"Hello, Sylvester. I guess you are in your house now." Anabel asked.
"Yeah, just relaxing." Sylvester replied.
"That's nice. I said let me know if you have gotten home, and also thank you for the dinner. I had a good time with you, despite everything that happened. I like your vibe."
Sylvester smiled before responding back. "I'm happy to hear that, Miss Anabel. I enjoyed our time together as well."
Vanessa rolled her eyes and stifled her potential laugh, before mouthing the words "poor Anabel" with a mocking expression.
Sylvester shot her with a warning look, but she just grinned and snuggled closer to him, clearly amused by the situation.
"I really appreciate your support, Sylvester." Anabel continued. "It means a lot to me, especially with everything that had been going on."
"I'm here for you, no matter what. You can always count on me. What are we friends for?"
Vanessa covered her mouth to suppress her laughter, causing her shoulders to shake with silent mirth. Sylvester gently nudged her with his elbow, trying to keep her quiet.
"Thank you, Sylvester. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you. Have a good night."
"You too, Anabel. Sleep well," Sylvester replied and ended the call.
As soon as Sylvester dropped the phone back on the nightstand, Vanessa bursted into laughter, unable to contain herself any longer.
"Oh my God, Sylvester! That was priceless. You are a good actor. She has no idea, does she?"
Sylvester sighed, shaking his head with a wry smile. "No, she doesn't. And that's exactly how we need to keep it."
Vanessa propped herself up on one elbow. "You are so good at this, honey. Playing the perfect gentleman, the supportive friend. And she is completely falling for it."
Sylvester shrugged with a smug grin on his face. "It's all part of the plan. The more she trusts me, the easier it will be to get what we want."
Vanessa's laughter softened, and she leaned in to kiss him. "You are brilliant, you know that? We are going to pull this off perfectly."
Sylvester wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "We just have to stay focused and keep playing our roles. Anabel is smart, but she's vulnerable right now. We need to take advantage of that."
Vanessa nodded. "I know. And I'm with you every step of the way. We will get what we want, and Anabel will never see it coming."
They lay together in comfortable silence. Sylvester knew that their plan was risky, but he won't stop until they had everything they wanted.
"So, what is your next step?" Vanessa asked.
Sylvester thought for a moment before answering. "I'll make sure she sees me as someone she can depend on. And once she's completely hooked, I will start making my moves. Besides, Max is already in her company. I will have the company on my palm soon"
Vanessa smiled. "That's almost too perfect. Anabel, the poor little rich girl is falling already. She has no idea what's coming."
"I need to be careful, though. Anabel is smart, and if she starts to suspect anything, my plan could fall apart. I have to make sure she never doubts my sincerity."
"I trust you and Max. Anabel will never see it coming." Vanessa replied and snuggled closer to Sylvester. "We are going to get her, Honey. I can feel it."
Sylvester kissed the top of her head. "Yes, we will. I don't fail. Not this time."