Kapitel 32: [Grandmother's visit]
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The morning sun filtered through the heavy curtains of the mansion's living room when the doorbell rang. Claire, sitting at the dining table with a cup of lukewarm tea, flinched slightly at the unexpected sound. She wasn't expecting anyone. With a quick glance at the housekeeper, she stood to check who it was.
As the door opened, Claire froze in surprise. Standing there was Madame Lana, Cain's grandmother. The older woman, draped in a luxurious shawl and carrying a suitcase, smiled warmly at her.
"Claire, my dear," Lana greeted, stepping forward without waiting for an invitation. "Aren't you going to let your poor grandmother inside?"
Claire blinked and then hurriedly stepped aside. "Of course, Madame Lana. I—I wasn't expecting you."
"Surprises keep life interesting, don't they?" Lana quipped, walking into the living room like she owned the place. She placed her suitcase down and turned to Claire. "And stop calling me Madame. It makes me feel ancient. You're practically family now—call me Lola."
Claire nodded hesitantly, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sweater. "Lola, would you like some tea? Or breakfast? I can call the kitchen—"
"Claire, relax," Lana interrupted, her sharp eyes scanning the young woman's face. "I'm here to spend time with my favorite future granddaughter-in-law. No need to fuss over me."
Despite her cheerful tone, Lana's gaze didn't miss Claire's pale complexion, the faint shadows under her eyes, and the stiffness in her posture. Something wasn't right, but she didn't press—yet.
---
Cain returned home early that afternoon, surprised to see his grandmother seated in the living room, chatting with Claire over a cup of tea. His brows furrowed as he approached them.
"Lola, what are you doing here?" Cain asked, his voice tinged with both confusion and irritation.
"Well, isn't that a warm welcome," Lana replied, setting her cup down and rising to hug her grandson. "I missed you, so I decided to visit. Do I need a reason to see my family?"
Cain sighed but returned her hug. "You should have called. I would've sent someone to pick you up."
"Nonsense. I'm perfectly capable of travelling on my own." She pulled back, studying his face. "Although, I'm glad I came. You look like you've been carrying the weight of the world, Cain."
Cain shrugged off her comment and turned to Claire, who was avoiding his gaze. "Did you have lunch?" he asked her.
"I was about to," Claire replied softly, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
"Good," Lana interjected. "Let's all eat together. I want to see how my grandchildren are faring."
After the lunch they sat there chatting about their engagement. And Lana was observing their behaviour towards each other. Soon it was almost dinner time.
Dinner was a quiet, tense affair. Claire sat across from Cain, barely speaking except to respond to Lana's cheerful questions. Cain seemed equally withdrawn, focusing more on his food than the conversation.
After dinner, Lana excused herself, claiming she was tired from her journey. But instead of retiring, she lingered in the hallway, watching as Claire retreated to her room and Cain disappeared into his study. Her instincts told her something was deeply wrong, and she intended to find out what.
The next morning, Claire received a call from Beth, telling that she was in front of her Mansion, as she made sudden plans for shopping.
Claire informed Madame Lana and She left with Beth for a day of shopping and Cain had a very light breakfast and headed to the office in a hurry.
Once everyone was back on their routine, Madame Lana gathered the household staff in the kitchen.
"Alright," she said, her tone firm but kind. "I want to know what's going on in this house. Don't think I haven't noticed the tension between Cain and Claire. I'm not leaving until someone tells me the truth."
The maids exchanged nervous glances, their fear of Cain evident. Finally, Linda, one of the younger maids, stepped forward. She was very friendly with Claire and they both were kind to each other, Linda decided to help Claire in any way she could.
"Madame," Linda began hesitantly, "it's not my place to say, but... Miss Claire has been through a lot. She came here very ill, with bruises all over her body. She has nightmares almost every night."
Lana's face darkened, but she kept her composure. "Go on."
"She rarely speaks to Mr. Cain," Linda continued, her voice trembling. "And... the last time Miss Maria visited, we overheard her saying something about sending Miss Claire to jail. We think..." Linda hesitated, then rushed on, "we think that's why Miss Claire is so afraid of him."
Lana's hand clenched around the edge of the table. She took a deep breath, her expression hardening. "Thank you for telling me, Linda. You've done the right thing."
Meanwhile, at his office, Cain was struggling to maintain his composure during a video conference. The arrogant businessman on the other end was pushing his limits, demanding unreasonable terms for a major deal.
Cain had a plan to expand his Imperial Axis lnc. He was negotiating on his plan to set up a second main branch in the heart of city Orcana. But– this deal wasn't easy to crack.
"Mr. Wilson," the man sneered, "if you can't meet my terms, perhaps you're not the right partner for this project."
Cain quietly stared at him. The man continued,
"The percentage is quite unfair to be honest. Let's be straight that I will be the one handling your project here, so I deserve 70% of whatever the revenue is." The man on the video call smiled greedily.
Cain's jaw tightened. "We'll see about that," he said coolly, ending the call abruptly. He leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose.
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in," he said.
Mark entered, holding a file. "I've done some digging on that client you asked about. Turns out he's been involved in several shady deals. Might be worth meeting him in person to see what he's really after."
Cain nodded. "Schedule a flight to Orcana. I want this dealt with quickly."
Mark hesitated. "Are you sure you're okay leaving right now? With Madame Lana at the house..."
Cain frowned. "Not now, schedule it for tomorrow." With that he got his attention back to his work.
Meanwhile Claire and Beth strolled out of the last boutique in Royal Square Mall, their arms laden with shopping bags. The mall bustled with activity—families out for the weekend, couples laughing, and kids eagerly dragging their parents to the nearest toy store.
"Whew," Claire exhaled, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face as they found a small café nestled in the corner of the food court. The smell of fried chicken wafted through the air, teasing her appetite. "Let's sit here. I'm starving."
Beth plopped down into a chair across from her, smirking. "You and food—inseparable as always. What's it going to be? Fried chicken?"
"You know me too well," Claire said, grinning. They quickly placed their order: a plate of crispy fried chicken, steaming white rice, and two tall glasses of lemonade topped with ice that glistened in the sunlight filtering through the glass ceiling.
When their food arrived, Claire's eyes lit up. The golden-brown chicken looked impossibly inviting, its aroma reminding her of simpler times. Picking up a piece, she bit into it, savoring the crunch before pausing to look at Beth. A sly smile curled on her lips.
"Do you remember," Claire began, her voice tinged with nostalgia, "that one time in prison when you swiped Officer Kevin's lunch?"
Beth burst into laughter, nearly choking on her lemonade. "How could I forget? I was so bold! That poor man didn't know what hit him."
Claire laughed too, her laughter light yet tinged with a subtle undercurrent of longing. "yeah we were starving, and his lunch smelled too good. You couldn't resist. Besides, you took advantage of that poor officer's crush on you."
Beth leaned back, her grin widening. "And then he went around the cell block, finding me to tell me that he will provide us with lunch daily, if I could agree to his proposal. Honestly, we should have seen his face when he found out later that we just scammed him."
Claire shook her head, giggling. "Prison wasn't exactly a walk in the park, but moments like those... they made it bearable." Her smile faltered slightly as she toyed with her rice, her eyes darkening with a flicker of uncertainty.
Noticing the shift, Beth set down her fork. "What's wrong?"
Claire hesitated, glancing around before leaning in slightly. "It's just… this whole engagement with Cain. What if it all goes wrong, Beth? What if Maria comes back, and he… he starts caring for her again in the name of their 'history' or family connections?"
Beth's expression softened. "Claire, listen to me. You've been through so much, and yet you've made it here, stronger than ever. Don't let your fears dictate your happiness. If Cain truly loves you, he'll make it clear. And if he doesn't…" She reached across the table, squeezing Claire's hand. "Then you'll have the strength to move on. Take your time. You don't have to have it all figured out right now."
Claire nodded slowly, her chest tightening with a mix of gratitude and unease. "Thanks, Beth. I needed to hear that."
"Anytime," Beth replied with a warm smile, lifting her glass of lemonade. "Now, enough of this heavy stuff. Let's toast to a carefree day—just us and some much-needed fun."
Claire chuckled, clinking her glass against Beth's. "Cheers to that."
After finishing their meal, they made their way to a karaoke lounge on the upper floor of the mall. The neon lights and pulsating music set an upbeat tone, and the room they rented had walls adorned with posters of famous singers. Claire picked up the microphone, an impish glint in her eyes.
"You're not ready for this," she teased.
Beth snorted. "Oh, I'm ready. The question is, are *you* ready for my vocal brilliance?"
Claire's laughter echoed through the room as the first song began—a cheesy pop anthem from their youth. She belted out the lyrics with exaggerated gusto, her voice cracking on purpose, making Beth double over with laughter. Then it was Beth's turn, and she put on a dramatic performance, complete with wild hand gestures and over-the-top facial expressions.
As the hours passed, their playlist grew more eclectic, ranging from heartfelt ballads to energetic rock songs. They danced, laughed, and sang until their voices grew hoarse. Claire hadn't felt this carefree in ages, her worries momentarily swept away in the music and the comfort of Beth's friendship.
When they finally left the karaoke lounge, the sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Claire glanced at Beth as they walked to the parking lot.
"Today was amazing," Claire said, her smile soft and genuine. "I really needed this."
Beth looped her arm through Claire's. "Anytime, Claire. That's what friends are for. And hey, next time we're going bowling. You'll finally see how terrible you are at it."
Claire laughed, shaking her head. "We'll see about that. Don't underestimate me."
As they drove off, the weight of reality lingered at the edges of Claire's mind, but for the first time in weeks, it felt manageable.
It was almost night, Cain returned home to find his grandmother waiting for him in the living room.
"Lola," he greeted, forcing a smile. "Did you eat?"
"How can I eat when there's so much weighing on my mind?" Lana replied, her tone sharp. She gestured for him to sit.
Cain hesitated, then compiled, sensing he couldn't avoid this confrontation.
"Cain," Lana began, her voice steady but stern, "I've been patient, but I won't sit by while you let this... mess continue. Claire is a wonderful girl, and she deserves better than this. What have you done to her?"
Cain looked away, guilt flickering across his face. "Lola, it's complicated."
"Uncomplicate it," Lana snapped. "Do you think I can't handle the truth? Your grandfather and I built an empire in the underworld long before you were born. Don't insult me by pretending I can't handle whatever you're hiding."
Cain sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Lola, I—"
His words were cut off by the knock on the door, He glanced at the door, his expression darkening. Claire walked in tired and unstable.
"Lola, I'll help her first." Saying that Cain got up and walked towards her, helping her go to her room
As he walked away, Lana watched him with narrowed eyes. "This isn't over," she muttered under her breath.
AUTORENGEDANKEN 
Mu_saiya
Mu_saiya Hi guys it's not easy to create a good chapter. sometimes I might feel low or run out of ideas. Your support and feedback will be a great source of motivation for me. thanks guys!
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