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“No. I didn’t want to plant seeds in your mind and heart, but I did tell her if you expressed the smallest amount of doubt in her, that I would tell you.”
“I guess that’s why she’s been acting different toward me lately, but that still doesn’t explain why she’s been snapping on anyone else.”
“If she has a plan in play that isn’t going how she wants, it could explain her frustration.”
“True, but what could that plan be?” Lei chuckled as she stood and began to pace again. “I hate to say this, but all Yandi cares about is her next sponsor. Unless she’s trying to get you or Noah, I don’t see what she could be so frustrated about.”
“Well, that’s not going to happen, and I can say the same for Noah. Mercedes has my brother smitten. I haven’t seen him like this in years.”
Lei chuckled. “Yeah, she mentioned something about him breaking a guy’s fingers so he wouldn’t talk to her?”
“That was all it took for these niggas to see how serious he was about her.”
“It’s crazy because that’s why Yandi was supposed to be setting up her account, anyway. To make sure the guys we chose for the bet weren’t playing us and trying to talk to other women. Somehow, that turned into her own pursuit.”
“I know that’s your friend, but you need to watch her, Lei.” Lei. That was the first time Londen had ever called her by her real name. “When a person is used to getting what they want and that stops, they become desperate to do whatever it takes to win. You don’t have to worry about me entertaining her. I haven’t spoken to her since that day, but watch her, and be steadfast in keeping yourself safe—physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
Londen had given Lei a lot to think about. Some answers were given, but now, she had even more questions…
thirty-two
“Behavior is communication,Princess. You might not like what her actions are saying, but you need to listen to them, anyway.”
That was Cashmere, and she was saying everything Lei needed but didn’t want to hear. It wasn’t her intention to talk to her mother about Yandi when she made it to her parents’ home, but she was so disturbed by the fact that Yandi hadn’t been answering any of her calls that she talked about it to herself and Cashmere chimed in.
She was supposed to be going to grab sushi with her father, but her appetite was getting smaller and smaller.
“You’re right. Her ignoring my calls is all I need to hear from her right now. I don’t know… A part of me wanted to give Yandi the benefit of the doubt. I do trust Londen, but I was hoping, because she’s my friend, that there would have been more to the story.”
“Based on what you know about Yandi, if this situation was happening with someone else, what do you think she would say to you about it?”
Lei couldn’t accept the fact that Yandi would do this to her. The more she talked to her mother, the more Lei realized that was the problem. She’d broken her rule of never overplaying her position in someone’s life. Whether they were best friends or not, Lei had a great understanding of Yandi’s character and the kind of person she was. If she wanted Londen, them being friends wouldn’t stop her from going after what she wanted.
“She would say that she’s more loyal to herself than anyone else. And that she’s going to do whatever it takes to secure what she wants.”
“Okay,” Cashmere said softly, covering Lei’s hand with hers. “So if her actions and behavior have said that in the past, are you confident enough in your knowing of her to trust that that’s exactly how she feels about you now?”
“I can’t even say those words, Ma. Yandi was the first woman I connected with here. What is it about me that makes women treat me this way?”
“Oh, baby, it’s not you.” Cashmere pulled Lei into her arms. “It’s not you at all.”
“It has to be, because why else would this keep happening?”
“Do you trust Infinity?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think she would do something like this to you?”
“Never.”
“That proves you can pick good women to have in your life. You didn’t choose to grow up with Regal. Some people are just… too selfish or too evil to care more about anyone than themselves. Your responsibility is not to avoid them, because we honestly never know. Your responsibility is to remove them from your life when they show you who they really are. Not all people with ill intentions are so open about it like Yandi. Because she is, you have the ability to protect yourself from anything she might try to do to you. Cut that girl off, right now, Lei.”
Nodding, Lei wiped a quick tear before it could fall.
“You’re right. Thanks, Ma.”
When Lei sat upright, their conversation continued to shift. They talked about Cade and the trial, and how Lei couldn’t wait for it to be over. Cade had come over after her time with Londen, and she was clear headed enough to talk things through. Though Lei still didn’t like how Cade was portraying her client, she could admit that it was her responsibility to paint a better picture in order to prove Garrett’s innocence.
