Chapter 12: The Memory Card
"I need a video of my husband at the hotel with another woman like you said, not that useless recorder," Melody insisted but Maddie still couldn't understand, thinking that the memory should be in the mini recorder.
Maddie grabbed the camera from the table to check it, muttering, "I'm sure the memory card is--" Maddie fell silent, shocked when she realized the evidence Melody wanted wasn't where it was supposed to be. "--here."
"No, it's impossible." Panic and anxiety gnawed at Maddie's flesh. She became more anxious after finding nothing, even after checking every inch of the tiny recorder. "I swear that memory card is in here." Maddie was sure there was no mistake but the memory wasn't there no matter how long she searched.
Maddie checked the table to the carpeted floor and unpacked her bag but the little thing wasn't visible.
Everything Maddie did was in vain, she should have known that and so did Castelia. Castelia was the one who knew best about where the memory card had gone, so she didn't want to bother looking for it.
The memory card Maddie had been looking for was in the pocket of the pink coat that Castelia was wearing.
Moments earlier …, when Castelia breathed a sigh of relief at believing Joshua had left without knowing anything. Maddie knocked on the door nonstop, making her rush to put her clothes back on.
Castelia was trying hard to get Joshua out of her mind and heart, she wanted to go to Maddie and finish their assignment, but her phone vibrated briefly, signaling a message had arrived.
Castelia took the phone to check it briefly. Unknown number but Castelia knows whose number it is, Joshua. He sent one message saying, 'Sorry I didn't wake you, I want you to sleep well. I have to go due to urgent business.'
Because of that message, the gigantic wall Castelia had put up fell down just like that, making her decide to take the memory card from the recorder earlier and hide it. She opened the door and when she saw Maddie, there was doubt as well as regret.
Castelia knew very well what would happen to Maddie, even herself if this task failed, but her heart was weak. When Maddie finds out sleeping with Joshua is something Castelia doesn't want, she says it doesn't matter.
Usually, Castelia wasn't easily offended or hurt by what Maddie had to say, but the choice made her waver. Therefore, Castelia kept her mouth tightly shut until, in the end, she kept it that way.
Whatever Castelia's choice, the feeling of guilt is always there. But Castelia chose to keep her mouth shut and save Joshua, at least this time because there might not be another encounter.
"Stop messing with me!" Melody snarled, she got up from her seat and made Maddie stop looking around. Melody thought Maddie was toying with her, completely unaware that Maddie was anxious too. "You better hand over the memory card or you'll know the consequences," she threatened.
Maddie fell silent, not knowing what to say. No, Maddie had nothing to say because she wasn't playing. She didn't even know where the memory card had gone. "Wait a minute. I'll reach it!" Maddie said, her goal was to get Castelia out of the room.
Melody sat back down, trying to be patient, unaware that Maddie and Castelia were at the door after closing it. Maddie looked anxiously at Castelia, hopefully asking, "Tell me if you saw me inserting the memory card before giving it to you."
Maddie swore she did it, and she wasn't that reckless. However, what could she say when the memory card was utterly invisible? Checking the recorder's memory card wasn't Castelia's job, that's why Maddie didn't even blame her, why didn't she check it before hiding it?
"I don't know," Castelia answered doubtfully. "I didn't see it because I was thinking about something else." Castelia's words made Maddie feel crazy, she pulled at her hair roughly and took a deep breath to keep the screams out.
"I swear I did," the woman insisted, but the evidence said otherwise.
"You really forgot about it?" Castelia shouldn't have weighed on Maddie's mind, but she did it so she wouldn't be suspected.
"I swear I put that memory there, Cas, you trust me, don't you?" Maddie looked into Castelia's eyes to prove her seriousness, sadly none of that was needed if Maddie knew Castelia was the one who took the memory card.
Castelia didn't answer Maddie's question, nor did she try to calm her down. She disappointedly said, "You asked me to do it but you messed it up."
Maddie was disappointed and shocked and knew what a terrible mistake she had made after Castelia's reaction. Maddie finds out about Castelia's lousy relationship with Joshua and forces Castelia to meet him but what do they get? Nothing, at least that's what Maddie knows.
"Cas, I'm sorry," Maddie said apologetically. Putting the failed assignment and the consequences aside, Maddie was truly sorry for making Castelia feel bad. "I-"
Castelia wouldn't listen, she took her hand which Maddie touched and caused the woman to fall speechless. 'I need to get rid of this memory card as quickly as possible before Maddie suspects me,' Castelia thought. It was impossible for Maddie to suspect her best friend but the fear of being found out made Castelia more cautious.
Without a word, Castelia just left Maddie. "Cas, please!" Maddie called, her tone pleading and guilt-ridden. "Cas, I'm sorry." Maddie ran after Castelia, forgetting about Melody, who was already boiling again because she was tired of waiting.
"Cas, please! I am sorry." Maddie grabbed Castelia's hand to stop her after leaving the restaurant, but Castelia wouldn't listen.
Castelia shook off her friend's hand before looking at her. "I was so scared to meet him. I hate him so much, and I wish I didn't do what I did last night but it's all useless."
Castelia's words made Maddie feel much worse. Maddie blamed herself even more because she was sure she understood Castelia's feelings. "I don't even know how not to blame you," Castelia said and she left once more.
"Cas, I really didn't do it on purpose!" Maddie tried to convince, she followed Castelia away from the restaurant. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry I made you meet him even more. But I swear I really didn't forget that memory card. You know I'm not that reckless."
Castelia stopped walking, and so did Maddie. Castelia turned and looked Maddie right in the eye before asking, "You're blaming me?"
Maddie gasped, thinking that Castelia knew clearly that wasn't what she meant.
Attack before being attacked. If Maddie hadn't been so anxious to think about where the memory card had gone, she'd have realized that Castelia was being more sensitive than usual and that was suspicious. Castelia boldly said, "If you don't forget the memory card, then, you think I took it?"
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone