ENEMIES
2291 Words
CHAPTER 55: ENEMIES
“Don’t make me your enemy.”
That’s what Lauren said before she let her go, and of course, her warning was futile. Mrs. Roswell was mad. Her fury made her face red as she drove home.
“That b***h!” She spat out. “We made a deal, and now she thinks she can just order me around just like her men? Ha!”
How can she just let things to run smoothly for her, but not for her family? She couldn’t just let Grace marry somebody poor. Eliot is no longer fits for her. He would just be a burden, but that doesn’t mean she was letting the Duke’s off the hook.
Not this time. Lauren had pushed her limit, closer, when she owed her everything she have today.
“Everything.” Mrs. Roswell clenched her jaw.
For an instance, she was reminded of that day.
“Lauren, what did you do?” Soleil felt fear crept on her chest.
It was a midday of December, when her friend decided to meet her husband’s mistress. Lauren told her that it would be quick, but the noise that leads her inside, the screams and the furniture and broken plates that lay scattered on the floor suggested that it didn’t come quick as she promised.
The body on the ground suggested the trouble she had done.
“She sleeps with my husband.” Every words that Lauren uttered were firm.
Soleil was meet with a glaring eyes her lips protruded as she snarled.
“Lauren…” For a moment, she felt terrified of her.
But being afraid is out of the question. She quickly rush to the woman’s side.
“She’s gone.” Her voice trembled.
“She deserves it!” Lauren shows no care.
She was still blinded by anger.
“Lauren, she’s dead, are you hearing me correctly?” She gulps.
The woman lay there cold, unmoving from position as her head bleeds from whatever Lauren had done to her.
She never knew… She never knew that she would be able to stomach killing her as if she were nothing. A trash that block her way, and so she must be eliminated.
This isn’t what they talk about, when they drove on this place. But she should have expected her fury, and her wrath ready to lash out resulting to this.
“Then, clean this mess.” Lauren was cruel. “How much do you need so that you can shut your mouth, Soleil?”
“You can’t be serious...”
“I am serious.” Mrs. Duke’s eyes shows no mercy. “Don’t worry, I already called the cops.”
“L—Lauren!”
“You’re crazy…” Soleil was cornered.
“I maybe am, but this for the best.” She held her head high, and watched her crumble, panic seize as she sits beside the dead body on the floor. “Own my crimes, and I’ll repay you more than what you have expected to, Mrs. Roswell.”
But the unthinkable happens.
Soleil was arrested for the crimes she never committed, losing her father’s trust, her funds, everything. The mockery she bears hunted her everyday, and her husband who treated her differently.
She endure it, while Lauren was partying leading a happy life as if she didn’t ruin hers. But this time, Mrs. Roswell is not going to give her a happy ending.
When she arrived him, her husband was nowhere to be found, except her daughter, Grace.
“How was it?” She looks thrilled. “Did you talk to Eliot? Is he going to marry me now, Ma?”
But the expression on Mrs. Roswell’s face told her otherwise.
Her smile faded. Grace frowns, “Did something happen?”
“There wouldn’t be any marriage.” She announced.
“W—what?” Grace lips parted. She was stunned. “This can’t be happening! You told me that we needed this marriage, Ma!”
“We did, but we don’t need Eliot anymore.” Mrs. Roswell looked at her.
“What do you mean?”
“He had been replaced by somebody, he is no longer a CEO of the company, so I won’t R you marrying a poor man, Grace.” Mrs. Roswell holds her shoulder. “Do you understand?”
“That’s impossible…” Looking at her mother, she knew that she is not joking.
If Eliot no longer has fortune, of course she wouldn’t marry him. The disgust knowing that she will also get poor! Oh my god! Grace would really lost her face if it happens.
“It is, that’s why I wanted you to do something on my behalf, dear.” Mrs. Roswell calmly stated.
“You’re planning something.” Grace is no oblivious about what is going on inside her mother’s head. “What it is? What do you wanted me to do, Ma?”
“it was just a simple task that could ensure your future, Grace.” She needed to make her understand. “I wanted you to seduce the younger Duke, I wanted you to drugged Conrad just like what you did before to David…”
“Ma…”
“Dr. Gonzales, somebody wanted to talk to you.”
Jerome placed down on the table his pen, and looked at Agnes, who throw him a meaningful look. He already get who is his uninvited guest that afternoon.
“Very well, come in.”
And he’s not wrong.
It is Raquel, who gave him an apologetic look as she roamed her eyes around his office.
“Gave us a minute, Agnes.”
“Yes, Sir.”
When the door was shut closed behind that’s Raquel’s turn to sit on the vacant chair in front of his table.
“I haven’t yet expected that you will come looking for me, Mrs. Duke—”
“It’s Roswell, and I am not yet a missus.” She corrected Jerome. “But speaking of, I am here to ask for a waiver.”
“A waiver? What for?” Jerome did not have way his expression that he knew what it is for.
Before Indra leave, she gave direct orders that Eliot and Raquel must not leave the hospital at all cost. The men are still looking for the pair. If they found them, no mercy would be given. Whoever was behind the accident, they are meant to kill whoever between the two. Although, they already have a person in mind about who causes it.
“Eliot is already fine, and I guess, it is alright if we discharge him from here.” She said, watching closely his reaction.
Before she came here, Raquel and Eliot talk about their plans. If the doctor wouldn’t let them leave, then they are going to escape. But for no apparent reason, she wanted to find out why they are keeping them here.
Why? Raquel thought. Or perhaps, they might be hiding something from them…
“Are you sure?” Jerome seems uncertain.
“Yes.” She nodded her head.
“But the results came back earlier this morning, Raquel.” Jerome lay his back to his chair. He straightened his shoulder and his posture means business.
“Eliot?” She frowns.
“Not him, but yours.” Jerome looks serious. “You probably know why we couldn’t let you go so easily, Raquel.”
“You just didn’t…”
Her throat was dry. Her chest thump loudly. She’s no fool. She knew what Jerome is talking about.
“You have no rights to do that without my consent—!”
“Not while you were sleeping, and we are doing our best to save your lives.” Jerome cut her off. “When. Are you going to tell him that you have cancer, and for good heavens, you are just letting it get worst… Raquel, what is wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong?” Raquel finally lost her patience. “The only wrong thing here is you trying to stick your nose in my business, Dr. Gonzales.”
“I’m just trying to help.” He was frustrated.
He was actually a little shock earlier, when the laboratory released her documents. It’s a stage 4 cancer, and they told him that it was a miracle that she haven’t felt the pain yet. Or perhaps, she did, but Raquel was still in denial.
He haven’t opened it up to Indra. Perhaps, when she came back from whatever business she have on her plate as of the moment.
“Everybody wanted to live, Raquel…but you, you are just throwing it away as if it was nothing.” He continued, disappointed. “Let me ask you, what is wrong with you?”
“Don’t try to even bring it up, because I don’t care, and you know what?” Raquel was furious. “We’re leaving whatever you might say, doctor.”
Her ferocity never left her face, when she turn around, but Jerome knew better. It was her anger that she was holding onto. It was her way… to save herself from the pain she was flung into, and the suffering that her sickness might brought to her one day.
Push everyone, and it wouldn’t hurt so much when she die.
Raquel stopped by a few meters away from his door, she felt her chest racing with the overwhelming emotions that blinded her for a minute.
“It’s alright, you’re okay.” She coaxed herself.
She was trying to put away her rage. She just… She didn’t wanted Eliot to see her like this.
Weak, frail and sick.
Even if she needed to pretended and wore a mask, she would do it, just so she could protect him from that truth.
Raquel is dying. She knew she was even before he entered her life.
“Raquel?”
She quickly wiped up her tears, when she heard Anita’s familiar voice.
“H—hey.” She cleared her throat, and force a smile as if nothing happens. “I never knew you would visit.”
“I always does, you know getting old and all, I needed to have a daily check up with doctor Gonzales.” She is still cheeky same as before on how they meet her. “But hey, are you alright? You doesn’t look good..?”
“I’m fine, don’t worry about me.” Raquel reassured her. “But I needed to go. I’m s that Eliot is looking for me now.”
“Oh, that’s okay, girlie.” Anita grin, she waved her hand as she smiled to Raquel. “Just tell to your husband that I said hello.”
“I told you that he’s not my—” But Anita is already gone from sight. “...husband.”
Raquel blew a loud breathe, she chuckled, “I’ll surely will.”
Anita was really something. She thought.
Eliot was sitting on the bed, when she arrived on their room…but he’s not alone. A nurse was sitting beside him, and they looks happy, comfortable with each other as they chatter.
“I never knew you likes dangerous rides, Mrs. Duke. You doesn’t seems like you know how to party since you looks too formal.” She laughs.
The smile on Raquel’s lips disappear. She was not liking a bit what she is seeing. How long had they been talking? And since when Eliot laughs like the way he does to her with another woman?
A pang made its way right through her chest.
It is jealousy? If it was, then Raquel hated it.
Raquel was tempted to turn her back and leave, not until Eliot notices her presence.
“Raq.” He smiled at her, but that does not put at ease her uncertainty.
The nurse quickly stood up as if she had been caught up of the act.
Smiling at me, while laughing at her. Great.
“Hi.” She trotted to where they are, but jeep her distance. “I didn’t know you have a company here, Mr. Duke.”
Eliot frowns at her sudden change of her behavior, “We’re just talking, and hey, her name is Mary.”
It really is Mary, the nurse who refused to let them go of this hospital.
“I know her.” She said, her irritation doubled knowing her multiple rejections yesterday.
“I guess I needed to leave now,” said Mary, before she scuttled on her feet, and leave the room with her head hanging on the floor.
She never glances at Raquel.
“Wait—” Not even to Eliot as well.
“You scared her away.” Eliot stated.
“Pardon?” She said annoyed. “I am not even doing anything, and for goodness sake, so what? Oh, I get it.” She scowled at him. “Is it because I interfered between you two?”
“Raquel, that’s not why I meant to say—”
“Perhaps, you did, but you are just hesitant to say so.” The pain on her eyes was visible. “Don’t worry, I’ll call her back and gave you more time, Mr. Duke.”
“Raquel—”
But she was stubborn.
Raquel turned her back, marching towards the door.
“Wait, where are you going?”
Where? She have no idea, but she knows that she needed to get away from him…again, because she was afraid. The fear that consumed her slowly as he watched him laughing, happy with another woman apart from Raquel.
It’s too much. She was so selfish for only wanting Eliot for herself, but she was also selfish for loving him although she knew she was dying.
- Writer
