Chapter Seven: Plié

smooth and continuous bending of the knees outward with the upper body held upright.

M A R I E

"What?" He lowly whispered with hurt clearly visible in his eyes.

"I said, I want you to pack all your stuff and get out of my house, immediately." I firmly repeated.

"Miss Marielle, I didn't do anything." He said in a defeated tone.

"Immediately." I hit my cane on the ground before walking away with Irene, leaving him standing alone.

Why is that telling him to leave is hurting my chest?

"Marie." Irene called but I ignored.

"Marielle!" She yelled again causing me to my head backwards before my whole body.

"We spoke about this."

"And I didn't let the officer take him away."

"He saved your life."

"I repayed the debt by not letting him go to jail."

"You're so unbearable!" She hissed before walking away.

Why's she mad? I'm only trying to protect myself.

After over thirty minutes of me sitting in the couch doing nothing, Jaden the traitor's figure appeared in the living room and without spearing me a single glance, hr walked out of the door after waving Irene.

Such attitude.

After a few seconds, Irene's figure also appeared in the living room with a scowl on her partially wrinkled face.

"What?" I rolled my eyes.

"You didn't do the right thing, Marie." She shook her head.

"He only just came to this house, Irene. When did he get the time to brainwash you?"  I scoffed at her attitude.

"You are so difficult to talk to? He spent all day in the garden and the time he decides to take a shower, a shadow was lurking around this house."

"What?"

"That's right, Jaden said he saw a shadow run towards the back door."

"Why wasn't I informed about this?" I scoffed at her futile attempt to save the traitor.

"If you had given him a little bit of time to speak to you, you would have been aware."

"Hold on, I remember hiring some people to fix the light in Steve's room."

"Steve's room?"

"Yes, I always want his room to be filled with lights but I noticed the light switch wasn't working, so I told the gardener to hire a few people to fix it. Call the gardener and tell him to come over as soon as possible with the same people he hired as the light switch doesn't work."

"I'll do that immediately." She nodded and took out her phone.

Oh shit.

"They are on their way, what's your plan?"

"Phone officer Daryll, tell him to come in through the back door." I instructed.

After awhile of waiting, the doorbell rang and Irene rushed to open the door.

Thomas, the gardener, entered the house dressed in a blue overall with two other younger men, who were also dressed in an overall but a darker shade of blue.

"Good morning ma'am, I've brought the two men that came to fix up the switch in Steve's room." He gestured to the two men standing behind him.

The first man looked rather cheerful and was smiling a lot, while the other frowned, he looked upset about something and kept fidgeting with the strap of his overall.

They should have hired professionals, I can even tell who the culprit is now.

Shaking my head, I got up from my seat and walked with my cane to the two men.

"I will give you three seconds to come clean and I promise I will not press charges, but if you let me expose you myself, I will not only beat the shit out of with my cane for nearly killing me but I'll also hand you over to the police and make sure you get the maximum punishment." I said with a smile while I tightened the grip on the handle of my cane.

"One.."

"Two.."

"I came here because I thought something needed fixing, I didn't know this would turn in into a murder scene." The first guy ranted but this time, his smile was nowhere to be found.

"Bingo!" I chuckled.

"Officer Daryll, he's your man." Irene shouted and officer Daryll popped into the living room, pointing a gun at the young man.

"You are under arrest for the attempted murder of Marielle Curtis." He recited as he put the man in cuffs and took him away.

"You can go Thomas, so take the other man with you." I instructed and he obeyed.

I let out a sigh of relief as I fell into my couch with Irene squinting her eyes at me.

"What?" I asked, knowing full well what was on her mind.

"You did well, I must admit but you still did horribly wrong by firing Jaden without any evidence."

"I know."

"So why don't you call him  to come back?"

"You can tell him to return."

"I think it would be better if you asked him yourself." She suggested.

"I have too many things to do than concern myself with the employees. I'm going to the park." I dismissed her idea.

"I'll see if I can get him back then." Irene sighed and walked away.

I walked outside and saw Penguin, my dog playing with her toy causing me to let out a smile.

"Penguin!" I called with a smile and he immediately ran to me.

I went down to play with him before attaching a collar and leash on him and we both walked to the park.

After we reached the park, I walked over to the bench and took a seat.

I haven't been to the park since my operation, and I just have to say that the park is so much better than I remember it to be.

The grasses are a whole lot greener, different wooden benches that was occupied by different people having fun.

With a smile I rested properly on the bench while holding on to the leash of Penguin, but he ran away, making me loose my grip on him.

"Penguin!" I called out as I jolted up from the bench.

Turning left and right, I finally caught a glimpse of Penguin's white fur and fluffy body in the arms of a stranger wearing a white shirt.

"Penguin!" I called out louder causing Penguin to turn back to look at me and turn back to the stranger.

That is so strange, it's not like him to immediately warm up to strangers.

As i moved closer to Penguin, the stranger also moved closer and I gaped at the face I saw.

"You." I pointed.

"Miss Marielle." Jaden the assistant smiled with penguin snuggling his legs.

Penguin the traitor.

"Do you come to this park often?" I asked.

"Most times to clear my head." He answered with a smile.

"We caught the guy that cut the chandelier, so you can come back to work tomorrow." I informed nonchalantly.

"I'm glad to hear that but I can't work with someone that doesn't trust me."

His words hit me like a dagger.

"Okay, suit yourself." I replied coldly. "Come on Penguin." I reached out to him but he looked like he was enjoying the company of Jaden the assistant until I gave him a glare and began following behind me.

I began to move slowly with my heart feeling strange.

Is he really not coming?

Maybe I should ask one more time?

No. Why should i?

I stopped walking for a second and had the greatest urge to turn around but I didn't let my neck embarrass me by doing that.

I tried to move again but something stopped me, rather someone. I look down at the hand resting on my arm and Jaden the assistant wanted in front of me.

"You couldn't just ask me one more time?" He shook his head.

"Once. Twice. What's the difference?" I shurgged.

"I'll return with you."

**