Sunny

Chapter 22

Rhea was steadily cutting sandwiches and stirring a fresh batch of vegetable soup while wondering what was going on behind the closed door across the kitchen. They had been in there awhile and it was starting to make her a little anxious. If she was honest with herself, the fact that Victoria was in the house was making her anxious.

Eli had said that Victoria was going to be in the movie that Cassie and Mason were making and Rhea had a sneaking suspicion, because of the way Mason had responded, that this was a new development. The door opened and Rainer exited the room, shooting her a smile. "That smells delicious, I'll be back to try some in a few minutes so save me some." He shot her a charming smile, and Rhea couldn't help it when her eyes narrowed in suspicion at his easygoing manner.

"What's going on?" Rhea asked.

"Not much," Rainer said as he kept on moving.

She turned back towards the stove and started to stir the soup when the door opened again and Cassie appeared, shooting her a smile.

"I don't suppose you want to tell me what's going on?" Rhea asked, her eyes still narrowed in suspicion.

"It's a surprise!" she squeaked before she followed Rainer's trail out of the kitchen.

She was beginning to think that Mason and Cassie had already started filming their movie and it was a farce that she was secretly starring in, she looked around her, searching for a hidden camera. Then she realized she was being ridiculous and shook her head. She shot a look over at Otto who was still steadily munching away on his sandwiches while watching the show around him.

"Well, what about you?" Rhea accused, but he only shrugged in response.

She needed to bake something, it was the only thing that would calm her. She moved to the fridge and started to pull out the necessary supplies for pie crusts, the following day was Thanksgiving and she was going to get a head start. She closed the fridge door and turned to lay her supplies on the counter, her body jumping in response to suddenly seeing Victoria standing in front of her.

"M-M-Ms. Hewitt," Rhea stuttered as she laid her stuff on the counter with shaking hands, she darted a nervous look at Otto who was fiddling with his phone, oblivious of the situation once again.

"I thought this was where I'd find you." She gave a smile that was anything but friendly and Rhea felt trapped in her gaze.

Rhea looked over at the closed door to the servant's room, wishing that the others would appear and save her.

"Would you excuse us, please?" Victoria asked Otto.

Otto looked from one to the other before making a show of picking up is empty plate and carrying it over to the sink.

"So, it's finally just the two of us, alone. How have you been Rhea?" Victoria asked after Otto had left the kitchen via the backdoor.

"Fine," Rhea asked, knowing the normal response would have been to ask her how she had been too, but she felt that it was a trap so she remained silent.

"Why don't you ask me how I've been?" Victoria turned to look at her. She was just as beautiful as she had always been. Her golden hair was pulled back into a high and tight ponytail, her make-up was flawless, and her dress looked to be pure cashmere and matched the blue of her eyes perfectly. She towered over Rhea, making her feel short and dumpy by comparison.

But still, despite all of her powerful charisma, Rhea remained silent.

"I'll tell you, I've been desperate since my divorce, I love Eli so much and I was devastated that that he left me for you. The affair that you two had while you lived with us was...it broke my heart; to be betrayed like that in my own home." Victoria put a shaking hand to her chest and there were tears glistening in her eyes, they weren't falling because that would ruin her make-up. "To know that you and Eli talked Guy into telling those out lies about us having an affair in order to ruin my career. It wasn't enough that you stole my husband, but you also had to take away my career as well." She bit her trembling lip and her voice caught as she began her next sentence. "But I love him so much that I'm willing to forgive him and take him back."