Chapter 1 The final betrayal

In the Bar, Rachel Rodriguez POV

"Cheers, bottles up, ladies!" My head which was previously buried in my phone rose up to meet the flashy, colorful lights of the club, as Melissa voiced, carrying a tray of three glasses of wine in her left hand.

She settled them down on the table, passing each glass to everyone seated. And when it got to my turn, she paused, smiling at me.

"You are pregnant my dear sister. Alcohol isn't good for the unborn child. How about orange juice?" Melissa asked, her voice ringing with concern.

I nodded my head, giving my five months old protruding belly a gentle rub. Everything felt so new with a child growing inside me, and literally, I wouldn't have survived my first trimester without Melissa's help.

'She is such a blessing to me,' I said, admiring her as the spotlight fell on her pretty face. I closed my eyes recalling how Melissa was the only one present for me since our parents' death in a plane crash five years ago. Ever since then, Melissa juggled perfectly the roles of both parents, while attending to the needs of a chairman.

"I trust you. You know more about pregnancy than I do, so I will leave it to you." I didn't put so much thought into it, as any drink if appropriate was fine by me. Besides, Melissa was very cautious when it came to the baby's health.

I leaned back in my seat enjoying the heat of the moment. Amongst my three best friends, Stella, Cartelle and Jasmine, I found an unexplainable peace, and trust that blossomed between us. Our bond was something I was proud of even till date.

It would have been more peaceful if I didn't have to deal with a mole in our friend circle, Jeraldine. I gnawed, her face resonating back into my memory. I groaned internally, forcing myself to forget about her as she was none other than a deceitful person. 

'She doesn't deserve your kindness and one way or the other, she will pay for her crime, alive or dead…' Melissa's consoling words two months ago echoed in my head, and suddenly I felt better.

"Karma will do its job perfectly well!"

Ring, ring.

I looked at my phone to see an unknown number calling. I wasn't expecting any call from anyone at this late hour, despite that, I didn't ignore it either. I excused myself from the noisy environment, walking down the hallways, till I found a quiet place to answer the phone call.

"Is this Miss Rodriguez?" I heard him talk in a rush, a series of siren sounds wailing from the speaker. I took the phone away from my ears, and twitched at its loudness, calming myself that everything was alright.

"Yes this is Miss Rodriguez, who are you?"

"This is the police, Miss."

"The Police…Did I do something wrong? And how did you get my number if I may ask?" He hadn't given me space to ask how he obtained my number or the reason why he was calling and bombarded me with another question.

"You need to turn up at the police station for interrogation. Miss Jeraldine Norman was found dead in a pool of blood and a knife stabbed deeply on her chest in her apartment. We rushed her to the hospital but it was too late. She is dead, Miss, and from the records of phone calls she had you were on the top list."

"Excuse me?" Offended, I twitched, my brows furrowing in seething rage. "So what are you trying to say? That I killed her?" 

She is dead?

And so what? 

That was the price she pays for her bad deeds.

I scoffed, throwing my wavy brown hair to my shoulders.

Within seconds, my mind flashed back to when everything became so vivid that Jeraldine was the cause of all my misfortune. She was the only one who objected to my marriage with Alex and even dared to harm me and my unborn child in a planned accident.

In rage, I gritted my teeth, clenching onto the cellphone. I wanted to do absolutely nothing with a traitor! She might as well go to hell now that she is dead.

"We didn't say you are guilty of any crime. We only want you to make a statement."

"Why do you keep insisting on me coming? I told you that I have nothing to do with Jeraldine!" I couldn't hold back my fumes any more. 

"You misunderstood our intention. We only want you to come to the police station that is all. If you are guilty, only time would tell."

"I don't care, me and Jeraldine called it off months ago. I don't want to do anything with a lying, betrayer! Don't call me again!"

Before he could say anything,I ended the call, and inhaled, fanning myself as adrenaline rushed through my veins.

"Who the hell was he to call me murderer?" Silently I cursed, making my way back into the club house. "Oh, you are back?" I murmured.

My eyes darted towards Melissa who was already chatting with the others. I wriggled myself through the crowd, till I arrived at the direct spot. 

She handed me a glass of orange drink and without thinking, I sipped it in, enjoying the reeling feeling of the soothing, cold sensation of the drink. The other two adjusted on the chair, giving space for me to join the girl gang. I sat down, swirling the wine glass between my fingers, and joining in on the gossip.

"Who did you call?" Suddenly Melissa asked as she reckoned Stella telling her I left the club in a hurry. I handed her the phone and she scrolled through the missed calls, and spotted a striking one; The Police.

"The Police? What do they want from you?" She asked, jerking in fear.

I assumed her reaction was because of her caring nature, and didn't put too much into it. I chuckled, wondering how ridiculous I would sound if I told Melissa that they called to report that Jeraldine was dead.

"Can you imagine this ugly, mood spoilers called to report that Jeraldine was found dead in her house, and they think I am a suspect since I was the last one she called?"

"And what did you say?" In panic, she replied, her voice deepening with fear. Soon, Melissa regained her composure, smiling as if nothing happened. "Block any number related to Jeraldine and the police and if anyone tries to call you, inform me."

I nodded my head, agreeing once again with her, and quickly did what she said. From the police station to Jeraldine's family's callings, I blocked every single number that would try to call me concerning this matter. 

When I was done, I sipped the orange juice into my mouth, leaning on the chair. Somehow, it felt like the whole atmosphere thickened, after the phone call and the sip. I looked at the orange juice and then at Melissa's face who seemed perplexed after hearing of Jeraldine's death.

"What is going on?" I had to ask. For a moment ago, we were having fun and now, everyone was deep in thoughts. I didn't understand what they were all thinking and the next thing I heard was Cartelle speaking.

"Such a bummer that we have to go." She said, winking at Melissa."Thank you Rachel, this last get-together is something I would remember for ages. Have a safe journey to Los Angeles. Hope this isn't the last time we'd meet." Cartelle responded, her voice laced with jest.

Everything was wrong with her words, I noticed. What did she mean by the last time we'd meet? I wasn't going to stay there for long!

I gazed at Melissa for an explanation and she ignored me, pretending to be on a serious text. I sighed, telling myself in the end that I was paranoid.

'Nothing was going to happen, maybe it was only their odd choice of words' I calmed myself, yet I knew it wasn't just the choice of words, their attitude followed.

As I was lost in thoughts, I heard Stella say,

"Take care Rachel, I really had a blast and we are really going to miss you," She turned to me and said, smiling and kissing my forehead. The others followed suit. Instead of pecking my head, they waved their hands and exited the clubhouse through another passage. 

"Don't think too much of what they said." Melissa spoke after what felt like eternity. She turned off her phone and grabbed her drink, sipping it in little gulps. 

"Well, we can still have fun, Melissa! So what do you want to do within the few hours before I catch my flight to Los Angeles?" I asked, ignoring the jerking feeling in my mind. 

I was soon to leave New York and settle in Los Angeles with my new baby, and husband Alex Vale for the rest of my life. I had to make sure everything was right before leaving, including the company too.

After much delegation on the will certificate of my father and why he had given the company to me as an inheritance rather than to Melissa since she deserved it more than me, I already made up my mind to give Melissa the full shares to the company.

"I believe you'd take care of the family mansion and its properties." 

"That reminds me of something," Melissa said, hushing me from talking, and took out a blue file from her file jacket, handing over to me a pen. 

"There is still one more contract for you to sign before passing down the company rights to me. It wouldn't take much of your time."

'Another one again?' I sighed, stretching out my hand to receive it. 

"It is alright. Once you sign the contract, you wouldn't have to bother about anything concerning business. See, isn't your dear sister not after your well-being? I know you'd not be able to juggle motherhood and being the CEO, so I willingly signed up for it."

"So thoughtful of you." I said and picked up the pen without hesitation, writing down my signature on the blank line in the contract. 

 "Is there somet

hing wrong?"

"Do you trust me that much with your affairs? Aren't you concerned that I will betray you, Rachel?"