Chapter 11: Chapter 11

"CLAIRE, why are you hiding here?" Mom asked as she walked towards me. I was sitting on the kitchen island while eating tacos.

"And what are you eating?" She frowned as her eyes drifted to the plate of tacos in front of me. I brought them with me after leaving the office.

Since this morning, I started to have this weird cravings. I remembered Jenna's weird face earlier when I asked her to buy me a burrito and chocolate ice cream for lunch earlier.

"Tacos," I said. "I'll just finish before I head out."

I gave my mother a smile. She looked regally elegant with her wine colored dress paired with pearl necklace.

"Alright, Claire. Head out soon. Some of my constituents are looking for you," she said before leaving me alone.

I let out a sigh. Damn. Me being pregnant out of wedlock would be a scandal. It would surely jeopardize my mother's political campaign. Besides, there's my father's fragile health.

I really needed to find Adam soon.

And what will you say to the man? Ask him to marry you, even though everything that happened between you was just pure lust?

Damn! I finished my blue marmalade and fixed myself. I headed out to the garden where the party was happening. I immediately saw a bunch of familiar faces, most of them were famous politicians in the country and some were businessmen supporting my mothers candidacy. I also spotted some of our relatives; I wondered if Marcus was already here.

"Claire, darling," Mrs. Manzano approached with a smile on her botoxed face. She was one of my mother's constituents. Her husband was the current mayor of this city. "You're getting prettier." She said, giving me a look.

I was wearing a black sweetheart dress and stiletto. Being born to this family required me to always be presentable all the damn time.

"Thanks, Sharlene." I gave her a smile. "You looked younger than the last time I saw you."

"Oh, darling. Must be the air I inhale in Bali." She replied with a laugh.

Shit. I stopped myself from frowning when her perfume hit my nose. I immediately excuse myself from her. Damn. I went to the buffet table and picked up a piece of cheese crackers.

"Hey…" I turned my head to the side and saw Chrome beside me. My younger brother arrived last week from the States. He'd spend his spring break here in the Philippines.

"Mom says you're eating taco earlier, Sis. And now this?" He pursed his lips as he looked at the platter of crackers and cheese I was holding. "Since when did you like food this much?"

I frowned at Chrome who was obviously teasing me. "Shut up, Chrome."

He chuckled then grabbed two wine glass from the waiter who walked past us. "Here," he said, handing me the other glass. "This goes well with cheese." He winked.

"I can't drink wine."

"What?" Chrome frowned at me, his face confused. He smelled the glass of wine in his hand. "But this is Pinot. Your favorite."

I cleared my throat. "I… uh I have acid reflux," I said, which was true. It was my real diagnosis, not stomach cancer.

"I didn't know you can't drink wine when you have acid reflux," he said with a creased forehead. But then he shrugged his shoulders. "Alright. I'll just drink this myself."

"Nah. Give it to me, Chrome."

Marcus suddenly entered the scene. Like the others, he was wearing a formal coat and tie.

He grabbed the wine glass from Chrome and sipped from it.

"You came alone?" I asked him. "No date for tonight?"

He chuckled at me. "I came here with Monique. Where's Aunt Carmela?"

"Just look for her around." I scrunch my nose when I smelled something I didn't like. "What's that smell?"

"Huh?"

I stilled when I noticed a passing waiter holding a tray with a caviar in it. Shit. I immediately covered my nose with my palm.

"Charity?" Chrome asked me. I saw Marcus was lookin at me with squinted eyes.

"I don't feel well. I leave you two here alone," I told them, avoiding Marcus' eyes. Before any of them could speak, I already turned my back and hurriedly walked out of the party.

I almost dropped myself to the tiled floor of the restroom after I threw up everything I ate that day. Damn. I needed to arrange a schedule with my OB immediately. I didn't know if this was still normal.

It took me a moment before I regained my strength. I was currently reapplying my ruined lipstick when I heard a knock on the door.

I was welcomed by Marcus' and his serious face.

"What?" I asked him, trying to act calm as if my heart wasn't beating fast inside my chest.

"Is this why you've been moody these past few days?"

"W-what are you talking about, Marcus?"

"Don't dare lie to me, Claire. You're pregnant, aren't you?"

"Who's pregnant?"

Marcus and I both turned to my mother who was standing a few meters away from us.