Chapter 18 (1/1)

Charmaine remained in her room all day only coming out to grab a quick bite and then locking herself in again.  On the few occasions she ventured out Raymond had been sitting on the couch watching TV.  He would look up and give her a gloating smile each time she passed him on her way to the kitchen.  How she wished she could slap that hateful smile off his arrogant face.Night has fallen and her stomach was growling with hunger.  She wanted to eat and not munch on crackers and slices of bread as she did for most of the day.  Yet she didn't want to spend too much time in the kitchen cooking.  That would only give Raymond an opportunity to needle her some more.  She was done talking to him and was determined to ignore him as much as possible for the duration of their stay.  She recalled seeing some dumplings in the freezer and that doesn't take long to reheat.  With the problem of her hunger solved, she left her room.  As expected, Raymond turned towards her as she walked passed him into the kitchen.  She had just set a small pot of water on the stove to boil when she heard him behind her."What are you making?" Raymond asked leaning against the counter on her left.Not bothering to respond to his question, Charmaine turned the knob on the stove and a flame instantly fired up.  She reached over to the counter and unwrap the dumplings she had taken out.Pretending not to notice her stony silence, Raymond proceeded to say, "Dumplings… hmm… that sounds good.  I know you won't mind making extra for me."Charmaine slammed the tray of dumplings back onto the counter and turned to look at him.  In a frosty tone she said, "If you want it then you'll have to make it yourself."Quirking an eye at her, Raymond asked with disbelief, "You're not still mad are you?"  When he saw her eyes flare up with anger, he chuckled, "I take it you are.  Come on, that was this morning.  Get over it."Charmaine walked towards him with hands on hips.  "The only way I can get over it is if I never have to see you again.  Until that day comes don't expect me to be nice to you anymore."Undaunted by her obvious dislike of him, Raymond countered with a mocking grin, "Since when were you ever nice to me?"Charmaine opened her mouth to speak but no words came out.  She didn't want to get into another fight with him.  Better to just ignore him.  Giving him her back she returned to her place in front of the stove.  The water boiled on cue and she carefully removed the lid and placed the dumplings into the water one by one.  Throughout the process she felt Raymond studying her and it made her uncomfortable and irate at the same time.  When she heard his soft chuckle she abruptly turned on him, "What's so funny now?" she growled.Shrugging his shoulders Raymond said with mirth, "Nothing much.  It's just that I didn't take you for someone who would hold a grudge for that long.  I always thought of you as the forgiving, nothing ever gets to you, type of person."Charmaine snickered and turned back to the stove.  In a low cool voice she said, "That goes to show you don't know me as well as you think you do."  There was a brief silence when Charmaine thought Raymond had finally left her alone.  That thought quickly vanished when she felt his presence directly behind her.  Tensing at their close proximity Charmaine waited stiffly for his next move and it came soon thereafter.Without touching her or making any body contact, Raymond bent to whisper huskily into her ear, "But I would like to if you let me."Unnerved by what she had just heard, Charmaine slowly  turned to look at him.  She didn't see the teasing or smug smile that was a trademark on his face.  Neither was she able to perceive any indication that this was another one of his sick and perverted tricks.  Instead, his expression was somber and if Charmaine would delve deeper into his eyes, she would see that he was dead serious.  Forgetting their differences, Charmaine stared into his smoldering eyes and murmured hoarsely, "What are you saying?"Raymond lifted his hands to her waist and she didn't make any attempts to shy away from them.  Instead, she stood very still staring back at him as if waiting.  Waiting for what he didn't know.  All he knew was that he wanted to kiss her again.  He wanted to feel again that electrifying spark that had passed between them this morning.  He needed to know whether what he felt earlier was real or merely his imagination.  Holding her gaze he almost smiled when he saw her mouth part slightly as if knowing that he was going to kiss her.  Just as he was about to pull her towards him for that kiss, the doorbell rang.The loud shrilling sound jolted Charmaine back to reality and she roughly brushed Raymond's hands off her.  She can't believe she had almost allowed him to kiss her again.  More alarming was that she wanted him to.  What was the matter with her?!  She hated Raymond Lam with a vengeance so how can she possibly want him to kiss her!  Frustrated with the turmoil within her, Charmaine abruptly turned back to the stove.  Her hands shook when she picked up the ladle to stir the floating dumplings.Raymond was baffled by the sudden change in her.  One second she was surrendering to his advances and the next she was back to ignoring him.  "Charmaine, I…"The doorbell rang again, the sound insistent and sharp.  Still keeping her back to him, Charmaine muttered, "You better get the door."Raymond didn't want to open any door.  What he wanted was to know what she was thinking right now.  Whoever it was could wait until he was done with her.  "Charmaine…"  The annoying ringing continued and with defeat Raymond stormed to the front door.  Throwing it open he was surprised to see Kevin Cheng.  The surprise quickly gave way to annoyance and with a frown he asked brusquely, "What are you doing here?"Puzzled by Raymond's expression and curt question, Kevin smiled hesitantly.  "I'm actually looking for Charmaine.  I thought she was staying here.  Sorry for bothering you."Charmaine heard Kevin's voice from the kitchen and quickly came out.  "Kevin!" she greeted happily and hurried to his side.  Ignoring Raymond's glare, she went into Kevin's open arms for a hug.  "Why are you here?" she asked as she pulled Kevin into the flat.Kevin dropped his small duffel bag on the floor and held her shoulders.  Looking down at her with a tender smile he said, "I wanted to surprise you."Darting a quick glance at Raymond and seeing the scowl on his face, Charmaine stammered nervously, "W-Why didn't you call me first?"Kevin laughed and rested his forehead on hers.  In a soft sweet voice, he said, "If I did then it wouldn't be a surprise."Raymond approached to stand between them.  Locking his gaze on Charmaine he announced, "We were in a middle of something if you don't mind."Kevin pulled away from Charmaine to smile apologetically at Raymond.  "I'm sorry but I thought work should be over by now.  Besides, its dinner time and I want to take her out."  Turning his attention back to Charmaine he added affectionately, "I've made reservations at a well known restaurant here and was looking forward to spending a night out with you."Unwilling to hand Charmaine over to Kevin for the evening, Raymond objected, "She and I are not done with our…""Let me get change," Charmaine interrupted before Raymond could finish his sentence.  She didn't know what he was about to say but whatever it was she didn't want to hear it.  What almost happened between them was a mistake.  A mistake that wasn't going to be repeated.  Ignoring the menacing look on Raymond's face she pulled Kevin to sit on the couch.  "Wait here, I'll be right back."  Passing Raymond she paused briefly to whisper harshly, "Don't say anything to him!"Raymond wasn't even given the chance to comment when Charmaine hurried into her room.  Left alone with Kevin, Raymond contemplated on telling Kevin exactly what had happened before his unwanted arrival.  Then Charmaine's words echoed in his head and he knew if he did Charmaine would hate him for it.Breaking the awkward silence, Kevin asked conversationally, "Are you staying close by?"With a devious smile, Raymond nodded his head and walked towards Kevin.  "You might say that.""I have a car downstairs.  I can drop you off if you want," Kevin offered politely.Raymond dropped himself down on the opposite couch and stretched his legs out.  Throwing some pillows to cushion his head he looked over at Kevin with a snide smile, "Charmaine and I are staying here together.  We're sharing the flat."Kevin was astonished by their living arrangements and was about to question Raymond further when he heard Charmaine coming out of her room.  He turned in her direction and was incapable of thinking.  Dressed in a simple black strapless gown with her long wavy hair clipped to one side, Charmaine looked absolutely dazzling and was by far the most beautiful woman he ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on.  Hypnotized by the vision, Kevin stood up and walked over to her.  Taking Charmaine's hand he brought it up to his lips and gave a soft kiss on her knuckles, "You look beautiful."Apparently Raymond thought so too for he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from her."Shall we go?" Kevin asked as he linked her arm with his and headed for the door.Raymond watched with growing ire as he thought of excuses to prevent them from leaving.  He couldn't come up with any and with each step they took, his annoyance rose.  He had to do something!  He can't let her leave with Kevin!  "Wait!" he called out and scrambled towards them.  "You can't go!"Confused by the order, Kevin asked, "Why not?""Because… because…" Raymond stuttered for he couldn't think of a plausible reason."Don't pay him any attention," Charmaine said to Kevin and giving Raymond a hard glare she threw the door open only to find Myolie on the other side.Myolie's face darkened when she saw Charmaine but instantly brightened when she noticed Raymond standing behind her.  "Hi Raymond!" she greeted cheerfully.  "I came to visit you."  She walked in and before Raymond had a chance to react, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a passionate kiss on the lips.Charmaine's eyes zoomed in on their kiss as an unreasonable fury consumed her.  When Raymond and Myolie finally broke from their kiss she gave Raymond a frosty glare and said to Kevin, "Let's go and leave these lovebirds alone."  She pulled Kevin with her out the door and slammed it shut.On the other side, Raymond stared angrily at the closed door.  He can't believe she left with Kevin without so much as a word to him.  She owed him the courtesy of an explanation after what happened earlier, although nothing really happened, but it could have if it hadn't been for Kevin's untimely arrival.  Muttering an oath he didn't see Myolie watching him with suspicion.