My Husband Is A Stranger

Chapter Twelve - Comfort

[You what?!] Clara put a distance between herself and her phone, that was the only thing her friend had said after all that she told her.

[Wait, wait let me get this straight, you’re married today?!] Julie screamed on the other line, [I can’t take this, let’s meet up today before I leave for the night, be there at the usual spot or so help me girl!] before Clara could even say anything, the call ended.

“W-What? You didn’t even let me reply after all that I’ve said,” Clara just sighed before deciding to clean herself, there’s nothing wrong if she leaves right?

After slipping into skinny jeans and a black fitted tank top, Clara used a hoodie and mask to conceal her identity. She thought this would be enough to protect her from the outside.

She grabbed a small bag and placed a bit of money for her commute and her phone. She called a cab a while ago that’s probably going to be there any minute.

Clara also thought it would be safe for her to use that kind of transportation, after she went downstairs, she was greeted by a big man that’s wearing a suit.

“Ma’am Clara, there’s a cab waiting for you outside,” a man velvety informed, so Clara just thanked him.

“Did you inform Mr. Zaveri about this?” he added, so Clara stopped for a moment before she nodded.

“Yeah, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind, I’ll just text him, I already disguised myself,” Clara smiled even though he probably wouldn’t see it because she’s already wearing a mask.

“Alright, Ma’am Clara,” the guard escorted her out and she was surprised to see that many guards were hiding in different spots of the house.

She just shook her head, who wouldn’t want to guard a house when someone could buy a smartphone that costs more than millions? Clara brushed off the thought after she sat in the back seat of the cab.

“Oh Mr. Guard, what’s the address of the house?” Clara opened the windows of the cab and asked in relief, she almost forgot to ask that or she’ll be lost later if she goes home.

“I’m not exactly sure, I just know the codes of the house ma’am Clara,” the guard sounded apologetic, what does he mean by code? Clara thought.

“It’s okay ma’am, you can just call me again if you need to go home, I already had the address on the phone,” the cab driver politely informed, so Clara beamed at him and bowed her head.

“Thank you so much, and to Cookies and Tell please, near Langkaan,” Clara informed, so the driver just nodded as it started driving away from the house.

Clara then decided to text her husband about her meet-up when she realized that she hadn't asked for his number yet, she just shrugged and gently kept her phone inside of her bag.

She’s pretty sure that guy wouldn’t worry so much that she’ll go out for just an hour, she convinced herself and waited for her to arrive at her destination.

“Thank you again, mister! I’ll call you later,” Clara beamed after she paid and got out of the cab.

Before entering the café, Clara adjusted her hood and mask. She looked around uncomfortably because she felt like a lot of people were staring at her strangely.

A harsh grip on her right arm startled her and she was about to hit it when she noticed that it was Julie Ann, “Girl, what’s up with that appearance?” Julie Ann strangely stared at her, so Clara sighed in relief as she was pulled to the second floor of the cafe.

Luckily there was no one on the top as she decided to take off her hood and mask, “J-Julie,” Clara emotionally called her name as she started tearing up.

“Okay okay! Calm down, girl! I should be the one tearing up because you didn’t invite me to your wedding!” Julie teared up, she was wailing and captured a lot of attention inside the cafe, so Clara tried to shut her up.

“That’s what you’re worried about? I-I told you what happened right? And it isn’t a grand wedding, just signing some papers,” she frowned, so Julie Anne just shook her head at her.

“Of course, I’m just truly surprised that's all, see? I told you, your aunt isn't good news,” Julie Anne sighed in disbelief, “I-I just can’t believe that this is happening to you, you don’t deserve this,”

“W-Why didn’t you call me about this as soon as you can? I would’ve helped you, you know?” Julie Ann sounded worried and upset, “Why did you instinctively think to find another husband? Sorry, you flooded me with a lot of information a while ago that all I remember was you telling me that you’re married,” she honestly informed her.

Clara just sighed as she quietly narrated to Julie all that had happened to her yesterday. A lot of violent reactions were seen, but at least Clara finished stating her story.

“Girl! How messed up is that?! Where’s your aunt? I’m going to slap my Dior and Chanel bags at her! How could she!” Julie Ann exclaimed, so Clara just shook her head.

Julie Ann grabbed her hand to force her up and twirled her around, “A-Are you alright? D-Did somebody hurt you? We have to thank those butlers that helped you,”

Clara just smiled, Julie Ann getting worried is enough for her to comfort her well-being, “I-I’m fine, thanks to the people who helped me and most especially, my husband, for now, he’s taking good care of me,” she informed as she thought about her hunk husband.

She almost blushed just by saying those informal words, “Oh bless me girl, are you blushing?!” Julie Ann pointed out, so Clara flinched.

“N-No, I'm not,” Clara protested, but Julie Ann simply shook her head, “What's your husband's name again?” Julie Ann inquired inquisitively.

“Tristan Jay Zaveri,” she mentioned, Julie Ann’s mouth formed into a circle after what she just heard.

“You’re messing with me, aren’t you?” Julie Ann mumbled, her brows raised, but Clara confusedly shook her head.

“N-No? He is my husband,” Clara raised her hands and revealed to her friend the ring that her husband gave to her.

Julie Ann slammed her fists at her table, “W-What?!” She yelled that caused a commotion inside of the cafe again, so Clara pulled her to sit down.

“W-Why are you reacting like that? I just told you my husband’s name,” Clara scolded her, but Julie Ann shook her head in disbelief.

“Do you even know your husband?!” Julie Ann raised her voice, so Clara furrowed her eyebrows at her friend.

“Tristan Jay Zaveri is the youngest billionaire in our country! He’s like the richest among the wealthy here not just in this city, but to our whole country!” she exclaimed, so Clara’s eyes widened.

She couldn’t cope with what her friend was saying, so Julie Ann decided to search for something on her phone and revealed to her the identity of her husband.

Clara now just realized why her husband looked familiar; she had previously seen him in one of the publications she reads. She couldn't believe what she was seeing as she learned that her husband is the youngest wealthiest man in their country.

“And he’s even included among the top world’s billionaires! I couldn’t believe this, oh my god!” Julie Ann placed her hands on her forehead, acting like she couldn’t take it, “Are you sure this man is your husband?” She asked Clara one more time just to be sure, so Clara just nodded at her.

“I could take a picture with him later if you want, but I’m surprised, I didn’t know that he was that Zaveri, he’s influential,” Clara claimed before smiling.

He’s too nice to her despite his riches. Julie Ann just continued bugging Clara as they took a lot of hours just talking about her husband.

She even learned that he holds several large businesses that are very helpful also with the charities around here, she wasn’t surprised, her husband was kind enough for him to do those kinds of things.

“Gosh, I just can’t believe that he immediately just accepted you,” Julie Ann sighed while drinking her frappuccino, “Maybe I should go to that bar soon,” she suddenly blurted out, which made Clara laugh.

“If you're going to find a husband too, believe me, it’s not easy,” Clara chuckled before taking a bite on her glazed donut.

“Well whatever, I still have to go back soon since we have to be two hours early before the flight,” Julie Ann shot a glance at her G-shock watch before glancing at Clara who’s looking at the time on her phone.

“I didn’t know we talked so much that it was this late already,” they both said in unison, which made them stop and laugh.

“Sisters not by blood, but by heart,” Julie Ann symbolized a heart using her hands, so Clara just laughed at her.

“So, I have to leave now as well, are you sure you'll be alright here?” Julie Ann inquired, her hand extending out to her friend's.

Clara bit her lower lip, “I-I just hope that they’ll stop looking for me, I don’t want to trouble my husband further, he’s done so much just by marrying me,” she claimed, so Julie Ann nodded like she understood what she meant.

Clara has always been that way, she thought. Aside from the trouble she's in, she'd be more concerned about the trouble she might cause others.

But she’s pretty sure that the new husband of Clara would do anything to take good care of her, she just feels it in her gut.

“Well, it’s almost 3 PM where are you going next? Are you going home?” Julie Ann asked as they started walking downstairs.

Clara didn’t forget to wear her mask and hoodie, “I think I’ll visit them first before I go home, I’m sure they wanted to hear what happened to me,” Clara informed her, so Julie Ann just nodded.

“I’m pretty sure they would be surprised if this happened while they're still here, imagine what their reaction would be?” Julie Ann emotionally said, so Clara just smiled at her.

“This wouldn’t happen if they're here with me, anyway, I just have to go visit them for a while, I also don’t want to be home late,” Clara tried to sound positive, but Julie Ann knows she just doesn’t want to talk about it.

“Alrighty then, I’ll see you in a week, gosh maybe our flight was delayed for you,” Julie Ann assumed after they got outside, so Clara just laughed at her friend’s statement while shaking her head.

They talked for a moment as they waited for Julie Ann’s ride to arrive; it didn’t take a while when a horn disturbed their conversation.

“This is me! Call me if something happens again okay?” Julie Ann reminded her while she was standing near the cab they called for her.

“I will so leave now or they’ll scold you again for leaving,” Clara pushed her inside of the cab, so Julie Ann just pouted before smiling at her friend.

“Send me a picture okay?! That’s an order,” Julie Ann mimicked royalties in the movie marathons they watch, so Clara just laughed before nodding.

“I will now go!” Clara waved her hands with a bright smile forming on her lips. It feels nice to talk to her friend about a lot of things, she thought.

She put her hand down when she couldn't see the cab anymore as she decided to buy flowers and candles.

Clara then went to the columbarium nearby to visit her parents, the smell of a slight metallic odor and a very slight scent of incense embraced her nose as she focused her gaze on the center where her parents were placed.

“Hey there, mom, dad,” Clara greeted happily before lighting up the candle that she brought, “I’ve missed you both, sorry I didn’t visit you sooner, I just got a lot on my plate,”

She started narrating to them what happened and she didn’t notice that it took her until nightfall before she decided to leave the place.

Tears were shed, but Clara was just longing for the presence of her loving parents, “I’ll be leaving now, mom, dad, sorry if I married this early, I’m sure you would understand my reasons up there,” she sniffed before blowing the candles.

Clara wore her mask and hood as she decided to leave the place, she fished out her phone inside of her pockets and called the cab.

She looked at the time when the call ended and saw that it was almost 9 p.m. She just sighed since she hadn't realized she'd been staying too late with her parents. She expected her husband to be eating dinner by now, but she wasn't home to prepare it.

“I’ll just cook for him when I get home,” Clara beamed since she also thought she didn’t know if her husband was already home after work.

The cab arrived and she immediately buckled herself in on the inside, “You know my address right, sir?” Clara politely asked at the backseat, so the kind driver just nodded.

“Yes ma’am, you can relax over there until we arrive,” Clara then just nodded and waited until she got home.

After an hour, she got out of the cab, paid for her transportation, and looked from the outside of the house. Clara didn’t take a good look at the place because she was asleep when she was taken inside.

The walls were painted black, but the borders of the slightly arched windows and the corners of the roof were painted white, and the color of the doors was gold, making it visually appealing.

“Where the hell is my wife?!” A terrifying booming voice was to be heard from the inside, so Clara’s eyes widened as she decided to run to check what was wrong.

To be continued…