Love or Hate

chapter 4

After yesterday’s encounter, Clarissa had promised herself that no matter what happened today, she wouldn’t let anything upset her. Today was going to be her , the day she took back control. She gave herself one last look in the mirror, smiling faintly at her reflection. The girl staring back looked softer somehow maybe it was hope, or maybe it was just good lighting. Her baby-blue floral dress hugged her small frame perfectly, and her silver hair her mother’s gift flowed freely down her back. With a quick swipe of pink lip gloss and a spritz of Chanel perfume, she felt ready to face the world.

The sweet smell of chocolate filled the kitchen as she baked two batches of muffins one chocolate, one vanilla. Baking had always been her therapy, the one place she felt like she could create happiness even when the world refused to give her any. She packed a few into a paper bag and set the rest neatly on the table for whoever cared to eat.

She sent a quick text to her best friend:

Risa: Just left the house.

Mel: Hallelujah! We need to celebrate 🎉🎊

Risa: Smh, very dramatic of you, drama queen.

Mel: The one and only. So where are you headed?

Risa: A café.

Mel: A very vague answer, okay 👍🏾.

Clarissa chuckled, shaking her head at her friend’s energy. She switched to call instead, lifting her phone to her ear as she stepped out through the gate.

“Waddup, my girl!” Melinda’s overly excited voice burst through the speaker, making Clarissa smile instantly.

“Hello, my baby,” she teased, earning a loud laugh on the other end.

“Well, someone’s in a good mood today.”

“Of course. I said I wouldn’t let anything ruin this day and I mean it.”

“You said you were going to a café,” Melinda hummed suspiciously. “Is it a date?”

“Pfft! As if. I’m going to get a job.”

Melinda gasped dramatically. “Ha! I believe you,” she said sarcastically, laughing so hard Clarissa had to bite her lip to keep from joining in.

“Laugh all you want,” Clarissa said, shaking her head. “You’ll see, I’ll get one today.”

“Nobody just walks into a café and gets a job, Risa. But I love your delusion,” Melinda said through her laughter.

Clarissa rolled her eyes, smiling as she crossed the street. “You’re terrible, you know that?”

“That’s why you love me. Anyway, go, get that dream café job. I’ll be here celebrating your imaginary success. Byeee!”

Clarissa ended the call, still smiling.

The café stood at the corner of the street like a pastel dream pink and chocolate-brown walls, white curtains, and a sign that read “Bella’s Café Mi casa es su casa.”

She snorted softly. If only it was really my house.

Pushing the glass door open, a soft chime rang above her head. The sweet aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. She was still admiring the decor when she accidentally bumped into someone.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there!” Clarissa said, smiling politely.

A middle-aged woman with elegant grey hair in a neat bun turned around, her warm smile erasing any trace of irritation. “Oh, it’s fine, dear. How may I help you?”

“I’m looking for a job,” Clarissa said hopefully.

The woman chuckled softly, eyes kind. “I’m sorry, hun, but we’re full. Why don’t you drop your number? If a miracle happens, I’ll call you.”

Clarissa giggled as the woman playfully tapped her nose. “Thank you, ma’am.”

She wrote her number down and handed it over, trying not to look too disappointed.

Two hours later, disappointment was her middle name.

Every café she entered gave her the same answer “We’re full.” Seven cafés, seven rejections, and a heart heavy with exhaustion. By the time she decided to head home, the morning optimism had faded into a dull ache in her chest.

Maybe she was foolish to think something good could finally happen. She quietly munches on the chocolate muffins she had packed earlier Trying to ease herself from today’s disappointment as she walks towards the gate. Her mother always told her “when you are sad a little bit of chocolate could do the trick only if you ask it.” Chuckling to herself she shakes her head softly taking a large bite.

The house was quiet too quiet.

Clarissa frowned as she pushed open the gate. The usual chatter of her stepmother Ruby’s voice or Pearl’s whining wasn’t there. Even the staff seemed to have disappeared. Her steps grew softer as she made her way into the living room, every instinct screaming that something wasn’t right.

That’s when she saw them, swallowing the large bite forcefully.

Pearl sat on the couch, trembling, clutching her mother’s hand like a lifeline. Ruby’s face was pale, her lipstick smudged, her eyes red and wide with fear.

Clarissa froze. “What… what happened?”

No one answered immediately. The sound of a phone dropping to the marble floor broke the silence. Ruby turned toward her slowly, her hands shaking as she tried to catch her breath.

“It’s your father,” she whispered hoarsely. “He...he’s gone to meet the investors again. They’re threatening to have us arrested.”

Clarissa’s heart skipped. “Arrested? For what?”

“For the money!” Pearl snapped, voice trembling but filled with venom. “Because of you, Clarissa! Because you refused to marry Mr. Roderick! If you hadn’t embarrassed him, he wouldn’t have pulled his investment now everyone else has followed!”

Clarissa’s mouth opened, but no words came out. “Pearl… I didn’t”

Ruby stood abruptly, her composure breaking. “They gave him forty-eight hours to pay back everything or face jail time. Forty-eight hours, Clarissa!” she screamed, pacing back and forth, running her fingers through her hair.

Clarissa’s heart pounded in her chest. “There must be something we can do…”

Ruby laughed bitterly. “Something we can do? You’ve done enough! The only thing that could have saved this family was that marriage, and you destroyed it.”

Tears stung Clarissa’s eyes as she took a step back. “I didn’t want to marry a man old enough to be my grandfather, I didn’t mean to ruin everything” she whispered.

“Then maybe you should’ve thought about that before ruining your father,” Pearl hissed.

Before Clarissa could respond, the sound of the front door slamming shut made everyone jump. Mr. Kevin stormed in, his face dark with fury, his tie loosened and his eyes bloodshot. He looked like a man cornered by his own mistakes.

Ruby rushed to him. “What did they say?”

“They said if I don’t pay by tomorrow, they’ll freeze every account tied to my name the house, the company, everything.” His voice was rough, almost broken. “Do you understand? We’ll lose everything.” He answered weakly.

He turned to Clarissa then, eyes blazing with resentment. “You did this,” he spat. “You destroyed everything I built.” He roars

Clarissa shook her head desperately. “No, Father, please, I didn’t”

“Shut up!” he bellowed, the veins on his neck bulging. “I gave you one chance to be useful, and you couldn’t even do that. Now look at us!”

Ruby began sobbing quietly, and Pearl folded her arms, glaring daggers at Clarissa as if every breath she took was an insult.

Clarissa felt her knees weaken. “Please, Father… tell me what I can do to fix this.”

Mr. Kevin laughed bitterly, a sound colder than the silence that followed. “You can’t fix anything. You’ve already cost us our lives.”

He turned away, collapsing onto the couch, his head in his hands. The sound of his phone buzzing again filled the air another investor, another threat. Clarissa could hear the muffled voice through the speaker:

“Mr. Kevin, the board has decided. If you can’t pay up by tomorrow, we’ll be forced to take legal action. You’ll be hearing from our lawyers.”

Her father hung up without replying.

The room was suffocating with tension and blame. Clarissa couldn’t breathe.

She wanted to say something, anything, but the lump in her throat wouldn’t let her. All she could do was stand there, clutching her bag of muffins now cold, half eaten and forgotten while her family stared at her like she was the enemy.

Outside, thunder rumbled faintly, the first drops of rain tapping against the windows like a reminder that this was reality.

Clarissa turned away, blinking back tears. No matter what happens, she told herself, I won’t cry in front of them.

But as she walked toward her room, her father’s voice stopped her cold.

“Don’t go far,” he said without looking up. “I might have found another investor one who’s interested in making a deal.”

The tone in his voice made her stomach twist. Clarissa swallowed hard, her hand gripping the stair rail.

She didn’t know it yet… but this new “deal” would change her life forever.