

'Your ex wife of course,who else were you referring to? I definitely know I was not the one you were thinking of just now', she said smiling with understanding. At least she hoped that that was the emotion he would read on her face but she was really furious at everything and everyone and wondering why things seemed not to be going her way. She felt that she had to do something pretty fast if she was going to secure her most desired position.

Nancy was no threat compared to Rebecca because it would take Jason time to love Nancy but with Rebecca,it was different. He had loved her passionately before and it was easy to rekindle the old flame. Only a spark from that very beautiful and extremely sexy woman would set Jason ablaze with love for her again and then where would she be with all her scheming and plotting?

Jason looked at her and saw her understanding look and something else which he could not decipher but felt that it could be pity and was angry . He did not want anyone's pity.

'Yes, Rebecca is beautiful and have always been. It is not anything new. But are you alright?' he asked.

'Of course I am alright. I had a nice time this evening. But the luncheon was somewhat boring and I was glad we could leave early'.

Jason felt that she had said it to make him feel better and appreciated it.

'Thanks for saying that but I know you lied but it's okay. I am okay. It had been a shock to see Rebecca after this time but I was already over her long ago, so you do not have to feel pity for me. It is not necessary'.

'Are you indeed? I mean, over her? It didn't look that way to me but it is okay. You do not owe me any explanations and she is indeed a very sexy and irresistible woman, no one can blame you for finding her attractive', Phoebe smiled again. She hoped this conversation would end because it was beginning to grate on her nerves and she did not know how long she would keep up this cheerful chatter when she felt like screaming or going to a corner and crying out her frustration at the injustices she had continued to endure in the hands of men.

They were all after one thing and that was her body and she was just tired. It was time she started getting her own back on them and that was what she had intended since they had met.

She felt that she had waited ling enough. There was no time to waste anymore. Drastic situations called for drastic measures.

She knew that this night was already ruined for her and it was the fault of that ex wife of his.. There was no way, Jason was going to spend the night with her now.

As they drew close to her residence, she got her things ready to get out of the car.

Jason stopped the car in front of her apartment and walked her to the door. He gave her a brief kiss and was going to turn round and leave when she asked, 'Would you come in for coffee?'

He didn't care for it but he felt that he must have ruined her day and the least he could do was oblige her.

'Love to', he smiled, took the keys from her and opened the door and went in after her.

She went to the kitchen got the kettle on fire for the coffee, hoping that the day was not totally ruined and that he would either invite her over to his mansion or spend the night in her apartment.

After drinking the coffee, Jason got up.

'Thank you so much for a wonderful day, Phoebe. It may not have been all that you had hoped it would be but it will be remedies next time. Goodnight'.

'Goodnight', she replied, giving him a wet kiss that could have changed the mind of any other man but Jason was just not in the mood for that.

He opened the door and stepped out.

Phoebe stood at the door with a smile until Jason drove off and then the smile fell and her expression was really murderous.

Unknown to the both of them, a pair of eyes had been watching them. The person smiled and walked away, having got the answered that they needed.

She had been turned on and now, she knew she could not sleep without having sex with someone. She went in again got her flat slipper and went out intending to get laid one way or the other before coming back that night. If it meant spending the night out, she would do it.