Malevolence

Chapter 7:

Please read the Writer's note before continuing to read this chapter.

Evelyn:

I scramble to my feet. "I'm – I'm s-sorry Harlan. I –"

"Why were you in that room?" Harlan barks, his finger pointing to the painted wall.

I take a step back. Is Harlan...angry with me?

I know Harlan can be strict with his voice, but he has never been strict with me before.

"Well?" Harlan says with a firm tone.

I begin to speak, but then I sigh. I try to speak again, but I can't seem to get the words out of my mouth.

But what do I tell Harlan? That I was waiting in that room for Ransom because we were going to argue with each other?

"I'm waiting." Harlan presses, crossing his arms while he still stands by the study door.

I attempt to speak again and I pause for a minute.

I need to pull myself together!

I inhale and I finally speak. "I'm sorry Harlan. I – I was about to join the party in the living room, but then I saw her speaking to Marta and I –"

"Her? Who are you talking about? My daughter?" Harlan furrows his brows.

I wrinkle my nose. "Linda? N-No. I'm referring to the bitch. The one I saw at Ransom's house last year."

Harlan knits his brows together and ponders. "Are you talking about Emerald?"

That name! That damn name! I haven't heard that name in over a year. It seems so odd to hear her name again.

I hate it!

"Emerald was here?" Harlan raises his brows, creasing his forehead.

I nod my head.

"What was she doing here in the first place? Who invited her?" Harlan gasps.

"Who do you think?"

Harlan huffs. "Linda? Where is she? Let me go talk to my daughter." he turns around and is about to open the door.

"No!" I hold up my hands. "It's okay! The bitch left already. Ransom told her to leave, and plus, I don't know who actually invited her. I was just guessing." I admit.

Even though I suspect Linda would be the main suspect to invite that bitch, I don't know if Linda was the reason she was at this party.

"Anyway," I continue with my story, "when I saw her, I wanted to slap her. So hard. Ransom however, blocked me from doing so and carried me back into here and –"

"Again? Have you just been hanging out in this study?" Harlan leans against the study door, tilting his head.

I sigh. "N-No. Ransom and I were in that room," I point to the painted wall, "and as we stepped out into the passageway, I saw her." I explain.

"She does have a name you know?" Harlan notes.

"I know, but I prefer to call her a bitch, since she is one." I sneer.

Harlan suppresses a laugh. "Well, I can't say that I blame you. She did, after all, hurt you and Ransom."

I cross my brows in confusion, but then I raise them as I realize Ransom must have told Harlan about what happened last year.

"Anyway, so once Ransom carried me back into this study." I continue with my story, "He told me to wait in here and he left the study. I wasn't sure where he went, so I wanted to see where we went to. So as I was about to leave this study, I overheard him and...well I heard him tell that bitch to leave."