Revenge Or Love ✔

Chapter 19 Clara

Clara POV.

I have thought in advance about where I should go. The farther, the better. I'll go to the border first, then to Mexico.

But just as I arrive from the suburban villa to the city center, I see Mr. Smith. He is from the same hometown as me, running a pork shop in the Hudson Valley, delivering goods to the city.

He greets me warmly when he sees me, saying it's been a long time and I haven't changed much.

I am also excited, and in that instant, I change my mind and ask if he can give me a ride home.

He immediately agrees.

We chat in the truck. He tells me his business is doing well now; he owns his own farm now, not just for pigs, but also for cows. He also mentions Giulia, saying she has made a lot of money in the city and renovated their house.

In just a few months?

I'm skeptical, but when I return to the village, I find the neighboring house, which used to be as rundown as mine, suddenly looking bright and shiny.

So I can't help but knock on the door.

Giulia's father opens it; his wife passed away many years ago, leaving him single. But now, there's a beautiful young woman standing behind him.

They invite me in and offer me coffee. While waiting for the coffee, I look around and notice all the furniture is brand new, and there are even luxury items on the table.

Giulia's father sits across from me and starts bragging: "Giulia is doing very well now. She received help from kind people in the city for her surgery, and now she's in college, sending back a lot of money to me."

"People in the town used to avoid us, but now they come to me for loans. Giulia is a girl, but she's more capable than her brother."

Suddenly, it feels like the days of hiding from debt with Giulia are like a dream.

I should be happy about this, but looking at the new house and my deceased husband's father bringing home a new wife, I can't say anything.

I quickly finish my coffee, bid farewell, and return to my old house. I search for cash and change, then get ready to leave.

Going home was an impromptu idea; the longer I stay here, the more dangerous it gets. Who knows when Arthur will come after me.

But before leaving, a photo frame on the hallway cabinet catches my eye. Inside, there's a picture of me, Henry, and Giulia. The three of us grew up together, smiling happily in the photo. I dust off the frame and think, since I'm already back, it's necessary to go see Henry.

Then I buy a bottle of wine and go talk to him at his grave.

But then, Arthur suddenly appears.

He's wearing a cashmere coat, looking like a model on a runway, completely out of place in the rural surroundings. His bodyguards follow his instructions, shoveling the soil off Henry's grave.

He also says to me, "You can choose not to come out, but I will start digging this grave now! If you really won't come out, you can hide there and watch me dig up his ashes!"

It's raining, and all I hear is his voice and the sound of heavy rain pounding the treetops and the ground.

"Aren't you supposed to love him very much?... Can you bear to watch his ashes dug up and not find peace even in death?..."

Those people work efficiently, and soon, they open Henry's grave. Arthur waves for them to step aside, then squats down to pick up the urn.

"Stop."

I finally can't bear it anymore. I endure the pain in my legs and walk back up the hill, leaning against a tree, breathing heavily. The rain soaks my clothes, sticking them to my body.

Arthur chuckles lightly, the sound echoing eerily in front of the rain-soaked graves.

Every step he takes towards me, I instinctively take one step back. Finally, my back presses against a tree trunk, and Arthur slowly stands in front of me. His eyes don't blink as he stares at me for a long time, as if trying to kill me with his gaze.

The frequency of my trembling increases.

When I'm almost about to collapse, I finally hear him say, "—Clara, I didn't know you were a drinker."

I swallow and raise my eyes, "I've been drinking. I used to save money for Giulia's treatment, so I quit."

As soon as I finish, Arthur raises his hand. I think he's going to slap me, but he just reaches out and straightens my rain-soaked hair.

At this moment, the frozen air seems to split open.

Arthur slowly smiles, but there's no hint of kindness in his eyes as he stares at me. "You're so stupid, you don't even have a creative way to escape."

Then he moves closer to me.

I clench my fists, restraining the urge to run away.

I meet his gaze, "Mr. Arthur, don't go too far. I don't owe you anything!"

And he laughs. "Is that so? What about Giulia?"

"I not only paid her $400,000 for medical expenses, but also $300,000 for her college, plus the money she sends home."

He pauses, then continues, "Do you want me to take back that money too? Do you want me to go to her school to find her? Or directly to her father's house and smash all those expensive furniture?"

I look at his indifferent face, almost wanting to bite him to death with my teeth.

That's just how he is. He always finds various ways to make me face reality, to make me understand that I'll always be struggling in the palm of his hand.

Just like a few minutes ago, he almost dug up Henry's urn.

As long as he wants, Giulia, who just regained her health, will be reduced to nothing, living a life of hiding from debt like sewer rats.

I gasp for breath, unable to make any sound.

And Arthur directly grabs my arm and takes me away. His bodyguards hold umbrellas as they follow him, the rain pattering loudly on the umbrella surface.

Arthur's luxury car is waiting downhill, followed by five black cars.

As we arrive, another eye-catching bright yellow sports car suddenly appears, and Lucas gets out of the car.

He looks at me, then at Arthur, with a gossipy expression, "What's going on? you're making such a big fuss just to catch a woman?"

Arthur doesn't answer, just shoves me into the back seat of his car. Villagers crowd along the sides of the road to watch the show.

Lucas's expression becomes even more excited, "Arthur, with such a good show, you didn't even notify me in advance!"

Then he sits back in his sports car, opens the window, and elongates his voice to bid farewell to the villagers.

And thus, this farce comes to an end.

I sit in the car with Arthur, and outside thunder rumbles. The rain gets heavier, pounding heavily on the car body and windows.

I try to move my body as far away from him as possible.

When we arrive home, the mansion is brightly lit, and everyone is still awake. Arthur pulls my arm tight and drags me in after the butler reaches out to take Arthur's rain-soaked cashmere coat.