Chapter 21: Chapter 21
The weeks passed in pretty much the same fashion, with Carol's daily routine being sleeping and eating. However, this time around, Carol saw even less of her supposed husband than she had seen before. Sebastian went out before she woke up and most of the time, came back after she had gone to bed. Even on days when he came back before she went to bed, he greeted her as though they were strangers before disappearing into his study, not to be seen again till the next time she happened to come across him.
As for Carol, she spent her days sitting in her room and painting. Painting was one of her greatest passions and now that she had more than enough time on her hands to spare, she sought out a shop where art materials were sold and bought numerous art supplies from the money Sebastian had given her. She still hadn't bothered herself to read the contract or find out what it was about, as she did not care the least about it. After all, her so-called husband did his best to avoid her in the one month since they had been married, so what was the point? She did not have anything to lose so whatever he decided to spell out in the contract was fine by her.
She heard from her parents who were doing fine now and then. According to her father, the people who were holding her uncle Joe hostage had released him. They released him a week after the wedding and he was now at home, seeing a therapist and being nursed back to health. Carol shuddered as she remembered how grateful to her he had been on the phone when she had talked to him and how worried he was about her situation, having gone through he himself.
She had hastened to reassure him and her parents that she was being taken care of and it was true. Apart from the fact that she was lonely, she had everything that money could buy and lacked absolutely nothing. Sebastian left her to her devices, except to make sure that she had protection everywhere she went, although she still did not see any need for this. No one seemed to know who she was on the few occasions that she ventured out, so she did not see or understand the threat that he was talking about. However, she abided by the rules to please him and to fulfill all righteousness.
Right now, she was sitting in the garden, which was her favorite thing to do, and sipping chilled orange juice from a glass cup. The garden was one place in this house in which she could really feel at peace and spend hours on end. Her most recent painting, which was one of the very garden in which now she sat, was placed by her side. She had just started it this morning and already, it was looking really good. Her phone rang beside her and she almost jumped a foot high, as she had not expected it to ring, and then laughed a little at her own foolishness before checking to see that it was her sister calling.
Carol sat bolt upright, inadvertently knocking over her glass of wine, but not even bothering in the least about it as she hurried to pick up the phone and answer the call.
"Victoria?" She said into the phone, her heart beating fast. This was the first time she was hearing from her sister since the day she ran away. Even their parents had not heard from her.
"Hey. What's up?" Victoria asked, as though she had not been gone for a month without anyone knowing her whereabouts.
"What's up? Is that all you're going to say? Where the fuck have you been all this while? We were all worried sick!"
"Calm your titties and stop yelling at me for no reason."
"You are incredibly selfish and we are all very disappointed in you." Carol spat.
"Selfish, you say? For refusing to give up my life for the family? I think not. And besides, who are you to judge me anyway?"
"You know that's not what I mean. I was talking about you just running off without letting anyone know your whereabouts or if you were okay. We were all worried sick!"
"Please quit the pretense. Don't think I don't know what you did. I know what you did very well. Pretending to be sorry for me and giving me useless advice just so you could steal Sebastian from me. I see through you very well. Mum told me but I did not believe her. Now I see what she was saying. You're going to be sorry, mark my words."
"What on earth are you even talking about? Is it my fault you decided to chicken out? Besides, remember that you were the one who suggest that I take your place. Naturally, I would never have done that if not for the fact that they were torturing Joe. I did this for the family, so I don't see what you're ranting about. They would have come for the rest of us."
"Spare me your bullshit. You did it for the money. You're such a bloody traitor. I saw you on TV and online, wearing my dress. The dress I painstakingly sought for and marrying my groom."
"No, no, no. I will never let you blame me for any of it. In case you have forgotten, you were the one who was crying and saying you can't get married to a stranger. I only advised you that if you can't do it, you should quit."
"Oh, but you can do it. Is that so?"
"Look, I'm done having this argument with you. You and I both know you would have still run away even if I did not tell you anything."
"Maybe so, but I would have come around in the end and had the wedding later, something that is not possible anymore because my goddamn sister is married to my fucking husband!"
"So this is why you called me?"
"Yeah. That and to let you know that you will seriously regret it. Mark my words!" Victoria said and ended the call without allowing Carol to say anything else.