Chapter 34 Hate?

The twins only noticed Vanessa after Arnold had turned to look in her direction.

"Nothing" Vanessa shrugged.

"I see" Arnold replied. "You haven't received any threatening email from a so-called 'Clementine Phisher'?"

"Yes, i did. That's about three days ago. How did you know?" Vanessa asked curiously.

"And you just ignored it?" Arnold asked. "Caleb, intensify the security. Have the security cameras positioned such that we'd have a 360° vision, outside the house. Make sure to have at least one security on each floor" Arnold told Caleb who stood in the shadow of the room.

"Copied" Caleb replied.

The twins almost freaked out when they saw Caleb.

"Arnold, i thought we were alone" Ciara asked.

"At the moment, we are" Arnold replied without looking at her. "It's been a stressful day. Why don't you get some rest?" Arnold asked the sisters.

"Yeah, that's a good idea" the twins answered chorally and started climbing the stairs. After the twins had left, Vanessa slumped into a sofa and closed her eyes.

"How's Aida?" Arnold asked.

"She's sleeping now" Vanessa replied.

"Raymond told me everything" Arnold said.

"That's inevitable. Raymond never keeps anything from you. Does he? I'm sure you've even discussed 'me' several times" Vanessa replied, and rolled her eyes annoyingly.

Arnold only smiled. He wasn't going to fall for her petty tricks but was going to play along.

"If you want to know if Raymond and I talk about you, then the answer is a yes. However, we seldomly do that. We only talk about you, once in a year. Your guess is as good as mine, it's only your birthdays. We don't even talk about anything apart from how beautifully you're ageing" Arnold replied.

"Arnold, you're not a very good liar." Vanessa said.

"You think Raymond's got nothing to do, other than sulking and talking 24/7 about a woman who won't even look at him?" Arnold asked.

"I never said that" Vanessa retorted.

"Thought that was what you meant." Arnold chuckled.

They remained silent for a few seconds, until Arnold asked;

"Is there anything you would want to talk to me about, Vanessa?"

"Yes, but I'll do that when I am 100% sure we're alone" Vanessa replied fluttering her eyes open.

"You doubt we're alone?" Arnold asked, intrigued by Vanessa's comment.

"You can fool the twins but not me, Arnold" Vanessa replied.

"What makes you think that way?" Arnold asked.

"We're surrounded, aren't we?" Vanessa coaxed.

"Yes, we are" Arnold chuckled.

"I'm glad you finally accepted that we're not alone" Vanessa replied wearing a sly smile.

"Raymond must be near" Arnold suddenly said as he looked at his wrist watch.

"He should have been here by now. Maybe....I don't know" Vanessa said casting worried glances at the entrance.

"You're worried, aren't you?" Arnold probed.

"A little" Vanessa replied.

"A little?" Arnold asked and seemingly paused. "Why are you doing this to yourself Vanessa? Why? I just don't get you. Why would be so cold to him when you care about him more than anything?"

"Arnold, why are you playing it safe with Ciara?"

"Don't change the topic, Vanessa. Just don't"

"Hmmmm..." Vanessa sighed and began to talk "I, honestly, hated him with every fibre of my being after it happened. I just hated him. You'd agree that at some point in time, i had wanted him dead. I wanted to wake up to the news that he was deceased. But I just couldn't continue to hate him. He was a good guy after all. All i was left to do, was to avoid him."

"Did you have to do that?"