Resuming her vigil

Bella Trump resumed her vigil on the thick trees separating her cabin from Miguel’s.

She’d just updated Camilla of the progress of things and the latter can't keep her mouth shut.

“He kissed you?” She had yelled. “Bella this is not what we signed for!!!” Camilla screamed.

“Then what do I do?” Bella cried.

Camilla sighed, and gave her the advice and this is why she's here again!

Evening shadows darkened the woods, and though Bella had never been afraid of the night, she couldn’t stop the prickle of anxiety working its way up her spine. ‘Only if that cocky head spoilt heir let me do my job’

He hadn’t followed her when she’d left his cabin over an hour ago, a shock she wasn't expecting.

Through the bathroom door, she’d overheard Miguel’s offer to meet Ross later to watch Soccer, and she assumed that he’d stayed with those plans. No doubt Miguel would play it cool, to downplay what Ross had walked into this afternoon.

Miguel would stay in with his friends, casually watch soccer like all men do and drink some alcohol, and act like he had all the time in the world.

But Bella knew he was thinking about her, wondering who the devil she was and what she’d been doing watching him.

He’d be coming soon. She was certain of that. A shiver crept up her arms, a mixture of tension and anticipation.

Her skin felt sticky and itchy from crawling around in the cattails, and her hair had dried into a mass of stiff curls.

She needed a shower badly, but she’d beep an urgent message to the madam and couldn’t risk missing her call again, she had to tell the woman about the job she was sent.

She would want to know what had happened this afternoon, though Bella had already decided that certain minor details were unimportant and could be left out. One, that Miguel had tied her up, and two, that he’d kissed her.

Touching her fingers to her lips, she remembered the press of his mouth against hers, the hot, though brief, brush of his tongue over her own. Miguel Rodriguez was much more than she’d bargained for.

A hell of a lot more. ‘How can he kiss another woman like that as if he never had a woman in his life? Did he forget me that soon?’

Of course, she knew that the only reason he’d kissed her was to stifle her scream, but somehow she still felt jealous because he didn't see her as his wife but as another woman.

Bella thought to herself, only if she hadn't left him five years ago, perhaps he wouldn't have kept to himself so much..

In spite of her irritation with Miguel, she smiled slowly, remembering the look of astonishment on his face when she’d walked casually out of the bathroom and into the living room. That look had been her only compensation for the humiliation he’d caused her. She imagined that her heel digging into his foot had left a bruise, as well, but it served him right. How dare he not remember the promise he made to her about not having another woman.

But why had he done that? And why hadn't he talked about having a woman despite how much he talked about having a husband and a man in her life?
she wondered.

The information she’d collected on him showed him to be an ordinary enough kind of guy who got visited by some rouges and thugs which seems to be from her father.

No family came to visit him, not his grandfather or grandmother, he owned one Lamboghini rarely use and prefer to go around with Ross.

What reason would he have to be so suspicious of her? Why had he assumed she’d been lying when she’d told him she’d been bird watching? And why would he think anyone was watching him? Bella suddenly gasped as she came.to a particular resolution, “Did he think Valerie Jarrett is another Bella Trump?”

The thought made her laugh.

However it's true. She came to spy on him again but not like before when she had to do it because her life is hanging on the line from her father's hand, but because she wanted to help someone and perhaps get together with her husband.

For now Bella thought she’d wait. And while she was waiting, there was no reason not to enjoy the scenery.

She breathed in the scent of pine and damp leaves that drifted on the evening breeze. It had finally cooled down, and the air was comfortable, fresh and soft from the storm. Crickets came to life with their rhythmic night music, and bullfrogs joined in as background chorus.

This natural beauty made her remember their days at Victoria Island when she betray him. The feel here is just like when they're there but no longer the lovey dovey couple anymore.

This was as far from the city as a person could get, Bella thought, letting herself relax against the porch rail. No bumper-to-bumper traffic, no police sirens, no screaming arguments from the married couple in the apartment next to hers.

The quiet was wonderful, she told herself. Exactly what she needed.

It was going to drive her crazy.

She needed sound. Horns honking, the pounding beat of rock and roll, the blare of a television set. She’d been raised with noise, lots of it, and loud. She needed it to unwind, especially after a day like the one she’d had.

But she's not in mood to watch TV or radio. Social media did a little boost her but she later
settle for crickets and frogs.

A shower would help, and she decided to risk a quick one. She figured she had at least another hour before Rodriguez showed up, and it would be easier to face him if she were clean and dressed in something other than military fatigues.

She jumped at the sound of the phone ringing from inside the cabin, then hurried to answer it, locking the door securely behind her. She doubted a simple lock would keep Rodriguez out, but it might give her an extra couple of seconds to compose herself when he finally showed up. She almost laughed out loud at that thought. She’d had more than an hour and she wasn’t ready to face the man. A couple of seconds would hardly matter.

She grabbed the phone on the third ring. “Hello?”

“Valerie?” An older woman's voice sounded, heavy with concern. “Are you all right, dear? Jesse and I were worried when you didn’t call earlier.”

“I’m fine,” she replied, though that wasn’t completely truthful. “But I’m afraid there’s been a little change in our plans.”

“What changes?”