She Used Me for a Dare… Now I Own Her Mother

Chapter 437: Someone You Know

The door closed with a soft click behind Tisha.

She stood there for a few seconds, her hand still resting on the doorknob as she quietly observed her friend.

Miranda sat behind the large desk, her posture straight, but her eyes were distant and heavy with unspoken pain.

Tisha let out a soft breath, then slowly walked across the office. Her steps were calm and measured. She gently placed the file on the desk before pulling out the chair opposite Miranda and sitting down.

The silence stretched between them... thick, heavy, and filled with everything that didn’t need to be said out loud.

Then Tisha broke the silence, her voice sharp and clearly annoyed.

”You’re still crying over that fool?”

Miranda didn’t answer immediately. She simply stared at the nameplate on her desk—Miranda Whitman—as if the words themselves mocked her.

After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice low and filled with confusion.

”I don’t know what to do, Tisha...” Miranda said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. ”I really don’t know whether to be happy or cry. I’m now the President, the position I’ve desired for so long, but at the same time... I have no one to share this happiness with.”

She paused, her eyes glistening as she whispered,

”They took him away...”

”And he deserved every bit of it,” Tisha didn’t hold back. Her voice was sharp and filled with anger.

She stared at Miranda, her chest tightening with frustration. It hurt her to see her friend... the same woman who had always been so strong, so composed, and so in control... now sitting here broken and lost.

Miranda closed her eyes for a moment, as if hearing the words out loud made them more real.

”I warned him,” she said, her voice cracking slightly. ”For years, I warned him. I told him his greed was going to destroy him one day. I begged him to stop playing both sides. But he never listened.”

She opened her eyes again, and Tisha saw the unshed tears glistening in them.

”I always knew this would happen,” Miranda continued, her voice heavy with regret. ”I just... I never thought it would actually come to this. I thought he would at least have the sense to stay in line. But no. He had to push further. He had to betray the very people who gave him everything.”

Tisha leaned forward, her expression serious but gentle.

”Miranda... you did everything you could. You fought with him. You left him. You warned him again and again. This isn’t your fault.”

She looked at Tisha, her eyes filled with quiet despair.

”What am I supposed to do now, Tisha? Pretend I don’t know? Smile and play the role of the new President while the man I once loved is probably being tortured somewhere?”

Tisha reached across the desk and gently placed her hand over Miranda’s.

”You do what you’ve always done,” she said firmly. ”You protect the students. You protect this university. And you make sure Pierce’s mistakes don’t destroy everything he was supposed to protect.”

Miranda looked at Tisha with hopeful, pleading eyes.

”Can we really not save him?” she asked, her voice trembling. ”I have tried with so many people... but nobody is courageous enough to listen to me.”

She paused for a moment, then leaned forward slightly, her gaze locked on Tisha.

”Tisha... I heard things about you,” she said softly, almost desperately. ”Please... you can help me this time. I’m begging you.”

Tisha let out a long sigh as she looked at her friend. Seeing Miranda... usually so strong and composed... now reduced to begging like this made her heart ache.

”I really don’t want to...” Tisha muttered, rubbing her forehead. ”But I can’t beat that face of yours for long.”

She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

”Look... I do have a few methods,” Tisha said seriously. ”But nobody can force them to do what they don’t want to. You’ll have to offer them something valuable — a strong favour, or something even more important than Gerald himself.”

She paused for a moment, then added,

”Or... maybe someone whose words they simply can’t refuse.”

Miranda’s eyes lit up with a flicker of hope.

Tisha went quiet for a few moments, thinking deeply. Her fingers tapped lightly on the armrest as she considered her options.

Finally, she spoke again.

”Let’s see,” she said slowly. ”I just hope it works.”

Without another word, Tisha reached into her bag, took out her phone, and dialed a number. She pressed the phone to her ear and waited.

Miranda watched with hopeful eyes as Tisha dialed the number. The phone rang for a long moment, each ring stretching the tension in the room. Finally, someone picked up.

A deep, warm voice came through the speaker, laced with clear affection.

”Hello darling... looks like you’re already missing me.”

Miranda’s eyes widened in shock. She stared at Tisha, completely caught off guard by the sudden sweetness in the man’s voice.

Tisha’s lips curved into a soft smile as she replied, her tone equally warm.

”Yeah... How can I not? It’s been too long.”

There was a light chuckle from the other side.

”I was just thinking about you too,” the man said. ”You have this annoying habit of staying on my mind all day.”

Tisha let out a small laugh, her voice softening even more.

”Annoying, huh? That’s not what you said last time we met.”

Miranda sat frozen in her chair, watching the exchange in stunned silence. She had never heard Tisha speak like this before... so gentle, so playful, so... intimate.

After a few more sweet exchanges, Tisha’s expression slowly shifted. The warmth in her voice faded, replaced by seriousness.

She took a breath and said,

”Listen... I need your help.”

There was a short pause on the other end before the man replied, his tone turning serious as well.

”What happened?” the man asked, his voice turning serious.

Tisha glanced at Miranda for a second before replying,

”It’s urgent... A friend of mine really needs your help.”

There was a brief pause before she asked,

”Where are you right now?”

”I’m home,” he answered without hesitation.

Tisha nodded, her voice firm and decisive.

”Then wait there. I’m coming.”

Tisha slowly put the phone down on the desk. She turned to look at Miranda, who was staring at her with wide, questioning eyes. It was clear she had a hundred questions running through her mind.

”Who was it, Tisha?” Miranda asked, unable to hold back any longer.

Tisha looked at her for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, with a small, mysterious smile, she replied,

”Someone you know...”

Miranda blinked, clearly confused.

”Someone I know...?”

Tisha didn’t explain. Instead, she stood up from her chair and gently pulled Miranda’s hand.

”C’mon, let’s go,” she said. ”You’ll know when we reach there.”

Miranda hesitated for a second, then slowly rose from her chair. She glanced one last time at the nameplate on her desk before following Tisha toward the door.

As they stepped out of the office, Tisha turned to Miranda’s secretary and said calmly,

”Cancel all her remaining meetings for today. And inform the board that the President had an urgent matter to attend to.”

The secretary nodded without asking questions.

The two women walked through the quiet corridors of the university. Neither of them spoke much. Miranda’s mind was racing with questions, but she trusted Tisha enough to stay silent for now.

They reached the parking area. Tisha unlocked her car and opened the passenger door for Miranda.

”Get in,” she said with a small smile. ”It’s not far.”

Miranda got inside without a word. As Tisha started the engine and drove out of the university gates.

***

The car moved swiftly through the city roads. Tisha drove with calm focus, her hands steady on the wheel as the speedometer climbed. Miranda sat beside her in the passenger seat, her fingers tightly clasped in her lap.

The luxurious buildings of the high-end residential area soon began to appear on both sides... tall glass towers, private villas, and gated communities. But Tisha didn’t slow down. She kept driving, passing through the expensive neighborhood until the city lights started to fade behind them.

They were now heading out of the city.

Miranda’s mind was in complete turmoil. A thousand questions swirled inside her head, each one louder than the last.

’Who was that man on the phone? Why did Tisha speak so sweetly to him? Where is she taking me? And how is he connected to all of this?’

She glanced at Tisha from the corner of her eye. Her friend looked completely calm... almost nonchalant... as if they were just going for a casual drive. It only made Miranda more anxious.

Finally, she couldn’t hold back anymore.

”Where are we going, really?” Miranda asked, her voice filled with confusion and unease.

Tisha didn’t even glance at her. She kept her eyes on the road, her expression relaxed.

”You’ll see soon,” she replied simply.

Before Miranda could ask another question, Tisha slowed the car down and turned onto a wide, private road lined with tall trees.

”We are here,” she said casually.

Miranda looked ahead and her eyes widened.

A large, elegant black board stood at the entrance of the long driveway.

Roland Estate.