Chapter 28 Disagreement
VICTORIA
“She's going back to becoming a detective?" My brother, Michael, groused when Father told him about it.
Everyone was gathered in the living room, all dressed in black for my mother's remembrance.
After I had told Mr Thompson that I would be coming back, he couldn't hide his happiness, as well as the rest of the team. Despite how cold he tried to appear, he couldn't stop those lips from stretching into a smile.
I smiled at the image displayed in my mind and chuckled as I twirled the ring around my finger.
A cold hand touched my shoulder, and I jumped, swerving around to face Connor.
“What do you think about getting you this lost?" He muttered.
I chuckled and shook my head, flushed in embarrassment.
“It's nothing, I was just…” I paused and took a glance at the room, only to find everyone's eyes on me, amusement and confusion scribbled over their faces.
The smile on my face faded, and I cleared my throat, drowning in embarrassment.
“Why did you agree to go back to your detective job?" Michael asked. He was the one who seemed to hate the fact that I was a detective the most.
He had always wanted me in the business line just like the three of them.
“I just think that is my calling,” I muttered.
He scoffed loudly and threw his head back.
He straightened up and glared at me with so much anger in his eyes.
“Calling? Wasn't that what you said when you married that punk?" He growled, and the air floating around the room stilled.
I clenched my fist and tried to act unfazed by his hurtful words, but I couldn't.
“Don't say that, Michael, she is an adult and has the right to make decisions on her own!" Connor snapped at Michael, and his lips thinned.
“Of course, I don't, but we can't just watch her dig her own grave!” Michael retorted, and Connor scoffed.
“Digging her grave? A lot of those detectives are still alive and healthy. Why should that of Victoria be different?" Connor snapped.
"Because she's being targeted!" Michael replied, and silence fell in the room.
Connor sighed, and my heart clenched
“Didn't you see what happened at the party a few days ago? That bastards came to harm her–"
"No, he didn't,” I muttered, and they all switched their gaze and attention towards me.
“What are you saying?" my aunt, Ophelia, asked.
"He didn't come to kill you? So why was he at the party last night? To play with you?" Michael snapped, and anger coursed through me.
“Yes, he came to play games with me like he always did,” I muttered as his head shot up.
“What do you mean always?” Michael asked in a calm voice.
I took a deep breath before facing them again.
“This is not the first time that the killer has harassed me," I mumbled, and gasps filled the room.
Everyone in the room, aside from Connor, seemed to be in shock.
"He… he harassed you?" Michael stuttered after a long stretch of silence.
I nodded, my hands gripped around each other.
Michael sighed and ran his hand through his hair, his eyes filled with anger.
James scoffed and paced around the room while silence reigned in the room, with anger and shock blended in it.
“I don't know who this man might come for next. It could be me… or one of you. That's why I need to stop him,” I said, and they sighed loudly.
I stood up and walked toward Michael, then took his hand.
“Hey, you don't have to worry about me, I'll be fine, I promise," I whispered.
My aunt squeezed my shoulder and smiled at me warmly, whispering words of courage to me.
“I trust you. I know you will find him," Father said and dropped the cup in his hand.
“Shouldn't we leave now?" He asked as he looked around the room.
We chorused an agreement, then got up and began to walk out of the living room.
Stella avoided me and didn't say a single word to me as we headed to the garage.
I turned and looked at her. Even though it was just a visit to my mother's grave, she dressed in an expensive black gown that stopped at her knee with an added lace studded with glittery stones, which flowed to the ground.
She always loved to look rich and better than others, but somehow, I always outshone her even in a basic black shirt and loose pants.
Unlike her dress, her face looked pale and without life. Her lips were pursed out in anger, and whenever her eyes accidentally shifted in my direction, she would leave me with a chilling glare before looking away.
I guessed she was still upset over what I did to her in front of her friends at the party.
I narrowed my eyes in nonchalance and increased my pace to be ahead of her and her glare.
“You really won't change your mind about it?" Connor asked as we walked down to one of the cars.
“No, I won't," I muttered.
"And that rascal? Are you really going to let him go?” He asked, his voice filled with spite at the topic of Simon.
“Don't worry about him. I won't let him go even for my change," I said, and he sighed I'm relief.
"About Stella…"
He scoffed loudly and waved his hand, his lips twitching up.
“Forget about her. She deserves it," he muttered and pulled the door to the car open.
My brows raised in question, and I looked up at him.
“Get in," he said.
"But…”
“Just get in!" He snapped.
I slammed my mouth shut and slid into the car without much protest.
As he ignited the car to drive off, Stella banged hard on the glass in anger.
He sighed and rolled down the window, and poked his head out.
“Tell your sister to get out of there!" She spat.
"Why don't you go stay with Father or our aunt? Must you have to be the cause of a scene?” Connor snapped at her, and she scoffed loudly.
I gripped Connor's shoulder, and he stopped quarrelling to look at me.
“I'll go down and stay with Aunt Ophelia. You can stay with her," I whispered and made to grab the car handle, but Connor stopped me.
“No, you won't," he muttered and glared at me in a way that I dared not protect.
He turned around and faced Stella again.
“Go stay with Aunt, I have something to discuss with Victoria," he said, but knowing Stella, she would never give up.
“Why in the world will I stay with Aunt when my husband is right here? Let those without a husband go to Aunt," she spat.
My fist clenched and my heart tightened as anger washed through my body.
I chuckled and straightened up, then leaned towards the window.
“Not having a husband is not the drag you think it is," I muttered, and she huffed, then leaned closer.
“Well, having a husband and losing him to your best friend because of your dumbness and inability to have a child is definitely a drag.”
“Stella!" Connor growled in anger, snapping up.
My blood boiled, and my nails sank into my palm as I stared at her.
I smiled and pulled the door open, then walked over to where she stood with a clenched fist.
She shifted back, fear quickly darting across her eyes.
“What? You're going to twist my hand like the last time?" She chuckled in a shaking voice.
The others left their cars and began to trudge towards us in curiosity, while Connor sat silently in the car.
“No," I muttered as I drew closer.
"I'm going to tear your hair out of your scalp till you bleed,” I mumbled, and her eyes bulged out in fear..
Before she could scream out for help, I stretched my hand and yanked at her hair.