Chapter 265: Chapter 265
Outside the Wendover mansion....
"Mmmmmmm! Ouch that hurts!"
Clara stirred awake as the night air whooshed around her. Her body ached a little but the throbbing pain in her cheeks was what baffled her.
’How did I get here?’ she wondered as she pushed herself up, noticing that she was seated on the bare floor and leaning against her front door. Clara was unsure of how she got there. One moment, she was....
That was when it all started coming back to her. It was more like a split second. She had no idea how she had been transported from the hospital back home, but it was still pitch dark outside.
The same words kept ringing in Clara’s mind,
"Now, that you are done with your acting, let’s lay down some ground rules, Clara Wendover.... My daughter-in-law is a special entity. The fact that she was your daughter...." Geneva had paused and then bent at her waist to look at the aggrieved Clara,
"Note, I used ’WAS’, not ’IS’. The fact that Shelby was your daughter is an old story and is past. Like the past, it will never manifest in the present again.
Yes, she may carry your blood, but know and understand that she has already paid you more than enough in this lifetime for you giving her the life. This is where it ends. You set your eyes on her for even a single minute, and I, Geneva Thornston, will make you regret the very day that your mother birthed you."
Geneva had paused and looked Clara straight in the eye.
"Do I make myself clear?!"
Geneva clenched Clara’s chin so tight that tears squeezed out of Clara’s eyes, but it was all like a show for Geneva. She did not care one bit.
"Do not make me repeat myself!"
Clara nodded, her eyes red, her cheeks and chin also hurting at the same time. Clara did not understand why Geneva was so uptight about a girl who was not even her daughter. How could she cherish a daughter-in-law that way?
"What you need to keep in that useless head of yours is that, my daughter-in-law MAY choose to treat you as her mother still or do whatever she deems right by you, but that courtesy does not extend to you. What I need you, Clara, to understand is that it is NOT a two-way street for you!"
At the mention of that, Clara could not help but think back to the time she had visited that witch in the forest. The witch had said something similar to her when she had offered to make young Shelby the payment for what she was asking for. At that point in time and in front of her home, Clara’s frustration grew.
"WHY DOES SHE HAVE TO GET EVERYTHING? WHY DO I HAVE TO BE SLAPPED BECAUSE OF HER!"
Clara had gotten up to her feet at a point in time and screamed out with all her might, venting out the built-up frustration.
"WHY DOES IT ALWAYS COME TO THIS?! I AM THE ONE THAT GAVE BIRTH TO HER!!!! I DECIDE WHAT HAPPENS TO HER IN THIS LIFE! No one can dictate this to me! AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The screams alerted Angela and some of the other workers, who rushed out to see a crazed Clara with dishevelled clothes, smeared makeup from her tears and angry marks with dried blood on her cheeks. The heavy imprint of someone’s hand on Clara’s cheeks told them all that needed to be said.
Angela sighed and then went back inside, bringing out an overcoat.
"Madam Clara, please, let’s go back inside, it is cold!"
Clara turned her frustration onto Angela and then started pulling at her hair.
"Madam Clara! Please! Stop this!" Angela tried to no avail as Clara started scratching her. It took a couple of the workers, together with her, before they could get Clara off of Angela.
Angela itched to shout and retort back at Clara, but she kept quiet, for she believed or rather hoped, that it was just a passing phase for Clara. However, was it?
Even as she thought this, Angela could not help but think that Clara was losing herself with each passing day. As long as Angela still had her job, she still felt that she was okay, even though she found herself now seemingly working for Rocky instead of Clara.
’I will have to let the young master know this.’ She thought. It was not like she could even hide it, given that Clara had scratched her pretty badly on her arms and face.
’Is this job really worth it?’ She thought as they ushered the now calm Clara back into the house.
Back in the VVIP hospital lounge, Alex turned his irritation to the screens again, thinking that the action would erase the detail starring at him. He was in disbelief. Was that the same girl he had come to know over all those years? The one girl that he had raised like his own.
"How is it Avril? How could it be?"
For once, Geneva never said anything. She could sense her husband’s irritation as well as so many other negative emotions, but she was also fuming on the side.
It was true that one should be afraid of those closest to them. For them, it was Avril who had tried to harm Shelby. Currey even found the video of her erasing the CCTV records... which was funny. Her crime skills were very immature.
"So, is her partner in crime that rude Mush girl? I really need to have a conversation with Shelby about who qualifies to be her friend. Why is that girl bent on making Shelby’s life miserable?"
"It is lucky that sister-in-law survived this. She is not out of the woods yet, but this would have been disastrous!" Brad and his mother turned to Alex. It was as if they were waiting for Alex to make the decision on Avril.
The video was clear and allowed no room for doubt.
"Save the video, and let’s have Ian wake up," Brad added when he noticed that his father was still distressed over Avril’s issue.
Alex pulled out his phone and dialled that familiar number, but the connection was off no matter how many times he called.
Father and son ordered at the same time.
Currey bowed, knowing very well who was being referred to. He closed his laptop and then exited the room.
Alex looked at his wife and then whispered, "I’m sorry."
"Why are you apologizing? What have you done? You cannot control the actions of a full-blown adult, so stop beating yourself up." Geneva added and then mumbled to herself,
"Shelby is really pitiable. From friends to family, she has never had much luck. I must treat her even better so that I can help make up for it."
Alex nodded, and although he had said nothing, Geneva knew he was on board.
Ava flagged down a taxi outside the hospital and then pushed Rocky in.
"Ava, are you going back to the Thronston estate or your place?"
Rocky frowned. "Let me escort you home first, then,"
"Ava... please?" Rocky had long since dropped the ’sister’ from her name. In fact, it felt like a lifetime ago since he had called her ’sister Ava’. He was on a mission to conquer her in love, and he was adamant about it.
Ava sighed and got into the taxi.
Murray appeared where the taxi disappeared after they had left. A thoughtful look crossed his face.
’She is quite resilient. Never once did her thoughts show that she would betray that secret. I’ll still keep a close eye on her because of Currey.’
Even at these times, Murray kept a close eye on his link with Shelby. It had almost been cut off about twice that evening, but a weak link remained, and that was enough for Murray. It meant that his mistress was holding strong and that also meant that his Highness was going to be alright. It was at that time that Murray heard an instruction regarding the nosy detective.
The taxi finally pulled up to Ava’s apartment around midnight. She alighted and watched in surprise as Rocky got out and followed her upstairs.
"Are you not going back?"
"After I see you settle and establish that there is no threat around you. It would have been okay if you were going back to the estate, but I can only rest assured if I see that everything is okay with my own eyes."
Ava looked long and hard at him, and then she relented.
She led them up the stairs and then unlocked the door.
Ava headed straight for the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
Rocky sighed and thought, ’She, at least, let me in.’ He brought out his phone and sent texts to both Nicholas and Matt.
Rocky shut his phone off so that he did not have to see any of their replies.
’Shelby is in good hands. They are not human, which means that they might have some magical way to bring her back. I shouldn’t overthink. Let’s see where all these lead us...’ Ava thought to herself as she quickly took a shower and changed into her pyjamas. Ava stepped out of the bathroom a few minutes later, only to see Rocky fast asleep on her bed.
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