Chapter 447: Heartache
Wendy looked at the car, then at Clement. Lowering her head, she seemed to be contemplating something.
Then, she looked up and asked, "Sir, must I take your car today?"
"Yes, my lady. Your boyfriend might have no qualms about letting a beautiful woman such as you go home by yourself, but I cannot allow that." Clement’s voice gentled a notch, "This may be a busy street but cabs are not allowed to stop here. You will not be able to flag one down even if you continue for another half an hour. Taking a ride from me is your best option."
"All right." Wendy finally gave in.
She took a deep breath and walked toward the car with her heels in her hands.
However, she did not get into the front passenger seat. Instead, she headed for the back door.
"Thank you for offering me a ride home, but the front passenger seat is for your wife.
It’s not appropriate for me to take that seat. I’ll sit at the back."
"I am not married." Clement replied.
"Then it should be for your girlfriend. Regardless, it’s not right for me to sit there."
Wendy reached out for the back door handle.
"I don’t have a girlfriend either," Clement corrected Wendy, his voice amused. "I wanted to ask if you might be interested in becoming my girlfriend?"
"I have a boyfriend. I won’t take your car if you insist on joking about such matters."
Wendy withdrew her foot that was halfway into the car.
Clement decided to get Wendy into the car first before he continued his attempts to win her affections.
He said, "I was just joking. You can sit at the back if you wish. I just feel that the view from the front is much better. It’s the same to me wherever you decide to sit."
Wendy glanced at Clement’s face and saw that he seemed quite relaxed and not angry. She decided it would be okay to get on and so stepped into the car again.
After Wendy was safely seated, Clement went round back to the driver’s seat and started the car.
Observing her in the rearview mirror, Clement noticed she seemed uncomfortable and edgy. He asked, "Is your leg injured? Should I send you to the hospital to get it checked out?"
"That won’t be necessary, I only twisted it a little. I just have to go home and massage it a little and it’ll be fine." Wendy didn’t really hurt her leg. Her act would fall through if they really were to go to the hospital.
Clement did not insist. Instead, he asked, "Where do you stay?"
"Norden Apartments." She had already gotten into his car and it was time to be forthcoming with such information.
Clement immediately input the address into his GPS and started driving in the direction of Wendy’s home.
"It’ll be a twenty-minute journey. Can we chat?" Clement asked.
He didn’t give Wendy a chance to reply, however.
Clement continued, "May I ask how you and your boyfriend got to know each other?"
"Can I not answer?" Wendy replied.
"Then, did something happen between the two of you?" Clement insisted, "Don’t tell me he has been treating you so badly all since the beginning?"
"I..." Wendy looked down at her hands. They were gripped tightly around each other as if she were extremely unwilling to answer the question. "Sir, this is something personal. Can I not answer?"
"Sure." Clement was just casually asking anyway.
It did not matter if Wendy answered him or not.
He could simply get someone to investigate if he really wanted to know.
"Thank you." Wendy heaved a small sigh of relief.
"What is there to thank me for? It’s your privacy anyway." Clement chuckled. "No one can force you to answer if you don’t want to."
"I don’t have to answer any question I don’t want to?" Wendy muttered to herself quietly.
...
Although she spoke softly, Wendy knew Clement definitely heard her.
The interior of the car was only that big after all.
"Of course, is there someone who is forcing you to say things you don’t wish to?"
Clement frowned. As if having suddenly thought of something, he asked, "Is it your boyfriend?"
"No..." Wendy immediately clarified, "Not him."
However, Wendy’s agitated defensiveness seemed to point directly at Todd.
"It seems your relationship with your boyfriend is not exactly going well. You should really consider changing boyfriends." Clement proceeded to promote his virtues, "You’ll definitely be better off with me than with your current boyfriend. You’ll get a one million dollar allowance every month and unrestricted access to all my properties and cars. If you need anything else, all you have to do is ask. What do you think" "That was a little insulting, sir. One million a month? What do you take me as?"
Wendy pretended to be very angry at Clement’s offer. "The fact that I currently have a boyfriend notwithstanding, what you’re doing is amoral. Even if I do not have a boyfriend, you cannot make such propositions."
Her character was supposed to be like that of a snow-white flower.
It was natural for someone like that to be insulted and angry when faced with an offer of money.
"It’s my fault. I’m sorry." Clement knew when to back down and quickly apologized.
Wendy did not speak after that. She sat quietly and looked out of the window as if very angry.
The atmosphere in the car quietened.
Clement continued chatting to her about random topics but her replies were mostly monosyllabic and uninterested. He didn’t get angry though.
The car soon arrived at Wendy’s apartment.
Once the car stopped completely, Wendy alighted.
When she saw Clement getting off as well, she hurriedly said, "Thank you for sending me home. Goodbye."
"Aren’t you inviting me up for coffee?" Clement asked teasingly as he regarded Wendy with a smile in his eyes.
"It’s late and I’m afraid that will not be convenient." replied Wendy. "I’m very thankful to you for giving me a ride home, but I stay alone and it’s really not convenient to invite you up. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will treat you to coffee somewhere appropriate."
"You stay alone?" Clement asked, "What about your boyfriend?"
"He stays at his house, of course." Wendy took two steps back, increasing the distance between herself and Clement. "Goodbye, kind sir."
Wendy turned to leave after that.
Clement watched Wendy leave with growing interest in his eyes.
He thought his luck was pretty good that day to have met such a fine specimen.
He had to be extra patient with such an exceptional woman.
Wendy did not look back as she walked into her apartment block.
She only relaxed when she finally entered the elevator. It seemed that day’s operation was more successful than she thought it would be.
The moment she reached home, Wendy sent Todd a message telling him she had reached home.
Todd, who had been anxiously awaiting news from Wendy, finally set his mind at ease when he saw her message. He replied to her to acknowledge that he had seen her message.
Wendy had sent the two children away prior to starting her plan and the apartment was cold and empty.
She cleaned off her makeup and took a long warm bath while she thought in detail about what she was planning to do.
Clement was not an ordinary man and if they were not careful in their dealings with him, things might get out of hand.
She had to be meticulous.
...
The two children had been here for three days. Michael had picked them up personally.
He arranged for them to continue school at the kindergarten Jake used to attend. He had just gotten the children and was extra diligent when it came to anything related to them.
Finishing his work early that day, Michael drove to their school to pick them up. Leah was very happy to see him and threw herself into his embrace when he got there.
Jake, however, maintained his composure and walked toward them slowly.
Michael reached out to hold his hand but Jake shied away from him.
He knew his son still didn’t like him much and simply sighed. He did not try to touch him again.
"Daddy, aren’t you busy at work today?" Leah asked with her arms around Michael’s neck.
"I finished all my work for the day and hurried here to pick you up. Is Leah happy that I came to fetch you?" asked Michael gently.
"Yes!" Leah nodded happily. However, she seemed to have suddenly thought of something and her face fell. "If only Mummy could be here to fetch me and Jake too.
That would be even better."
Leah had bawled her eyes out when Michael picked them up two days ago. It had taken him a long time to pacify her.
She had gotten better after a few days, but still occasionally brought up Wendy.
Leah was a little girl, unlike Jake. Girls tended to be closer and more dependent on their mothers.
Michale held Leah close with one hand and patted her head with the other.
Reassuringly, he said, "Mummy will be with us in a few days. Can Leah be patient?"
"Okay." She missed her mother a lot, but still nodded obediently. "I will be a very good girl so Mummy will come to meet us here in Lake City sooner."
"Good girl, Leah." Michael asked gently, "What would Leah like to have for dinner?
Shall I bring you and Jake out to eat?"
"I want clam chowder! Can we have that?" Leah might have grown up in Rheinsville City but had taken to the local food in Lake City like fish to water. She seemed to like all the local favourites.
"Sure, let’s have clam chowder for dinner." Michale lowered his head and glanced at Jake. "Jake, can we have clam chowder for dinner?"
Jake didn’t reply, but he nodded quietly.
He wasn’t particular about food.
Leah only missed their mother. He was worried for her.
Michael pursed his lips as he contemplated Jake’s sameness. He was at a loss as to what to say to the boy.
Perhaps he should have a good talk with him.
Jake may be young, but he was smart and knew more than he let on.
They were father and son and he did not wish for their relationship to be strained like this forever.
Michael also wanted to ask Jake if he knew why Wendy wanted to send him and his sister to Lake City.
They returned home straight after dinner.
By the time Zess finished helping Leah with her bath, it was already almost ten o’clock in the night. It was time to send the children to bed.
Leah had been fine up till the time she lay upon the bed. For some reason, big fat tears started welling up in her eyes.
She hugged the soft toy Michael had given her tightly to herself and turned so her back was facing Zess. She didn’t want Zess to see her crying.
It was impossible for Zess not to notice.
Leah managed to suppress her tears during the day, but once it got to bedtime, she would cry whenever she thought of her mother.
Zess sighed and arranged the blankets properly over the little girl before leaving the room.
"Has Leah fallen asleep?" Michael asked Zess when he caught sight of her.
"She’s still missing Wendy. Perhaps Mr. Lucas can try to pacify her?" Zess’ heart ached for Leah.
...
Michael glanced at the direction of Leah’s room and nodded to Zess. He then walked to the room and opened the door.
Leah turned over reflexively to look at the door when she heard the sound of it opening.
When she saw Michael, she sniffled and the tears fell even harder.
"Daddy..." hugging her soft toy tight, she called out to him, her voice choked with emotion.
Michael’s heart clenched painfully when he heard the misery in her voice.
Striding to her in big steps, he reached out to sweep her into his arms. However, Leah suddenly turned away to show him her back.
"Leah, are you missing Mummy?" Michael sat down on the bed next to her instead and smoothed her hair tenderly.
"Yes... " whispered Leah quietly before falling silent.
It was usual for a young child to be fine in the daytime when away from their mother, but the feelings tended to intensify at night.
Micheal felt his heart ache for his little girl.
"Shall I tell you a bedtime story?" Michael thought it would be best to coax Leah to sleep, then she wouldn’t be awake and sad.
"It’s ok Daddy, I will be okay in a while." Leah sniffled again and said in a small voice. She was upset but trying her best to be strong. "I’m not crying, my eyes are just tearing because they are a little uncomfortable."
"It’s okay. You can tell me or Jake if you miss Mummy. If you feel really sad, it’s okay to cry too. You’ll feel better after that." Michael consoled Leah, "Shall I hold you in my lap and tell you a bedtime story?" He reached out to pick her up.
However, Leah shook her head.
"Daddy, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m a big girl now and I can be strong like Jake. I won’t cry." Leah insisted. "But... I need a little more time. I won’t cry anymore tomorrow."
Despite her words, Leah sobbed even louder. She shouldn’t be crying. She had promised her mother she would be good and listen to her father and brother.
Leah’s words made Michael’s heart ache even more.
He picked Leah up anyway and said gently as he patted her head, "Leah, you don’t have to hold it all inside. Just tell me if you feel sad, okay?"
He didn’t need his daughter to be so strong. She should be allowed to cry when she feels sad.
People sometimes felt worse if they did not let out their pent up emotions.
Jake was so young and yet had already learnt to hide his emotions. He had matured so fast and was aware of many things that happened around him.
However, Michael knew that Jake was not happy.
There was too much on his mind and he could neither tell anyone about his worries nor cry. How could he be happy like that?
Michael did not want his daughter to become like his son who bottled everything up inside him.
He wanted to teach Leah to properly manage her emotions and vocalise her needs.
At Michael’s urging, Leah let out a wail and cried even louder. She burrowed into Michael’s chest and her tears made a big wet patch on his shirt.
Michael took a deep breath and patted her head gently, soothing her.
Inside, however, he was worrying about Wendy too. He decided to look for Jake after he got Leah to fall asleep. He wanted to have a chat with Jake if he was not asleep yet. Perhaps Jake knew what was going on.
"Daddy, I miss Mummy." Leah finally admitted.
"I’m sure Mummy misses you too, Leah. Let’s wait for Mummy to come to Lake City together, okay?" Michael consoled Leah.
