What will happen next? But Carl told her to trust him. However, his parent__. She sighed again as many presumptions ran through her head then snapped out of her thoughts when a delightful aroma suddenly wafted through the air.
" What are you thinking about?" Carl asked with a soft smile as he placed the food in front of her.
Clara chuckled and shook her head. " Nothing, " she replied and took the spoon then started eating.
His gaze lingered on her for some seconds and he sighed inside, then also moved a stool close to hers and tried to take the spoon from her hand.
" Nope, let me do it." She shook her head then scooped the food and started feeding him while also eating now and then.
After they were done eating and washed the utensils, they walked back to the bedroom and Carl switched on the plasma TV.
" What do you want to watch, " he asked her while walking toward the bed where she was sitting.
Clara was about to answer when his phone suddenly starts ringing and he gave her the remote then answered the call.
" S..Sir, I saw the news earlier.... C..Congratulations."? David's hesitant voice sounded from the other end while Carl's expression darkened.
" S..Sir? " hearing no reply, David added and Carl cut off the call then sighed and sat down beside Clara who was now laying on the bed.
" Carl... Jack's engagement is next week, " Clara muttered softly and looked up while watching as his expression changed slightly.
Carl sighed inside as he thought back to what his step-uncle had said earlier. " You want to go?." He turned to her after dropping his phone on the bedside table and she slowly nodded.
" Ehm... Carl" Clara bit her lips and stared at him expectantly.
Carl chuckled and slowly shook his head. " No..., I can't go, " he said softly and Clara sighed inside then nodded and turned her attention to the TV.
He looked down at her and another sigh escaped his lips then also looked ahead.
They both watched the TV in silence with Carl glancing down at her now and then.
After some minutes, He moved closer to her and wrapped one hand around her and Clara chuckled then snuggled closer to him.
" Clara?" He called out softly after a while and she looked up.
" I need to go somewhere tomorrow, " he stared down at her and she frowned slightly.
" Business trip?" Clara asked and he paused for a second before nodding then she sighed.
Carl watched as her expression turned gloomy and chuckled. " After I return, there's something I want to ask you."
" Huh? What is it?" Her eyes lit up and she gazed at him expectantly.
Carl shook his head with a soft smile then bent down and pecked her lips. " Wait... till I return."
"Oh." Clara watched the excitement in his eyes then slowly nodded. " Okay," she whispered with a small smile and also wrapped her arms around him then placed her head on his chest and they continued watching the TV in silence.
********
__ Next Day __
__ Lin Mansion __
Inside a spacious bedroom, a girl was curled up in a ball, on the bed in her pajamas with only the white bed sheet covering her which would move now and then due to the incessant trembling of her shoulders.
A maid stood at a corner and sighed for the umpteenth time. " Y..Young Miss..., y..you have to eat your food__"
" I said get out, " Vivian muttered in a low tone and glared at the maid with red puffy eyes then buried her face back in the pillow.
The maid jumped slightly from the cold glint she saw in her eyes and stammered again with trembling hands. " B..But Young Miss hasn't eaten since yesterday. . . y..you might fall__" she stopped in her words as a bedside lamp suddenly came flying toward her with she quickly dodged and end up splashing the hot tea on her hands.
" Are you deaf!!! Out of my room now!!!" Vivian snapped and the maid scurried away while holding onto her burning hand.
She sniffed softly after the maid left and sat up on the bed. It was all her father's fault. Why does he have to do that so soon? She just needed a little bit more time to get rid of that bitch. Her eyes turned cold as more tears fell from her eyes and she clenched her fists.' Clara'
This pain that she was feeling she would make sure that slut receives it tenfold. Carl is only hers, and would always be.
" Argh!" She ruffled her hair with both hands and aggressively yanked the bed sheet off her body.
" Oh my goodness." Her mother rushed inside the room with a tray of food in hand then hurriedly placed it on the bedside table and sat beside her on the bed.
" Dear__"
" Leave me alone, " Vivian said coldly and yanked her hands off.
Her mother stared at her teary face for some seconds and sighed. " It's alright my dear... stop crying... you don't have to follow everything your father said, " she muttered softly and picked the food tray then placed it between them on the bed.
" But I love him..." Vivian sobbed and shoved her head to the side as her mother tried to feed her the food.
The woman sighed again and dropped the spoon back on the food then started wiping her tears. " Vivian dear. . . you know you can't force love__ What if he couldn't love you back... do you want to end up like me? Can't you see how your father is treating me, " the woman said softly while sniffing back her tears. She just hoped her daughter would come to her senses and not make the same kind of mistake she had made in the past.
Vivian stared at her mother for some seconds then slowly shook her head. " I don't care Mum... I just want to be with him, " she replied coldly and her mother grabbed her hands.