Chapter 37 Don’t Want Him to Think of Me Like That
Clara soon flushed scarlet.
Horace was obviously talking about her.
He had been like a half-stranger to her, so of course any intimacies with him still made her blush.
Meanwhile, Darren immediately gave Clara a cocky look as he heard what Horace had said.
He had expected her to feel uncomfortable at hearing the nice things Horace had said about his wife, only to find her lowering her head, face flushed, and taking notes awkwardly.
Darren frowned and continued to asked, “So an innocent and nice woman like auntie is really your type, right, Uncle?”
Horace gave him a faint smile, without denying.
Darren wouldn’t give up and continued, “Sure, who wouldn’t fall for a woman who is angelically nice and pure, unlike those who play the field and date you because of your money. Beware of such a woman.”
Clara, who had been bashful about Horace’s words, frowned at Darren’s remark.
It was a plain sideswipe at her.
Ever since they had met each other again, Darren had always been talking to her like that, but somehow, she felt irritated by how he described her in front of Horace.
“What does that supposed to mean, Darren?” Enough with the tolerance for Darren, she looked right up at him, and asked him bluntly.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .
Darren sniffed. “So, finally snap, huh, Clara?”
Actually, Clara herself had no idea why she was so mad.
Maybe it was just because she didn’t want Horace to have any misunderstandings about her. She didn’t want the man who had told her that he trusted her to think of her as a gold-digger too.
“I just think you should be responsible for what you say,” said Clara curtly.
“Responsible? Huh.” Darren sniffed and stopped bothering himself to be implicit, “You don’t really think you can keep up with your acts as a pure angel in front of my uncle, right? Well, let me tell you, I have already shown him those filthy pictures of you, so are you still-”
“Enough!”
Horace cut him off sharply.
Clara’s face turned ashy.
What?
Horace had seen those pictures?
Seeing her pale face, Darren felt in his heart a twitch, but also whoops.
“So, you are not actually trying to put on this act in front of my uncle, are you?” Darren laughed cruelly. “About your marriage, don’t tell me you didn’t even-”
“Darren, I said enough,” Horace repeated, in a warning tone. Darren’s face paled. He turned to him.
But Horace, who was staring at the pale Clara, didn’t look at him.
“Uncle, I-” Without relenting, Darren intended to say something, when suddenly, Horace rested his eyes upon him.
How creeping those looks were!
As sharp as a blade, sending a chill down his spine with only one look.
“Darren Kirkland,” Horace called his full name in a slow and deep voice, sounding formidable, “Don’t push it.”
Darren’s face paled while he felt reluctant to admit the fear deep down, “Uncle, no matter what, we are family. she is just a stranger-”
“Darren Kirkland,” He was again ruthlessly interrupted by Horace, “Do not cross the line again. You should know that among we Kirklands, we’re enemies against each other.”
Darren was startled by the directness of his remark. He gave another look at his frosty eyes, frightened with a cold sweat.
His father was right. Although Horace was in a wheelchair, this uncle of his was a tough nut.
Seeing that Horace had gone so far to defend her, though feeling unwilling to reconcile, he dared not to go further, so he hung his head and said instead, “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Then let’s call it a day,” Horace ordered a banishment expressionlessly, “You may go first. As for Clara, I’ll take her home.”
Clara?
The natural and affectionate way he called her stung Darren’s heart like a thorn.
And he was to take her home?
That was so blatant of him, wasn’t he afraid to be seen by her husband?
Darren, however, daring not to say another word, bit his lip, got up and walked out of his office alone.
There left Horace and Clara in the office, reigned by a deathly silence.
“Clara,” Finally, after staring at the paleness on her face, Horace twitched his eyebrows, rose and came to her, whispering, “Are you alright?”
Clara then came to herself, raised her eyes and looked at Horace. She asked in a shivering voice, “Have you seen those photos?”
She finally realized that why Horace had been acting so weird the day before. He first asked her to change her job and then kissed her. It all turned out to be about those pictures.
Clara felt so shamed thinking of them that she couldn’t face him and instead turned her eyes away.
But Horace stopped her by pinching her chin with his fingers and forced her to look into his eyes.
“Clara Selman,” he said in a deep voice, “Do not look away from me.”
After a pause, he continued, “I saw those pictures. Someone must have installed a pinhole camera in your hotel room two years ago.”
Actually, Clara herself had thought of that, so she nodded. After remaining silent for a while, she pursed her lips and said, “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what?” Horace’s voice was much deeper.
“Those photos must have discomfited you.” Clara’s voice was ever lower, so was her head.
She looked as pale as a piece of paper, with tears slightly shaking on her eyelashes. Horace felt his heart captured by something, aching.
Damn it.
What kind of feelings were those? He had never even felt anything like that for Laura ten years before.
His hand cupping her chin moved, forcing her to raise her head and look up into his eyes.
“Remember, Clara.” He looked right into her eyes. “Never apologize for something that’s not your fault.”
Clara felt a shiver through her shoulders. Lost to the determination in the man’s eyes, she didn’t nod until after some while.
While they were in the lift, Clara suddenly remembered something and after hesitating for a while, she finally asked carefully, “Horace, after you saw those pictures, did you ever think maybe they weren’t taken two years ago during that incident but some other time?”
Just like Darren who presumed as a matter of course that these photos of her and the other man were taken recently.
“Why would I think that?” Horace said with a impassive look in his eyes, “Two years ago, it was the only time you had sex, I guess?”