Chapter 40

Sympathy is a powerful tool in the hands of the right user...

Luke's words seeped into my conscious thoughts.

When he said it, I was angry, mad at him for not showing a little compassion towards people who had been through hell in life. Without knowing he was right all along...

I balled my hands into fists. I was polite enough to cook for her and the others. I thought for a moment, were they in it as well? Just thinking about it made me mad!

When I found out she couldn't do some minor chores like cleaning and washing, I felt bad and decided to help her. When I saw her with clients, offering her body when she didn't want to, I felt heartbroken. I felt pity because I couldn't imagine anyone living under these conditions, she was someone's daughter too, someone's sister.

I thought about the story she'd told me a few days ago, compassion had blinded my intuition that I didn't scrutinize the information, I just swallowed the story whole. There was no denying that she had manipulated the story so I would warm up to her. Was it even true?

The only way to find out the truth was to hear Luke's side of the story.

She openly admitted she had feelings for Luke, then behind my back she was plotting to have me kicked out of the house. What was her reason? So she could have him all to herself?

"Canga!" {Bitch} "tradire la canga traditrice!" {Betraying backstabbing bitch!}

I punched my pillow and screamed. As tears poured out of my eyes and I wiped them away with vehemence. I was beginning to understand that I couldn't trust anybody in this world. Even my father, who had the same blood flowing through his veins decided to sell me to the enemy in exchange for the life of criminals, drug dealers, murderers and the scum of the earth.

Well anyone apart from Luke. He had proved his loyalty to me thus far but he was also human.

I thought very hard. Had I revealed some important information to Arabella? Something linking me to the mob? I cursed myself. Of course I'd said a lot of things, coded but Arabella was smart enough to decode them.

I sighed deeply.

I couldn't openly confront her, that would just be stupid. I would avoid her, keep her at arm's length then throw tiny darts that would cause her to die with guilt.

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For the next few days, I stayed locked up in my room. I had my phone and little snacks I could survive on. When I ran out of food, I was able to endure the hunger pangs from the previous day but as the sun rose higher in the sky I had to save my life. I unlocked my door and stepped out into the hallway. Luckily, it was deserted. My guess was the girls were sleeping in, as it wasn't a busy day in the house.

I conquered the stairs and walked into the kitchen, running into the very people I didn't want to see. Arabella and the girls. I turned around but it was too late, Grace had spotted me.

"Hey, Ophelia!" She called out cheerily.

As much as I didn't want to, I turned around.

"Hey, Grace." I replied stiffly.

"You've been scarce these days and I know Valentino isn't here, what's up with you?" She asked.

"Nothing. I just needed some alone time to think."

"Alone time? To think about what? Are you pregnant for Valentino?"

The girls giggled, I was tempted to smile but I didn't.

"No. I was just thinking about how you could trust someone so much yet they'd still have the nerve to sell you behind your back."

The girls stopped laughing and looked at me puzzled, Arabella didn't make eye contact, she froze.

"Err... Why don't you have breakfast with us?" Grace tried to break the awkward silence. "Sorry we didn't make pancakes for you, we had no idea you would come down but Ginevra can make some now, right Gee?"

"Yeah." Ginevra stood up from the table to make pancakes for me.

I held a hand up. "Don't worry, I can make my own breakfast." If they were in on it as well, I wasn't taking chances.

I prepared breakfast and ate with the girls who talked on various subjects, they were oblivious to the fact that Arabella and I were walking on thin ice. We made eye contact a couple of times but it was nothing more than a two-second affair, in which I gauged her reactions to certain words I said, as well as silently telling her what I thought of her.

After breakfast, I picked my plate and took it to the sink where Rose was doing the dishes. I wanted to clean up my plate but she insisted on doing it so I obliged. I turned to leave but she gripped my wrist with her wet hand.

"Sorry." She apologized, trying to take the soap surds off. "We're having a sleepover in Arabella's room later tonight."

"Hmm..." I replied.

She looked at me, puzzled. "You're coming, aren't you?"

"I don't know, Rose."

"What do you mean you don't know, do you have other plans for tonight?"

I looked at her. Was she baiting me? Trying to set a trap? Her eyes were sincere enough but I knew that some people were masters at faking sincerity.

"No." I said.

"Then come on. You've been locked in your room for two weeks, you had us worried. Arabella says its because you miss Valentino so we let you have your time. We have to catch up, okay?"

"Okay." I obliged.

"Great! It'll be a lot of fun."

"I'll see you later tonight." I left the kitchen and walked back to my room.

--------------------

From the time of breakfast till dusk, I'd made up my mind that there was no better strategy than to confront the enemy in her camp.

I had no idea where the thought came from. If Luke were here, he would give me one of his looks, the one he gave to me when I was going overboard because of desperation or just plain stupidity.

I couldn't help it, I was paranoid. I couldn't imagine life on the streets, no shelter, no job, no one to lean on—it was scary. The worst part of it was, I couldn't contact Luke to tell him what was going on.

A knock on my door startled me.

"Ophelia?" It was Rose.

I could tell her to leave or I could pretend to be asleep. In the end, I opened the door.

"Good, you're ready." She eyed me in my nightie, entered my room to pick a pillow and the blanket that lay on my bed, then she pulled me out into the hallway.

I wanted to protest but I didn't get a chance, she pulled me into Arabella's room and closed the door.

The girls were excited to see me, everyone but Arabella, who still couldn't make eye contact.

They moved on the bed, creating space for me. Grace patted the area close to her, signaling me to come sit.

I sat down on the bed and the girls resumed their conversation. Turns out they were talking about contraceptive pills. They compared brands, arguing which worked best and had less side effects. Rose asked me what brand I preferred. I didn't know much about contraceptives but I liked the one the piacere house made us take, it helped ease menstrual pain.

They switched topics, talking about the kind of girls guys really preferred. Thick or thin?

Rose supported thin.

"... I mean think about it, most clothing companies don't make dresses for sizes 12 and above, surely that's based on the demand of guys? Modelling companies, dietary companies, TV documentaries always showcase thin girls, hinting on the fact that thinner is better. Besides, we are easier to carry." She winked at Grace who gasped in shock.

Ginevra disagreed. "Big stars like Nicki, Iggy, Kimmy, Blac Chyna and Amber Rose prove you wrong. I mean look at them and the horde of male fans these ladies have, if you can name one thin superstar that has the kind of fans they have then I'll concede defeat."

Rose thought for a moment.

When an answer wasn't forthcoming Grace chipped in. "Just accept it, Rose, mega tits, large hips and big fat arses rule the world." She said, patting Rose's thigh sympathetically.

"I say we vote." Rose said, not accepting defeat. "It wasn't a fair fight, two against one."

"More like four against one, since you're the only skinny one here." Ginevra said, hi-fiving Grace.

Rose gasped.

"What do you think, Ophelia?" She asked.

"Well... Ginevra has a point, if you don't name anyone your thoughts aren't a proven theory."

"Oh yeah!" Grace hollered. "Not even Arabella can help you win this one but she still has to say something, Arabella?"

"Thin girls? Thick girls? Does it matter? I think its all about types. Some guys prefer certain hair-eye combinations or just plainly hair or eye colours, some guys love short girls, others like tall, some like smart, others like dumb, some like independent women, others like dependent ones. Some prefer large tits, others prefer flat chests. You can have a man wrapped around your finger by knowing the type of 'girl' he likes. The kid next door that like overweight women with flabs should be enough proof."

The girls shivered in disgust. "I thought he was blind." Grace said. "Talk about freaky." Rose completed.

"...but based on this poll, I think I'll go with Ginevra, Rose. We don't want you thinking guys like you more than us." Arabella winked.

Rose seemed cross but she cheered up when they talked about their escapades in the past weeks.

My innocent ears bled at their vivid descriptions. I wasn't used to this kind of girlie chitchat. Surrounded by men my entire life, hearing girls talk about guys they'd been intimate with made me blush.

Rose teased me about it. "Calm down, Ophelia or you're going to explode!" She touched my flushed cheeks.

"With the way she's blushing you'd think she wasn't doing the dirty with Valentino." Ginevra laughed.

I threw my pillow at her and she fell off the bed.

"When are you going to grace us with your story?" Grace poked me with her finger.

"She's too stingy to share." Arabella teased. "Doesn't want us to use any juicy details against her."

At that moment, I got my colour back. If I didn't have any doubts about Arabella, I would laugh her comments off but her choice of words made me suspect her even more. It made me remember I was in the camp of the enemy and I had to choose my words carefully.

We moved from teasing to playing random games: cards, monopoly, a mini-chess championship, the final was between Arabella and me. I narrowly won, using my knight. It was a tough match.

"That good, huh?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

She shrugged. "Keith." Was the only word she uttered but we shared a look of understanding.

We played 'spin the bottle' then moved on to 'Truth or Dare', a game that made me regret participating in this sleepover.

They mixed up a concoction, I had no idea what it was made of but it smelt horrible and poured it into shot glasses. You'd have to drink a cup if you couldn't complete a Dare.

I went first, asking questions.

"Okay Ginevra, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"What's the most disgusting thing you've ever done?"

"Drink out of a public toilet." She said without hesitation.

Everyone looked at her, shocked.

"What? They dared me to do it, my neighborhood kids."

"Your turn Arabella, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"What's the meanest thing you've done to ruin someone's life?"

"Hmmm..." She thought for a moment. "Definitely what I did to my principal. She's a mean lady. So one day I broke into her house and set up cameras, I recorded her for a week and edited the feeds then I uploaded a video of all her disgusting manners: picking her nose, crapping, belching, even touching herself, as well as other people." She whispered the last part.

"Arabella!" Grace accosted.

"What? Call it payback for all the hours of detention I served. Oh! I almost forgot to tell you, the video went viral, students could never look at her the same way.

"That's mean."

"Grace?"

"Truth."

"What's the most childish thing you admit to still doing?"

She blushed and looked away. "Sleeping with a teddy."

Ginevra and I burst into laughter while Arabella looked at her with disdain.

"Stop looking at her like that." I spoke to Arabella. "You should see my collection at home Grace, they occupy half of my bed." I said laughing and patting her thigh sympathetically.

"Okay Rose, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"What's wrong with all of you? No one wants to give me a chance to Dare them!" I crossed my arms across my chest.

"That's why I don't go first." Grace said.

"What are you most embarrassed about when looking at yourself in the mirror?" I asked, conceding defeat.

"My teeth."

We looked to her for an explanation.

"I dunno.... they're a bit crooked."

Ginevra went next, giving the most ruthless Dares and asking the most embarrassing questions.

"Alright Ophelia, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare."

"Feeling brave? Okay, I'll give you a simple one. I Dare you to tell us in explicit detail, an intimate scene between you and Valentino.

I looked around for help, none was forthcoming as the girls giggled helplessly and made themselves comfortable to hang on to my every word.

I swallowed. This was one story I couldn't make up because Luke never let details slip when it came to flings and these girls would pick out a lie since they were experienced, Arabella had hints from Carlotta's stories. To make matters worse, I couldn't even phantom having an intimate scene with him.

I picked a shot glass, held my breath and drank the concoction. Immediately it hit my sensitive taste buds, I wanted to throw up but I swallowed it, reeling in disgust.

"You're no fun!" Ginevra complained. "Will it kill you to tell us just a tiny bit?"

"Arabella wasn't joking when she said she wouldn't share." Rose complimented.

Grace went next. As usual, I was the last.

"So Truth or Dare?"

I decided to go with a safe option. "Truth."

"Okay. Was Valentino your first?"

"No." And it was the truth.

"You dumbass..." Arabella shoved Grace's head. "You missed the opportunity to ask her something vital!"

My alarm systems went off.

"She said he picked her off the street, doesn't that tell you she had a life before she met him?

Grace massaged her forehead. "When it gets to your turn, ask her something better Miss-know-it-all."

Arabella stuck her tongue out. "I will."

Grace stuck her tongue out too.

"Okay, my turn!" Rose announced. She asked around the circle, finally getting to me.

"Truth or Dare?"

"Truth." I prayed to God it would be a simple question.

"Does Valentino ask for a Becky?"

At least living with men had helped me add some colourful words to my vocabulary, so I knew what she was talking about.

"No. He doesn't." I said playing with my fingers. I looked up to see the girls staring at me weirdly.

"What?" I snapped. "If you don't believe me you can ask him when he drops by." I knew they wouldn't have the nerve to do it.

"Alright, Alright, she's telling the truth." Arabella concluded.

"My turn." She said,

She asked around and got to me. "You know you have to choose Dare."

And give you an opportunity to dig dirt on me? Never!

"As long as you don't ask me any questions concerning Luke, in fact don't ask me anything relating to him, I think I've answered a lot already."

She looked like I had ruined something perfect, she smiled again however evilly.

"Deal." That one word made me feel like I was walking on eggshells. "I dare you to turn Ginevra on."

Even Ginevra looked shocked at the Dare.

I looked at Arabella quizzically. What was she playing at?

"Unless you're chicken?" She cocked her head to the side and made some clucking sounds, provoking me further.

I remembered the videos, if this was her way of gathering dirt on me then chicken I must be.

I picked a shot glass and swallowed the contents without hesitation.

"Killjoy! Just loosen up for once!"

Angry for being forced to swallow that thing, I flipped her the finger.

---------------------------

Out of games to play, we switched to painting nails. Ginevra was a professional manicurist and she changed my old nails and gave me a pretty one, they looked like I paid a million dollars to do them.

Grace was looking through lingerie magazines, making notes to buy the ones in vogue.

Arabella was texting away on her phone, in fact she'd been preoccupied for the last hour.

"Who are you texting?' Rose snatched Arabella's phone and looked at the screen.

Probably relaying information to Desmonda.

"Give me that!" She stretched to take her phone back but Rose shoved her face to the side with one hand and scrolled through the phone with the other.

"Liam?" Rose announced. "Jesus Christ, Arabella, is this what you've been doing?" She asked, shocked.

"Rose, give me back my phone!' She got up from the bed.

Rose had moved to the other side of the room. "Nuh uh! Not until I read everything out."

"If you read my messages out loud, I will kill you." Arabella growled.

"I m–" she managed to get one word out before Arabella tackled her.

They became a jumbled mess, scratching, biting, screaming.

"You clearly have no idea of the meaning of the word 'girls' night out'!'' Rose said.

"And you have no idea of the meaning of the word, privacy!" Arabella replied.

We heard a 'ripping' sound. Rose gasped and Arabella emerged victorious with her phone in hand.

"You tore my nightie!" Rose screamed, she grabbed Arabella by her hair and pulled her back to the ground and they went at it for another five minutes.

"They'll kill themselves." I said.

Ginevra waved them off.

They'll come around when they're tired." Grace said, not looking up from her magazine.

They did. We heard another ripping sound and Arabella screaming at Rose. We all gave each other curious looks when we heard them giggling and looked over to see them playing with their titties.

When they were tired, they climbed the bed and settled down.

"Story time!" Rose announced.

"Yay!" The girls settled down comfortably, Rose on Arabella's lap and Grace on Ginevra's lap.

"So who's telling the story?" I asked.

"Err ... We usually pick a theme and then everyone tells a story on the theme."

"We'll let you pick the theme today." Arabella said.

I thought for a moment, "How about betrayal?"

Arabella looked shocked while the girls passed quizzical looks.

"Err...are you quite sure Ophelia?" Grace asked.

"Yes. Quite sure."

"Well... since you picked the theme, you get to tell a story first but I sure don't know any story about betrayal." Ginevra said.

"Me neither." Rose said.

"Arabella?" I called out.

"Huh... What.... Did you say something?" She snapped back to reality.

"I asked if you knew any story bordering on betrayal?" I asked on purpose, observing her.

"No." She said in a broken voice, losing eye contact.

"Then I'll do the storytelling for tonight."

"Okay." But the girls still looked unsure.

"Betrayal is a trait in humans, it is usually recessive, hidden but appears when one becomes jealous. Sometimes greed causes betrayal to rear up its ugly head. Betrayal can come from any angle: colleagues, mere acquaintances, neighbors... but the ones that hurt most usually come from family and friends."

Arabella flinched.

"After the deed is done, the sower always reaps the harvest of his evil deed and eats the soured fruit, the consequence of betrayal. Let's start with the story of Joseph in the Bible. Joseph was the son of Jacob. I won't bore you with all the details but he was the son of Jacob's favourite wife, Rachael, and Jacob loved him so much.

At the age of 17, he'd begun to show much potential. He was smart, handsome and a promising child. These traits alone made his father love him more, such that he gifted him with a coat of many colours."

"I remember this story, our teacher told it to us in Sunday school." Grace said excitedly.

"Shh..." Rose shushed her, angry for interrupting. "Well not all of us went to Sunday school.. go on Ophelia."

Rose was right but I didn't hear the story from Sunday school. I heard it from my father during dinner with the whole family when he wanted to talk about the consequences of Seth's betrayal. The only reason I remembered the story was because of the hatred I still felt for Seth for putting me in this situation while he was given the easy way out of it. Now, Arabella had dealt one that hit so close to home.

"Joseph lived in a polygamous home so his brothers were terribly jealous of him–That’s when the seed of betrayal is planted. Joseph would bring back reports to his father concerning his brothers’ handling of the flocks, more so about their wrong doings and deals but things became infinitely worse when he started having dreams. Now people of those days were big on dreams, it was the only way God communicated with man. So when God started revealing his big plans for Joseph, his brothers and even his father were vexed—The seed of betrayal was watered.

It got to a point when his brothers couldn't take it anymore, they secretly sought for a way to do away with him. That opportunity came eventually when Jacob sent his son out to find out how his brothers were fairing one day.

Innocent Joseph put on his robe of many colours and ran off in search of his brothers. He longed to see them after a long day of house chores, to sit down and chat with them to hear of their adventures, after sitting by his old father's side for so long.

Little did he know that his brothers had spotted him from the top of the hill and they sought to kill him. They thought if he was dead, then his dreams wouldn't come to pass. The eldest son Reuben heard them, he was also jealous but he didn't want to spill the blood of his baby brother. He decided to have Joseph thrown in a well for a while, to teach him a lesson, show him to humble himself around his brothers, to scare him, then he would bring him out when it was time to go home.

When Joseph reached his brothers, they grabbed him, stripped him and threw him into a well, then they sat down to eat bread. Do you know how Joseph must have felt in that deep, dark well? Pleading out to his brothers while they made mockery of him as they ate?"

The girls looked touched.

I compared how Joseph must have felt to how I was feeling now. Alone, scared, helpless.

"Reuben went out for a little while to attend to the flocks. In the time he was gone, an entourage of merchants passed and Judah, Joseph's brother, came up with a plan. They could get rid of him and make money while doing it. So they decided to sell their brother."

Someone gasped.

"Imagine the relief Joseph must have felt when they drew him out, only to meet strange new faces. He must have screamed when they bound him and handed 20 pieces of silver to his brothers."

I knew how he felt, I felt the same way when my father dumped the news of my arranged marriage on me. Disbelief, shock, anger, he probably laughed with his brothers, thinking they were playing a prank on him but then reality dawned on him when the entourage led him away. He must have pleaded with them to stop.

It felt like someone put a blade through your heart.... and twisted it.

"By the time Reuben got back, it was already too late, too late to follow the entourage and get his brother back. In the long run the seed had blossomed and bore fruit which they all ate. They lived with the consequences of their actions in the future."

"What were the consequences?" Arabella asked

Wouldn't you like to know? I thought.

"Why spoil the mood? It was really bitter for a while, that's all you have to know. I really don't want to delve deep into the sad story, especially when I have another one to tell."

"Tell us another!" Grace said, the pensive mood concerning my choice of theme long gone.

"Do you have another one to tell?" Rose asked, excitedly.

"Yeah."

"What's this one about?"

"Jesus Christ."

The girls exchanged looks.

"Damn, you're on fire with the Bible and betrayal today, what gives?" Ginevra asked.

I smiled.

"Jesus said “verily verily i say unto you, that one of you shall betray me ” ."

The girls looked around again, alarmed that I might be losing it.

"And his disciples looked upon one another, doubting whom he spoke, just as you are doing now."

"Ophelia?" Grace called out concerned.

My smile broadened. I didn't know the scripture, I was only recollecting the words as dad spoke them, loving the reaction it gave, it was the same thing the boys at the mansion did.

"You see, the betrayal of Jesus speaks volumes if you are patient enough to listen. If the son of The Almighty God was betrayed by one of his own, it means we should be expecting betrayal in our everyday life. We also get to see who is responsible for sowing the seed betrayal in our hearts —the devil.

He just plants the seed and leaves the watering and nurturing to us.

Jesus Christ was sold out to the people who sought his life for 30 pieces of silver."

"What is it with these people and pieces of silver?" Grace asked.

I laughed.

"I don't know." I said with a smile.

Not only was he betrayed, his disciples abandoned him when the Jews came to capture him. One in particular, according to the Gospel of St Mark, tore his clothing and ran away naked when the officers grabbed hold of him."

The girls laughed.

"They all fled. The ones who were brave to follow from a distance denied him for fear of death when confronted.

It all boils down to one thing. He knew.

He knew he was going to be betrayed and he knew who was going to do it. "Christ said one thing to the person who was going to betray him."

"What?" They all asked, with wide eyes.

" ‘woe to that man by which the son of man is betrayed! Good for that man if he'd never been born.’ " I looked at Arabella purposely and she looked away.

"Woe indeed, Judas realised what he'd done in the end and hanged himself because of guilt. There are many others who were betrayed too. Moses was betrayed by his adopted brother, Dinah, Joseph's sister was betrayed by her friends and was defiled, Daniel was betrayed by his colleagues because of jealousy, Joseph's uncle, Esau, was betrayed by his own brother, Jacob, Joseph's father..."

"I think I've had enough with this talk of betrayal, I may have nightmares." Arabella cut me off and turned to her side to sleep.

"Arabella..." Grace whined, wanting to hear another story but Arabella's word was law and the other girls lay down to sleep, telling me who they'd pitch tenth with if something went wrong between Arabella and I.

"We'll continue this next time." Grace said apologetically and lay down.

I surveyed the people lying down in front of me and realised I didn't have anywhere to sleep on the bed.

I was never part of their clique, I would never be. Sadness tugged my heart and I longed for Luke.

______________________

The next few days that passed were horrible for me. I became homesick, throwing up in the mornings and refusing to eat anything in the evenings. I became pale and nothing could lift my countenance, not even my phone.

I avoided the girls as well. I knew their schedules, so I slipped out whenever they were in their rooms and locked myself in whenever I knew they were in the lounge or kitchen.

I sorted out my dirty clothes in a heap, white from coloured. I'd grown used to wearing the same clothes everyday, so much that it didn't bother me anymore.

I picked the whites and turned to put them in the washer when someone frightened me.

It was Ginevra. I was so engrossed in my thoughts I didn't notice her presence. How long had she been standing there?

"Hey." She said,

"Hey." I answered with a weak smile, trying to hide the fact that she frightened me.

She frowned instead of smiling back and put a hand to my forehead.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes." I moved around her to get to the machine and avoid further assessment.

"You don't look alright to me." She said but I ignored her, focusing on my work.

"Ophelia?" She held my arm and I involuntarily flinched in response. "We need to talk."

"About?" I said without facing her.

"What's going on..." She paused "...between you and Arabella?"

I stopped what I was doing at the mention of Arabella's name but resumed work afterwards.

"I don't know what you're talking about?"

"The others may not notice but I've seen the tension between you two. At the sleepover you kept talking about betrayal, emphasizing on being betrayed by friends and Arabella couldn't make eye contact, she was like someone caught taking cookies from the cookie jar. When she couldn't take it anymore, she politely told you to shut up. I'm not as stupid as you think, so I'm asking again, what's going on?"

I turned to face her. Did Arabella send her here to confirm if I really knew about her ploy to betray me?

"Why don't you ask Arabella?" I spat the words, fire burning in my eyes.

Ginevra continued, unaffected by my outburst. "I did. But just like you, she was evasive. So I'm going to tell you the same thing I told her: Work. It. Out. I hate seeing my friends fight, nothing should break the bond of friendship no matter how trivial or glaring it is." With that she walked out.

Like hell I will! I wanted to scream. You just want me back because of what I can do! I broke down in tears. You all just want me back so you can use me.

__________________

It was only a week after Ginevra's encounter that Arabella approached me.

I was in the kitchen doing the dishes when I smelt her perfume.

I waited for her to pick whatever she wanted or do whatever she wanted or say something but she didn't.

I turned around and gave her a once over then continued my work.

"I'm sorry." She said softly but I pretended not to hear.

"Ophelia?" She moved closer. "Ophelia I said I'm sorry."

"Sorry about Arabella?"

"I think you know."

That statement just made me mad.

I picked a dish rag and wiped my hands.

"I seriously have no idea about what you're talking about."

She was white now. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, really, really sorry, Ophelia."

She looked sincere enough. I decided to pity her and stop the torture.

"So you'll stop whatever you're doing?"

She nodded.

I looked at her for a very long time, unmoving. She became nervous, playing with her fingers.

"Alright then, apology accepted."

Her shoulders sagged in relief. "Thank you." She said and left the kitchen when I didn't say anything more.

I frowned. It occurred to me that Arabella never stated what she was apologising for. I hoped we were on the same page.

If we were then my stay here wasn't under threat. For that I sighed in relief.