Derek stood still as the doctor's words rang repeatedly in his ears, Kathleen hissed and he glanced at her, one question ringing in both their minds, who could have done it? Kathleen's heart constricted painfully at the thought that someone hated her so much, enough to want to kill her, her mind wandered to Marcella and Nicole but would they go that far as trying to kill her? Other than them she couldn't think of any other person that might want her dead, she looked at Derek, he had become pale, he must be so affected by the news.
Derek came close to her and took her hand in his, "I'll find out whoever is behind this, you don't have to be afraid, I won't let any harm come to you" Kathleen swallowed at his solemn promise, "who do you think might want me dead?"
"We'll have to find out," he said quickly but Kathleen could see the truth in his eyes, he was thinking the same as her, he too was suspecting the same people she had in mind. Derek cupped her cheeks in his palms, " I won't let anything happen to you, it's a promise". She nodded, she believed him and she trusted him to keep her safe.
Mary was cleaning the house, she was cleaning the bar counter when she heard something fell,she frowned as she searched for what must have fallen, she reached beneath the counter and sigh with relief when she saw that it was just a purse, someone must have forgotten it on the counter, she reached for it and picked it up but it's content spilled out, lipstick, eye liner, and powder, she quickly picked it up and had just replaced when Nicole's voice startled her, "what the hell are you doing with my purse" Mary jumped at the sound of Nicole's voice, she tried to explain what had happened but Nicole didn't even give her the chance, she wondered why she was so angry, Nicole grabbed the purse from her and walked out, Mary's gaze fell and her eyes caught something she had failed to pick, she quickly bent and picked it up, it was a small bottle without label and she wondered what it was, she was just about opening it when she suddenly came back and grabbed it from her, "didn't your stupid mother teach you not to touch someone else's things?" She hissed and walked away.
Mary's heart clenched in pain and her eyes welled, she had lost her mother years ago to cancer and it was just too painful for her to deal with, the remainder of her sweet and loving mom hurts and it's just too cruel to refer to her as stupid, she was so upset that she walked out of the house, ma'am Nicole is just not nice, she proud and mean. blinded with tears she walked towards the garden and bumped into someone, strong arms grabbed her, preventing her from falling, " are you okay?" She heard Geoffrey asked and she tried to hide her tears, he placed his hands under her chin and turned her to face him, his gaze grew concerned, "you're crying, what's the matter?"
Mary flung her arms around his neck and wept, Geoffrey felt awkward, he doesn't know how to console her, so he just stood still and let her cry.
Mary sniffed and raised her head, she met Geoffrey's eyes and lowered hers, "I'm sorry" she murmured.
Geoffrey grunted as he handed her a handkerchief, she wiped her eyes and sniffed.
"Can you now tell me what the matter is?"
Mary flushed and narrated all that happened to him, apart from ma'am Kathleen, he's another person she could talk to. Geoffrey frowned when she finished, he wondered if there was something Nicole was hiding or if she was just being nasty.
Kathleen spent two days in the hospital before she was discharged, the doctor told her the poison hadn't done much harm to her body. Kathleen couldn't still wrap her head around it that someone hated her that much to poison her, she was quiet all through the ride home, her mind wondering who it could be between Nicole and Marcella because apart from those two, she couldn't figure any other person that hated her and who would have the chance to put poison in her food.
*
*
"Donald please, not again" Kathleen's mother replied her husband, he had been on her neck on paying Kathleen a visit and request for money ever since he had seen her in the newspaper that she's married to Deloux's heir.
"You know my business is going on the verge of collapsing, we have so many bills to foot, at least she made herself useful by marrying that heir, she practically hit the jackpot, she should help us".
"No Donald, we'll manage we've troubled her enough"
"Troubled her enough? If she isn't being an ungrateful wench, why would she abandon her family in such a way? She's just like you, the both of you should be happy that I picked you, people, away from the slum, and now you're just being ungrateful, you'll ask her for money, if u can't, give me her contact, I'll do it, it's either that or I'll stop taking responsibility of you" he humph as he walked away.
Kathleen's mom stared at him in despair as he walked away from her, once again, Donald was making her choose between him and her daughter.