Shermaine’s comments about their resemblance shocked Hilary.
As her expression changed, she laughed awkwardly. “Is that so? Haha… we really are fated to find one another given that we resemble each other.”
However, Shermaine didn’t elaborate further on the topic.
After all, she was only being polite.
“By the way, I just remembered. Aren’t you Clarissa’s mother?”
Hilary nodded. “That’s right. I’m surprised you remember.”
“Of course, I do.”
Shermaine smiled but Hilary didn’t understand why her expression changed until she recalled the matter involving Matthew.
However, Hilary wasn’t sure if Shermaine knew anything about Matthew and Clarissa.
She couldn’t help but probe, “Shermaine, have you really broken up with Mr. Tyson?”
Shermaine didn’t expect such a question from Hilary. Smiling wryly, she made it look like she was sad and hurt. Before Hilary knew it, Shermaine started to shed tears.
As teardrops streamed down her cheeks, Shermaine began to sob in silence. Anyone who saw her would feel heartbroken, let alone Hilary.
She felt as if her heart had been torn open as tears dropped from her eyes. Overwhelmed by emotion, Hilary couldn’t stop herself as she sat beside Shermaine and embraced her.
“Shermaine, stop crying. It hurts me when you do. This isn’t your fault but theirs instead. How can they do this to you? My child… my poor child…”
As if she had found outlet, Shermaine couldn’t help but bawl in Hilary’s arms.
As both women hugged each other crying, it was as if they were venting all the frustrations pent up in their hearts.
After a long time, they began to calm down.
Shermaine got up and went to the ladies to freshen up.
While Hilary was angry at herself for not keeping her own emotions in check.
By the time Shermaine returned to the private room, Hilary didn’t say much while Shermaine just smiled.
“Mrs. Garrett, no, can I address you as Ms. Hilary?”
“Of course, as you wish.”
“Ms. Hilary, I’m sorry about just now as I haven’t cried in a very long time. It’s just that there has been so much welled up inside me. No one believes me, and no one is willing to hear me out.”
Hilary shook her head quickly. “It’s alright, Shermaine. I like you a lot and you can trust me. No matter how sad you are, you can always share it with me.”
Shermaine nodded with a bashful smile. “Thank you, Ms. Hilary.”
“Why don’t you tell me what happened between you and Mr. Tyson?”
When she saw how depressing Shermaine’s cry was, Hilary couldn’t help but curse Matthew in her heart.
Evidently, she had forgotten the joy she felt when she first knew Clarissa and Matthew were together.
Shermaine shook her head with a sardonic smile. “Let bygones be bygones. There’s no point saying more or else I’ll be accused of being bitter. Once he has someone new, I no longer mean anything to him.”
Although she made it sound ambiguous, her words caused Hilary to assume that Clarissa was the third party.
Underneath the table, Hilary clenched her fist at the thought of Clarissa breaking up Shermaine’s relationship.
And that she still dared to accuse Shermaine of being the slanderer when in fact she was the one who slandered.
Gritting her teeth, Hilary felt that Clarissa wasn’t being fair to Shermaine.
“Ms. Hilary, what is it? What are you thinking about?”
Hilary shook her head and grinned. “Nothing much. Alright, let’s not talk about sad times. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
After that, both of them casually chatted until night fell. Even then, they still felt as if they had a lot more to say, and realized they seem to click very well.
Finally, they bid each other a reluctant goodbye.
When Hilary returned to the Garrett residence, her mood improved significantly compared to the last few days. Hence, she personally cooked dinner and spent a happy evening with Zach.
At the end of the night, after her husband had slept, Hilary was still awake.
There was a lot weighing on her mind. She thought back to twenty years ago, about Shermaine, and many other things except for Clarissa.
…
Before Ryler left, he came to see Clarissa who was already expecting him.
Besides saying goodbye, there was something else, for example, Jamie.
“Has Jamie come to you?”
Clarissa took the initiative to ask when she saw that Ryler had something to say.
He nodded. “She said that you have sidelined her. Now that she has been blacklisted by the company, no one dares to approach her. All she can do now is sing in bars and work on other small gigs.”
“I did do it.”
Ryler fell silent and didn’t ask any further.
Clarissa pursed her lips before asking, “Did she tell you why I took such drastic action?”
“Since you chose to do this, she must have done something utterly unforgivable. Clare, I know you are someone that’s very soft-hearted. For you to do something like that, Jamie must have gone overboard. In fact, she must have done something really serious, am I right?”
Clarissa had no intention of hiding anything as she told him what Jamie did.
After hearing what Clarissa had to say, Ryler was outraged. His eyes were filled with cold, murderous intent.
“Ryler, it’s already over. But this time, I wasn’t soft-hearted. The fact that I didn’t send her to jail was considered mercy I showed her.”
“I understand. So, was Matthew behind what happened to Shermaine?”
“I think so. He didn’t tell me much but I suppose there can be no one else.”
Ryler pondered about it before he commented, “She has gotten off easy this time.”
“Indeed, she has. Therefore, we won’t be so merciful next time.”
Ryler didn’t say anything further. But, he was keen to be a part of any move against Shermaine.
After he left, Clarissa spoke to Catherine on video, telling her that they plan to hold their wedding next spring.
“Spring? It’s a good time as it won’t be too cold. Where will you be holding it? D City?”
“No, Grandma, we will be holding in on an island in the south. Hehe… there, it always feels like spring throughout the seasons and won’t be cold. When the time comes, you will travel overseas with us and stay on the island for a few days.”
“Overseas? I know. Jenny has mentioned it to me before. Many rich people travel overseas for their weddings. It’s a wonderful idea. I’m also happy that I can do the same in my life on your account.”
Clarissa’s heart warmed when she watched how happily Catherine laughed.
“By the way, do you need me to do anything for your wedding? Although I’m advanced in age, I’m still capable of doing a lot.”
Knowing that Catherine was keen on doing something, Clarissa racked her brains quickly and suggested, “Grandma, why don’t you pick the date for us? We have only decided on spring but not the exact date. You should pick it since you’re good at this.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll check the calendar. No, wait, maybe I’ll get help from a fortune teller.”
Just as she spoke, Catherine hurried to end the call. As she was given a duty by her granddaughter, she treated it with all seriousness.
Clarissa shook her head with a smile as she wondered if it would manage to keep Catherine occupied for a few days.
Finally, after dinner at night, while Matthew and Clarissa were having an intimate moment, Catherine called back.
“I’ve decided after consulting an experienced fortune-teller I know and have narrowed it down to three auspicious dates to hold your wedding. Why don’t you take a look and choose one, Matthew?”
Matthew scratched his head, and replied to an excited Catherine with a smile, “Grandma, what do you think? We still have time.”
“Alright, let’s make it on the eighth of April.”
“Sure. We’ll go with your choice.”
Clarissa, who was beside Matthew, popped her head over and beamed, “Grandma, thanks for helping us. Anyway, I have checked out some clothes for the elderly. When the time comes, I’ll tailor…”
Matthew lay aside as he listened to Clarissa chat with Catherine. It turned into a long-winded talk where she just wouldn’t end the call.
Suddenly, Matthew realized what she was up to. She must be doing this on purpose. Is she whiling the time away because she doesn’t want to get intimate with me?
Matthew let out a half-smile before reaching his hand underneath her pajamas and started to fondle her.
Despite feeling unsettled, Clarissa continued to chat with Catherine while Matthew’s hands explored deeper.
It was at that moment that she almost yelled out aloud.
In the face of his onslaught, she quickly bid Catherine goodbye and ended the call. The next moment, Matthew pounced on her and pinned her underneath his body.
His hands were still underneath her pajamas. Lowering his head, he bit her lip gently and murmured, “Clare, don’t be so lazy, alright? If you don’t ‘exercise’ in the morning or at night, it’s not good for you.”
He surely has some guts to say that!
Clarissa’s temple twitched. Perverts always find an excuse.
“Stop it. Don’t use a valid excuse such as exercise to justify your dirty intentions.”
Matthew chuckled. “Mmm-hmm. I’m dirty while you’re innocent. Let me see how innocent can you be?”
Lowering his head, he kissed her on her cheeks, ears, neck, and worked his way down while unbuttoning her top.
“Which part of you is innocent? Here? Or here?”
“Mmm…”
Clarissa moaned as she was no longer in the mood to answer.
Matthew smiled to himself deviously and mumbled, “It seems every part of you is innocent. I like it…”
When an innocent girl meets a dirty pervert, she would end up being devoured.
Post-coitus.
As Clarissa lay drowsily in Matthew’s embrace, she suddenly remembered she was supposed to do something important.
However, she couldn’t remember what it was as she was just too tired to do so. Before she knew it, she had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Half-asleep, Matthew was still kissing her and saying something which she couldn’t hear.
The next morning after breakfast, Clarissa suddenly remembered the important thing that she had forgotten last night.
“Ah!”
Exclaiming in surprise, she looked at Matthew.
“Last night, you didn’t put on…”
