Clarissa did not leave immediately. Instead, she stood her ground and mustered up the courage to speak.
“Grandma…”
“I don’t want to hear anything!” the older woman yelled.
That took Clarissa by surprise. She was hurt by Margaret’s words and the look that she gave her.
Nonetheless, she was already prepared for a reaction like this when the Tysons find out about her relationship with Matthew.
She was only facing it slightly earlier than expected.
Although Clarissa knew it was wrong to talk back, she had to say her piece.
“Matthew and I are truly in love.”
“Shut up!”
Clank! The older lady reached out to throw an item in Clarissa’s direction, which narrowly missed the latter’s head.
Should I be grateful that Old Mrs. Tyson didn’t throw it at my head?
Margeret continued to make a racket. “You are so brazen! Why are you still here? Do you want money? How much do you need? Is half a million enough or maybe one million?”
“I don’t want any money,” Clarissa uttered.
“Then, leave this place right now.”
Clarissa knew no matter what she said, Margaret would not hear it.
Although she felt terrible, she could only turn to leave.
“Wait…”
Abruptly, Margaret stopped her. Clarissa turned to see that a softer gaze from her. Looking at the young woman, Margaret offered, “This is a stack of cash for you. If you leave D City by today, I will not make things difficult for you. However, if you continue to remain stubborn, I will not sit back and do nothing. I may be old, but I am not senile. There are plenty of things up my sleeve. Hmm, isn’t your grandma is around my age? If you don’t leave, I will call her personally and complain about your upbringing.”
Clarissa’s expression darkened.
She could bear all the humiliation or scolding, but her grandmother was her only family, so there was no way Clarissa would let Margaret get her involved.
“That is my issue. Leave my grandma out of it.”
Feeling victorious, Magaret challenged, “How is it only your issue? Your upbringing is questionable. Did no one tell you that it is wrong to steal things that don’t belong to you? In this case, you wanted something that doesn’t belong to you. Then, you secretly made it yours when it never belonged to you in the first place.”
“Matthew is a person and not an object. How can I steal a person?” Clarissa was in disbelief.
Unfortunately, Margaret did not back down and continued, “Even if you did not steal, you tried to seduce him. We trusted you, but in contrast, you got closer to Ellie to benefit from our family.”
“No, I am truly friends with Ellie.”
“Well, what a shame. Who will believe you?” Margaret mocked.
She made Clarissa feel embarrassed and cornered.
“You are still young and beautiful. If you want to date, can’t you find someone of your age? Why do you have to date Ellie’s uncle? You say that both of you are in love. Is that even possible? Even if I believe you, a stranger will not. To put it bluntly, I’m sure you know the criticisms you will receive if others find out about the relationship.”
Seeing Clarissa’s eyes well up with tears, Margaret thought she looked pitiful.
Despite so, when she thought about how the younger woman had seduced her son and secretly living together, she grew angrier. She was upset to be deceived and wanted to give that woman two tight slaps.
Once a person believed that she had been deceived, she would think that the betrayer was better off dead.
Currently, Margaret felt that way. Thinking back, she was sure that her son rejected the girls she recommended to him because of Clarissa. Similarly, their relationship probably was the cause of his behavior towards Sienna, a kind and likable woman from a good background.
The more she pondered over it, her hatred for Clarissa became more obvious in her expression. There were seemingly more wrinkles on her face now.
She slammed the table forcefully and cruelly gestured towards the door. “Get out now.”
Clarissa could not stay there any longer either. With tears streaming down her face, she turned to leave.
At that moment, the door opened.
Matthew scanned at the scene. Seeing his beloved woman crying, he immediately took her into his arms.
Lowering his head, he comforted, “Clare, don’t cry anymore. I’m here.”
Margaret was furious to see Matthew being so protective over Clarissa.
She shot Clarissa a death stare, but Matthew blocked her sight. With the woman in his arms, he headed out with her.
“Matthew, you better stop right there!” Margaret fumed.
Her son stopped in his tracks but turned around and sneered, “We shall talk after I return. She is not to be blamed for anything. I’m responsible for everything.”
With that, he left with Clarissa.
Once they got into the car, Matthew immediately hugged Clarissa. Then, he bowed his head and planted a kiss on her forehead.
In a gentle and low voice, he whispered, “Clare, I’m sorry. This is my fault.”
Clarissa shook her head while in his arms.
Although her eyes were filled with tears, she firmly stated, “If we have to place the blame on someone, then it is both of our faults. It isn’t only just your problem because love is an affair between both parties.”
Amusement flashed across Matthew’s eyes. He cupped Clarissa’s chin and kissed her.
“Clare, you should remain like that. No matter what they say, you should always stay by my side, okay?”
His tone made it sound more like pleading disguised as a threat.
As she looked into his eyes, she could not find any willpower to go against him.
“Okay,” she confidently replied.
She did not want to be separated from him at this moment.
While Matthew nibbled on her lips, he whispered, “Good girl…I love you…”
When they returned to Zen Highlands, Clarissa was still affected by the earlier events. She did not have an appetite for dinner and did not seem well either.
Matthew did not like to see her in that state. He initiated sex, and soon after, they paid no attention to the earlier events. Spent, they fell asleep.
The next day, Matthew comforted Clarissa and ordered her not to accept any phone calls nor invites from the Tysons. If any of them came by, no one would be allowed to come into Zen Highlands.
After telling her what to do, he left.
In the meantime, the Tysons were waiting at home after they heard about Matthew’s news. Since they were not busy that day, they started to discuss the issue.
Matthias was also anxiously waiting at home. He knew that this day would come. Last night, when he returned home, Margaret was livid, and she threw tantrums throughout the night. Even his wife, Yuliana, was cursing at Clarissa and showing her displeasure towards Matthew.
The most supportive person of the relationship was naturally Ellie since she did not mind having Clarissa as her aunt. She tried to put in good words for them but was shot down by the other two women.
As for Matthias and George, they seemed unaffected.
“Matthias, when Matthew come home, will you talk to him? He can marry whoever he wants, except for Clarissa.” Margaret tried to persuade her elder son.
To her dismay, Matthias pointed out, “Mom, Dad already agreed for Matthew to decide who he is going to marry. Of course, it was always his decision, and as his elder brother, I don’t have the right to step in. He is not a kid anymore and has the right to choose his wife. I’m sure he knows what he is doing.”
Margaret sarcastically replied, “What do you mean? Although you put it very nicely, if he chooses to marry someone like Clarissa, our family will be the joke of the town.”
“Mom, you are right. For instance, what would the Wynters, the Grandes and Mr. Reed think of us? There were so many other candidates, but Matthew decided to pick another young and pretty girl. What would people think of him and our family? As part of the family, how can I face the world to have a sister-in-law who is around the same age as my daughter?” Yuliana added.
She even rolled her eyes at her husband for not helping in the situation.
Feeling unjust for her friend, Ellie snorted, “Mom, isn’t Shermaine around my age too? Sienna is also only two years older than me. You might as well come clean and complain about her background. You don’t have to go in circles and find excuses to oppose the relationship.”
“Ellie!” Yuliana roared in rage and embarrassment.
Her mother’s outburst made Ellie moved closer to George.
“Grandpa is the head of the family. He hasn’t even spoken, so why are all of you rushing to share your opinions? Let me remind all of you that Uncle Matt will never be at your mercy. If you provoke him, he might not come home and might even cut his ties with us,” Ellie reminded.
Matthew’s ties with them were not like the others. His relationship with his family was relatively weak.
Although Ellie’s words were extreme, she did make them start to worry about her warning.
Margaret looked slightly defeated, and she could only grunt in annoyance. Coincidentally, Matthew returned.
Ignoring the intense stares from his family members, he casually sat down and lit up a cigarette. Sandwiched between his slender fingers, he took a puff before he coldly explained, “I was the one who pursued Clare. If I did not initiate it, do you think she would be mine?”
That was true!
Before she met Matthew, Clarissa could be described as a woman with a pure heart and little desire.
Regardless, to a mother, her son was never wrong.
Margaret was determined to pin the blame on Clarissa. To her, Clarissa was a vixen who ruined her son’s ideal marriage.
“I don’t care who started it. What happened must end now. Matthew, let me make things clear. I have to approve the wife you marry. Even if you don’t choose Shermaine nor Sienna, your wife must not be Clarissa,” she proclaimed.
Narrowing his eyes, Matthew took another puff from his cigarette. The atmosphere was tense.
Realizing that Matthias had not spoken, Yuliana nudged her husband.
For a long while, no one dared to speak.
Then, Matthew squeezed his cigarette and broke the silence, “I will marry Clarissa.”
