My Wife Is A Stranger

Chapter Five - Chance

Their food arrived without them speaking with one another, both of them were dead nervous, especially Vladimir.

He wanted to talk about a lot of things about her and things, but he couldn’t because he was so starstruck, she was too beautiful for his mind to function properly.

“S-So um,” Claire decided to break the silence between them because she doesn’t want the silence to continue until they finish eating.

At least her parents will know that she tried to get along with him even if it’s awkward, “My father said you knew me from high school, but I don’t seem to recognize you,” She informed, so Vladimir flinched.

“Y-You don’t?” He curiously asked, his tone sounded solemn like she said something wrong, so she coughed.

“I-I um, yes I don’t remember you, I’m sorry, were you my classmate before?” She asked again, so Vladimir stopped before giving her a small smile.

“You probably won’t recognize me, I’m a goth back then,” He admitted, so Claire tilted her head for a moment as he took out a picture from his pockets and gave it to her.

Claire examined the picture as her eyes widened after noticing that familiar goth that she once protected from bullies back then, “Oh! You were that goth, I remember now,” She smiled before gazing at him.

“Gosh you changed too much, good for you,” She complimented, so he felt like his heart was thumping against his chest before nodding at her.

“Yes, it’s because of you, I wanted to change to be suited to be with you,” Vladimir mumbled, so she wondered for a moment.

“I am here this successful because I want to be with you, so thank you for meeting with me today, it means so much to me,” He whispered while taking a mouthful bite of his steak.

“W-Wow I didn’t know,” Claire felt guilty before clenching her fists under the table, “B-But you have to know that I’m in a relationship already,”

She doesn’t know why she has to say this to him, she wanted to be honest, he was too genuine and he doesn’t want to hurt his feelings.

“And I’m in love with him, so I wish you have to accept and understand that we should just stay as friends,” Claire firmly said before gazing at him, her eyes widened after his aura changed from gentle to something she never thought she would ever see in real life.

The murderous look that she only saw in movies, her hair stood at ends and shiver sent down to her spine after she saw that expression.

“V-Vladimir? Are you alright?” She curiously asked so he flinched before blinking his eyes, he drank from his wine before looking at Claire.

“I-I’m fine, I was just surprised to be rejected without you giving me a chance to prove myself,” He firmly said, but she shook her head at him.

“T-That’s not, I mean,” Claire let go of her utensils before resting her palms on the fancy dining table, “I don’t want you to prove yourself to me, I already made up my mind, I don’t want to give you false hope and let your efforts be undermined,”

“Because I am truly in love with Arthur,” She admitted honestly. Claire wanted to apologize for being this direct, but she has to, she doesn’t want to hurt the feelings of the goth that she helped back then.

“I can’t believe this, are you talking about Arthur Crestfallen?” He coldly asked, so Claire tilted her head at him before nodding.

“Y-Yes, that is him, how did you know him?” She curiously asked, so Vladimir lowered his head before nodding.

“Now I have to do something to rise in the ranks to prove myself, I won’t let him have you, Claire,” Vladimir mumbled, so she stopped for a moment.

“What do you mean? He already has me, Vladimir, he already has my heart and I’m willing to marry him someday,” Claire informed.

“No!” He slammed his fists on the table that surprised not just her, but everyone in the restaurant that was eating around them.

“I won’t let him have you, you’re mine,” He whispered while clenching his fists, Claire bit her inside cheeks before fixing her things.

She calmly explained her part, now he has to do his and accept it, “I have to go know for you to make up your mind, please think about it, you’re just wasting your time on me,” 

After she said those words, she stood up and thanked him for this day, and left. She burst into tears after she got inside the car.

“I’m assuming it didn’t end well?” Timothy asked while offering her a hanky, so she just sniffed before nodding at him and snatched the hanky on his hands.

“I knew him from high school, but we didn’t become close friends because we don’t see each other often, we just spoke and greeted one another if we saw each other from the hallways,” She informed him.

“How did he react?” Timothy asked while maneuvering the car on the right side, they’re almost at the mansion.

“Bad, he didn’t take it well when I admitted that I’m in love with Arthur,” She sighed before playing with her fingers.

Timothy didn't know what to say, so he just drove towards the manor and parked at the front door of the manor.

After Claire got out, Mr. Crayford descended on the porch and slapped her on her cheeks, “What did you do, Claire?!”

She was so surprised that she couldn’t face her father from that slap, her parents never raised their hands at her, so this was a first.

“Honey, don’t do that to her!” Mrs. Crayford ran down the porch and shielded herself for Claire, “You can’t hurt her just because of that! You know she’s in this mess because of our fault and Serene’s!”

“She said something that forced Vladimir to almost pull out all of the stockholders that were left in our company!” He hissed, so Claire slowly turned her head and looked at her father.

“I told him I love Arthur dad, you were right, I did know him from high school,” She informed, so all of them looked at her.

They felt bad because her cheeks were red and she was caressing it like she couldn’t believe that she gained it, “I never thought that he’ll still remember me up until this day, I tried to convince him not to do this because I really don’t want to dad, please,”

“I don’t love him, so I can’t marry him,” She cried, so Mr. Crayford scratched the back of his head before glaring at her.

“I never loved your mother even after we got married, I just learned how to as the years passed by,” He informed, which surprised her and Mrs. Crayford.

“And you could do the same as I did, you can learn to love him, what did you even see with that Arthur? He lied to you about holding a lot of businesses because he had none!” Mr. Crayford screamed, so she stopped for a moment.

“What do you mean dad? Did you…look into his background?” Claire clenched her fists, she knows that Arthur has a lot of businesses, but since it’s underground, it wouldn’t be shown on any papers in the upper.

He averted his gaze at them as Claire shook her head and ran towards her room, Mrs. Crayford approached him with a stern look on her face.

“You just learned to love me, huh? I thought we were in love before we got married,” She whispered before walking away from him.

Mr. Crayford frustratedly scratched the back of his head before looking at Timothy that was there the whole time when they were having a conversation.

“What are you looking at? Go back to your work,” He ordered and called his people, “Stop that Arthur from seeing my daughter,”

Timothy heard those statements, he immediately informed his boss about it before completely leaving the front door of the manor.

***

Days passed by and Claire just remained inside her room, they took everything from her, her phone, laptop, anything related where she could have contact with Arthur.

She couldn’t believe that her parents would do this to her, they were so nice that she never thought they would treat her like this.

They’re forcing what they want towards her and she thought it was unfair despite all that they gave to her.

Vladimir, on the other hand, kept sending her things that he thought would sweep her off her feet. Claire wanted to appreciate what he does, but that means giving him false hope, so she requested that the maids have it for themselves every time she receives a gift from Vladimir.

She would do anything for them but not give her heart to someone that knows she wouldn’t love more than what she feels at Arthur.

Despite all that, Timothy always brings her letters to her room, she found it funny since it was Arthur writing to her this time.

She found it very reminiscing every time she wrote about how she didn't know what to do and she wouldn’t want to lose him.

He always assures her that everything will be alright, that he will take good care of things, and he’ll make sure to have her for himself.

Claire was about to finish her writing inside of her room when someone tapped her shoulders, “G-Gah!” Claire almost jumped, making Karyl laugh from her reactions.

She immediately looked from behind as she clutched to her chest due to her nervousness, “Relax, it’s just me,” Karyl whispered before sitting on the edge of her bed.

“K-Karyl, how did you get here?” Claire was surprised, she didn’t inform her about being locked up inside of her house.

Karyl giggled before giving her a solemn smile, “I heard what happened from Arthur, I was worried that you were not responding to my calls and he told me everything,”

Claire bit her lower lip before playing with her fingers, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know that you’re in this kind of mess,” 

“You don’t have to be sorry, you were not the reason why I am in this,” Claire gave her a sad smile before folding the letter that she wrote before sealing it inside of an envelope.

“And I got inside of here because of Mrs. Crayford, I came here unannounced because I wanted to see you for myself, but I heard the Crayford’s isn’t allowing visitors for you, but your mom allowed me to be here to check up on you,” Karyl informed, so she just smiled.

She knows her mother was too sweet, she didn’t realize that she’d break the rules of her own husband just for her, their adopted daughter.

“Also, I heard from Arthur about you two having this sweet traditional communication with one another,” Karyl stood up and nudged her sides, “Just get married already,” She teased, making Claire laugh.

Karyl just sighed before patting her head, “I wouldn’t meet Adrian if it wasn’t for you Claire, you gave me a push to pursue him and thanks to that we’re getting married soon and you have to be my maid of honor,” She pouted.

Claire’s eyes widened, “Y-You want me to be your maid of honor? That’s like a huge role, are you sure you want to give that to me?” She asked.

Karyl just smiled before nodding at her, “Of course, you’re the only one suited for that title, and for that, you have to prepare because we're having the wedding the day after tomorrow,”

“What the next, next day? But why?” Claire tilted her head, she thought it was too soon since she heard at first that they’re going to have it by next year.

Karyl then happily smiled before caressing her stomach, “I’m almost a month pregnant girl! So we have to get married soon or else I would look fat at the wedding pictures,” She pouted, so Claire squealed because she was genuinely happy for her.

“Oh my gosh! That is amazing, you don’t look like you’re pregnant!” She exclaimed, so they hugged one another and discussed Karyl’s wedding preparation.

Karyl also told her that she’ll be asking permission for Claire to go out on her special day to Mrs. Crayford, she knows no one would decline if it's about weddings.

“Now you just have to look for some gown and take note, Arthur would be there too, actually he volunteered to help us because…” Karyl glanced around the room before leaning in to whisper into her ears.

“You’re going to elope with Arthur, we’re taking you out of here,” Karyl beamed, so her eyes widened.

“W-What do you mean?” Claire anxiously asked, so Karyl just chuckled before resting her palms on her thighs.

“Arthur loves you so much Claire, I can see that and both of you deserve one another, so Adrian and I wanted to be a part of you two getting away and this wedding would be a perfect chance for that to happen,” Karyl informed.

“Karyl,” Claire teared up before giving her a long tight hug, “Thank you, you don’t know how much this means to me,”

Karyl just smiled on her back before stroking her hair, “I know, so sit tight because we still have a wedding to prepare!” She happily cheered as she discussed their plans to Claire.

She was grateful that she is friends with them, she won’t know what she’ll do without them.

To be continued…