Million things

As the car Rebecca was seated in flew past different houses in the estate and began to move in the direction of Hunter's mansion, Rebecca felt dread curling in the pit of her stomach. After the call she received from her hacker friend about the CCTV being wiped off, she immediately got a call from Hunter asking her to come home.

He sent her a car when she tried to give a flimsy excuse about being far from home and without a car or enough money to get a cab down to their estate gate. She couldn't think of any reason why he would want to see her, except that he wanted to punish her because of the stunt she pulled: carrying Melody to the club.

She knew she couldn't escape. Her efforts will be futile. Her steps were heavy as she got down from the car and began to walk inside the mansion.

“I'm here”

“Argh'' Rebecca jumped, a foot in the air as she twirled around and came face-to-face with Hunter who was standing behind her with his hands shoved in his pockets. Her hand went to pat her chest, but she couldn't calm her racing heart.

“Sit” just one word from him and a jerk of his chin in the direction of the couch, and she was scrambling to sit down, scared that if she delayed for even a second, it would increase his ire.

“Why did you do it?” Hunter asked, his tone brisk and straight to the point.

Rebecca clasped her hands together on her laps and wiggled it like a schoolgirl, “Why did I what?” She asked like she did not truly understand what he was asking her about.

Hunter clenched his jaw and his eyes flashed gold, but she took in a deep breath from his mouth to calm himself. He was giving her the opportunity to redeem herself, but she was not taking it.

“Why did you take Melody to the club without my permission?” He asked, clearly this time. He was waiting for her to deny it and say she didn't understand him again.

Rebecca latched onto his last words, “You wouldn't have agreed for her to go with us”

“ Did she say she wanted to go, and I refused?”

“You wouldn't have agreed anyway, or would you?” Rebecca asked as she cocked her head, some of the dread she had been feeling began to dissipate. His words made him sound like he would have allowed Melody to go with her to the club if she had asked for his permission.

Hunter pulled on hand out of his pocket and used it to massage his forehead, “I wouldn't have agreed”

Why did it sound like he was lying? Would he truly agree to anything Melody asked? Surely, he wouldn't spoil her like that, right? If Rebecca had known, she would have asked, and Melody getting drugged won't be on her head. She won't be feeling scared of facing him right now.

“That's beside the point. Have you found out who drugged her?” Hunter was sure that she would be searching for the culprit by now. She was his sister, after all.

“I met with Morgan today because of it, as he was the only one with her when I left to go down to the dance floor. He…" She raised her hand to stop Hunter from talking when she saw something flicker in his eyes and he opened his mouth to talk, “Before you say anything, I know you don't like Morgan getting close to Melody because you feel that he likes Melody and because he is close to her age, she might like him back but…”

Hunter interrupted her, “But what? I'm correct to think so. I have seen the way his eyes seem to follow her everywhere, and I know he must be planning on talking to her. Who is to say that he has not tried it and being the shy person Melody is coupled with the fact that she hates being touched, turned him down, and he decided to drug her and get her in bed with him”.

Rebecca jumped to her feet so fast she nearly tumbled to the ground headfirst, “Don't say that, Hunter. Morgan is my friend, and he would never do that. He might be a womanizer, but those girls always go after him. He would never hurt a woman not to talk of one that's close to me and living with you.” she jabbed a finger in the air in his direction.

“ Those girls always run after him. Have you seen him go after a girl and get rejected? Do you know how he would react to rejection?” Hunter raised his voice.

Rebecca opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She snapped it shut as she thought about Hunter's words. He was correct, she had never seen Morgan go after any girl, nor had she seen him get rejected before. But surely, he wouldn't drug the girl, right? He has not gone after Melody because she would have known. He has only made statements about liking Melody, and she was always there to shut him up and squash any of his plans on asking Melody out.

Who is to say he wouldn't try another route to get Melody? Boys will always be boys and when challenged, they can do unjust things. He had been with Melody last night and even tried to stop them from going home early. Who is to say he was not the culprit? He had a hacker friend, who is to say he has not asked someone to hack into the CCTV of that club and wipe everything off because she told him about her plans to hack into it to get evidence?

Wait, what? Why was she beginning to doubt her best friend because of what Hunter said? She raised her eyes to his and saw him giving her a knowing look.

“What did you do that for?” She asked him.

“What did I do what for?” he asked, innocence coating his voice

She spread her arms wide, “Hunter you know damn well what I'm talking about. Why did you plant such things in my head? Morgan is my best friend and I trust that he won't hurt any girl”

“Do you? Well, I don't trust him, especially when I have been seeing him around my mate and looking at her in the way he does. I did not plant anything in your mind. You were the one thinking about whatever it was you were thinking. If you really know your best friend as you call him well, you won't have even thought about what I said.”

“Hunter” Rebecca called exasperatedly

“Until I find out who drugged her and make them pay, don't talk to Morgan or anyone for that matter about it. The CCTV of the club has been wiped out, but I guess you already know that. Think about who did it” after saying this, he began to walk off.

Rebecca dropped back on the couch with a pale face. Her head snapped up when she heard the sound of Hunter's footsteps cease.

“I will still punish you for taking my mate to the club without my permission”

Rebecca opened her mouth to apologize or make excuses, but he raised his hand to stop her. She wisely slammed her mouth shut.

“She is still a child and is not supposed to be found there. Worse things could have happened, so I'm just teaching you a lesson. I want you to go home for now and think about what you really did, and think about the one million things that could have gone wrong that night.” Then he disappeared up the stairs and into his study room.

Rebecca cursed as she moved uncomfortably on the couch. Hunter was always like this. He made one feel guilty and even if he did not later mete out any punishment, guilt would have eaten you raw. That was enough punishment for anyone. He was cruel.