After Catherine left to rest, Clarissa threw herself into Matthew’s embrace and wrapped her arms around his waist like a child.
Chuckling lightly, Matthew caressed the top of her head as if she were a pet.
Clarissa’s hair became a mess, but she did not mind. They held each other for a long while, neither of them breaking the comfortable silence.
Matthew allowed her to work through her churning emotions while he waited patiently.
Quite some time passed before Clarissa spoke.
“Grandma cried her eyes out the day my father passed away. Had it not been for me, she might have followed him soon after. Now that Aunt Gloria’s sick, Grandma’s greatest fear is attending another child’s funeral.”
“What did the doctor say?”
“It’s nothing serious, and it’s definitely not fatal, but Grandma still feels anxious. The way I see it, Grandma will keep worrying until the operation is over.”
“Well, just have the surgery as soon as possible.”
“Yeah, it shouldn’t take long, but Grandma would probably be too preoccupied to enjoy herself in the meantime. I’m feeling pretty depressed myself. I understand that it’s a matter of life and death, but I know all too well that they have hidden agendas.”
Matthew smiled. He tilted her chin and lowered his head to give her a peck. “Don’t worry about their petty schemes. Those issues will resolve themselves.”
“I’m only holding back because Aunt Gloria is sick. If they push me over the edge, I can be mean too,” Clarissa stated, pursing her lips.
“Mean?”
Matthew laughed lightly and pinched her cheek.
“Clare, you don’t have a mean bone in your body. Why don’t you show me how mean you are, hmm?”
Matthew’s stare bore into Clarissa, making her chortle. She gave him a coquettish look.
“Stop it,” she whined in mock anger.
She then grabbed Matthew by his ears and faked a fierce expression. Narrowing her eyes, she tried to appear as menacing as possible.
“I look mean, don’t I? I’m telling you, I’m a bad person. I’m rotten to the core.”
“Pray tell, what makes you so horrible?” Matthew asked, entertained.
Clarissa could barely hold back the laughter that threatened to burst out at any given moment. Her lips twitched as she pondered for an answer. Nevertheless, to Matthew, her contemplation was especially endearing.
The young woman sprang up in excitement when she found the right words.
She clutched Matthew’s shirt collar and gave him a devilish smirk. “Trust me. I’ll be the worst person you know if I unleash my horrible nature. I’ll swindle you of all your money and emotions. I’ll make you my slave for life and trample you underfoot.”
Matthew arched an eyebrow and deadpanned, “Wow. What a bad woman you are, Clare. That’s terrifying.”
“That’s so insincere. Whatever. I’m not actually that bad. I’m the kind and caring Miss Fairy!”
It was said that women were creatures of change, and the way Clarissa’s mood shifted drastically in a matter of seconds was excellent proof of that.
Even so, no matter which side of her she chose to show, Clarissa would always be adorable in Matthew’s eyes.
Enamored by Clarissa, Matthew bowed his head to kiss her cheek. She giggled and attempted to dodge his lips. Both of them fooled around for a while, laughing in delight.
Clarissa had been sullen all day, but coming home to Matthew had quickly vanquished the gloom.
The following day, Clarissa brought Catherine to the hospital.
Clarissa could feel the odd stares riveting on her the moment she set foot in the room. She glanced at Gloria and wondered what her aunt had told them.
The doctor soon came over to confirm the operation time. Needless to say, the Lesters could not afford the surgery.
Just then, Mimi pulled Clarissa out of the room and asked her for some money.
“Sure, but the old rule stands – you need to write me an IOU.”
Mimi complied without hesitation nor complaint and received the money.
Just as Clarissa returned to the ward, she heard the chatter of the occupants. “Your granddaughter must be really lucky to marry into a rich family. It’s the Tyson family! I’m sure you and your daughter will be able to enjoy your later days. The Tysons have huge businesses. In fact, I heard that they’re one of the wealthiest people in the country.”
“No, no-”
“Oh, no need to be modest. Your daughter told us everything! I didn’t know about the Tysons before, but my son told me that his former classmate who studied overseas is now working at Tyson Corporation. The president of the company is a good catch! The Tyson family also has a good reputation. After all, their eldest son is an important official.”
“No, no, you’ve all been misled. My daughter was blabbering nonsense,” Catherine denied hastily while Gloria listened smugly.
“What do you mean ‘nonsense’? Mom, there’s no need to hide the truth. I’m telling you, Matthew Tyson is my nephew-in-law. It’s only a matter of time before my niece marries him. So what if he has a prominent background? My niece is a great beauty, and she’ll be able to live a luxurious life in the future. Hey, didn’t you say that your son is unemployed? I can help him get a job at Matt’s place with just a word. Matt might seem like a formidable boss, but he treated us with so much respect back in our hometown-”
“Shut up!” Catherine chastised her daughter for speaking without reservation.
Gloria, however, refused to tone it down and retorted, “Mom, this is nothing to be embarrassed about, so why won’t you let me brag a bit? Did Clary tell you to keep it a secret? That little brat has become so stingy after marrying into a rich family. Can you believe that she asked me to pay her even though she’s rolling in money? The fee for my treatment is nothing to her! Mom, listen to me. You must let Matt foot the bill for this surgery and all of our expenses in D City. He should also pay for Mimi’s tuition fee once she enrolls in a film academy. I’m sure he has connections that can help get Mimi accepted. Since he has so many properties, he should gift us a house as well. It’s really not too much to ask of him, and if he fails to satisfy, I’ll object to his marriage with Clary. I won’t even attend the wedding.”
Gloria sounded confident and self-assured when she started the tirade.
Unfortunately for her, she caught sight of Clarissa just as she announced her threat.
Gloria’s face paled, but she put up a strong front and bluffed, “Clary, I’m not afraid of you overhearing our conversation. I’m your aunt. If I oppose your marriage and refuse to attend the wedding, you’ll have no one from your family. We’re supposed to be a family, but Matt never showed up to visit me. What insolent behavior! You have no regard for formalities.”
Catherine tried to intervene but eventually surrendered and heaved a sigh. She appeared disgruntled.
Her daughter had ruined their reputation in the span of one night. By now, the onlookers would see through anything Catherine said if she tried to amend her daughter’s mistakes.
Catherine gave up trying and sat in a corner, incensed. She knew that Clarisse would be infuriated as well. Her thickheaded daughter had brought it upon herself.
Clarissa was indeed annoyed, but she was not as furious as Catherine expected.
Instead, she was more confounded. How stupid can one get?
Aunt Gloria’s unparalleled idiocy is a result of her inflated ego. Even a person who had fried their brains would be wiser than this woman.
Clarissa was still smiling. Unfazed by the onlookers, she repeated Gloria’s words in a gentle tone, “You won’t agree to our marriage? And you’ll be absent for our wedding?”
“I-It’s not that I won’t agree, but I do think that Matt should pay more attention to formalities. If I’m satisfied with his performance, then there’s nothing to nitpick anyway. As your aunt and a member of your family, I treat your marriage very seriously. We can’t let others look down on us.”
“Aunt Gloria, I think what you said is very logical except-”
Clarissa faltered. In an instant, her gaze became glacial – cold and cutting as she glared at Gloria. Her voice carried the chill of north winds, and her indifference sent shivers down one’s spine.
“Except I don’t care about you or your family; whether you agree or not has nothing to do with me. You want to attend the wedding? I’m sorry, but I never planned to invite you in the first place.”
While her words might sound cruel, Clarissa had actually gone soft on her after taking into account the fact that they were in public.
In layman terms, she meant to say “Who do you think you are?” with a degrading twist.
Gloria’s features scrunched up in an ugly scowl. “Mom, look at this little brat. How dare she disrespect her elders. She-”
“Enough of this nonsense. Haven’t you made a big enough fool out of yourself? You’re the one hospitalized, so you should bear the costs. While you’re at it, remember who helped you arrange this surgery. If you wish to throw away your life, be my guest and talk to your heart’s desire. We shall see who comes to your aid if you anger Clary.”
Gloria was chastened by Catherine’s warning.
The other occupants of the room held their tongues, none of them daring to speak.
Every sensible person had the ability to observe and assess a situation. Ever since last night, the Lesters had no qualms about acting high-and-mighty as they spouted empty boasts and tooted their own horns. As for their niece, regardless of whether she actually married into a rich family, it was obvious from her aloof manner that there was an ongoing family conflict.
Thus, steering clear of sensitive matters as such would be the wise thing to do.
After that, Clarissa snickered and sat down to play on her phone, appearing unruffled.
When noon rolled around, Clarissa took Catherine home.
Clarissa received a call from Hilary that afternoon. Ever since the incident with Shermaine, the two had never been in contact.
However, Hilary had called to emphasize her status as Clarissa’s mother instead of mending their relationship.
“I am your mother no matter what, so shouldn’t Matthew at least pay me a visit? News about the two of you preparing for a wedding is spreading like wildfire. Has he offered dowry? Are you not going to tell your own mother that you’re getting married? Clary, you’ve crossed a line,” Hilary grilled her daughter.
Obviously, the purpose of this call was to reprimand Clarissa.
Clarissa patiently explained, “We’re not getting married yet. It’s just a rumor. I will definitely let you know when the time comes.”
“’When the time comes?’ What do you mean ‘when the time comes?’ It will be too late by then! The proper etiquette is to meet the parents first to receive a blessing before proposing! Matthew never expressed his intention to marry you, and I’ve never agreed to this marriage. How improper it is to get married without my approval! As for the dowry, what use do I have for an island?”
Hearing her response, Clarissa clenched her jaw. “Mom, are you suggesting that you object to our marriage?”
