**** "Ben came down to find Maria on the long, stripped, brown sofa getting Benjie's school bag ready. She zipped it up and left it aside. "where's Benji?" Ben asked as she looked up at him. "his upstairs. Your breakfast awaits for you," Maria informed him. "maybe invite Annie over instead or one of your brothers," Ben stated. "why?" she asked. "I need to head to the Liberty co-operation. We have a meeting to discuss about the running of the company," Ben mentioned. She eyed him wondering was he thinking about going ahead what they discussed. "Gregory being alive changes everything doesn't it," Maria says. "I wont be surprised if he is out on bail," Ben predicted. "the question is where does this leave Annie with her inheritance?" Maria wondered. "if Gregory has left Olivia as the executive of all his finances and wealth, Annie isn't going to get an ounce of that inheritance back," Ben reviewed. "Which can make Annie very dangerous," Maria lets out.
She lets out a big sigh shaking her head. "what am I gonna do with her Ben?" Maria asked as she got up. "I can't neglect her. She's just a little misunderstood and misguided. And her living under the Richards mansion she is going to cause more damage and destruction to them and herself," Maria implied as she had her back to him he observed her from the back. "English i'm terrified that she will end up dead like her father," Maria confides to him her worries. "and I don't trust that Jude Cavanagh, he's not what he seems. He is in it for something just as Annie was in it for something too," Maria expressed.
"do you have any suggestions," Maria wanted to know his thoughts as she looked back at him. "why are you staring at me like that," Maria asked. "it just reminded me how much we both moaned for your presence during Dell's murder, how she wished you were here as well as I," Ben confessed. "i'm sorry, I didn't mean to trigger those memories and emotions," she apologised. "I always wondered how it would have been with your presence and here I am about to find out, knowing exactly how you would have handled the situation," Ben realised. He did feel he had walked into the future with her. She dressed modestly in a long sleeves dress that flowed below the her knees, with high stiletto that made sounds as she walked, including grew her brown hair longer that suited her more. Ricardo was right, she was no longer in her youth years. She has grown up and the experience of her past has made her wiser, deeper in fact the goddess which he worshipped she was becoming.
The trail of his thoughts got distracted by Benji coming down and letting his mother know he was ready for school. "look I'll drop Benji to school. You need to find away to get Annie to move back in with Bette so we can keep tabs on her," Ben tells her. "how I am going to do that," Maria wondered. "you will find away. As far as I can remember I have an impossible wife. Come on Benji lets go," Ben told his son as they both walked out of the front door making Maria ponder how to trap Annie...
**** Maria rang the door bell of her good old neighbour's house holding a container of her husband's favourite breakfast. Bette opened the door. "Well Bonita I wouldn't have been expecting you. What's this?" Better asked. "just breakfast for you and Emily and show my gratitude to your daughter for baby sitting Benji last night," Maria explained while Bette let her through. "That's what neighbours are for," Better informed her.
"But I get the feeling you are here for something else. And you don't look very hot," Bette admitted. "my mother always says that my eyes are the windows to my soul," Maria stated "it's Poopsi isn't it," Bette realised. "what has she done now?" Bette wasn't surprised. "Bette I need your help, i am really worried about her. If we don't convince Annie to move out of the Richards house, she may end up dead like her father," Maria explained. "whow, whow Bonita, do you know something that you are not telling me," Bette questioned worried and anxious for her niece. "Bette i need to know if Gregory left Olivia the executive of his will and finance. Because if he has, Annie won't get an ounce of her inheritance back and I don't think she will rest until she gets back what was rightfully hers. She's going to end up destroying herself and others in the process. She will sacrifice anything for little bit of wealth," Maria concluded. "Sounds like you are talking from experience," Bette says placing the pieces to the puzzle, realising what Annie must have done with Maria. "I am," Maria admitted.
"Ben thinks that Gregory is going to come out on bail and if that is the case – then we will need to have Annie out of that house fast," Bette interrupted knowing Maria was right. Gregory will do anything he could to make Annie pay and Cole. "well at the moment I believe Annie will be at work," Bette told Maria while a confused frown appeared on Maria's face. "Job, what job?" Maria asked. "well don't you know, Annie has replaced Meg Cummings old job as one of the secretary. She made a debt to the company of 25 thousand dollars by flying out to London to find uncle Tobias and to be made executive of Gregory's will. And now she will need to pay that debt off," Bette filled her in, while Maria's mouth dropped open in shock. "oh my God Bette, Ben has just called a meeting with regards to the running of the liberty co-operation and he has no idea what has happened no thanks to insipid, psychotic twin," Maria lets out. "if Annie sits in this meeting she will find one way or another to scheme through the system creating more damage to the company. God no wonder Dell never left anything to her, because he knew that she will lose everything in a big gamble," Maria makes the point. "we need to get to that meeting now," Bette voiced. "and I am driving you," Bette told her as both the women exited out.