Chapter 82 The Call of the Serpent
Bridget had stomped out of Carson's study, a venomous rage pulsing through her. The dull echo of the finality she experienced was the thud of the door shutting behind her.
He had decided on Annabel. He had told her that he had never loved her in a flat icy tone.
Her blood boiled at the thought of his face and the fierce protective expression in his eyes. He had never given her that look in all the years they had known one another.
Her high heels clicked on the smooth marble floor as she strode down the hall.
Tears formed a carefully constructed mask of despair across her face. She wasn't the type of woman who actually cried.
But she was skilled at using them as a weapon. When she needed a new car she had used them on her father.
When she wanted to demonstrate her love for Carson she had used them on him. She would now use them to destroy the girl who had replaced her.
She got to her room, an opulent suite with a stark sleek design. All of it was fake. She was supposed to own the house, the room and the life that Carson had created for himself.
With a violent punctuation to her rage she slammed the door shut.
Gazing out at the gardens, she came to the large bay window. She felt ill at the sight of the well-kept hedges and the rose bushes in bloom.
This was her garden. These roses were hers. Everything was going to be hers in a few weeks.
Her fingers trembled with a mixture of desperation and anger as she took out her phone.
She looked through her contacts until she came across the person she was looking for. Victoria.
She had to inform Carson's mother of everything that happened today, maybe not everything.
The only one who could genuinely sympathize with her suffering was Victoria and she could also help with a lot of things which included getting rid of Anabelle .
She would be believed by only one person. The one person who would assist her.
Her heart was racing when she pressed the call button.
The call was not answered for a long agonizing moment. Then Victoria's voice, a gentle, melodic hum came through the speaker
“Hello, Bridget darling. Is all right?” she asked.
Bridget's carefully crafted dejection broke down.
She choked and let out a sob, a dramatic expression of her suffering.
“I’m so sorry to bother you, Victoria,” she said, her voice shaking. “But I don't know what to do. I feel so afraid.”
Victoria’s voice emerged through the speaker with a piercing worried tone.
“What happened, Bridget? Was there anything Carson did to you?” she asked.
Another sob more convincing than the last came from Bridget.
“No, not Carson,” she said in a low voice. “That girl… That Annabel. I'm not sure what to do.”
“What girl? What are you talking about?”Victoria asked.
“The one Carson brought to the house. She is a monster. All I wanted to do was speak with her…to inform her of Carson and myself… to clarify that we were destined to be together. She just began to scream at me.” Bridget said
She sniffed.
“She referred to me as a gold digger.” She said, her words flowing from her mouth like silk. “After that she hit me. She hit me so hard.”
There was a long pause after she finished. The only sound was the symphony of deceit which was Bridget's phony sobs.
She was aware that Victoria would be enraged. She knew that she would believe her.
“She did what?” Victoria asked, her voice coming through the speaker with a sharp cold tone. “Bridget, are you sure about this? Are you really sure she did all this?”
With an air of phony outrage, Bridget choked back a false sob.
“I have a bruise, Victoria. She seized me by the arm. She was incredibly powerful. I was really afraid. Carson just stood there after that. He didn’t do anything.” Bridget said
The words were poison in her mouth as she lied
“He just watched her?” Victoria asked
It was like a poisonous hiss that echoed through the speaker.
“What do you mean he just stood there? Why didn't he throw that gold digger out?” She asked.
Bridget sobbed.
“I don't know. I'm not sure what's wrong with him. He said he doesn't love me, he said he never did.” She said,
Her words were a lie and a bitter truth.
“He said… he said I was just a stupid mistake.” Bridget said.
Victoria's voice which had grown into a roar echoed through the speaker
“He said what?” She asked. “After everything I've done for him.”
“I’m so sorry Victoria. I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to upset you.” Bridget said in a whisper. “I simply didn't know who else I should call. I feel so isolated here. I have no idea what to do.”
“Don’t worry, darling.”Victoria said, her voice coming through the speaker with a calm threatening tone.
She continued angrily.
“Don’t worry about anything. I'll be back as soon as I can. I will take care of this. I'm going to get that brat out of my house for good.” Victoria said.
Bridget smiled.
“I will also remind my son of his obligations. He won't be that way with you. He won't behave that way toward a woman in your class” Victoria said.
Bridget cried a little appreciatively.
“Thank you, Victoria. Thank you very much. Without you I don't know what I would do.” Bridget said
“Bridget, you're a wonderful girl.” Victoria said in a gentle affectionate hum. “My son is a perfect fit for you. This is where you belong. Not that tramp. I will handle this mess. Just stay in your room, don't say a word to anyone until I get back. I'm going home soon.” Victoria said.
“I will. Thank you, Victoria. I really appreciate it” Bridget said in a watery voice.
The screen went dark as she hung up.
A small, triumphant smile spread across her lips as she stood in the quiet room.
Her eyes glowed coldly and triumphantly in place of the tears that had been streaming down her cheeks.
She'd win. She was the one who started the process. She was confident that her plan would succeed.
She approached the large mirror and gazed at her image.
A wicked, contented smile came to her face as she wiped away the last of her tears.
She was certain that she would win even though the war had only just started.
“Let's see how you play, Anabelle.” She said.