Clarissa's POV
“Are you happy now?” Alfie snapped. “She says she’s leaving! It’s freezing outside, and she’s just a young girl. Clarissa, you’ve really let me down.”
Then he grabbed my arm. “Let’s go. You’re going to apologize to her.”
I didn’t want to, but Alfie didn’t care. He dragged me out of the room.
In the living room, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law glared at me like I was some kind of criminal.
Alfie’s brows furrowed. “Where is she?”
His mother scoffed and said coldly, “She ran off.”
My sister-in-law sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Thanks to someone, she couldn’t even stay another minute. What a nightmare! Can’t even have a peaceful New Year.”
“As if causing trouble all the time wasn’t enough, you also have to drive a wedge between Alfie and Mom. And now, on a rare holiday when we finally get to be home, you just have to make things worse,” she added, rolling her eyes upward.
Alfie yanked me toward the door, determined to go after Shirley. His grip was firm, leaving no room for resistance.
“When we find her, you better apologize,” he ordered. “How could you be like this? You just had to drive her away, didn’t you? And now, in this freezing weather, she’s out there all alone.”
I had had enough. I ripped my arm away from him.
“Oh, now you care about the cold?” I shot back. “Did you ever stop to think that I’m carrying your child?”
Alfie let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Wow, Clarissa, you’re even using the baby to threaten me now?” His gaze hardened. “But I’m telling you right now, I don’t care what you say. You’re going to apologize.”
He shoved me into the car, not caring how rough he was. My stomach twisted in pain because of it, cold sweat beading on my forehead.
But Alfie barely spared me a glance. Instead, he let out a mocking chuckle. “Oh, cut the act. Didn’t the doctor say the baby was perfectly healthy last time? But the second something happens to Shirley, you’re suddenly in pain?”
I didn’t respond. I had already given up on him.
It didn’t matter.
I just had to endure a little longer. In a few days, I would be gone.
The entire drive, Alfie was restless, like a man on the verge of losing his mind.
Soon, his phone rang. The moment he saw Shirley’s name, he let out a heavy sigh of relief.
He picked up immediately and panickedly asked, “Shirley! Where are you?”
On the other end, Shirley sobbed into the receiver. “I got lost. I don’t know what to do.”
Alfie’s voice softened in an instant. “Stay where you are. I’m coming to get you. Don’t run around, okay?”
I sat there, numb.
Years ago, he used to speak to me like that.
Now, it was for someone else.
Not long after, we found Shirley waiting at the side of the road. The moment she saw Alfie, she ran straight into his arms.
For a second, he looked guilty and glanced at my way. But then he seemed to remember that I was blind, and his hesitation disappeared.
He wrapped his arms around Shirley without a care.
She sniffled, wiping away nonexistent tears before turning toward me. “I’m so sorry, Clarissa. I was just scared… I didn’t mean to hold onto Alfie like that. I hope you don’t mind.”
She wanted me to know exactly how much Alfie cared about her. But I no longer had the energy to play this game.
When I didn’t react, she wasn’t satisfied. “Clarissa, I’m really sorry. This is my fault. I should just leave. I don’t want to be in your way.”
Alfie’s face twisted in distress. He turned to me and said, “Clarissa, just take a taxi home. I’ll drop Shirley off first. She’s a little afraid of you.”
Afraid? Huh!
Even so, I smiled faintly. “Alright.”
Alfie seemed surprised by my calmness, like he had expected me to fight back. His lips parted as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.
He helped Shirley into the car, and without looking back, they drove away.
I stood there for a long time, my fingers and toes numb from the cold.
At some point, my phone rang. It was Alfie.
But when I answered, what I heard wasn’t his voice.
It was a low, muffled groan.
And Shirley’s breathy, exaggerated cries.
She wanted to make sure I knew exactly what they were doing.
