It'll Come Naturally

"See? I'm not bothering her at all!" the woman challenged Mrs. Xu, holding her gaze. She didn't want to hurt Leena, but she was making her uncomfortable.

The women here were all military spouses, but Leena was the only one from a rich family. Moreover, her husband was capable and handsome. Some were overcome with jealousy, and really did want to bring her down. Leena had no choice but to handle them with grace. After supper, Kevin and Leena bid them goodbye and left the building. Kevin had some wine, so he didn't drive, but instead sat in the passenger seat of Leena's car.

"You were great tonight! Everyone likes you!" Kevin teased her with a laugh. He was going to butt in and save her from the embarrassment when she had to field countless questions, but then he decided to let her deal with them by herself. After all, he couldn't always hide her, and she had to meet them one day. His decision was correct; Leena had been very reserved at the beginning, but she relaxed and was bantering with them later.

"Well, I am such an adorable girl, and everyone loves me," said Leena who made a face and stuck her tongue out. Then she laughed out loud.

"Tonight was your warmup. They get worse as time goes on, believe me." Kevin lived in the building for several years, and knew them well. Not everyone was as kindhearted as Leena. Daisy had also lived there for years, and had been the talk of the building. She had been a single mom at that time, and hot as well. But Daisy couldn't care less what they thought. Let them talk, she figured. It had nothing to do with her.

"I know, but I think I can handle them. After all, I'm clever," Leena said proudly. She believed she could get on well with anyone as long as she was willing to. She had even won Claire over, and Claire had hated her at first.

"Well, now you're an official member of the military spouses' club. Congratulations!" Kevin cracked a joke with Leena. Though she wasn't perfect, she managed to catch everyone's eye. She was so dazzling that no one could ignore her.

"Ha! So I can come here whenever I want?" Leena asked, staring at Kevin. It was not a bad idea for her to drop by when she was available.

"I never said you couldn't!" Kevin said in confusion. He didn't understand why Leena thought that he'd be unhappy if she came by.

"I didn't want to be in the way," Leena explained in a soft voice. Kevin had never said no to a visit from her, but she was worried that she might be bothering him by doing that.

"I'll be working while you're visiting. We might not even bump into each other. Don't worry. You won't be bothering me," Kevin assured Leena in a soft voice. He felt really sorry for her. Really, Leena deserved a better man. But it angered him to think of another man holding and kissing Leena. He shut down the thought instantly.

"All right. I'll come over when I'm free. But you didn't take me here before," Leena said, casting an accusing glance. If she hadn't insisted on staying here, she wouldn't have gotten to know so many military wives, much less make friends with some of them. "Okay, okay, mea culpa. Please forgive me, my queen," Kevin apologized in a teasing voice.

"Well, alright, I forgive you," Leena answered, proud as a peacock. If Leena were not driving, he swore he would pinch her little face right now.

Meanwhile, two women were sitting face to face in a remote, dark place. They were discussing something in a low voice. One of them was Dorothy, the most popular actress, who was as pure as a lily; the other was sitting in the dark, her face unseen. "Why hasn't anything happened yet?" the woman asked in a harsh voice.

"I'm sorry. But I'm still figuring it out. Major General Gu rejected my invitation without hesitation, and I can't get close to him. As for Leena, she's also suspicious of me," Dorothy answered in a shaky voice. She was really scared of the woman.

"So, I guess you're okay with me posting your private photos online?" the woman threatened Dorothy, voice full of disdain.

"Please don't do that! I'll try harder. You do that, my life is over," Dorothy pleaded with a hopeful expression. The woman had photos in which Dorothy had sex with different men. If she posted the photos, Dorothy's fans would know what a slut she was and her career would come to an end. So Dorothy would do anything the woman ordered, as long as she held those pics over her head.

"That depends on you. Be careful, and don't let anyone find out our plan," the woman said impatiently as she waved her hand dismissively, indicating that Dorothy should leave. And she did have to be careful if they were spotted by paparazzi, it could ruin everything. Dorothy bit her lower lip. She was going to speak, but thought better of it.

"What? Anything else?" the woman asked, annoyed.

"Why do you hate Leena so much? There's gotta be a story there," Dorothy asked in confusion. In her eyes, Leena was so kind and adorable. Why did the woman want to hurt Leena?

"None of your business! You may have heard the expression: curiosity kills the cat. Just do as I say." The woman's voice was cold as ice, which made Dorothy tremble. Dorothy could imagine the hatred on the woman's face. She could feel it.

"But... what if I mess everything up?" Dorothy asked tentatively. She knew she wasn't a nice girl, but she didn't want to hurt Leena. It was only the photos that kept her here, and doing as this woman demanded.