Chapter 20
1014 Words
Chapter 20
Clara's POV
By the time I ended the narration, we were already settled in my bedroom. Ruby had changed her clothes to a set of baggy trousers and matching shirt. Her hair was styled into a messy bun and she looked ready to murder a certain brown haired, blue eyed Alpha. This was one of the reasons I love Ruby, the fact that she'd gladly leap in to save me even if it meant she'd get hurt in the process.
"Why won't he just leave you alone?", she shook her head. "He got what he wanted, didn't he? That bird-brained little shit."
Despite my damp mood, I found a smile sneaking its way onto my face. Ruby must've caught me smiling as her taut features relaxed, replaced by amusement.
"You must just love my face."
"I do", I pinched her cheeks. "Anyways, I'm over Dominic and now focused on being a badass CEO single mother with Maxwell by my side."
"I'm glad to know you're setting your priorities right", Ruby bit her lips, busying her hands with nothing in particular while avoiding my eyes.
I knew that action. "What?"
"What what?", she blinked innocently.
"You obviously are dying to say something. Why don't you just say it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You're giving me the look", I scooted closer. "What's wrong?"
It took a few moments of internal battling and long monologues before Ruby was ready to speak and when she did, I hoped she'd rather remained silent.
"I know you're happy with Maxwell and I know you know he's a great guy."
"Why do I feel a 'but?'"
She threw me a small smile. "But, I know the depths of the love you had for Dominic. I know he hurt you and..."
"It's all so obvious, Ruby. I simply chose to walk away from a guy that rejected me, tossed me to the side like a piece of trash. What was the healthy way to go about that?", sarcasm dripped heavily from my voice.
"You're my friend and you know I will always stand by you even if the entire world is against you."
"I know that", I begrudgingly admitted.
"You and Dominic were good together, so good that I envied that kind of relationship. It was almost as if you were bound together, moving as one."
I wanted to run off in the exact opposite direction, anything to get out of this conversation. But, Ruby had me in a headlock. Her eyes were so piercing that I simply couldn't look away.
"After he broke your trust, I understood why you decided to run off, hide away from the pack. I would do the same thing. But, I will also understand if you still have feelings for Dominic."
I leapt to my feet in defense. "I don't have feelings for Dominic. Not anymore."
"You hate him."
"I do."
Her soft look slowly morphed to one resembling pity. "This hate might just be a mask of what you truly feel."
"How stupid do you think I am?", I huffed out, glaring. "What makes you believe I still harbor feelings towards the same guy that rejected me, basically pushed me out to be maltreated by his new girlfriend and then banished from his pack, knowing fully well that I have no living relative whatsoever?"
"That's not what I mean", Ruby defended.
"Of course, it isn't", I was fuming at this point, blinded by rage and I found it difficult to concentrate on anything except the boiling anger. "I'm not some broken toy that you can fix, Ruby."
"I never said you were broken."
"You sure act like it", I scoffed. "What's with the look? Why? Do you think I'd fall apart if you blink at me the wrong way?"
"It's normal to be hurt and yet still be in love."
"Bullcrap!!"
I was more shaken by the possibility that there might just be a part of myself that would forever belong to Dominic. I hated the thought of that.
"Clara..."
"What is this? An impromptu therapy session?", Ruby looked...sad and hurt. "Listen Ruby. I don't have the energy to listen to you spew nonsense. I'll just go down to the store and grab a few items for you to use. Excuse me."
"Wait."
"Maybe it's a bad idea to share a room", I avoided her hurt look. "I'll clear out the guest room."
Without waiting for any other answer, I rushed out of the house like the gates of hell were nipping at my feet. It felt relatively easier to breathe the farther I walked away from the house, yet, the dynamics of our conversation played over and over in my head.
I refused to entertain the thought of Ruby being right, although she was never really wrong and that glaring fact irked me to no end. How scary was this? In my revenge plan against Dominic, it was essential that nothing holds me back and that includes old feelings that were left unresolved.
I refused to remember that Dominic was still the father of my son and that Nico would be left with a ruined father by the time I was done dishing out my revenge.
I wanted to be the selfish one for once. But at what cost? My son?
I grabbed a few items off the shelves of the convenience store, walking robotically to the counter. By the time I returned to the house, my head was mostly cleared and the hurtful words I had uttered to Ruby hit me like a ton of bricks.
"Ruby?"
She was very much asleep, the blankets thrown haphazardly on her body. A smile snuck into my face. Trust Ruby to sleep while I beat myself up over the guilt.
I arranged the blankets before sliding in. Ruby stirred after I settled in, before her eyes slowly fluttered open.
"Hey. I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."
"Shhh", I ran a hand through her hair. "You must be exhausted. We'll talk tomorrow."
Her sleep-filled smile was all it took to dispel my worry.
- Writer
