Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 532: Bad Friend

Jax caught up with Mari down the hallway, and immediately grabbed her waist, “Babe, it’s my fault. I caused all of this. I’m sorry for giving you that terrible advice. Don’t be mad.”

Mari immediately shook her head, but let him pull her to himself. “I feel more embarrassed and hurt than mad. Let’s go.”

“Embarrassed?” Jax asked in confusion.

“Yeah,” she exhaled softly. “I’m happy they made up. I just…” she shook her head. “It was just messed up. If you’d not shown up when you did it’d have been a disaster. Why did you come up anyway?”

“I thought it didn’t make sense that I was here but didn’t come up to say hello to Jamal,” Jax said with a shrug.

“I’m glad you did. Let’s go,” she said, and continued to the elevator.

Jax shook his head as he followed her. “Never would have imagined I’d see my incredibly strong baby crying. Can’t believe you cried over this when you didn’t even cry when you woke up in my place thinking you’d been kidnapped.”

Mari slapped his arm playfully as they got into the elevator, “You caused all this.”

Jax raised a brow as he pressed the button and shut the doors. “I thought you said it wasn’t my fault earlier?”

“I never said it wasn’t. I only said…” Mari trailed off when Dawn appeared from nowhere and stuck her foot through the elevator door before it closed.

Mari turned away the moment Dawn stepped into the elevator, and Jamal entered behind her and held the button so the elevator wouldn’t move.

Jax placed his hand around her waist.

“Mari, I’m sorry,” Dawn said softly, looking at Mari’s back. “I’m sorry for misunderstanding you.”

Mari remained quiet.

“We are grateful that you stepped in and really tried to help. We are sorry for…” Jamal stopped when Dawn touched his hand to stop him.

“It’s my fault, Mari. I’m sorry for not trusting you enough as I should have. I…” Dawn exhaled deeply, “I’ve had people pretend to be nice to me in the past when they didn’t really mean it. And I guess I never really believed you thought of me as your friend.”

Mari’s brows pulled together at that but she didn’t turn.

“Somewhere deep down I suppose I always thought you were all being nice to me because I am Jamal’s girlfriend and not necessarily because I am your friend. When all this came up I believed that every one of you would take Jamal’s side, and that was the reason I didn’t want to open up to you about what happened initially.”

Jamal’s eyes softened. “Dawn,” he whispered.

Tears gathered in Mari’s eyes as she turned to look at Dawn.

She remembered how Emily had seemed very mad at Dawn, and she couldn’t say she didn’t understand how Dawn felt.

Jax gaze was fixed on Mari, and his arm remained loose around her waist.

Tears filled Dawn’s eyes, “I’ve never really had any friends my age, and although you’ve been very kind to me, maybe I’m not a good friend… I don’t know what I’m saying,” her lips trembled. “I’m just trying to say when I heard you talking to Jamal, it was easier to believe that you meant all you were saying. It was easier to believe that you were pretending to be on my side and that what you told Jamal was how you truly felt about me. I didn’t stop to consider anything else. And I feel so ashamed of myself for treating you that way when you were only trying to help. I only hid because we wanted to surprise you after you had scolded Jax. I’m so sorry, Mari. I really didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Mari sniffled and brushed her tears away. “I can’t say my feelings were not hurt. But I understand. And I’d probably feel the same in your shoes,” she said softly. “And I meant everything I said to you. And I consider you my friend. I’m not being nice because of Jamal. I’m being nice to you because I like you. If you weren’t cool I would be polite for Jamal’s sake but not friends.”

Dawn nodded. “I know better now. Could you forgive me and give me another chance to be your friend?”

Mari sniffled but rolled her eyes. “It’d take more than this to end our friendship.”

Jamal and Jax laughed.

Dawn was feeling too relieved and grateful to be amused.

She stepped forward and threw her arms around Mari’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

Jax let go of Mari as she hugged Dawn back. “I’m glad you both made up. I should probably be a relationship counselor.”

Dawn laughed this time. “Definitely. You’re always full of wonderful advice.”

Mari pulled back to give Jax a pointed look. “The only one time I took advice from someone else it caused a mess.”

Jax chuckled. “What exactly did you say anyway?”

“Oh, it was mean and horrible. She literally asked Jamal to break up with me,” Dawn said, and Jax shook his head.

“No way! I didn’t ask you to do that. You didn’t get that advice from me. I only asked you to listen to Jamal and defend him. I didn’t say…”

Mari stomped on his foot before he could finish. “Are you trying to hang me out to dry now?” Mari asked, making them all laugh.

“It probably would have worked if I were still fighting with Dawn and she wasn’t there,” Jamal said in Jax’s defense.

“Thank you,” Jax told Jamal.

“Sure. Can we return to my office now?” Jamal asked, looking at Mari.

Mari glanced at her wristwatch, then looked at Jax. “Do you have the time?”

Jax shrugged. “As long as you won’t be crying anymore.”

He chuckled when she hit him playfully.

Together they all returned to Jamal’s office.

“You don’t mean what you said earlier, right?” Dawn asked Mari as they walked ahead of the guys, their arms linked together.

“About Jamal breaking up with you?”

Dawn laughed but shook her head. “No. About not interfering in our relationship again.”

“What is friendship if I don’t interfere? Unfortunately for you all, I love you too much to not get involved in your business. And you’re welcome to interfere too if I have any problems with Jax.”

Dawn exhaled softly, grateful that Mari had such a pleasant personality and they’d resolved the misunderstanding so easily.

“Thank you so much, Mari. What gift can I get you? Name it.”

Mari pursed her lips. “I’ll think about it and let you know. In the meantime, you both can spread the good news,” Mari said, turning to look from dawn to Jamal.”

“What good news?” Jax asked before Jamal could.

“Tell everyone they can come to me for relationship advice. But they must avoid Jax.”

They all laughed as they walked into the office.