Page 46 of Forbidden Noble
Sophia said, “I didn’t mean it. He seemed nice.”
Rossie glanced at both of them and said, “I still don’t understand. Astorre told you to leave, Clara?”
If only Rossie could wave her magic wand where the world delivered on its promises. But that wasn’t her life. Clara ruined everything. She sniffed to ensure she didn’t sound like a slobbering fool. “I… he did. I'm respecting his wishes because he doesn’t love me.”
Olivia had no idea who Clara really was, but she said, “Look, my brother believes if he loves you, or me, or my daughter, then he’ll one day turn into our father.”
Impossible. Astorre wasn’t the type to flip out and murder anyone.
Rossie sank into a kitchen chair. “What?”
Olivia placed her hand on her heart, defending him. “He won’t. Our father wasn’t… kind, but Astorre still sees him when he looks into the mirror.”
But this was a silly argument because it was absolutely impossible. Clara took Olivia’s hand and wished she understood the truth. It was because she destroyed good things. That was why, and not because he thought anything silly about himself. She squeezed Olivia's hand and said, “He’d never hurt me or anyone. He’s not like that. He never even raised his voice.”
Olivia let out a long sigh. “My brother believes he’ll be something he’s not. I want you to come home with us.”
Astorre’s lips were imprinted on her and she’d never forget him, but she shook her head and let his sister’s hand go. “I can’t do that.”
Olivia held her hands in front of her like in prayer and pleaded, “If you love him, then you’ll help him see he can’t hurt you.”
His sister didn’t see that Astorre had his own reason for banishing her. Most people didn’t notice on first inspection but time always gave it away. Clara was the unfortunate one. She turned toward Rossie, her friend who had never judged her and said, “I… he doesn’t love me. Love works two ways and I’ve never been loveable.” She held up an umbrella for Olivia. “You should go now, Olivia. I hope you and Sophia help your brother realize how amazing he is.”
Olivia clasped her daughter’s hand as lightning struck outside followed closely with thunder. “Clara, I hope you change your mind and come back. I’ll ensure the gates stay open for you. You are welcome.”
Olivia hugged her and then guided her daughter outside to where the driver waited.
More raindrops pelted against the house hard enough to shake the building.
Clara finally gulped her water but it didn’t quench her thirst.
She needed to face facts. Clara opened cabinet after cabinet until she found a jackpot… wine. Rossie followed behind her and said, “Clara.”
With this in front of her, maybe she could forget her state and stop crying over Astorre. She’d thought she’d finished being upset regarding people and disappointing them long ago, but Astorre had changed that. She picked up a Malbec and hoped it was good as she said, “Rossie, let’s get some wine.”
Rossie stepped back and grabbed wine goblets from a cabinet.
Perfect. They scoured the kitchen drawers and found a cork screw as wind shook against the house, rattling the windows. She poured them both glasses. Rossie asked, “Can I say something?”
Clara laughed and handed Rossie a full goblet as she carried hers, and the bottle, into the next room. She remembered the general layout from the last time she was here. There were chairs and a sofa. “Even if I said no, you’d still say what you want. You’ve never been able to hold your impulses.”
The storm was rolling outside with rain so hard no umbrella would work and driving visibility would be impossible--Olivia and Sophia had gone just in time. It was cozy inside. Rossie sipped her wine. “You make me sound like a bad person.”
Clara pressed her hand on her friend's arm. At least here she could stay hidden away and only come out when Rossie invited her somewhere--she'd make an appearance as the strange aunt.
It was all she’d get out of life as love wasn’t in the cards for her. “You’re not. I was always envious that you lived and loved as you do.”
Rossie shook her head, but stopped, sipped, and then said, “I… if you remember in school I wasn’t the most popular person.”
At that time, they hadn’t been friends but unlike Clara the unfortunate, Rossie had been more accepted as normal. Clara gulped her red wine and said, “Because we weren’t the rich kids, but you were always tolerated for being fun. I was just Clara the unfortunate Fortuna.”
Rossie snorted but then covered the action when she sipped her wine. “Well, it will be horrible if you love Astorre and he loves you but you end up alone, especially now that you know him, and understand his tortured childhood.”
Her target must have been Clara's heart strings, and the organ dropped. Astorre would never hurt a fly. She ignored the tiny whisper in her head to believe she was loveable. If Astorre believed something about himself that wasn't true, could it be possible for her too? No. “At least I’ll have this house…I won’t have to mow the lawn or wash dishes for someone else’s party.”
Rossie tapped her fingernails to the goblet and stared at her, then sucked in her lips like she was deciding on a calculated deal. “You… can I ask why you turned down my business offer a few weeks ago? Was it because you were planning to marry Astorre?”
Her pulse spiked and she wanted to curl into a ball. She wasn’t a gold-digger, so why would Rossie ask that? “I’m not… he was my friend only then, and I had zero intention of ever marrying Astorre. You know that.”
