Chapter 90: Chapter 90

Later that night, it began to rain very heavily. Donald came into Carol's room, where she was just laying down, and doing nothing in particular. He sat heavily on the bed, grief lining his weathered features, and shook his head.

"I'm so sorry about Belinda, Carol. I'll like to think that she's just grieving, but we both know that that is not the case. She's just an evil person. Don't let her get to you. I don't let her get to me anymore."

"It's okay, dad. I'm already used to it. You're the only one who would have to cope with her craziness from now on, I'm afraid." Carol said smiling at him. He did not smile back.

"She served me divorce papers this evening."

"What? Wow. Anyway ... um, I don't know what to say. Is that good or bad? For you, I mean."

"I don't know. It's good, I guess. We're practically strangers. She blames me for everything single thing that goes wrong in her life. I'm fed up with the marriage and I guess that she is too."

"Well, that's good then. Are you going to sign the papers?"

"Of course I am. I told you that we were already having more problems than usual after what happened that time at your house. It's time for us to finally go our separate ways. Anyway, I wanted to ask if you're okay with something." Donald said, toying with the edge of her blanket.

"Sure. What is that?"

"Well, it's this house. It's too big for just one person to live in. it was even too big for all of us when the whole family was using it and we had a lot of workers living with us. How much more when it's just one person? I wanted to ask if you would mind me selling the house."

"Of course not, dad. I don't mind at all. Why would I mind if you sold it?"

"I heard that some children get attached to the houses they lived in as little kids and usually do not want their parents to sell it off."

"No, no. You do what you have to do, dad. I don't have special memories of this house, anyways. Just majorly ones of Belinda yelling at me for something trivial and worse, telling me that she wished that she had snuffed the life out of me as a kid and that she wished I was dead in place of Victoria." Carol quipped, smiling a little. If it had been any other person who had said that, she would have felt really bad, but since it was Belinda who had said it, she did not really give a flying fuck.

"I'm really sorry that she said that to you. It was a terrible thing to say to someone, even for her."

"It's okay. I don't care, actually."

"One last thing. Once the divorce is finalized, I'm going to be really lonely. You don't mind if I move a little closer to you so we can see more often, do you?"

"Of course not, dad. I would like that. You're the only family I have except for Sebastian, and I'm not sure how much longer he and I are going to be a family." Carol said sadly.

"Hmmm. You still don't know where you guys stand with each other?"

"I know where I stand with him and know that I love him and would want to spend the rest of my life with him. I don't know about him, though, and no, I'm not asking him about it."

"Well, if it doesn't work out, you'll find love elsewhere. I know you will. You're a good person, Carol." Donald said, giving her a firm hug.

"Thanks a lot, dad. That means a lot to me. Oh, and by the way, I'm leaving tomorrow. I wanted to stay for about a week before, but with Belinda's behavior, I don't think that I want to any longer."

"You shouldn't let Belinda dictate what you do and do not do or how long you stay in my house, Carol."

"I know, dad, but I'll rather just leave. I want to go back to Sebastian and support him in whatever way I can. He's going through a lot right now, what with his uncle's poor health and Jessica's too. Besides, I already told him that I was coming back."

"Okay. No problem. I might come to visit you sometime before the contract is over, if you'll like that."

"Yes, dad. I will."

"Okay. Goodnight."

The next day, Carol left with her bodyguard as she had planned. She was not surprised when she checked the news and saw the news of the burial, and even worse, news of what had transpired between her and Belinda the previous day. Up until now, she had managed to keep off the public eye, and she hoped that even with all this unwanted attention, it would keep being that way.

As soon as she touched down at the airport, a call from Melissa, the girl who she met on vacation came in. Carol had not heard from her since the day that she left, despite their promises to stay in touch. Perhaps the lady was in Napa like she had said she would. If that was the case, then Carol would like to meet up with her.

"Hello, Carol."

"Hello, Melissa. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. Listen, I saw the news and I'm so sorry about what happened to your sister. Those people who did that to her deserve to be hung up by their balls if you ask me. Also, your mother is a major bitch."

"Thank you, Melissa. I appreciate it. Also, she's my stepmother, not my mother."

"She's a bitch regardless. Have they found out who shot your sister?"

"No, they haven't," Carol said sadly.

"Damn. That's bad. Really bad. Poor thing. How about your husband's ex-fiancée? Has she regained consciousness yet?"

"How do you know about her?" Carol asked in surprise. As far as she knew, most people did not know that it was Jessica who had been shot and was in a coma. Sure, the news had carried the fact that a female had been shot that night, but Sebastian had managed to keep the fact that it was his fiancée who had disappeared away from the media. Even she had not mentioned anything like that to Melissa.

"Oh..." Charlotte said, thinking fast. "I was at the hospital the day they brought her in after she was shot. I saw your husband there too and was wondering what was happening, so I sort of hung around and found out that it was her, Jessica, or something like that. Do you know that it was the same woman whom we saw Sebastian hugging that night at the party?"

"Oh, well. She's still in the hospital in a coma. No changes or anything."

"Are the doctors hopeful that she would wake up?"

"Um, well, they're still watching her."

"Oh, okay," Charlotte said, thrilled that Jessica was still in a coma and hoping that she'd die very soon. If the task proved too daunting for her and she refused to die, then Charlotte would have no choice but to help her carry out the task.

"I take it you're back from your vacation," Carol said, not knowing what to say to Melissa again.

"Yes, listen. I know you went to your sister's funeral. When are you getting back? I'll be in Napa in a few days' time. I was thinking that we should meet up for a drink, some shopping, or something else."

"I actually just landed. It would be nice to meet up with you."

"Okay then. I'll let you know when I arrive. Do take care of yourself now."

"Thanks. You too." Carol replied, ending the call and walking towards the driver that had come to pick her up, her bodyguard in tow. There were no paparazzi around, and for that she was grateful. She was not sure she could handle someone shoving a camera in her face today.