378 Down With An Illness
After the mother and son-in-law exchanged pleasantries with a cold tone, they sat down in awkward silence. Clara tried her best to make the environment lively but there was only so much that she could do when it was quite obvious that none of them appreciated the effort. So she shut up her mouth in no time and let everything be.
It was like sitting in a cold, quiet cemetery and while Marcel seemed to always have a message on his phone he had to reply while her mother was busy with the staff who had one or two questions about the arrangement, Clara was left all alone.
The girl placed her hands on her lap nervously and then intertwined them together to stay strong. This was not the dinner she envisioned nor the way she wanted it to be. It seems that everything she envisioned never seems to happen whenever Marcel was around.
They were supposed to portray the image of a loving couple but he was busy with his phone, what mother would believe that they were together. Although they were seated close to each other, there was nothing but distance as high as Mountain Everest between them.
Hence she drew closer to him such that their thighs were rubbing and leaned over his shoulder saying, “What are you busy with?” and tried to peek at his phone.
But Marcel was quick to close the app and glared at her immediately, why was she invading his privacy? They were not close enough for that.
However, Clara pinching his arm reminded him of their deal, no, her blackmail, and Marcel tried to smile, but that turned into a grimace instead. Yet he managed to say to her, “Business,”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtClara pouted her lips like a young bride aggrieved with her husband’s neglect of her, “Seriously? It’s always business with you. But don’t worry, once we’re married, I’ll make sure you get the rest you deserve and I know many ways to give you the rest your body needs,” She said insinuatingly to her mother’s hearing.
Marcel felt like throwing up, no, he felt bugs crawling all over his body and he was tempted to toss Clara as far away from him as possible. But the woman was here and she was watching them, no, him to be precise, gauging and studying his reaction.
.....
What has he gotten himself into with these two women? At least, if Clara had half the brain like her mother, she would know better and stay away from him.
Before Clara could continue with her puke-inducing act, Daina was the one that spoke this time, “Where is your father, Marcel? Or did he take this dinner as a joke as well?” she asked with all seriousness.
And It was at that moment that Marcel realized that his father was running late and it wasn’t like him. The man took his time seriously, not to mention that Arianna and the rest of them must have arrived at his home already.
Damn.
What was going on, Marcel became uncomfortable with what was going on.
“I would call him,” Clara offered to do the favor and was on her feet already before her mother could stop her.
It was Marcel’s duty to call his father, not Clara else that would make her seem desperate – for this marriage to work. And Diana made him know that by glaring at him further.
Sadly for her, even Marcel didn’t have his father’s number stored in his phone – because he had the evil man’s number in his head instead and wished to erase it forever.
With Clara gone to call the father-in-law of the year – note the sarcasm – it was just Marcel and his mother-in-law, and she didn’t talk to him which made Marcel begin to wonder what he did wrong.
Sure, he didn’t show much interest in her daughter and she knew from the start that this was an arranged marriage, so why look at him that way like he committed a terrible sin against her.
But before she could bore a hole in his head, Clara thankfully returned to save the day. However, the look on her face made Marcel highly uncomfortable. Clara should be over the moon after speaking with his father, but that wasn’t the case, she was nervous.
That couldn’t be bad news, right?
“It seems that we might have to reschedule the dinner for another day. Daniel is not feeling well and is having a bed rest.”
At once, Marcel shot up to his feet and both women looked at him in concern, thinking that he was worried about his father. If only they knew that it was someone else that he was worried about.
Arianna.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAnd she must have arrived there already.
Oh, God.
Marcel’s blood ran cold.
He had to get to his father’s place at once.
“Marcel! Are you alright?” Clara asked in concern when she saw him scrambling for his things on the seat.
He must be worried for his father which was a surprising development – he hated his father. But then, it seems that even in the face of death, hate cannot stand. Marcel must have realized what his father meant to him all this while.
Marcel’s brows were furrowed, lips set on a thin line as he took his phone and key, “I need to get....” And then he looked up, his eyes slightly widening as an idea hit him and his body language changed instantly.
He asked Clara immediately, “Certainly, you wouldn’t mind coming with me to visit my father who is suddenly down with an illness?”
Marcel knew that coming to his father’s place all of a sudden would be deemed suspicious. However, if he had Clara by his side, the man wouldn’t suspect a thing. Instead, he would think she dragged him along and was trying to make a good man out of him – and that it was working.
At the same time, asking her to come with him would please Clara who thinks he’s going along with the act, and her mother, who finally thinks he’s warming up to her daughter. So yeah, it’s a massive win for him.
“Sure!” Clara answered, stunned by his sudden offer, “I would go with you... and see my sick father-in-law,” She said in such a way her mother wouldn’t have any protest. And Diana didn’t.
Marcel sighed in relief, it was time to go.