My pulse roared louder than the malicious taunts as Victoria clenched my hand, digging her fingers in my flesh.
“But I couldn't have that, could I?” Her red lips curled in a mocking smile “So I paid the surgeon to keep you on anesthesia for a month.
And when Xander woke up, I was the one by his side as the doctors told him that I was the one who found him a donor abroad at the last minute. That I saved him.”
My eyes that were long devoid of tears recalled the painful memories almost like they belonged to someone else.
Two years ago, after I woke up from the coma, each step hurt, but I told myself I was grateful that at least my husband was alive, even if it wasn't because of me.
When Xander didn’t come home for two long months, accompanying Victoria all across the world as the rumors of their love affair spread, I soothed my heart, thinking that he was merely thanking his savior.
When I swallowed the truth and lied about the chest scar- “a mentally ill beggar stabbed me.” Xander never investigated more.
All these years I endured thinking the surgery had failed…my sacrifice was worthless. Telling him would only make him feel guilty for no reason. He didn't owe me anything
Now I knew, the life Xander Hart was living so well was borrowed from me and if he had even cared to find out the truth, considering his power in the city, it was easy.
Just that he never cared enough.
For a moment I looked at the woman standing infront of me and found her as heartless as Xander, both of them were truly a perfect match.
“Xander will never choose a whore-”
“The whore is you, don’t tell me there is nothing between you and Xander’s friend Thomas.”
“You!” Victoria’s face turned ashen as soon as I mentioned that name.
“You stay out of my way, I will stay out of yours. If you want Xander that badly, you can have him.” Victoria’s eyes flashed in fury as she scoffed before turning away.
When the family dinner began, I didn’t say a word and just silently counted minutes till I received my father’s fund.
Xander looked at me as I refused to utter a single word and for a moment his jaw clenched. It was then amidst chatter and laughter, a waiter approached with a bouquet in his arms. A vibrant, striking one- lilac roses with stark snow tulips.
Victoria sneezed just as the bouquet neared.
“Oh no.” she laughed, scrunching her nose. “Xander, honey…I think it doesn’t suits me.”
“I told you not to get too close to them, why can’t you take care of yourself?” he said lightly and without missing a beat, took it from her hands and dumped the flowers in my arm, his fingers brushing against me like a cheap compensation.
“Here, you like flowers, don’t you?” Absentmindedly, my fingers wrapped around the stems.
Tulips.
A chill spread across my spine, but I couldn't speak as my body swayed, my eyes stinging with burn.
A scream cut through the laughter as someone gasped in horror.
“Xander!” A voice yelled. “She is bleeding through her nose!”
I blinked. My vision was fogging as my hand went to my nose and came back red.
Xander’s head turned sharply and the moment his gaze landed on me, a flash of recognition struck like lightening.
“Claire damnit!” He snatched the bouquet away, tossing it away. “Why didn’t you say something?!”
He knew I was deathly allergic to tulips since I was sixteen. He was the one who had driven me to the ER the last time it happened, he held my hair back while I vomited blood on the hospital floor.
I looked at him, trembling, as the blood dripped past my lips and stained the front of my dress.
“Don’t touch me.” I whispered, stepping back just as he reached out.
The color drained from his face. “Claire-”
“AH!” A sharp clattering of glass echoed as Victoria’s champagne glass fell down at the same time, piercing her hand. The atmosphere buzzed as Xander pushed my body to rush to her side without a moment of delay..
“Quickly, bring a car. I will take Victoria to the doctor.” He ordered hastily before his conflicted eyes fell upon me.
“Father…you take Claire to the hospital.”
“You rescued me from an assault, saved my life once so with this, I have repaid all your debts Xander.”
I whispered at last before completely passing out.
When I woke up in the hospital, it was already morning. With nobody by my side I signed my discharged papers myself as messages one after another chimed on my phone.
[Xander: Claire, how are you? I am sorry to leave you behind yesterday.]
[Xander: There were alot of eyes watching us.]
[Xander:After this fake wedding with Victoria is done, I will accompany you to Paris for your ballet event and would definitely compensate you.
Today is my wedding so come to the venue without delay, there will be many eyes watching.]
With hollow eyes I read the texts one by one before my lips quivered.
I have already paid for all my sins, I have paid for my folly to enter your family along with my scheming mother but even now you are not done with your revenge?
Coaxing me to come attend the wedding was all for the sake of exposing our intimate photos to the world and destroying me thoroughly.
I could no longer care at all.
My father was dead, my mother hated me and there were no friends except Ava…who was already coming with me to Nigeria for social work.
I don’t need to beg for mercy anymore.
An hour passed slowly as I gently hollowed out the apartment I shared with Xander and signed the property papers to my landlord, selling the apartment that was a witness of my shame.
I took a cab to the airport, passing right infront of the wedding venue that was decorated lavishly, for a brief moment I saw Xander’s visage before closing my eyes and bidding my farewell..
“In this life or others, I hope we never meet again.”
When my flight took off, I snapped the phone SIM and threw it away.
At last, I was free.
