Cuffed by Will

XXVII. Realization Strikes

Friday, 25th May. Day 25.

"What the fuck did you say to him?" I snapped the moment Jeremiah answered my call.

"Ooh, feisty, I love that in a woman."

"Jeremiah, you crossed a line yesterday. I don't have the patience to deal with your banter bullshit."

I woke up that morning to an empty bed. The engagement ring on Ezra's bedside table was gone. Sandra told me Ezra went for his morning run and also inquired if everything was alright. I sat there, gloomy and depressed and talked a little bit to her. She just pressed her lips in a firm line and then made breakfast drowned in sympathy. The woman didn't have any advice except show him you are there for him to which I replied I am but he is fucking blind.

The depression turned to anger as I said the words and I realized Sandra was the last person who should play victim to my anger. On the other hand, I had the perfect victim and I was currently killing him through the phone.

"Merely spoke the truth."

"You fucking brainwashed him into believing I'm like his ex. There's nothing true about that!"

"I merely addressed facts that were to be discussed."

"How dare you." I spat out. "How dare you bully him like this. He's been tormented by you since he was a kid! You drove him away from his father. You drove Jade away and now you are driving him away from me."

"Can't get my inheritance by giving you guys your happy ending can I?" He replied with snark and I had just the weapon to get back at him.

"Sucks doesn't it? That you have to fall so low for money?"

"Not really." He laughed but the anger burned brighter.

"It's so sad to see that Marvin never cared about you the way he did Ezra. He loved him more than you. He gave him a chance to earn his legacy. What did he give you, Jeremiah? You are just supposed to sit back and watch as you are stripped of everything you could have possibly owned while Ezra mends the heart you broke." My words silenced him for a long time. The normal sweet caring me would have hated to say words like those but desperate times called for desperate measures. He hurt Ezra, he hurt me, so I hurt him back. Simple as that.

The silence was broken with Jeremiah's evil laugh. Though this time his voice was laced with anger and rue. "You are forgetting something, Clara."

"What's that?"

"In the end, he'll drive you away. He doesn't trust you enough now. He doesn't see you. Only five days to go, Clara, and with Ezra looking at you like you are Jade, there's nothing you can do to make him love you." His words stung. Fuck, did they burn. But I refused to back down.

"You're wrong. He does love me."

"Has he said it?"

I had np choice but to lie. "He has." I swallowed and waited for him to reply. Could he tell I lied?

"If he does love you, there wouldn't be mistrust between you right now. You wouldn't be fighting and you certainly wouldn't be arguing with me through the phone." He laughed and continued, "maybe when all of this is said and done and you go your separate ways, you can pay my inheritance back with all that feistiness in my bed."

"You are disgusting."

"Have a happy but short married life, Clara. Good days to you." He ended the call and I threw the mobile on the bed.

"Ugh!" I threw myself on the bed and screamed my heart out in a pillow. Fucking Jeremiah. Fucking Jade. Fucking me for falling into this whole fucking mess!