Chapter 18

Simone's POV

It was a sunny afternoon as usual, I felt the urge to look out from my window which I found odd. I hardly opened the curtains from the window overlooking the garden. There was nothing to see, just an abandoned expanse of land.

Yet, I found myself wheeling towards the window. I pulled the curtains apart, looked down and saw Arlene.

What the fuck was she doing there again? I had seen her in the garden earlier that day, clearing the weeds with one of the servants.

I had watched them from my window for a while, although I had no interest in what they were doing.

Now she has returned alone this time and she was kneeling in one of the flowerbeds, with her dress pulled slightly above her knees so it wouldn't get dirty. Her hands were buried in the soil as she carefully planted something.

I watched as she dug a small hole in the soil, placed something inside and covered it carefully with her fingers. She moved to the next spot and repeated the process.

There was something strangely peaceful about watching her.

She didn't seem to care that her hands were dirty or that her dress was getting stained. Every now and then, she stopped to examine what she had planted before moving to another section of the garden.

Why was she doing this?

The garden had been abandoned for years. Nobody came here anymore, and I couldn't understand why she suddenly seemed determined to bring it back to life.

It wasn't as if she didn't have anything else to do.

My eyes followed her as she stood up and stretched her back before moving to another part of the garden.

I immediately looked away and pulled the curtain shut when I realised I had been staring at her for far too long.

What was wrong with me?

I wheeled myself back to my desk and picked up the book I had been reading earlier.

A few minutes later, I realised I had read the same page three times without remembering a single word. I found it very hard to concentrate.

I snapped the book shut, leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes again, it was already dark outside. I looked towards the clock to see that I had slept for hours.

I was still trying to gather my thoughts when I heard a knock on the door.

Judith must be bringing dinner, I don't have an appetite, nor do I feel like interacting with anyone this evening.

The knock came for the third time before the door opened slightly, and Arlene's head appeared.

"Simone?"

“Oh…The chatterbox comes again” I muttered under my breath.

She opened the door further, “I've been knocking."

"I heard you."

"Then why didn't you answer?”

“Obviously, because I don't want to.” I grunted

“Tchh…grumpy lonewolf.” She entered the room and closed the door behind her.

“I didn't even ask you to come in…” I rubbed my forehead

“Well, I'm inside already. Maybe next time.”

She had changed from the dress she wore earlier and was now wearing something more comfortable. Her hair was pulled back, and there were still faint traces of dirt around her fingernails.

"Did you spend the entire afternoon in that garden?"

"Almost."

"Why?"

She shrugged, "I wanted to plant some flowers."

“Are you so idle? Or bored perhaps?”

“Let's just say I felt like indulging in an old hubby and maybe boredom too…”

“You love gardening? Is that why you were so fired up while digging?” That explains it

“Why were you even watching me in the first place?”

Her question threw me off balance for a while. She made it sound like I was spying on her or something eerie.

“Huh? I only spotted you once when I glanced through the window.”

“Glanced? For a long time, I felt someone was watching me, when I looked up and spotted you, you snapped the curtain shut. Just admit that you were watching me while I worked.” She said, sitting on the sofa next to where I was.

“You don't have a cellphone?”

I decided to ignore her question by bringing up another mundane topic. She had mentioned boredom, she doesn't have a phone?

Everyone seems to spend their time on tiktok and I*******m these days. But I've never seen her with any device since she came.

“That's a weird question. Well…I don't.”

“Why? You're not active on F******k? tiktok? I*******m? How do you communicate with your friends and family?”

She seemed to withdraw suddenly, the smile on her face turned uneasy.

“I don't have a cellphone.” I knew better than to press on the topic, so I shrugged.

“Actually, I came to ask you for something.” There it was, I knew she must have come here for something.

“What?”

“Money.” she replied curtly.

I stared at her, raising an eyebrow “What for? And why are you meeting me for it?”

She looked around the room before asking, “Who else am I supposed to meet? You're the husband here.”

I chucked slowly. What a dramatic girl.

"What do you need it for?”

She hesitated before answering, “It's for something important, I wish I could share, but it's personal.”

“You came into my room to ask me for money, but you don't want to tell me what it's for?”

"I didn't say I don't want to tell you." She seemed completely serious and I couldn't understand it. What was so personal that she couldn't talk about?

"How much do you need?”

“It’s quite huge…I need $50,000” She mentioned slowly.

All these drama just for $50,000. I thought she'd make an expensive demand considering how she started.

I was silent for a moment.

"That's all?"

"Yes. I know it's outrageous but you don't have to give everything actually. You can just assist me with as much as you can.”

I studied her face. There was something about this situation that didn't make sense.

Why would she need that much money? And why wouldn't she tell me what it was for? There was food, clothes and every other thing she needed, so what is it for?

My mind immediately began making assumptions.

Perhaps she wanted to use the money to leave. Maybe she had already decided that she didn't want to stay here anymore.

Maybe she had been waiting for an opportunity to take as much money as possible and disappear.

The thought unsettled me and I didn't know why.

I had been the one telling her to stay away from me. I had been the one who made it clear that I didn't want her interfering in my life.

So why did the thought of her leaving suddenly make something inside me tighten?

“Are you planning to leave?” I blurted.

She frowned, “What?”

"...after you get the money. Is that what you need it for? To go back to wherever you came from?”

She sighed, “Why do you care? You've made it obvious a million times that you want me to go.”

She seemed to realise what she had said, but she didn't take it back.

I was right afterall. I knew it was only a matter of time before she leaves just like everyone else eventually does…

A sense of dread and anger overwhelmed me and I found myself wheeling towards my desk.

I opened the drawer and pulled out my cheque book. I wrote the amount down and tore the cheque from the book.

Then I shoved it to her, avoiding her gaze.

“Take it and leave. I don't want to see you again.”

She looked at it and her eyes widened.

"Simone…this is way too much. It's more than I asked for.”

"Then keep whatever you don't need."

"I can't take this."

"Then give it back."

Our eyes met and I could feel my temper rising. I didn't understand why I was suddenly so angry.

Maybe it was because she wouldn't tell me the truth. Maybe it was because I couldn't stop thinking about her leaving. Or maybe I was angry with myself because I cared.

Her eyes had a funny look, like she was enjoying this,

"Why are you suddenly angry? Because I asked you for money or is it because you think I'm leaving?”

I rolled my eyes, “You're getting on my nerves, Arlene.”

“Alright. I'll let you be. But I really appreciate the money. Thank you very much. I'll definitely pay you back.” She smiled genuinely like we didn't just argue now.

That was one thing I've noticed about her. Her mood could switch in seconds and her cheerful nature is always dominant.

She turned towards the door and whispered, “Goodnight.”

I watched her walk away. My eyes remained on the door even after it closed. She was really going to take my money and leave like that.

I sat there in silence, feeling strangely empty. In a fit of anger, I pushed down all the books on my table and they crashed on the floor.

But why did I care? Why did the thought of her leaving bother me so much? She was not the first.

I had spent years wanting to be left alone, spent months pushing everyone away.

Yet now, the idea of Arlene walking out of my life suddenly seemed to be unbearable.