MY TOXIC TAURUS

CHAPTER 7

Ethan had been watching the same video more than thrice already hoping his conversation with Esther after Veronica had left was not part of it and luckily, it was not. He had got there to find a freaked out Veronica restless in the house and the first thing she had done after letting him in was to tell him about someone blackmailing her with some video but she was so scared that nothing she said made perfect sense and he was forced to stop her and just ask for the video instead.
Now she sat staring at a novel on her table that was probably one of the many books she was reading as she had always done. "Do you perhaps have any idea who this could be?" Ethan asked placing her phone on the table next to her book.
"No. All I know is it's someone who was at the party."
"The voice that called you..."
"It was a woman. But the only person I knew at the party was Cassie."
"Seems this person knows you too well. I mean they even have your number...''
Her phone buzzed. It was a message from the same number. She first looked at Ethan then back at her phone clearly scared of even picking it. If this person knew her, who was to tell they perhaps even knew where to find her. She felt unsafe and threatened even in her own place. Ethan noticed her discomfort and checked the message himself.
"She wants to meet you at the abandoned house. Any idea where that could be?" Veronica was a bit taken aback. No one else knew about that place aside from her and Chris. It was their old house which they had left unoccupied for ages and the area was remote no one ever went there. How did this person know about it then?
"It was our secret place, Chris and I. We went there every weekend."
Ethan felt a bit jealous knowing that Veronica spent so much time with Chris such that they even had their own secret place. She must have meant it then when she said earlier that what they had was special. It was not time for his emotions to get in the way though. They had to find out who this anonymous person was and what she wanted.
"I'm coming with you tomorrow," he said leaving no room for further discussion. "What if it's dangerous Ethan? She specifically said I should go alone."
"That's exactly why I'm coming with. I'm not letting you go meet some psycho stalker on your own. Don't worry, she won't know I'm there."
Ethan knew he had to leave. She had made it clear where the boundaries between them lie. "I'll see you tomorrow..."
"No,"she interrupted almost shouting her face in fright," please stay. I don't want to stay alone right now."
He could not say no to her and he stayed. He slept on the couch while she took the bed though she barely slept. Be could hear her constantly tossing and turning obviously worried but she eventually drifted off past midnight.
Ella was certain Veronica was not going to involve anyone else in this. Partly because she would not want anyone getting hurt in the process and also to keep her secret especially from Chris and that was an added advantage for her. She got Jake involved in her crime. He was her lover and the father to the child she had wanted to pin on Chris. She had a miscarriage and lost the baby in the first trimester before opting to frame Chris. Jake was the mastermind behind all of it directing her on what to do. He told her that they could make more money keeping Veronica hostage instead of blackmailing her with the video. They only used to lure her into their trap and she fell right into it. She arrived right on time alone and helpless just as they expected. She got out her car and went into the house that was deadly quiet. She was scared but held on to the fact that Ethan was there even if he was not beside her the whole time. She left the door open just in case she had to run for it. She had an earpiece fitted in her right ear and it was concealed it a way that no one could suspect a thing. Ethan had bought it earlier that morning and asked to put it on. She felt the urge to talk to him but before she could she felt something pointed at her back and instantly froze. She did not have to had touched one in her lifetime to be able to tell that it was a gun.
"Move," the person holding it said and to her surprise, it was a man's voice. She did not ask any questions knowing her life was at stake and did as she was told. She was led upstairs to a room where the first person she saw was none other than the woman she had hoped to never see again. "Ella?" Veronica asked shocked to see the person behind her blackmail. Wasn't she supposed to be in jail by now.
"Surprised to see me? Don't worry I know what you're thinking," Ella said smiling at her in the sweetest way you'd think she was an angel yet this was the devil in disguise. "Mrs. Thompson felt that jail wouldn't be punishment enough for me so she made sure I was out so she could make me miserable."
"I can see it's working then," Veronica said. Ella moved towards her still smiling and looked at her closely then suddenly without warning, she hit her hard. Veronica fell on the floor and she could taste some warm liquid in her mouth as she felt a bit trickle down the corner of her mouth. "You have no idea just how much I've longed to do that."
She could have done more if Jake had not gotten in her way and stopped her.
"If we're going to get anything we have to make sure she isn't hurt. Damaged goods don't cost much remember?" Jake said referring to Veronica. Ella had no choice but to give in. She tied Veronica to a chair and forced her to drink some water. "It will take effect in thirty minutes. That's when we start," Jake said before leaving the room and leaving Ella to watch their hostage.
" What did you give me?" Veronica asked worried. " Don't worry, it's not poison though I would have loved for it to be. It's just a little sedative."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Isn't it obvious? I need the money."
"So now you're a fraud and a kidnapper?" Veronica asked trying to get on Ella's nerves hoping that it would push her into saying something she should not and she succeeded because she hit her again clearly holding back her anger to keep in line with what Jake told her. " Wait till your boyfriend sends us the money needed to have you back, I'll kill you with my bare hands." They were going to kill her. She didn't think of it, not after Jakes big speech on damaged goods.
"What about the video?"
"Sweetheart that was only to get you here and it's served its purpose," she said smiling feeling like a genius.
"You know I didn't expect you to be the kind to play with other people's toys. Not with all your act of perfection."
Veronica did not understand what she meant but even before she could ask anything, they heard a gunshot from downstairs startling them both. "I thought I made it clear that you were to come alone?" Ella said with gritted teeth feeling scared and angry.
" I didn't come with anyone I swear." Ella left to go down and check what was going on and to find Jake. Veronica knew it had to be Ethan except he had no gun. Jake on the other hand did and right then the thought took over her mind. What if Jake shot Ethan? It would have been her fault if he got hurt for allowing him to come with her or even worse, if he died and suddenly her breathing became pitched as she began to panic.