Revenge Or Love ✔

Chapter 42 Kyle

Kyle POV.

The next day is Sunday, and the village suddenly becomes lively.

An old man comes to knock on Clara's door. I recognize him; he is the owner of the most beautiful house in the village.

The old man extends an invitation to Clara and starts to brag to her that his daughter has found a high-paying finance job locally after graduating from school in London.

Today she came back, and he's hosting a banquet in the village, inviting everyone. He also mentions that her next goal is to find a wealthy man to marry in London.

I don't like this old man, and neither does Clara.

Clara says she has other plans and declines the invitation.

Before leaving, the old man curiously looks at me.

Our lunch is simple spaghetti. After that, Clara pours herself a glass of water and takes a few happy pills from a transparent glass bottle.

It is quiet inside, but very lively outside.

I lean against the window and watch a group of people coming in and out, including a young woman I have never seen before - she must be the old man's daughter.

The banquet lasts from noon until dusk.

As night falls, the woman comes out of the house carrying a gift and walks to Clara's place.

I'm in the yard poking bugs on the cabbage leaves when she arrives. The woman walks into the house without noticing me.

She begins to talk to Clara, "I invited you for lunch, why didn't you come?"

Clara replies, "I'm feeling a bit unwell. Enjoy yourselves. I heard your uncle's family also came?"

The woman sounds a bit impatient, "Yes, they came with a bunch of kids, almost lifted the roof off."

Then she turns to Clara again, "My dad said he saw a little boy in your house today. Are you finally working? Child care? That's good, at least it's a start, although the pay isn't high."

She pauses, then grits her teeth, "It's all because of that jerk, making you suffer like this."

She gets more agitated, "Is he insane? Do you know when I was studying in London, he actually hired people to spy on me!"

Her voice startles herself, then she adopts a soothing tone, "But it's all okay now, Clara. You can't keep living in the shadow of the past. You should move on..."

"Don't speak ill of him!" Clara suddenly interrupts.

The woman is taken aback, "What did you say?"

Clara repeats clearly, "I said your family's house was built with his money. Don't speak ill of him!" She points to the door, and motions for the woman to leave.

The woman walks out, and stands in the yard for a moment, then suddenly shouts, "Are you crazy? Has he driven you mad? Are you speaking up for him now?"

Clara shuts the door.

I continue playing with bugs in the yard. When I come back inside, Clara is drinking.

It's the first time I've seen her drink.

She pours the alcohol down her throat and finish a bottle quickly.

She puts it down and says she'll take me to visit the neighbor.

It's the same neighbor I saw on my first day in Huston Valley. She was carrying magazines and DVDs to Clara's house then, and Clara later gave her bread and oranges in return.

The neighbor opens the door, surprised to see Clara, "Are you drunk?"

Clara doesn't answer. She tells me to watch TV and pulls the neighbor aside, asking, "Did he ask you to keep an eye on me all this time?"

Her voice is not steady, intermittently reaching my ears.

"You often come to my house."

"You've given me so many medicines, claiming they're supplements, but they're actually antidepressants, right?"

"Did he give them to you?"

"Because I never told you I had depression."

"...Before I came back here, he came to see you, didn't he?"

Clara's eyes became red.

The neighbor sighs softly, and opens a bottle of wine, "Do you want more?"

It starts raining outside.

Eight o'clock is the time I'm supposed to return to New York, but Clara is enjoying her drinks, and I'm enjoying watching TV here.

When she finally realizes it, it's already half-past eight.

She abruptly stands up, grabs the umbrella the neighbor lent her, and takes my hand, rushing back home.

But Dad is at Clara's doorstep, drenched in rain.

"Where have you been?" he asks Clara anxiously.

Clara remains silent.

He panics, "I saw the light on in your house, but you weren't there... I've been looking for you in the village..."

Clara still doesn't speak.

He stays quiet for a moment, then says, "Are you drunk? Am I bothering you?"

It's only now he turns to me, "Let's go home."

He looks at me but continues talking to Clara, his tone somewhat sad, "You don't have to avoid me. If you find me annoying, I won't come for a few days."

Dad pushes me into the passenger seat.

His sleeves are still dripping with water. He lowers his head and walks around the front of the car, getting ready to sit in the driver's seat.

But in the next moment, Clara calls out to him.

"I don't think it can get any worse," she pauses, "Arthur, my life can't get any worse."

"Now that you want me to keep living, I'll bet on you one more time."

"I can't find anyone worse than you in this world, but I also can't find anyone who cares about me more than you."

The following scene is not suitable for me, as they start kissing.