Outside, Antonette was planning her next move. She thought for a while and then made a call.
“Hello, Carl?” Antonette said sweetly.
“What is it?” Carl replied impatiently.
“I need you to do me a favor,” Antonette said.
After dropping Abby off at kindergarten, Diana was back home watching TV.
Suddenly, she heard the doorbell ring. Diana wondered whether it was Brian. Had he forgotten to bring his key with him?
The bell rang again and again, the shrill tone disturbing Diana’s peace. She stood up to go and see who it was.
The man at the door was wearing a hat, so Diana couldn’t see his face clearly.
“Who are you?” Diana frowned at him.
The man glanced at Diana and said, “I am here to collect the apartment management fee.”
Straightaway, Diana thought this was very weird; the fee was never collected like this.
“I have paid for it already.”
“Oh, okay, sorry, Miss” The man offered no further comment and walked away.
Although it was clearly strange, Diana didn’t think too much of it and closed the door.
The man continued on around the corner of the street, where Carl was waiting for him.
“She is in there,” he reported.
Carl nodded his head in satisfaction. He took out his phone and called Antonette.
“I found her.”
Antonette was elated. She got Carl to dictate to her the address and scribbled it down eagerly.
***
That evening, when Diana arrived back home with Abby, she heard the doorbell ringing again.
After what happened earlier, Diana was more careful this time and didn’t open the door straight away. She asked cautiously, “Who is it?”
“It’s me, Diana!”
Diana heard the familiar voice. Confused, she opened the door.
“Antonette, why are you here?” she uttered coldly.
Antonette didn’t wait for an invitation and strode past Diana into her apartment.
“I am just here for a catch-up. I haven’t seen you for a long time.” Antonette had a quick glance around the house and then sat down casually on the couch.
Diana couldn’t be nice to the woman who most likely had Carol murdered. She frowned at her suspiciously.
“How did you get my address?” Not many people even knew she was back in town, let alone where she lived.
Antonette smiled innocently. “I haven’t seen you for two years. Don’t you have any stories to tell me?”
“I have nothing to say to you,” Diana replied coldly.
“No need to be so mean, Diana,” Antonette said, with a feigned look of hurt.
“Mummy, can I have a piece of chocolate?” Abby called out from the bedroom.
Antonette was excited to hear Abby’s voice. She immediately got up to go and see the girl for herself.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Diana moved quickly and pulled Antonette back, blocking her path to the bedroom.
“Mummy?” As Diana hadn’t responded to her call, Abby wandered out from the bedroom.
Antonette smiled at Abby and waved to her. “Hello Dear, I’m Antonette.”
“Abby, go back to your room. Mummy has something quick to discuss with this woman,” Diana explained patiently.
With a slightly puzzled look on her face, Abby did what she was told and went back to her room.
Diana was losing her patience with Antonette already.
“What do you want?” she asked in a hushed voice. She knew Antonette must be planning something.
“Diana, you can’t keep your secret anymore.”
Antonette then pulled Diana’s hands off her and rushed into Abby’s bedroom.
The strange woman entering her room alarmed Abby. She stared at Antonette with her eyes wide open.
“Dear, do you know who your father is?” Antonette asked.
“Do you mean,…Brian?” she uttered.
“Brian?”
Diana rushed into the room. She scooped Abby up in her arms. She looked quite terrified by the whole situation.
“Mummy…”
Diana hugged her firmly and said gently, “Mummy is here. Don’t be afraid.”
“This is my house! Please leave! Now!” Diana shouted. She pointed at the door and stared at Antonette with an unforgiving look.
At that moment, the front door opened, and Brian entered the house. Hearing the commotion and raised voices, he made his way to Diana’s room.
“Antonette, why are you here?” Brian looked at Antonette in disgust.
“Dad!” Seeing Brian, Abby ran to him happily. Her reaction made Antonette more confused.
“Do you know this girl?” Brian asked Diana.
“No,” Diana replied coldly.
Hearing that, Brian asked Antonette to leave at once.
After being removed from the house, Antonette stood outside in confusion; she really didn’t know what was going on.
“Are you okay?” Brian asked Diana.
Diana put Abby down and touched her head.
“Abby, wait for me in the bedroom,” she said gently.
“Okay.”
With Abby gone, Diana stared at Brian. “Did you tell her?”
“Of course not!” Brian answered immediately. He hadn’t told anyone where Diana was living.
But Diana didn’t believe him. For Abby’s sake, she had to be careful.
“So how did she know my address?” Diana uttered coldly.
Brian was desperate to prove his innocence. He spoke to Diana with the most sincere tone he could, “I really don’t know. I swear.”
Diana couldn’t be sure, but she trusted he was telling the truth. She felt tired and sunk into the sofa, exasperated.
“How could she know? What should I do?” Diana whispered. Antonette had found out about Abby, which meant that Simon would soon know too.
Brian felt guilty. He squatted down beside her. He wanted to hug her, to make her see that everything would be okay.
“Diana, I will protect the two of you,” Brian said firmly.
Diana raised her head to look at Brian.
“Trust me,” Brian repeated.
Somehow, Diana felt her stress was relieved a little.
“Mummy, can I have a piece of chocolate now?” Abby walked out of the bedroom. After seeing Brian squatting down beside Diana, she grinned and flashed Brian a thumbs-up.
What a sweet, little angel she is! Brian thought.
“Yes, darling, just one.” Diana smiled at Abby.
Abby ran off, joyfully to the kitchen.