Chapter 80 - Chapter 79

@International_Pen

((( CLAIRE )))

He turned the car around and drove through that familiar pathway to the cabaret. That place looked less intimidating in the morning with no flashing lights and crowd but bad memories of it still replayed roughly on my mind.  

And Zhion's face too.

But it was a good memory.

Deo got off the car and met the woman who had just emerged from the barroom's door. They talked for a while and at one point she looked at my direction. I knew then that it has something to do with me.  

Probably the made-up excuse he'd prepared to tell to my family.

Both of them came back to the car and with an unspoken understanding of the situation, nodded to each other.  

"All good, Miss Claire." Deo raised his thumb then started the engine.  

Time felt like seconds and then I was back home. I had felt too queasy to even be aware that Deo has taken me there without even asking for directions.  

How did he knew where I lived?

But I didn't really care, and not even when Derick's tall figure stood by our house's porch. Dexter was nosily peeking by his side.

Derick uncrossed his arms and knocked by the window just as the car had come to a stop. Deo didn't bother to lower down his window to meet his sour gaze. The woman at the backseat went out first. I didn't wait long and did so too.

Derick hurriedly approached and hugged me tight.  

He was suddenly smiling.

"Thank God you're safe!"

I scoffed.

Yeah. And thanks to Zhion too for saving me from you.  

He's a monster when he's drunk but not a saint either when he's sober. I wanted to laugh bitterly. The rest of my family emerged from inside and met me with curious looks, most especially at the luxury car behind me.

"Where have you been?" Ma asked in her usually annoying high pitch.

Silence.

"I'm Clarisse," the woman that Deo brought with us stepped forward.

"Claire dozed off in exhaustion last night so I let her stay by the bar's inn instead. I didn't bother to wake her up and decided to just take her home today."

"…And who's that fucker who punched me last night? He seemed to know you," Derick turned to me intensely.

"He's my husband and I'm sorry for what he did," Clarisse's eyes moistened a little and her face carried the act too well. I'm impressed and was mentally smiling in admiration.

"He just felt alarmed you'd harm the girl. That's why he did that and that's why I helped take Claire away from you."  

"I'd never hurt her," Derick cupped me in his arms again.

"And I'm glad nothing bad happened to you."

Whatever.

"Would you ever forgive me," his eyes were expressively worried. But those couldn't fool me anymore.  

Behind him, Ma and Nadine were silently yelling at me through their wide eyes. I knew that facial expression too well. They wanted me to helplessly say yes to him.

Fine. Fine.

"How couldn't I?"

I lied.

How could I?

@International_Pen