A/N: Sorry for the lack in updates. I actually wrote this part a long time ago, but just forgot about it. I messed up the chapter numbering, so that's why things are so strange with it. I'm going to try & fix that soon. Anyways, with no further ado… please enjoy!

Sweet Deceit

Linda stood in front of the full length mirror, making sure her makeup was perfect. She wasn't yet dressed up. She knew exactly which dress she was going to wear. The tricky part was getting it. She realized this would be her best chance to get Jason- and that huge promotion into External Marketing that she wanted. Tonight was the night. She would make sure she got what she wanted.

Mimi stood in front of the full length mirror, checking to make sure everything was perfect about her appearance. This was to be her last real outing in Salem, and she wanted everyone to remember her as the cool, put together Meems that everyone knows and loves. She didn't want to be remembered as weak or needy. She would show everyone just how strong she was.

Belle stood in front of the full length mirror, making sure that no one could tell she had been crying. She wanted a baby so badly it was consuming her now. Each time she took another pregnancy test and found it to be negative, she felt another part of her dreams die. She couldn't take this pain much longer. But for tonight, she would forget about her pain and make sure that Jason and Mimi got together. At least then someone would be happy.

Jason paced back and forth across the carpet in his office, unable to stop moving. He couldn't imagine his life without Mimi in it. She couldn't leave. She absolutely couldn't. He would do anything and everything he had to do to make sure she stayed. He eyed the gift that Belle had helped him find for Mimi. He hoped she would like it. Everything depended on it.

Linda stood outside the door of Jason's office, peeking in at him. She furrowed her brows. This was not part of the plan. She needed him out of the office so she could get in the closet and get the dress. She darted to her office, and placed the shoes that matched the dress behind her desk. She stomped her foot. Jason HAD to get out of the office. She NEEDED him out of the office. Everything depended on it.

Jason left his office later than he intended to. He was nervous. He, Jason Masters, was nervous! He hurried down to his car, not wanting to be late. This had to work, it just had to.

Linda sighed, relieved to see Jason finally walking down the hall to the elevators. As soon as she heard the ding from the elevator, she raced to his office. Once inside, she opened the closet door, and took the shiny teal dress off the hanger. She had discovered it once when she was snooping around before anyone else was in the building early one morning. She was granted access by the security guard, telling him she had to have a file from Jason's desk. The only woman who Jason would have bought a dress for was Mimi. Everyone in the office knew of their affair. Hopefully, this really was Mimi's dress, and it would stun her enough to back off. Hopefully.

Jason fiddled with his fingers, twitching and twisting in the ball room. He patted the pocket that held his present for Mimi. He really wanted her to say yes. She meant the world to him. He did not want her to leave town. He wanted her to stay there, to stay with him.

Belle stood in the ball room with Phillip, watching Jason. The man was visibly nervous. It was incredible obvious. If she didn't feel so badly for him, she would have laughed right then and there. She wanted so badly for this to work. She didn't want her best friend to leave town. Then who would she talk to?

Linda walked into the ball room just a moment before Mimi did. Her plan had to work. She needed Mimi out of town. Linda walked up to Sandy, from accounting, and started talking, just as Mimi neared them.

"Linda, I adore your dress!" Sandy said, smiling her fakest smile. She couldn't stand Linda- why was she talking to her?

Linda smiled back at the redhead. She couldn't stand Sandy, but she needed her for this part of her plan. "Thank you! A very special male friend of mine, if you get my drift, bought this on vacation. In Tahiti. He said that he couldn't imagine it on anyone else except for me. Wonderful, isn't he?" Linda looked around, and saw Mimi watching them, obviously having heard the exchange. "Well, I must be off now!" And with that, Linda walked over to Jason.

Jason looked up with a stunned look on his face as Linda walked over to him, wearing Mimi's dress.

"Where did you get that dress?" Jason asked, frowning.

Linda smiled coyly, and cozied up to Jason's arm. "A friend of mine bought it for me. Wonderful, isn't it?" Linda glanced over to Mimi, and hugged Jason. "What a wonderful party!" She exclaimed.

Jason removed Linda's grip from his arms. "Yeah, well, uh, I need to go talk to someone." At that moment, he looked up and saw Mimi watching the exchange.

Mimi began to hurry out of the room, and ran straight into a hard body. "I'm sorry, excuse me-"

"Mimi? What's wrong?" Rex asked, looking at her with concern in his eyes.

"Rex, I, uh, need some fresh air." Mimi said, wanting to just leave and never come back.

"I'll go with you."

"No, really, I, uh, I'm fine." She wanted to be alone.

"You don't look fine. At least let's get something to drink. You really don't look well." By now, Rex was concerned for her.

Mimi nodded. Maybe a drink would do her good after all. They walked to the bar together, with Rex's arm around her, and Jason watched them, his heart plunging to his feet.