章 11: The Task
"Cas--!" Finally, after a few moments of calling, the door blocking Maddie's view opened. Maddie paused, breathing a sigh of relief after watching Castelia and making sure she was okay.
Castelia was back fully clothed but something else was etched on her face. Sadly Maddie didn't notice. "You are okay?" Maddie asked and Castelia nodded in response.
The look on Castelia's face didn't make Maddie feel comfortable, but Maddie thought it was because Joshua had gone somewhere. Maddie asked hesitantly, "Cas, did you … sleep with Joshua?"
Maddie just wanted to know, but Castelia didn't answer. However, Maddie knew the answer from the long stare Castelia gave her. "Okay, let's not talk about that. You sleep with him or not, it doesn't matter," Maddie said quickly, changing the subject. She asked, "Where's the camera?"
Castelia had been holding the small camera all along, she reached out and Maddie took the camera in her friend's palm. Maddie smiled so happily as if she had just won the lottery. The girl was very excited as she pulled Castelia out of the room, saying, "Melody will give us more money for this."
Castelia didn't respond, but there was an unpleasant feeling in her heart, and it was caused by how bright her best friend's smile was. "Ma-Maddie," stammered Castelia.
Maddie heard her name being called, but it was a shame she was too excited to care about anything at this point. "Let's go to the cafe and cheer for a while, we have to meet Melody before one o'clock. She's been calling me a long time ago and asked about the results of our mission."
Melody called and confirmed that there was no failure. Second, the tape had to be in her hands after lunch and before two because she would need it most before entering the meeting room with the crowd and her husband, Joshua.
"Maddie-"
"How much money should I ask Melody for?" Again Maddie interrupted, with no intention of questioning the purpose of Castelia's calling. "I really can't wait to meet Melody. Tsk! I remember how she looked down on me when I asked her for a down payment." Thinking back on what Melody's critical like brought anger but it wouldn't be a problem because Maddie would use this opportunity to extort her money, making sure that Melody would keep her mouth shut the next day.
However, before that, Maddie and Castelia ended up at the hotel's café on the fifth floor. They sat across from each other, separated by a tiled table with two glasses of avocado juice.
Unlike Maddie, who can't hide her happiness, Castelia is mostly speechless. Maddie kept babbling, feeling relieved, happy and discussing what had happened. She said, "I didn't think we could get Joshua so easily. I remember how careful the man was, he was so annoying."
Castelia had something to say but didn't either. "Maddie," Castelia called for the umpteenth time and this time, Maddie finally wanted to shut up and listen to what Castelia was trying to say.
"What is it?" Maddie asked, a little worried. "Are you all right, Cas? You don't look happy after we made it."
Castelia wasn't unhappy but rather guilty. Maddie should have checked the on-camera footage before being happy but she didn't even do anything. Maddie stowed the camera in her small bag and kept on babbling nonstop as she waited for the clock to hit one o'clock.
'Should I tell the truth?' That question was in Castelia's head. Doubt caused by guilt made Castelia want to speak. Unfortunately, the ringing of Maddie's phone spoiled the perfect atmosphere.
"Wait," Maddie asked, pulling her phone out of her bag. "Melody called," She said before picking up the call. Maddie smiled and was the first to say hello, cheekily saying, "You've called me ten times in two hours. What's the matter? You're worried that we'll thwart your assignment?"
Maddie's speech was so arrogant because she was so confident of success, it secretly caused Castelia to break out in a cold sweat. Castelia was anxious, at a loss as to what to do. Admit what she has done or keep her mouth shut for Joshua?
"Whatever you do, bring me what I ask for right now." Melody said the address and Maddie smiled at that.
"Fine, fine, you're so impatient." Maddie hangs the call unilaterally, picking her bag off the table before standing up. She said, "Come on, Cas, Melody is waiting."
The doubt was present, Castelia unconsciously said, "Madd, maybe we should check the tape first." Castelia thought Maddie could avoid being embarrassed that she didn't have to meet Melody empty-handed but Maddie didn't listen.
"No need," the woman answered without the slightest hesitation. "I knew we would make it." She put her arm around Castelia and led her out of the café.
Melody waited in a restaurant located not far from her husband's company, in the VIP room on the 5th floor. When the door shifted, Melody turned her head without changing her sitting position facing the door. She folded her arms across her chest and crossed her legs.
Melody didn't even wait for Castelia and Maddie to come over or sit down, she immediately said, "Give me the tape evidence you mentioned earlier."
Maddie likes it when her money source is impatient, which means she can get more out of it. Maddie asked teasingly, "Would I make more money if I gave this tape to your husband and told him what you did?"
Castelia flinched, not at Maddie's question but at Melody hitting the table. The woman was angry, and her eyes sharply pierced Maddie's eyes. "You're trying to blackmail me?" She asked back.
Maddie wasn't afraid of her anger, calmly responding, "If you're so afraid of this secret being exposed, you better know yourself." A sentence that leads to more money.
Melody understood so she answered without further adding, "Don't worry, I'll give you whatever you want." Melody said, "Now give me the camera."
Maddie reached into her small bag, and Castelia clenched her fists to stop herself from wanting to stop. Eventually, the camera was in Melody's hands but still, Castelia didn't say anything.
"We'll leave when we're done," said Maddie. She turned around but Melody's voice stopped her.
"Wait." Melody shifted her gaze from the camera to Maddie's face, angrily asking, "You're playing with me?"
Maddie looked confused, questioning, "What do you mean?" Maddie didn't understand because their agreement had been fulfilled, but why did Melody look so angry?
Melody threw her camera on the table and asked, "Where's the memory card?"
"Memory cards?" repeated an increasingly surprised Maddie.
Finally, Maddie found out. Castelia closed her eyes briefly without being able to take a deep breath. Finally Maddie realized that the memory card had disappeared from the mini recorder.
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