Perfection

Chapter 16 - The necklace of regret

Melanie hadn't moved, she was still standing outside of Nicholas' office door. Chloe had taken a seat in their couch and stretched her arms out over it's back support. Nicholas was typing something on his phone while mumbling to himself.

“We thought you were dead.” Melanie spoke coldly.

“We were grieving over you.”

Chloe rolled her eyes.

“Oh please. You were too busy playing the victim.”

“I am the victim.” Melanie hissed.

“You're all saving yourselves by blaming everything on me.”

Chloe bent forward and leant her chin in her hands.

“It's nothing personal, really.”

“But why? You were one of us. Why did you side with Ke-” She hesitated.

“With Nicholas?”

Nicholas threw her a quick gaze, he didn't seem worried that she had remembered. His phone rang and he hurried to pick it up. Chloe sighed.

“Because I want it, Melanie. I want everything in your life and I want it to be mine. Not yours, mine.”

Nicholas tried to hush her, trying to concentrate on his conversation, but Chloe only rolled her eyes once again.

“Ms Moore..” Nicholas began, still with his phone pressed to his ear.

“We located Melanie..” He hushed Chloe again, as she was still talking loudly in the background.

Chloe stood up and walked over to Nicholas, clinging to his arm.

“Your husband, your house, your fame. I want it.” She continued but he shook her off.

“Would you shut up already?” Nicholas shouted.

“I was using you, I don't need you anymore, now get the hell out!” He pushed Chloe away but then mumbled over the phone.

“No, Ms Moore, I wasn't talking to you..” He sighed.

“Chloe, keep an eye on Melanie, I'll be right back.” He pointed to his wife before he took a few steps away and continued his conversation to Ms Moore;

“Like I said, I wasn't talking to you. No! No, please don't tell Tony, I swear I wasn't-”

“Well that's sad.” Melanie smirked.

“You gang up with him but he still doesn't want you.”

Chloe pursed her mouth and stood up from the couch to hurry after Nicholas, most likely planning to complain about it until his ears bled. Melanie saw her chance. She reached out her hand behind her back to unlock the glass door which lead to the backyard. She took a few slow steps closer to the door, her eyes focused on Chloe's back to make sure that she wouldn't turn around.

The cold evening air embraced Melanie's bare legs as she took the first step out on the wooden porch. She slowly turned around and headed for the stair down to the backyard. The backyard was small and led to a dark forest which laid right next to the sea. Her bare feet pressed against the wet grass and she began to jog towards the forest, but her jogging soon turned in to running as she could hear Chloe screaming for her to stop.

As Melanie entered the forest, small stones and needles from trees dug into the skin under her feet. She flinched from the pain but she had to keep on going. She could hear the steps behind her, closing in and even though she tried to hurry her steps, she couldn't out run her hunter.