Billionaire’s regret: You Let Me Go First

Chapter 8 Parties

Clara

I took a step forward, my jaw clenched. “Take them off. Right now.”

“Do you have to be so aggressive?” Sarah said. “It’s only a few clothes.”

I didn’t say another word, I just started dragging the clothes off Veronica.

“Let go of me.” She shrieked, scratching my face with her blood red claws as she stumbled but I held on tight.

Sarah stood at the side, trying to pull me away from her. When that didn’t work, her hand came out with so much force that my head snapped to the side.

Pain exploded in my cheek and I held a hand to it, a salty taste quickly filling my mouth. “You hit me?”

“And I’ll hit you again you filthy beast.” She said, her chest heaving up and down. “Are you trying to kill her?”

“For two years,” I said when I could find the words again. “I’ve done everything possible to please you, to be a perfect wife to Ronan but nothing I do would ever be enough for you will it?”

“Perfect wife?” She sneered. “What do you know about being a perfect wife? In the last two years, how have you helped Ronan with his business? What contracts have you helped him secure? Do you even know the basics of hosting a party?”

“I’ve never liked parties—“

“You stupid little thing,” she swore. “Did you think we host parties just for fun? Funding, contracts, relationships are gotten from those parties. And you say what? You don’t like parties?”

“Mrs Carson.” Veronica cut in. “She couldn’t have known. Clara is… different.”

“What’s going on here?” Ronan’s voice sounded from behind. His gaze found me first, then Veronica. I saw the panic in his face when he looked at her and saw her torn clothes.

His bag was on the floor the next second as he hurried to her. “What happened?”

She flinched slightly. “I-I wasn’t trying to fight with Clara, I just wanted to borrow a few clothes.”

Ronan turned to me, a deep coldness in his eyes. “You did this to her?”

“Why is she here?” I asked in return. “Staying with her in the hospital wasn’t enough?”

“She’s dying Clara.” He said, staring at me as if I was acting unreasonable for nothing. “Can’t you just let this go?”

I looked around the room, my head pounding as if it were about to burst. The butler had made himself scarce at some point and none of the maids were in sight. “I should let it go? Ronan, you brought your mistress into our matrimonial home. You let her wear my clothes.”

“Would you have preferred if I moved somewhere else with her?” He said. “Veronica needs constant care right now.”

“That’s not even—“

“Why on earth are you explaining to her?” Sarah cut in, glaring at me. “If you don’t want to live with Veronica, the door is wide open. Leave.”

Veronica looked up at Ronan, tears filling her eyes. “Ronan—“

He pulled her to his chest. “Don’t say anything. It’s not your fault.”

I stared at them, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “Does Mark know about this?”

Ronan went still, then he slowly pulled away from her and turned to me. “Are you threatening me?”

For once, I didn’t shrink back. “Is that what you heard?”

“I’m warning you, Clara,” he said. “If you cause any trouble, or you make Veronica’s condition get worse, I won’t spare you.”

It took all the strength I possessed to remain standing as I watched the man I loved look at me with nothing but hatred in his eyes because of another woman.

“Ronan.” She called softly and like clockwork, he turned to her. The coldness in his eyes melted away quickly like wax touched by fire. “I’m fine. Clara just lost her temper for a moment. Nothing’s going to happen to me.”

“Are you sure?”

She pulled him close until their foreheads touched. “Yes. And I know the perfect way to smooth things over between us.”

He turned to look at me doubtfully, then looked back to her. “What?”

“I’m thinking of hosting a dinner.”

“A dinner?” He hesitated for a second, then glanced at his watch. “I have a meeting in a few minutes. I only came back to check on you.”

She smiled brightly. “You don’t have to attend, silly. It’ll be a girls’ dinner. I’m thinking of inviting a few friends.” She looked at me. “You’ll be here right?”

“Sorry to disappoint the both of you.” I said coldly, masking the pain in my chest. “I have other things to do.”

“What other things?” Ronan narrowed his eyes at me. “It’s not like you have a job or business to take care of.”

“It’s my time.” I said. “And I’ll be the only one to decide how I spend it.”

He moved closer to me, his voice low. “As long as you’re under my roof, you’ll do what I tell you to do. Have I made myself clear?”

“You—“

“And don’t bother running to my grandfather.” He said. “He’s out of the country.”

******************************

‘A few friends’ turned out to be nothing less than twenty people. Sarah sat at the head of the table, Veronica sat beside her, constantly whispering to her and laughing while I sat almost at the end of the table. I didn’t mind it though, at least I didn’t have to see their faces up close.

One of the guests, a model who’d walked the same shows with Veronica lifted her phone and took a picture of the both of them.

“What was that for?” Veronica said, a ready smile on her lips.

“I’m sorry Vee.” The model said, smiling. “I know you said no pictures but the both of you looked so beautiful so I couldn’t help it. If I didn’t know you, I would have thought you were sisters.”

“Sisters?” Sarah laughed. “You don’t have to go so far just to make an old woman feel good.”

“I’m serious Mrs Carson.” The model said. “If possible, when the party’s over, could I get your skin care routine?”

“You silly thing.” Sarah laughed widely. She turned to Veronica. “Your friends are just as sweet as you.”

Veronica smiled back, but as soon as Sarah turned away, I saw the warning look she gave to the model. Her gaze trailed down the table for a second, then somehow landed on me as if she’d merely been pretending to look around.

“Clara,” she called and all eyes turned to me. “You’ve been quiet all evening.”

“Yes Clara,” a particularly young model with a wicked gleam in her eye echoed. “Are we not good enough company for you?”

I poured wine into my glass. “That would depend on your definition of good company.”

Her eyes widened and she glanced at Veronica before looking back at me. “What?”

I raised an eyebrow. “You really want me to repeat myself?”

Blood rushed to her cheeks. “Who are you pretending to be high and mighty for? You’re just a discarded old woman.”

The table went silent.

“What are you all staring at me for?” She continued. “Did I say anything wrong?”

Sarah sipped from her glass slowly while Veronica played around with the food on her plate, a small smile on her lips.

Seeing their nonchalance, the model got even bolder. “You don’t even deserve to sit at this table and you dare claim we aren’t good company? Aren’t you an illiterate who climbed to the position of madam by selling yourself to a man old enough to be your grandfather?”

Someone snorted, then quickly covered it up with a cough. They all stared at me, waiting to see how I’d respond, but I didn’t say anything. I just refilled my glass.

The model got even angrier when she saw that I was ignoring her. “Do you think acting like you’re elegant actually makes you elegant? A duck can never become a swan no matter how hard it—“

She gasped, along with everyone else at the table as I emptied my wine glass over her head.

When the last drop fell, I pushed my chair backwards. “You’re right. A duck can never become a swan, that’s why you’ll never amount to anything. You can’t even tell when you’re being used.”

“How dare you!” She screeched. “Do you know how much this dress cost?”

I looked at the structured cream dress that sat a little too low on her frame. “Cost? That dress is a custom Chanel piece but it doesn’t even fit you properly. You must be worried about how you’re going to explain yourself to the owner.”

“She borrowed it?” Someone whispered and the other women started leaning away from the model as if she had the plague.

“I’ll give you some advice for free.” I said, placing my glass back down on the table. “Next time you want to fight for someone, make sure it’s someone who actually gives a damn about you.”