“Clarisse! My baby!”
Now she was certain. She turned sharply toward the source of the voice, and there they were-her parents, smiling at her with warmth. Those smiles brought back so many cherished memories that she stood up slightly, shivering, overwhelmed by emotion. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“Mum? Dad?”
“Oh, my baby,” Hamilton called, looking at her with immense pride.
She ran to him and hugged her father, who wrapped his arms around her immediately. Her mother giggled softly, beginning to pat her hair. After a few seconds, Hamilton pulled away from the hug, his gaze softening as he looked at his daughter. But he didn’t see the joy he had expected. She didn’t look happy or excited to see them; rather, she looked relieved. His wife noticed it too and pulled Clarisse closer, rubbing her cheeks gently as they both smiled at her.
“Have you come to take me with you?” Clarisse asked, her voice tinged with desperation.
“Oh, baby!” Mrs. Hamilton sighed sadly. “No, darling, we are not here to take you with us.”
“No, Mum, you’re joking, right?” Clarisse pulled back. “You’re here to take me with you, right, Dad?” she asked, turning to her father.
“No, my daughter,” Hamilton replied softly. “We just came to see you, and we’ll be going back.”
“You guys must be joking,” Clarisse scoffed. “You’re going to leave me here to go back to that hell?”
“I can understand how you feel, my daughter,” Mrs. Hamilton said as she stepped closer, her voice soothing. “We are very proud of you for coming this far, but now, you’re in safe hands.”
Clarisse recoiled angrily, her disbelief evident as she glared at both of them.
“How could you say that?” she snapped. “In safe hands? In those monsters’ hands? You understand how I feel? You two are unbelievable! How do you understand how I feel when you’re not even in my shoes? You left me behind in this cruel world, and you never even visited me-not once. You both forsook me, and now you say you understand how I feel?” Her voice broke with pain. “Do you know how lonely and scared I am? Do you know how badly I just wished you would visit my dreams and tell me that I’d be fine? Hell, even heaven has forsaken me, and I guess they banned you two from coming or caring about your daughter!” she yelled, her voice filled with agony.
Mrs. Hamilton covered her mouth, sobbing as she watched her daughter shout in pain and frustration. Hamilton lowered his head, unable to look her in the eye.
“We are sorry, Clarisse,” he said quietly. “It wasn’t like that. We never forsook you.”
“Oh, really?” Clarisse shouted, tears streaming down her face. “You never forsook me? Then why didn’t you take me with you in the first place? Where were you when I was getting traumatized? Where were you when I was being raped? Where were you when I lost my baby?” Her voice broke with grief. “This world is so cruel and monstrous, and you left me all alone!” she cried bitterly, biting her trembling lips. “Everything was taken away from me. I’ve questioned my purpose countless times why? Why am I still alive? My dignity and pride were taken away. My joy and emotions were stolen, leaving my sanity shattered. What else remains? What else?” Clarisse cried, collapsing to the ground. She wrapped her arms around her knees, tears streaming down her face.
She felt the soft palms of her parents around her, offering comfort. “Everything is going to be fine now, everything is going to change,” they whispered soothingly.
But suddenly, she no longer felt their touch. She looked up in confusion, but they were gone.
“Mum? Dad? Dad!! Mum!” she called out desperately, but there was no response.
“Mommy.”
Clarisse turned at the sound of the tiny voice behind her. A little boy was running toward her, laughing and giggling with excitement. He hugged her leg, his laughter ringing in the air as he looked up at her.
She was confused. She stared at the adorable boy, her face streaked with tears and her nose sniffled.
“Mommy,” he called again, “Mommy?”
She was taken aback. “Why is he calling me Mommy?” she asked herself. She bent down and asked, “Have you lost your mommy?”
The little boy shook his head, giggling as he started running away. He laughed and jumped as he ran further.
“Hey, wait!” Clarisse called out, trying to stop him, but he kept running until he was out of sight.
“Why did he call me mummy…?” she murmured, still puzzled, when it suddenly dawned on her. Her eyes widened in realization. “My baby!” Without hesitation, she ran toward the direction the boy had gone, only to see him walking away with her parents.
They glanced back at her one last time and waved.
“Wait! Wait a minute!” she shouted, running toward them, but it was too late. They were gone, as swift as a flash of light.
“No, please wait!” she cried, tears streaming down her face. “Just a minute, give me just a minute. I haven’t held my baby. I haven’t told you how much I miss you. Take me with you,” she sobbed, pleading desperately. “Please…” Her voice broke as she cried, her eyes reopening to face the reality before her.
“Please…” she pleaded, tears filling her eyes as she slowly opened them. The bright room was blinding, and she groaned as she tried to adjust. She sat up, wiped her tears, and looked around.
“I had a dream,” she said to herself, “but now I’m back.” She sighed deeply, a sadness overwhelming her. She sniffled as she got off the bed, feeling strong and healthy. The bed beneath her was soft, large, and comfortable, a luxury she hadn’t felt in years. She wasn’t experiencing any aches or pains, save for the hunger gnawing at her stomach.
Looking down at herself, she noticed her clothes had been changed.
“Did he…take my dress off?” she asked, her voice soft, and walked out of the room in flip-flops. As she walked down the hallway, she passed some maids who bowed upon seeing her. Reflexively, she bowed back.
She overheard them whispering, their voices soft but unmistakable. Clarisse was used to being surrounded by maids, so the gossip didn’t surprise her, but she grew concerned when she noticed their eyes following her. They were definitely talking about her, and their stares felt odd.
She hurried to find a mirror, eventually spotting one and checking herself over. Her face was fine, nothing unusual. The only thing out of place was her messy brown hair, which wasn’t that bad. She smoothed it with her palm, muttering to herself, “Why are they all looking at me? There’s nothing wrong with my face.”
She turned away from the mirror, scanning her surroundings. No one familiar was around-no Sharon, no…
She suddenly paused. “What is his name?” she asked aloud, realizing she couldn’t remember it. She tried to recall when he had introduced himself. “Ch…Charles? Yes, Charles, but Charles what?” She frowned, lost in thought.
Just then, she bumped into an older woman. The woman smiled and bowed, and Clarisse quickly returned the gesture.
“Good morning, Mrs. Percy.”
“Good morning, Clarisse,” the woman said warmly. “Please, just call me Clarisse.”
“Very well, Miss Clarisse,” she replied with a smile. “I’m Bree, and I’ll be attending to your needs until Mr. Charles returns.”
“Thank you so much,” she said, bowing. Bree returned the bow with a smile.
“I can’t find my clothes anywhere. Do you perhaps know where they are?”
“Don’t worry, ma’am,” Bree replied, maintaining her smile as she clapped her hands twice. Within moments, a few maids pushed a clothing rack forward. Each hanger held a different dress, beautiful and expensive-looking.
“Pick your choice, ma’am.”
“Hmm, I think you’re mistaken, ma’am.”
“Call me Bree, ma’am.”
“Okay, but these are not my clothes.”
Bree and the other maids exchanged confused looks before returning their attention to the naive, innocent-looking woman before them. They wondered how to convince her to take one of the dresses.
“What about the people in the community?” Clarisse asked, “Do you think they’ll accept?”
“We think they will,” Bree responded cautiously. “Because…”
“Think?” Clarisse interrupted.
The presenter became nervous but maintained his composure, trying not to make eye contact with Christian Charles. The man’s presence commanded attention. He exuded an air of confidence and charm, his chiseled features rivaling gods. His grey eyes were piercing, capable of captivating any room he entered.
Christian wore impeccably tailored suits, a testament to his refined taste and opulent lifestyle. His stature was tall and imposing; even sitting, he exuded sophistication and success. His composure further accentuated his aura of authority, leaving no doubt that he was a supreme figure in the business world.
“They will accept,” Christian interjected. “The building we’re constructing will benefit them as well, and we’re offering a discount to the residents. We’re also providing things the community lacks and enhancing its security.”
“What if they reject the offer?” another business tycoon in the room asked.
“I’m in,” Christian said, before the presenter could respond to Kyle’s question. He flipped through the documents and began signing. The presenter and director exchanged looks of happiness, trying to contain their excitement as they watched him sign the contracts.
“You seem so sure of this project, like it’s already yours,” Kyle said irritatedly.
“It’s becoming ours the moment we sign,” Christian said, looking up. “And there’s no way the community will reject something that will help develop their area further-power sources, relaxation areas for the elders, sports centers, improved security, and resident benefits. As long as it doesn’t affect their farms and markets, there’s no way they’ll reject it,” he added, standing up before Kyle could respond.
He shook hands with the CEO to seal the agreement while Kyle sat, boiling with anger, glaring at Christian.
“Congratulations on your marriage,” Kyle said once they were out of the room and alone.
“Thank you,” Christian replied without sparing him a glance. “Wasn’t expecting you to show up for business when your marriage was just yesterday. Aren’t you supposed to be on your honeymoon?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.