Cause and Effect

Twenty eight

The Brazilian stopped pacing at my words, thankfully, and grabbed me by the arms.

"Do you know who that was out there with Zara?" He hissed.

"Does it look like I have any idea at all?" I retorted. "I wouldn't know the girl from a bar of soap. Who is she?"

"Her name is Mischa Romano, and she's my ex girlfriend. Coincidentally, she's also Ronaldo's ex girlfriend. Sound familiar now?"

I stared at him.

"Romano? So are they..."

"Yep. Sisters," he stated grimly. "You know this is one thing we didn't think of? We were looking for one person who was on our team who had a grudge against us. It never occurred to us that it might be two people."

"But then... what... oh."

I suddenly realised what he was saying. Mischa had a grievance against Ronaldo and Neymar, and was working with her sister to get her revenge on them, which apparently included anyone else they cared about.

"I told you it wasn't Ashley."

"Really?" Neymar rolled his eyes. "Don't you have anything else to say?"

"Okay, well done Neymar, you finally found the culprit," I stated moodily.

"Nia stop it," he groaned. "Be serious, please."

"We need proof," I said slowly, my brain finally accepting the new information, and beginning to digest it. "Since we pretty much know who it is now, it will be easier to lay a trap. Also, I'm going to text Ashley now, incase he has more information that can help us."

"Lex is going to hate me when we break it to him," Neymar sighed. "He never talks to me as it is, and he's gonna be upset that we're exposing his—"

"No he won't," I interrupted him. "They're a fling. Don't worry about it."

I suddenly remembered my conversation with Zara yesterday, and fresh understanding came to me.

"It makes sense now that Zara was trying to rile me about Alexis," I mused. "What a little snake."

"I just can't believe it," Neymar shook his head. "I thought she was such a sweet, quiet personality, it doesn't make any sense. But then, I guess it actually makes perfect sense. I feel like this is all my fault."

"Don't worry, she had me fooled as well," I said. "And it's not your fault, don't be silly."

"How is it not my fault? If I'd just left her alone back when she was with Ronaldo this wouldn't have happened, you and Alexis wouldn't have been dragged into it."

I sighed.

"It wasn't like you knew what she would do," I reasoned with him. "Anyway, come on, let's go back outside. I'll text Ashley, and I'll let you know what he says. Sound good?"

Neymar breathed heavily, but nodded. The two of us returned to the poolside, where Hector eyed us lazily from his position on his deck chair, but thankfully asked us no questions, but closed his eyes again, and promptly went to sleep. I opened Instagram, since I didn't have Ashley's number, and sent him a message. He saw it, and replied almost immediately, but it turned out he didn't know much more than we did.

'Figured it was someone who had a vengeance against both Neymar and Ronaldo, but the only people I knew who even knows both of them personally is you and Anya, unless you count someone like Marcelo or Casimiro, who've played with both of them. But they're in Spain, not here. Nothing makes sense.'

I thanked him for his insight, and told him we'd get to the bottom of it soon. Now, all that remained was to lay a trap to catch out the real offender.