Chapter 80

Clara's POV

Things couldn't have felt worse after my incident with Derek's grandfather. Derek was livid about everything, and I couldn't have felt more responsible and guilty about everything.

We didn't spend much time at the resort after that. The next morning, we were on a flight back home. I slept through the flight back home, so I didn't have to speak to anyone.

After everything he has done for me and how he has defended me, I don't know how to tell him the truth. It's going to crush him and hurt him worse than it would hurt me. How did I let things get this far?

We were going from the airport, and he decided to drop me off at home first.

We hadn't spoken to each other.

I was dozing off, staring out of the window with my head leaned on the side.

"We've arrived now," Derek said, tapping me on the shoulder.

I snapped out of my thoughts to see that we had parked in front of my house. I hadn't even realised I'd been so trapped in my thoughts.

I sat up straight and then reached to open the car door.

Derek quickly stopped me.

"You've been quiet the entire time. Are you sure you are alright?" He asked. He looked at me concerned, his eyes searching mine.

"I'm fine. I'm just tired, that's all." I answered wearily, tearing my eyes away from his.

I pushed the door open and stepped out of the car.

I paused in front of our house for a moment. I was back home, right where I should have never left.

I entered the yard and unlocked the front door using my spare keys.

Something seemed strange about the atmosphere in the house. Either way, I ignored it.

Derek followed behind me, bringing the one suitcase I'd brought along for the trip.

"Thank you," I thanked Derek as he placed my suitcase on the staircase.

This was probably the shortest trip in the world.

"I know you probably didn't get to see the city as much as you wanted. So, I have a surprise for you." He smiled. He was probably trying to cheer me up. I understood he was there to work.

"You don't have to do anything else for me," I answered slowly.

He didn't bother pressing it, and he understood I didn't want to talk. "I'll see you later, and you should probably get some rest." He said. He turned around, ready to leave.

"Could you please stop by tomorrow?" I asked.

I think we both need to think about things. Tomorrow seems like the appropriate day to let him know I've been stabbing him in the back.

He stopped in his tracks, turned around, and faced me. "Sure," he answered with a smile.

After that, he was on his way to leave again.

"Why don't you just invite him to stay here?" I heard my mother's voice behind me.

She descended the staircase, giving Derek and me a murderous look. It seemed like it hadn't been too long since she arrived.

My face turned blank.

What was she doing here? Didn't she say she'd be away for at least two weeks? But here she was, in person and not thousands of miles away as I'd anticipated.

She stopped below the staircase, her arms crossed as she stared daggers at Derek.

This seemed to make Derek very nervous. I, on the other hand, didn't have any energy to deal with whatever this was about to turn into.

"You have been making yourself way too comfortable these days, so why don't you just move in?" Mom

Derek was left speechless. That was a new look for him. He always had something to say. "I didn't realise you would already be back," Derek answered, changing the subject.

“So, you thought you could take advantage?" Mom retorted sarcastically. "I think it's time I finally meet your family. I'm beginning to wonder about the kind of people who raised you."

"They'd be happy to stop by any day. Just give them a time and place." Derek smiled.

"Great, I'll have you and your family here tonight. At six o'clock sharp." Mom answered.

Wait. How had this conversation escalated to this?

"You can't just invite people at the last minute like that. They are very busy people." I interjected.

"My mother has never worked a day in her life, and my dad is retired, so I'm sure they will be available," Derek answered.

Why was he making this harder?

"There are many preparations we need to take care of first. We can't just have them over tonight," I reasoned.

"What, is my house not good enough for them?" Mom asked. This time, Mom redirected her daggers towards me.

"It will be no problem at all. I'll speak to them. I'm sure they would love to come over." Derek smiled.

"Great," Mom answered.

This wasn't going to end well.

"I called, and neither of you bothered to answer your phones." Mom scolded. She took all her anger out of the carrot; she had that habitwhenever she was upset. "You, I bet you were eager to run off and move in with that boy. You can't even wait for me to die first."

"I'm not fifteen anymore, and I can decide who I want to go out with." I reminded her.

"I'm only scolding you because I love you. I'm your mother. If I don't, you'll probably end up broke with an Onlyfans account and in rehab." She answered. "People get kidnapped. Ms. Jennet, from down the street, her cousin's friend's sister's daughter was kidnapped. She got her daughter back in a plastic bin and cut her into pieces right at her doorstep. Do you want that to happen to you? You know you can't trust people these days." Mom answered. This was her way of winning arguments by telling stories that probably didn't happen.

"Isn't that the same Jennet who was sent to a psychiatric hospital by her kids because she was seeing ghosts?" Katy asked.