My Husband Is A Stranger

Chapter One - Found

Clara was swiftly pacing towards the fancy hotel where her aunt texted her that she'll be fetching her there. She couldn't believe that she wasn't alone in this world.

She knew from the moment her parents died after she graduated from college that she would be alone, her parents always told her that they're the only ones that bear this surname, she doesn't have cousins, aunts, or any other relatives that would join her in mourning.

But they were wrong, she received a message from someone yesterday claiming that she's her aunt and she believed it after searching up her name online.

Serene Crayford, a female billionaire that owns hundreds of businesses around their business tycoon country. She also didn't have any luck finding jobs and got dependent on the money that her parents left for her.

Clara knew that money wouldn't last, so she had to look for jobs, in which her aunt offered her something that might help her.

She was overjoyed, the thought of having a relative excites her, will she gain cousins too? Her thought flew again somewhere and instantly came back after she entered that fancy hotel.

Her eyes feasted on the shiny chandelier placed on the top center of the lobby as she saw numerous people wearing pandora shades while striding confidently on the hallways holding their Chanel bags with white gloves.

"Are those people for real?" she talked to herself as she decided to go to the receptionist of this hotel. She felt giddy observing the whole palace because it looks like this hotel was created for rich people only.

She halted her walk after she arrived at that huge front desk that's filled with women and men dressed in expensive formal attire. They didn't notice her as they kept on giving keys to people that were requesting their rooms.

"Um, excuse me," she coughed, calling their attention, those people on the front desk shot her with those judgemental stares while waiting for her to talk, "W-Where should I wait for Ms. Serene Crayford?"

They furrowed their eyebrows at her before checking on their list, "What's your name?" the woman coldly asked without looking at her. She felt extremely nervous because she feels like they're pissed off for taking their precious time serving other people.

"C-Clara, Clara Crayford Crest," she politely replied, so they looked up her name and stopped when they probably saw it.

The woman, who's probably the main receptionist, sweetly smiled at her. Clara was highly surprised at how fast her mood changed.

"My apologies for our rude demeanor, you're her niece, right? You should wait in the main lobby, madame Serene would be here any moment," the woman pointed at the huge sofas in the center of the lobby, so she just nodded and proceeded over there.

Clara couldn't help notice how the guards and staff shot her glares like she doesn't belong here. She felt embarrassed after realizing that she's wearing such simple casual clothes.

She was wearing tight skinny jeans and a black crop top comfortable enough for her liking, the white sneakers that had a slight smudge of dirt helped to make her look complete.

At least she was dressed decently, it was just not enough for the people that she's been seeing in the lobby.

She comfortably sat on the sofa, it was very different from the sofa she has at her home, it was soft and even the fabric that's covering the foam was expensive-looking.

The eyes of numerous people were looking at Clara in the lobby. She kept her head low because she didn't know what to do as she was ordered to wait here.

"Clara, my dear, is that you?" Clara flinched after hearing that slightly high-pitched voice, she turned her back to check who it was and her eyes widened after seeing such a beautiful sophisticated woman in her mid30.

Clara immediately noticed her hat, it's called the Chapeau d'Amour, it's the most expensive hat that was created in the whole world, that costs like 2.7 million each. Her watch was a Breguet Grende Complication Marie Antoniette, which she knew cost about 30 million.

She knew a lot about these things because her mother and father had been keeping luxury magazines at home. She knows all about what rich people wear.

Like everyone else she saw a while ago, her aunt was also wearing a glove while holding her latest Louis Vuitton handbag. Her look was perfect as she wore an expensive-looking satin dress and 6-inch silver tanzanite heels that cost like two million per pair.

Clara thought what her aunt was wearing could help her life until the day she died, she's like a walking million-dollar bill.

"A-Aunt Serene?" she stood up and waved at her, unsure if that was the right gesture for her to greet her.

Her aunt took off her Bulgari Floral sunglasses before giving her a light smile, "You look exactly like your mother," her aunt greeted Clara, not noticing how bitter her aunt sounds.

Clara was highly surprised that her aunt recognized her mother from her, "Y-You knew my mom?" she beamed. Clara was in high spirits.

"Of course, I wouldn't forget that our dear father adopted her," her aunt gave her a small timid smile, even her bright red lipstick looked expensive.

"I-I didn't know my mother was adopted," Clara bit her lower lip before looking at her aunt that just gracefully sat down right beside her. She felt intimidated being close to a walking million-dollar bill.

"Yes, didn't she tell you? She ran away from our house after hearing that she'd be marrying off to someone she doesn't love," her aunt sounded highly disappointed, so Clara furrowed her eyebrows.

Her mom ran away from home because she didn't want to be in an arranged marriage? Why didn't she tell her that?

And why is she hearing this just now? Her mom has a step-sister? She was so lost in thoughts when her aunt noticed what she was wearing.

"My goodness, what are you wearing dear? Did you buy that on a garage sale?" her aunt exclaimed, so she felt anxious at what she was wearing. Garage sale? Are there clothes being marketed like that?

"U-Um no, my mom bought this from a department store at the K-Mall," Clara shyly explained. Serene immediately shook her head as she fished out her phone in her bag.

"This is Crayford, yes...I would like to book an appointment right now...that’s good to hear, we'll be there in ten so quickly clean up the whole place," her aunt tapped her phone before glancing at her.

"Come with me, let's get you changed into a more..." Clara's aunt gazed at her from head to toe, for a moment there was a hint of disgust in her hazelnut eyes, "Decent clothing," she smiled at her niece before standing up gracefully.

Clara wondered for a moment before looking at her clothes, she was not naked yet she still needed to find decent clothing.

After she followed her aunt, Clara was surprised at how many guards a person needs. Her aunt has like ten waiting for her outside the hotel, why does her aunt needs that many guards? She thought but didn't bother to ask.

Her aunt’s guards are standing near a Ferrari Monza, it’s the first time she has seen such an expensive car and there are freaking two of them right in front of her. She thought maybe billionaires must have guards.

Even though Clara wanted to ask where they were going, she couldn’t bring herself because she doesn’t want to embarrass herself in front of these people beside her. They’re wearing much more expensive clothes compared to what she’s wearing.

“Clara dear, walk faster,” her aunt sounded like she’s about to lose her patience, so she fastened up her pace.

“Where exactly are we going, aunty?” Clara stared at the guards around them. They're wearing formal attire with that strange necktie that she thought looks familiar.

“To my salon, let’s give you a makeover so people will not mistake you as my maid,” her aunt replied while wearing her expensive shades.

Clara had no other choice, but to lower her head as the guards opened the door of the car for her, “Thank you,” she shyly replied before looking at the guards who were just smiling at her.

“Our pleasure,” after the guards said those words, they gently closed the door of the car and proceeded to the other car behind their backs.

“Are you wondering why I have so many guards?” her aunt’s question captured her attention, so she immediately shook her head.

“No aunty, I’m guessing you need protection because you own so many businesses,” Clara confidently claimed, so her aunt laughed indecently.

“Oh dear no, it’s just a show-off for people to fear and look up to you,” she tilted her head at her aunt who grabbed a glass of wine near the compartment of the car. Her aunt’s mindset is starting to bother her.

She remained quiet the whole ride unless her aunt asked some basic questions, she didn’t know what to say. Clara was just ultimately surprised at the news that she wasn’t alone in the city of Dasmariñas, Cavite.

It didn’t take them a while to arrive at the salon her aunt was talking about, the whole place sticks out like a sore thumb in the middle of many expensive boutiques. The walls outside we’re red and black in color as well as the tiles inside.

The interior design and the furniture inside look breathtaking too and Clara knows that’s more expensive in every piece of furniture she has inside her apartment.

“Oh dear come in, let’s get you started changing into some clothes and fix your appearance,” her aunt invited before entering the place.

Clara bit her lower lip before exhaling out a lungful of air before deciding to follow her aunt inside of that mansion-looking salon, she wasn’t that type of girl that goes out a lot or even fixes herself.

She would love to read, study, and bond with her parents rather than partying every Tuesday after school. Clara regretted it because she didn’t gain any other friends aside from her best friend, Julie Ann Rose. the only woman who comforted her the time her parents died.

“Oh um, aunty, do you want to visit my mother and father’s grave?” she solemnly asked, so her aunt just looked at her with disgust that she didn’t notice.

“Dear, let’s talk about that later because for now...you need to have a makeover,” her aunt winked at her before talking to some people.

After her aunt pushed her to those people, they started fixing her hair, did her mani-pedis, and of course her face.

Her aunt did the same on the side while reading some magazines. Clara didn’t know what to do so she just waited until those people finished what they’re doing.

“So what makeup does she need? She already looks gorgeous without it,” the people of her aunt whispered while staring at Clara.

Clara is just a simple girl that looks breathtaking even without makeovers, her lustrous fawn-colored hair that falls perfectly behind her back was straight and wavy on the tips, her face is a combination of soft and sharp edges, her lips were plumped and were ripe as peach, her sky blue eyes and her long eyelashes captivated almost half of the men inside of the salon that’s waiting for their women.

Even the gay who was helping her to be more glam straightened up for a moment before coughing, “Excuse me, Ms. Clara, but do you have any preference on your makeup?” he asked while gulping, no one could take their eyes off her.

Clara suddenly bit her lip because she doesn’t know a single thing about these kinds of things, “U-Um I’m fine with makeup that’s not over the top,” she shyly smiled.

“Natural it is,” he called his team as they started working on her face, it didn’t take them a while to finish as they escorted her inside a huge fitting room.

“Um what am I doing here exactly?” she curiously asked, but the two ladies in their flashy uniforms just smiled at her as they had decided to choose what dress, heels, and accessories might suit her.

Clara didn’t know what’s happening, but all she knows right now is that she will never do this again in her entire life. At least that’s what she thought she might do forever.

“Madame, she’s done,” Clara heard those two ladies who forced her to wear such expensive clothes happily announcing that outside, she thought that they're probably talking to her aunt.

“Alright, you may let her out,” Serene sparingly replied as they opened the curtains for Clara. She slowly gets out as she tries to find ways to get used to the silver heels she was wearing.

A lot of eyes looked in Clara’s way as she shyly smiled at everyone who just stared at her intently as they clapped their hands. She never felt so embarrassed with what she’s wearing.

She’s wearing a black satin dress that is backless and hugs all of her curves. Clara never thought that this type of dress was so uncomfortable. ‘How can ladies in movies wear this confidently?’ She wondered.

Her diamond accessories from head to toe made her look even more elegant together with the silver heels that those two ladies chose for her.

Clara glanced at her aunt who just gave her a small smile before standing up as she walked towards her niece.

Serene offered her hands with gloves to her niece because she knew that she was already clean from the cheap things that the city markets sell, “Now you look so much better, we better head out and take a tour to all of my businesses,” her aunt smiled, so Clara just nodded her head at her.

She wasn't happy with the makeover she gave to her niece, she was over the moon because the plan is working smoothly as she predicted it to be.

To be continued…