Chapter 115: Hearing His Part
1495words
Claire stared at the man sitting opposite her with an unreadable expression, he was saying something but she was only half listening to what he was saying.
Her head was aching as a result of overthinking, with a lot of information that Melissa just dumped on her, he had called the waiter over and ordered what he wanted to eat because apparently he was starving because he had been busy with some stuff.
'You aren't angry that I replied to your text late were you, I wasn't able to get to my phone quickly," he informed her and she nodded in understanding. 'I am sorry about Melissa's behavior last time, she is not… well…she is usually like that," he told her.
'So what's wrong? You are not looking good," he told her, staring at her face, she was not her usual cheery self.
'Melissa came to the gallery," Claire said and a frown pulled up on Matthew's face at the mention of his cousin's name. He had known Melissa enough to understand that her visit to Claire, who Melissa was hostile to, would not yield good results.
'Is that why you have this guarded look? What did she tell you?" He asked.
'How long?" Claire asked, going straight to the point but Matthew was only confused.
'How long, what? You should try to make your words clearer, Claire," He replied.
'How long have you been in love with Sapphire? How long has Melissa been like you? How long have you known about your feelings? About hers? How long were you planning to use me as a way to get closer to Sapphire after messing up?
When were you going to tell Sapphire? I figured out that you know that I like you so you don't have to go over that aspect," Claire told him and he stared at her with mouth slightly agape before adjusting himself on the chair.
'Here is your order," The waiter chose that tense moment to bring their orders, he placed it on the table and got out of the place.
'Since they were in high school, I have always liked Sapphire. At first it was a small crush, they were sophomores and I was a senior. I knew that it was impossible, we were family, even though I am adopted, she still sees me as her brother, she was glad since she is the first child and daughter of the Conrad Family.
But then the small crush started blowing out of proportion, I like Sapphire a lot, she was my ideal type of perfect girlfriend and person I want to spend the rest of my life with," he let out a bitter chuckle.
'I think it became worse when I got to college, then when she was a senior, she always found a way to visit me. When she wasn't visiting, she was texting and calling. I think Melissa found out at that time and it affected their relationship.
I think Melissa had always liked me, so she became angry when she found out that it is her sister that I like and not her, I am the reason for the bad blood between them.
I never liked Oliver, not from the moment I saw and definitely not when I knew that he was the one that she chose, he had a bad character anyway.
I traveled when I knew that they were getting married, I couldn't stand it, it just hurts.
Everything happened and here we are but Sapphire was not ready to be close with an asshole who boarded the next available flight two weeks to her wedding and cut off all connection and then you came in.
I was desperate, just any means possible even if it means leading you on," Matthew explained and Claire scoffed.
'You don't have the intention of telling her what made her sister turn on her when you tried to be close to her, were you," She said with a voice that lacked any sort of feeling, it wasn't a question but a sentence and he only remained silent.
'You are a bastard!" Claire said and he didn't refute her claims, she is right.
'I…"
'Save it Matthew, I don't want to hear it," She said and stood up from the chair before marching out of the place, leaving the man staring at her figure but she never turned back to look at him.
And when she was out of view, she let the tears fall, she really liked him.
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'You are not going to inform us about your trip to Monaco until the last moment, are you?" Luci asked with a teasing smile on her lips and Sapphire rolled her eyes in exasperation, she relaxed against the couch, they just finished telling her what went down at the SJAY. The man is really full of shits.
'For the sake of everything that breathes! How many times do I have to tell you guys that even I had no idea about it? Alexander just told me about it," Sapphire told her, trying not to be irritated with her friend who just derives some sort of happiness in her annoyance.
'But you still went ahead and agreed anyways, some surprise trip it really is," Alicia said sarcastically and Sapphire turned to glare at Alexander who went to talk to the kids but she couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips when she saw the man and the kids having fun, he seemed to be teasing them but both sides were reveling in it because the kids are giggling and the man was all smiles.
'You said that it is against your plan and turned to look at the man who you said forced you on the trip and lit up like a Christmas tree, I am going to believe that story of yours alright," Alyssa added and Sapphire remembered that she was being questioned by them all.
'So you are leaving your beloved kids behind too, it is school days, he isn't going to ask them to put it on hold for a week in Monaco, would he?" Luci asked and Sapphire shook her head.
'No they would stay here with you guys, we are all going on a trip when they have breaks, I can trust them with you right? Luci, you are not going to start going around urging them to curse at every stranger that stares at them wrong right? Alyssa, you are not going to wreak havoc with them, are you?" Sapphire asked.
'No promises but I will try," Luci said with a mischievous smile.
'I am not trusting that look,"
'Too bad, you have no choice, don't worry Claire won't let me have as much fun as I want to, she is more uptight than you," Luci said with an eye roll.
'And I have Alicia to keep me under wraps," Alyssa added, making the peace sign and Alicia nodded before they all burst into laughter.
Sapphire's phone rang and it was an unknown number, she stared at it in doubt and let it ring but when it started ringing again, she excused herself from the rest and moved towards the dining area before picking up the call.
'Hello," She said tentatively.
'Is that Sapphire?" The manly voice asked and she furrowed her brows in confusion, the voice sounded familiar.
'Yeah, and this is?"
'Mike Adams," he told her and she wondered why the doctor was calling her.
'And you are calling me because?" She asked with hostility.
'I need your help please, Heather is going to be in trouble, deep trouble," He told her with urgency and she scoffed in disbelief, what nerves!
'What makes you think that I would help Heather out of trouble? I don't want to have anything to do with her."
'Oliver wants to frame her for being involved in drug trafficking__"
'Drugs again? That man should come up with new tricks, that is already getting old, I still won't help her, it has got nothing to __"
'He is going to link it to you. He has some big plan going on and I don't think that you can escape it,"
'Wha…"
'Venita and Oliver suddenly became as thick as thieves, you should wonder why."
'What makes you so sure?"
'Heather coming clean didn't make any sense, did it? And you used to treat a lot of gangsters at Gisborne, I am delighted to inform you that there were drug dealers among them too." He told her, Sapphire wondered how the man knew about all that.
'I have been investigating, Oliver let you pull that and didn't say anything, that devil was planning something. I can't tell you over the phone, not especially when Luci is there and is probably staring at you," He told her and Sapphire turned, she r
ubbed her arms when she found Luci already staring at her, she smiled when their eyes made contact.
