Clarissa showed up at the entrance of the hotel, decked out in a simple black long dress, with little makeup on her face.
Nevertheless, her appearance was a call for attention as many men went up to flirt with her.
Clarissa was unhappy about that. If it wasn’t for her mother’s complaints about her suffering with the Garretts, she wouldn’t have agreed to attend the banquet.
But was it as simple as seeing the world that her mother had told her to come for?
Clarissa had her doubts about that.
Having been approached by another man again, she coldly rejected the man and turned toward the balcony.
With the curtain blocking her view, she could finally regain her peace when she felt the warmth of a body from behind her.
Clarissa whirled around in shock, only to see a perverted-looking old man standing right in front of her.
As she reflexively dodged away, the man stood where he was, flashing a salacious grin. “We meet again, Clary. How nice is that?”
The man was none other than the old man the Garretts had introduced to her.
Clarissa trembled in rage as realization dawned on her that it was yet another trap.
Looking at the man angrily but warily, she wanted to walk around and leave, but the man stopped her.
“Step aside, Mr. Jensen.”
“Why the cold face, Clary? We’re gonna become a family, eventually. Let’s just take this time to get to know each other, shall we?” “Family, my foot. Move aside before I scream for help.”
“Go ahead. People will probably think that I’m only flirting with my fiancée. Relax, Clary. I know these people here. But you… will anyone believe you? Besides, the Garretts have approved of this. Stop being so stubborn and behave yourself. I promise I’ll be nice.”
The old man pounced on Clarissa. But she wouldn’t even give him a chance as she lifted her dress and booted him in the stomach before running away.
So this is why they insisted I come over today, huh? How could I be so stupid? Why did I go soft for that woman who was supposed to be my mother?
Clarissa quickly left the banquet without saying hi to anyone.
“Stay where you are, Clarissa!” Yvonne’s commanding voice was heard from behind.
Clarissa simply ignored her and headed for the elevator.
Yet Yvonne still caught up to her as she stood right before her and lifted her hand.
Clarissa reckoned her stepsister was about to slap her. With rage burning in her stomach, Clarissa swiftly grabbed hold of her wrist and shoved her aside, causing her to fall.
“You b*tch,” Yvonne screamed. “How dare you hit me? You little…”
No one had dared to treat her like that since she was little.
Like a madwoman, she charged at Clarissa from behind, tugging her hair.
The latter yelped in pain and fought back, pulling her hair with one hand while clawing her arm with the other.
The women engaged in a catfight, none of them yielding to each other until Hilary and Zach came to separate them.
Without a word, Hilary even gave Clarissa a tight slap across the face.
Her gaze wasn’t that of a mother’s, but of disappointment and mostly disgust.
Hilary spun around emotionlessly and went to comfort Yvonne.
Clarissa wondered if the eyes darted at her were those of sympathy or mockery.
She fixed her hair and her clothes and walked away nonchalantly.
She found herself in a quiet corner away from the crowd, where she eventually got to her knees and broke down.
It wasn’t until the air was suddenly thick with cigarette smoke did she regain her composure.
She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. Just as she was about to leave, she saw a man leaning against the wall, smoking and looking mature and charming, as usual.
How long has he been standing there? Did he see me in that disheveled state just now?
Perhaps she had been staring at him for a long time because the man suddenly looked over.
Clarissa dragged her feet to the man who then scrutinized her from head to toe. Her cheek was swollen and unkempt in appearance.
“W-We meet again, Mr. Tyson,” she said awkwardly.
Matthew remained cool and aloof and imperturbable.
Who am I kidding? Why did I even talk to him?
“Are you that useless?” he piped up just as she was about to walk away.
“What?” Clarissa was momentarily stunned.
“Do you not know how to fight back? Are you such a coward?”
Is he mocking me?
“Well, what can I do? It was a one-versus-three situation, and one of them was my mother—my own biological mother. Are you asking me to hit my mother?” Clarissa spat with sudden fury. Tears streamed down her face as she forgot how she was nervous about him before.
Matthew watched as Clarissa cried.
“You’re pretty feisty.”
“How can I not be after what happened to me?”
Matthew’s lips curled into a smirk; his eyes fixating on Clarissa.
Oh God, was I too rude?
She eventually calmed down as fear overtook her wrath. He was her best friend’s uncle. She shouldn’t have snapped at an elder. It was plain rude.
Why is he staring at me like that? Does he think there’s a problem with me?
Clarissa maintained a safe distance, seeing that he was always on the alert. She was afraid that he would overthink, especially after their many chance encounters.
“I-I’m sorry, Mr. Tyson,” she apologized, her attitude taking a hundred-and-eighty-degree turn as she bent down and bowed respectfully.
Matthew cocked an eyebrow at her action.
“I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Are you apologizing to me?”
Clarissa bit her lip. Duh!
“What’s the point of apologizing to me? You should have used that energy to pour out your resentment to the bullies instead of losing your temper at me. Only the weak takes out their anger on someone after getting bullied.”
Having said his piece, Matthew strode away coldly, leaving Clarissa disoriented and humiliated.
Did he just mock me for being weak?
Yeah, who am I to get mad at him? I should have vented my anger at them—my so-called family—instead of him.
