Billionaire Toxic Love

CHAPTER 19

“Claire, how are you doing currently?” Joshua's voice echoed deeply over the phone.

“Well, I'd have been great a few minutes ago if only you hadn't used your phone to hinder my gracious slumber” Claire replied.

They both laughed. Claire intended laughter, as she was trying to be humorous. She was rewarded, lol.

“For your slumber to be gracious, I guess everything went well?” Joshua asked, with a deep concern evident in his tone of voice.

“Yes it did, Joshua.”

“Well, congrats, I was worried about you Claire.”

“Worried…?” Claire asked, stressing the word with a laugh.

“So I can't be worried about my love again”

“Joshua, hope you know that your love is getting married to your best friend soon.”

“Don't worry Claire, you don't need to invite me to your wedding. Richard has already invited me.”

“Which planet are you from, Sirr?” Claire said with another laughter. She had been laughing a lot during the phone conversation with Joshua and if only happiness came with a fine, she would've been in huge debt.

“Why would I ask you an important question, and you answer a different thing?... Ehn Joshua?”

“I guess it's because I want to see you tonight, but don't know how to ask you regarding the events today.”

“And here he is again, giving a totally different answer to what was being asked” Claire began laughing again, but this time she suddenly stopped. It was like an inspiration or realization had dropped into her, “wait…what? Meet tonight? After the near escape we had a few hours ago?”

“Who do you take me for Joshua?” Disappointment in Claire's voice as she said that. It was like those last words Joshua said had turned on a switch in her head.

She felt disappointed and couldn't keep the call any longer, so she abruptly cut off the phone call at that moment, not even awaiting Joshua's response to her unending questions.

“Does he view me as his human s*x object?…” Claire hissed annoyingly. It was clear she was hurt.

“I thought he called me to inquire how I fared out with Richard, or at least even how I'm feeling”. Claire switched off her phone immediately to prevent further calls that moment and went back to her bed to lay down.

“Instead he's calling me to know when he'll meet me next, so he can f**k again. Very disappointing”, Claire held her chest with her hands and closed her eyes in an attempt for the sleep to come back to her again. It was clearly evident that the call hurt her deeply.

*****

“Mom, this isn't what we agreed on. You told me you were coming back from Paris next month. Why tomorrow suddenly?” Richard asked Mary, his birth mother, over the phone. His teeth grinned in anger and his pace disoriented. It was obvious that he wasn't pleased with his mom coming back the next day.

Mary and Anthony had been in Paris for over two years now. They are the CEOs of the biggest commerce company in Paris that deals with the exportation and importation of raw materials into Paris. They were extremely wealthy.

If only Richard hadn't insisted on building his own wealth. He would have been the perfect son. Richard didn't have a good relationship with his parents because of this sole reason. Why?..

Richard always wanted control and to be in power over everything and not have anyone telling him what and what not to do.

So he took a couple of his father's shares by right and traveled to America against the will of his parents. It was in America he multiplied his riches by a thousand-fold by investing in real estate and building up his own company.

Due to the fact he acted out of the will of his parents, Anthony swore never to visit his son or acknowledge his prosperity. Too bad Richard was the only son he had, and lately age hasn't been on his side.

Since then, Mary had been the intermediate peacemaker between her son and her husband. She knew Anthony wasn't getting any younger, and he needed someone to take over his company and properties, else the prying eyes of their staff employees would prevail.

Mary had been trying to get Anthony and Richard to meet up as father and son, all to no avail, for the past two years. It wasn't until they heard on the internet that their son would be getting married soon.

It was a golden opportunity and Mary couldn't waste it. Anthony had morals, so he wouldn't dare miss going to see his to-be daughter-in-law to his only son. It was the perfect excuse to get them both back on talking terms and Mary couldn't wait another single day to finally arrange their flight back to America tomorrow. She knew her son, before she'd probably hear he isn't engaged anymore.

“As I've told you, son, your father has an important business contract to attend to at that time, so he wouldn't be chanced” Mary then paused, she knew she was lying and also knew Richard knew what she just told him was a lie. Richard didn't speak up when she paused. Disappointed at that, she continued speaking, finding soothing words to dissolve the case.

“And you know how duty oriented your father is, he can't be comfortable knowing he's having a vacation with his beloved son and his business is in complete need of his presence in another country.”

“Please mom, don't ever refer to me as dad's beloved son again. You of all people know he has disowned me decades ago”, Richard rudely interrupted his mom. Richard was a hard man, no doubt, but till now, the issue he had with his dad still pains him.

Probably that's the reason for his cold-hearted nature towards people.

“Listen to yourself talk, Richard. Deep down you know your father loves you, and he did what he did out of emotions, not hatred.”

“Please spare me Mom, I don't want to hear any more of your preaching about sweet saint best dad to me”, Richard said with disgust, interrupting his mom once again.

“How many times have I told you I don't like it when you interrupt my talk on important matters, Richard? Can't you…”

“So when is discussing or preaching to me about Anthony turning to something important, mom? Richard interrupted Mary another time. He wasn't in the mood to listen to another tale of how his supposed dad didn't intend doing what he had done but only acted on an angry impulse. ‘Lie’ he called it.

“Mom, mom, mom… are you still there”, Richard realized his mom's voice over the once turned silent. He removes the phone from his ear to his eyes only to see his mother had hung up on him, and it was probably his last interruption that caused it.

“Why is mom always like this?… sometimes I wonder between her and dad, who has anger issues the more” Richard said aloud in disappointment. He was in the mood of arguing more with Mary, insulting Anthony the more, and she denied him the pleasure.

“I guess I finally know where you inherited all your anger and stone-minded heart from” Claire voiced out calmly as she stepped out from behind the door towards the living room where Richard sat.