Part 99

Antony stopped his car outside Claire's house and unlocked the gate with the spare key he had kept for a long time.

Claire's car hadn't moved from its spot. It was still there since the last time Antony visited his fiancée's home, before Claire's family took her back.

Who knows? Maybe Claire could hear the gate opening or maybe not. But one thing was clear: his wife did not welcome him at all because Claire's house felt eerily silent.

Was Gladwin playing a trick on him? Who knows if Claire was really back at her house.

He opened the front door and stepped inside, greeting her. Once again, there was no response. When Antony noticed Claire's bedroom door slightly ajar, he walked in.

Claire wasn't there. All that was left was the small suitcase she had brought from the hotel room.

"Claire, sweetheart," Antony called out again, but still, there was no answer.

Could it be that Claire left again after dropping off her suitcase and saw Gladwin leave? he wondered to himself.

Antony continued walking toward the backyard, where a small gazebo was located. There, he could see Claire's back. Her long hair, which he had seen wet after her shower, was now starting to dry.

"Claire?" Antony called out softly. Yet his wife didn't turn around or respond to him.

Antony walked closer. He didn't want to startle Claire and make her even angrier. Instead, he chose to observe her from behind, curious about what she was doing. Claire was holding her phone in her left hand, with earbuds connected.

Was his wife listening to music at a high volume? Antony wondered. He then walked slowly around Claire and sat down in front of her. The girl still had her eyes closed. If Antony hadn't seen her body moving, he would have assumed Claire was asleep in her seated position.

Antony rested his elbows on his knees and propped his chin on his hands. He gazed silently at his wife's peaceful face. He longed to lift his hand and touch her face and the hair of the girl who was now officially his wife.

To touch her not just with his hands, but with his lips as well.

Suddenly, Antony imagined himself kissing her face, starting from her smooth forehead, down to her small, pointed nose, her slender cheeks, and finally ending with a kiss on her pink lips that always looked so tempting.

But then Antony shook his head. Once again, he had to restrain himself.

For thirteen years, he had successfully suppressed his desires for women. Thirteen years feeling numb. And now, with the woman in front of him finally halal (permissible) to touch, he had to hold himself back again.

It was alright; what difference would a few more days make? Although deep down, he wished more than anything that Claire would forgive him right then and there.

Claire slowly opened her eyes and was quite surprised to see Antony sitting cross-legged in front of her, still in the same clothes and looking more disheveled than before.

"What are you doing here?" she asked sharply, removing one of the earbuds from her ear.

Antony smiled sheepishly, looking at his wife. "I came to find you," he replied briefly.

"For what?" she asked, still sounding annoyed. Instead of answering Claire's question, Antony leaned in closer and took the earbud that she had just removed.

"What are you listening to?" he asked curiously. Without waiting for an answer, he put the earbud in his own ear. "Classical music?" Antony asked, surprised. Claire raised an eyebrow in response.

He had initially thought Claire was listening to metal music, which was why she hadn't heard him greet her. But he was wrong.

"What's wrong with the music I listen to?" Claire shot back, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Antony shook his head, returning the earbud to Claire since she had already turned off the audio on her phone.

"Nothing, sweetheart. I just thought you were listening to metal so loudly that you couldn't hear me call," Antony admitted honestly.

Claire chose to stand up and walk away from Antony.

Alright, the persuasion game has just begun, Antony thought. He followed Claire wherever she went, hoping that she would choose to go back into the bedroom. He silently prayed for it.

Unfortunately, Claire turned to the right instead of to the left. She walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, pouring a cold drink into a glass before gulping it down greedily, as if she hadn't had water in a long time.

Antony stood deliberately behind her, pressing his body against hers. He didn't care if Claire felt disturbed by it; in fact, he intended to crowd her so that when she set the glass down and turned around, he could trap her petite frame with both of his hands.

"What are you doing?" Claire hissed, her tone very sharp.

She looked unfazed, crossing her arms over her chest and gazing at Antony with piercing eyes. She didn't seem the slightest bit uncomfortable or anxious, even though Antony was already feeling hot and cold with desire.

Antony couldn't waver. He stretched his arms out to either side of her body, effectively enclosing her.

"I just wanted to admire my wife up close," he said casually, even though his heart was anything but calm. Especially since his lower body was throbbing more painfully than usual.

Seeing Claire looking fresh, fragrant, and beautiful made Antony want to strip her down, kiss her passionately, and make love to her until he was completely satisfied. Once again, he had to restrain his desires for now.

Hold on, Antony. Hold on. The battle hasn't even begun, he muttered to himself.

"Why did you leave?" Antony asked Claire in return. "You should have come with me, demanded an explanation from those two women. Ask them what their intentions were for coming to our party."

"You were the one who said you invited her," Claire replied, dismissing Antony's argument. "Although I was surprised by the other arrivals." She admitted honestly.

Antony nodded. He acknowledged that he was at fault, and he was just as shocked as Claire. "Yes, I admit it was my oversight," he said firmly. "I shouldn't have let the PR team extend an invitation to Anastasia. But, darling, honestly, I never suspected she would bring Flavia's mother along." He continued earnestly. "That woman did it on purpose just to make you jealous."

Claire furrowed her brow for a moment at Antony's words. Then she shrugged nonchalantly. "She succeeded in that," Claire replied without even blinking. Antony's eyes lit up at her response. "But more than that, I felt angry. Do you know what I was thinking at that moment?"

"What?" Antony asked, eager to know.