I didn’t sleep a wink all night. I couldn’t with everything playing on my mind. I can’t believe it, Matthew - a blackmailer. I’m still in shock because he was the last person I thought would ever do this.
My heart goes out to James and Anton, and especially Anton. Matthew may not have killed him, but he had a hand in his death. It’s so frightening to think of what the future now holds. Pregnant and alone, that’s me and we’ll probably lose the house because I’ve no doubt Matthew will go to prison and we will need the money to fight his case.
The pressure starts to build in my head and I sob as I remember the hatred directed at me and Anthony yesterday. They hate me—us and it’s all my fault. How could I have started something with my friend’s husband? Matthew was right when he said I wanted Arabella’s life. It’s been so hard living here as the poor relation, watching my friends enjoy a charmed existence and living the dream. I wanted that, who wouldn’t and now my own selfish wishes caused everything to crash and burn.
I move to the window and gaze out across the cul-de-sac. The curtains are still drawn all around The Chase and I wonder what happened when I left.
I notice a police car enter through the electric gates and wonder why we never had them repaired. Anyone can get in; they just drive up to it and they open. We were so sure nobody would ever trouble us we wouldn’t pay to have the entry system repaired. Not that it matters because we would always let the police in anyway, but at least we would have had some warning.
My heart thumps as the car crawls along and fully expect it to stop outside my door. It must be connected to Matthew; it can be here for no other reason. However, it moves past and stops outside Miranda and James’s house, and I stare as the uniformed officers make their way to the front door.
It doesn’t take long before the door is opened and I watch in disbelief as they take Miranda off with them. I can tell she is crying and shouts out to James, who stands there looking shaken.
I pull back in case they notice me and wonder what’s happening. Why have they taken Miranda? Maybe it’s connected to the burglary and they need a statement. Yes, that’s probably it.
I catch sight of Anthony’s car in the driveway and my heart twists. He was so cold and callous last night and acted as if he had done nothing wrong. I’m not sure why that surprises me, because he’s always been like that. He appears to have no shred of emotion inside him and I pity Arabella for having him as her husband.
As I turn away, it strikes me how ironic that is because I wanted to be Arabella so badly - they got that right. The trouble is, I am nothing like her because I’m fast realising that it’s not the money or house a person owns that makes them admirable. It’s the person they are inside and Arabella is one of the best.
As I wander downstairs, I glance around my own sparse home and feel angry. It’s not fair. As far as I can make out, I am the one who has lost out in all this. I’m the one with a baby on the way and no father to help. I’m the one who will deal with the fallout from Matthew’s jealousy, and I’m the one who will be hated more than anything by the women I once classed as friends.
Finding an inner strength to power me on, I wrench open the front door and march with determination towards Anthony and Arabella’s home. He can jolly well pay for what he did, and I’m not going to let him get away with it.
I ring the doorbell continuously until I hear a terse, “Ok, I’m coming, you don’t have to shatter my eardrums.”
The door opens and Anthony stands there, looking at me in surprise. Then he laughs bitterly and looks me up and down and says derisively, “You’re not at your best in the mornings, are you darling? It looks as if I had a lucky escape.”
I follow him into his house and yell, “How dare you! How bloody dare you try to act as if this is nothing! You made this baby with me and now you’re going to pay.”
Anthony laughs and sneers, “You forget I never wanted a baby and just because you couldn’t control your own contraception, you expect me to pay. Don’t make me laugh. You’re deluded, Venetia. A deluded fool because if you think I want anything more to do with you, you’re deranged. Now, show yourself out and have a nice life.”
I watch him head upstairs and as he starts whistling, I see red. Racing after him, I scream, “You bastard! I won’t let you get away with this. You’ll pay for this baby if I have to drag you through the courts. Then where will you be, the famous film producer with his name mud in the gutter press? Yes, I will draw this one out for years and make my money the easy way. In fact, it will be most satisfying dragging you down and watching you fall.”
I grab hold of his arm as he reaches the landing, and he snarls, “Haven’t you learned anything about blackmail from your husband? Look where it got him.”
As the last word leaves his lips, we hear a voice say angrily, “I can’t believe it. After everything that happened last night, you’re still rubbing my face in it. What’s the matter, Anthony? Couldn’t you bear the thought of sleeping alone?”
We turn in shock and notice Arabella standing at the foot of the stairs with her eyes blazing. Anthony turns to me and shouts, “Look what you’ve done, you stupid bitch! You’re poison, do you know that?”
He pushes me angrily and it happens so quickly I don’t register what happens next, as my foot slips and I fall backwards. I experience a surge of pure terror as I tumble down their stairs, and the last thing I see is Anthony’s shocked face watching me.