Chapter 32
Clara’s mood sank as she threw her bag over her shoulder and headed out with Megan trailing behind her.
“Are you really going to carry that bag?” Megan asked.
“Is there a problem with it?”
Megan shook her head, a tinge of disappointment flickering across her eyes. She had hoped for something different…
“Megan, let’s head out. Come check out my new place tonight. I’ll cook us a nice meal,” Clara suggested.
Megan forced a smile, her expression a bit strained. “Sounds good.”
Meanwhile, Sonya wasted no time calling Simon after she left. “Simon, I heard Nate’s in the hospital. What’s the story?”
Even Simon was in the dark about the whole situation. All he knew was that Clara had caused quite a stir in the VIP room. She had embarrassed Colton, and even Richard had to intervene. However, as for why Nate ended up in the hospital, Colton wasn’t spilling the beans.
Simon had asked Nate directly, but all Nate did was blame Clara. She was such a magnet for trouble, always
stirring things up.
Simon was seriously annoyed. He wasn’t a fan of his mom’s side of the family, especially his two aunts, whose greed seemed to know no bounds. They always pestered him for money. But thankfully, Clara had managed to keep them at bay for a while.
So why were they suddenly calling tonight?
“Nate is fine,” Simon reassured Sonya.
Sonya breathed a sigh of relief, but her tone turned sharp when she mentioned Clara. “Clara is acting like she’s Host her mind. She just walked off with my $40,000 bag and had the nerve to insult me, saying you told her to
do it. Simon, you need to have a word with her and get my bag back.”
So that’s what this was all about.
Simon lit up a cigarette, taking a few drags. “Alright, I hear you. She just got out of the hospital, so she’s probably not in the best mood. I’ll talk to her later.”
Sonya’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. She knew the bag would find its way back to her eventually.
Clara was just getting home when Simon’s call came in. As she unlocked the door, she spoke a cool detachment. “What’s up?”
“Aunt Sonya says you took her bag, Clara. You’re really becoming quite the rebel.”
Clara’s head throbbed, and her heart felt heavy. She took a deep breath. “Is this really why you called?”
“Isn’t it worth talking about?! How long are you going to keep this up?” Simon thought that even if she wanted his attention, this was going way too far.
Clara hung up on him and promptly added him to her block list. She placed her groceries on the counter and turned to Megan, “Make yourself at home. The new furniture is arriving soon. I had someone clean earlier, so the place is spotless.”
The previous owner had great taste; this place was perfect for a girl, and at 1,600 square feet, it was quite spacious.
Megan’s lips tightened, and after a long pause, she asked hoarsely, “You’re living here alone?”
“Yeah, I moved out from the Bradfords.”
“Was that Simon on the phone? It’s your first day here. Aren’t you inviting him over for dinner?”
23:13
Chapter 32
Was it just Clara’s imagination, or did Megan seem a bit too interested in her personal life?
“Megan, I’m over him. Don’t bring him up around me; it just ruins my appetite.”
Megan’s smile wavered as she sat on the sofa. “After all those years, can you really let it go?”
“I was blind before, but now I see things clearly.”
An hour later, Clara had whipped up three dishes and a soup. Just as they finished eating, the furniture delivery arrived. They were small pieces, which she arranged around the living room and bedroom, making the place feel cozy and elegant.
“Megan, want to crash here tonight?”
“No, I have a night shift later.”
“Alright.”
Clara walked her to the door, and on her way back up, she ran into a girl with wavy hair in the elevator. The girl had a faint whiff of alcohol and was polished from head to toe.
When the elevator opened on their floor, Clara realized she was her neighbor. The girl noticed, too, and waved, “Clara, you moved here?”
Clara nodded politely and reached out to steady her when she stumbled slightly.
Scarlette flicked her hair, her eyes slightly glazed. “It’s good you moved out. I admire you for staying in that house so long.”
Scarlette opened her door, and a white dog darted out. She yawned. “By the way, have you slept with Simon?”
“Huh?”
Clara was taken aback by the sudden shift in the conversation. Leaning against the door, Scarlette was like a ripe peach, exuding sensual charm with every move.
“Have you never slept with him? No wonder you’re chasing him so hard. Once you get a taste, you lose interest and don’t want seconds. I watched you chase him and figured you hadn’t tried him yet. Here, this might help.”
She tossed an item, and Clara instinctively caught it. It was a blister pack of pills with no label, and their
purpose was a mystery.
Scarlette chuckled slyly. “Good night.”
Clara was left bewildered, tucking the pills into her new purse as she went inside. The social circles were tight–knit, and her obsession with Simon was no secret.
Scarlette was from the Greenard family, which ranked in the top five of the city’s elite. But no matter how capable she was, she wasn’t fully accepted by the Greenards, which explained her residence here. Her bold and carefree nature fueled many rumors about her within their circles.
A well–dressed and beautiful girl inevitably attracted scandal, especially in a male–dominated
